Maniatiko Wedding

In February 2024, in collaboration with the Laconian Federation, we hosted an afternoon where a Laconian Maniatiko wedding film re-enactment was shown to our members and other members of the Laconian Federation. During this film re-enactment all our guests had the opportunity to taste special sweets offered at weddings such as diples, galatopita and the special wedding bread made only for weddings.

"Happiness"" as marriage was called in the once hard headed male dominated society was the only reason for feasting and dancing! The sealing was always accompanied by ceremonial rifle shots before and after the wedding so that the bond of the couple and their families would be heard from end to end.

The guests were relatives and friends from all the villages, and the preparation for the wedding began with the preparation of the house where the new couple would live. This was traditionally the groom's house, which was repaired and whitewashed to make it strong and shiny.

The bride's family, on the other hand, contributed to the new home not only with fields and land, but also with various household utensils, clothes, blankets with coins of value attached to them, and other useful items. These dowries were carried in procession on horses and mules, which they decorated with colourful silk handkerchiefs they had woven themselves. Meanwhile, at the wedding table, all the girls, relatives and friends gathered to grind the wheat and bake the bread.

Over the years, the Laconian wedding has been enriched with various other " customs ", such as the preparation of the traditional sweet " beside " with the wish to " fold " the wedding, i.e. to fix it. During the ceremony, inside and later outside the church, guests threw rice at the couple, with the metaphorical meaning that the marriage would "make roots"!

The preparation and dressing of the bride always had a special place in the whole ritual, with her female friends and relatives going to her house early to groom her and help her put on her stunning wedding dress.

On the other hand, the groom's preparation was always a simpler affair, focused mainly on the groom's male friends and relatives and the clinking of glasses filled with plenty of raki, always accompanied by the wish "To your happiness".

Since then, many of these customs have been revived and others have been lost over time. But the joy of a couple's wedding remains indelible and holds a special place in the hearts of us all.