Life passages As a participant Orthodox 9 min read

Orthodox wedding as a participant

What an engaged couple typically prepares for and experiences at an Orthodox wedding, from the first parish meeting through the Sacrament of Crowning.

01 Before you decide on a date

An Orthodox wedding is called the Sacrament of Crowning. The form of the rite is distinct from Western Christian wedding ceremonies and centers on the placement of wedding crowns on the heads of the bride and groom by the priest. The crowns signify the honor conferred on the couple and, in Orthodox tradition, their willingness to bear with one another in marriage.

Before a date is set, the engaged couple typically meets first with the priest at the parish where the wedding will take place. The priest is the source for which dates the parish is available, and (more particularly) which dates are not available, since Orthodox marriages are not normally celebrated during the major fasting periods of the year.

02 Marriage preparation

Marriage preparation in Orthodox practice is typically a series of conversations with the priest rather than a structured Pre-Cana-style programme. The conversations cover the Orthodox understanding of marriage as a sacrament, the responsibilities of married life, the meaning of the crowning, and the practical matter of preparing for the wedding day itself.

Specific marriage preparation programmes are used in some US jurisdictions, especially the Orthodox Church in America (OCA) and the Antiochian Archdiocese, which publish marriage preparation materials. The exact form of preparation varies parish by parish; the priest at the parish is the source for what the local parish expects.

03 Paperwork and the koumbaros

The documents typically required by the parish include baptismal and chrismation certificates for each Orthodox spouse, freedom-to-marry attestation, the civil marriage licence (obtained two to four weeks before the wedding), and, where one of the spouses is not Orthodox, the corresponding paperwork from the non-Orthodox spouse's tradition where the jurisdiction asks for it.

The koumbaros or koumbara is selected during the preparation period. The role is the principal sponsorship of the marriage; the sponsor holds the crowns during the crowning, participates in the procession around the analogion, and is traditionally also expected to be the godparent of any future children. The sponsor is normally an Orthodox Christian in good standing with the Church; specific eligibility requirements vary by jurisdiction.

04 At the ceremony

The Sacrament of Crowning is celebrated as the marriage rite itself; in some parishes it is immediately preceded by a betrothal service at which the rings are blessed and exchanged. The marriage rite is generally distinct from the Divine Liturgy (the Orthodox Mass); Orthodox weddings are not normally celebrated within the Liturgy in current US practice.

The rite includes the priest's prayers and blessings on the couple, the placement of wedding crowns (held in place by the koumbaros or koumbara), the reading of the Gospel (typically the wedding at Cana from John 2), the sharing of a common cup of wine, and a procession around the analogion (a small table at the front of the church) led by the priest with the couple following.

There are no spoken vows in the Western sense. The couple does not exchange promises directly to one another; instead, the priest performs the prayers and ritual actions on their behalf. The couple's silence during the ceremony is theological: the sacrament is conferred by God through the Church.

05 After the ceremony

The signing of the marriage register and the civil marriage licence is normally done immediately after the ceremony. The marriage is registered with the parish (and from there with the jurisdiction) and with the civil authority.

The Orthodox understanding of marriage is that the bond formed at the crowning is permanent. Where a marriage breaks down, the Church recognizes the reality and may grant ecclesiastical permission for a second marriage, but always with the awareness that the first marriage was a real sacrament.

06 Common questions

When can an Orthodox wedding be celebrated?
Orthodox weddings are not normally celebrated during the major fasting periods: Great Lent and Holy Week, the Nativity Fast (mid-November through Christmas Eve), the Apostles’ Fast (the weeks before the feast of Saints Peter and Paul), and the Dormition Fast (August 1 to 14). The Wednesday and Friday weekly fasts are also observed; weddings on those days are normally not celebrated. The priest can confirm which dates the parish is available.
Why are there no spoken vows at an Orthodox wedding?
The Orthodox understanding of marriage as a Mystery (sacrament) is that the marriage is conferred by God through the Church, not by the words of the spouses. The priest performs a series of prayers, blessings, and ritual actions on the couple’s behalf, culminating in the crowning. The couple’s silence during the ceremony is theological, not incidental; their consent is presumed by their freely standing for the Crowning and is verified by the priest in the preparation conversations beforehand.
What if one of the spouses is not Orthodox?
A marriage between an Orthodox Christian and a non-Orthodox Christian (typically called a "mixed marriage") is permitted in most US jurisdictions, provided the non-Orthodox party is a baptized Christian. The Orthodox party normally promises to do all they can to have any children of the marriage baptized and raised in the Orthodox Church. A marriage between an Orthodox Christian and an unbaptized person is generally not permitted as an Orthodox sacrament; practice varies by jurisdiction.
Who is the koumbaros or koumbara, and who can serve?
The koumbaros (male) or koumbara (female) is the principal sponsor of the marriage. They hold the crowns during the crowning, participate in the procession around the analogion, and are traditionally also expected to be the godparent for any future children of the marriage (a cultural-religious expectation more than a canonical one). The koumbaros or koumbara is normally an Orthodox Christian in good standing with the Church; specific requirements vary by jurisdiction, and in modern US practice the role is sometimes filled by a married couple.
Can previously married Orthodox Christians have a second Orthodox wedding?
Remarriage after the death of a spouse or after a Church-recognized dissolution of a previous marriage is permitted in the Orthodox tradition. The rite of a second marriage is distinct from the rite of a first marriage; it is more penitential in tone and includes prayers seeking God’s forgiveness as well as God’s blessing. A third Orthodox marriage is permitted in limited circumstances and is more penitential still; a fourth is not normally permitted.

07 Pastoral note

Last reviewed against primary sources: May 17, 2026