The Orthodox wedding ceremony is a unique and beautiful ancient rite, with plenty of symbolic traditions. The Eternal City with its timeless beauty can create an incredibly romantic atmosphere for your special day, and the Church of Saint Theodore on the Palatine Hill ( Chiesa di San Teodoro al Palatino) will serve as a wonderful setting.
Plus, the city’s distinctive character and the rich national cuisine it is bound to make your marriage a success and your local photographer in Rome will capture plenty of memorable moments.
Rome offers endless possibilities for your couple photoshoot.
The Church of Saint Saint Theodore on the Palatine Hill is located in the main area of the Eternal city and dates back to the 6th century. Whether you have one, two or three hours to spend in a romantic photoshoot in Rome after your Orthodox wedding, we can suggest different itineraries and plan custom routes including scenic iconic spots as well off-the-path gems:
- One Hour Photosession: If you have no more than one hour to spend for your couple photoshoot in Rome we suggest to stay in the heart of the city close to this central historic church. The Palatine Hill is a place of enchantment , an open air museum that will seduce you with its embracing panorama from the Campidoglio to the Roman Forum and the walk through the archeological ruins of Colosseum and Circo Massimo would be worth it. Plus, Campidoglio with the two panoramic terraces offers one of the best view in town as background.
- Two / Three Hours Photosession: If you have longer we can get out and explore some of the most authentic sights of the city: Trastevere District, Castel Sant’Angelo and Vatican , Spanish Steps, Pantheon , Piazza Navona and its hidden cozy alleys; Villa Borghese and Appia Antica road are for those of you looking for a tranquil place to escape the hustle and bustle of the city.
An Orthodox wedding in Rome is a perfect fusion of the traditional and the modern.
The Orthodox ceremony is divided into two parts. The first part is the Betrothal Service and the second part is the Crowning Service.
- The Betrothal Service consists mainly of prayers and the exchange of rings. After the priest blesses the rings they are placed on the wedding fingers of the couple’s right hands. Then the ‘Koumbaro’ or ‘Koumbara’, the couple’s wedding sponsor, swaps the rings three times between the bride and groom’ fingers. Many prayers and rituals during the ceremony are repeated three times, which symbolizes the Holy Trinity.
- The Crowning Ceremony consists of several parts of prayers, Scripture readings, and the rituals of candle holding, joining of hands, the crowning, drinking from the Common Cup and the procession around the table.
After several prayers, the priest hands the Wedding Candles to the couple. This symbolizes the light of Christ. The priest proceeds and joins the couple’s hands. He blesses the wedding crowns called ‘Stefana’ and places them on their heads. A white ribbon used to symbolize the couple’s unity joins the crowns.
Just like the rings, the ‘Koumbaro’ then exchanges the crowns three times between the bride and the groom. Later, the priest offers the bride and groom a cup of wine, called the Common Cup. The couple drinks from the cup three times. This is followed by a procession around the table in the center of the Solea. The priest guides the couple around the table three times. These are the coupe’s first steps together as husband and wife and usually, they are showered with rice.
After a couple of congratulatory prayers the priest separates the joined hands of the couple and removes the crowns reminding them of the sanctity of their union.
The Orthodox ritual has been evolving over many centuries. The most part of the ceremony as it is practiced today dates from the 16th century. Many changes have occurred since, such as the procession that used to take place from the church to the couple’s home.
The Eternal city became a popular wedding destination and although is home to more than 900 churches the waiting time can be quite long in the peak seasons wheter you are going to celebrate a Rome catholic wedding or an Orthodox ritual. Spring and early autumn are the best seasons to get married in Rome . A skilled photographer can make you relive your fairytale marriage long after it has taken place.
We really want to thank you this amazing couple Dimitra and Christos from Greece to let us use their wedding photos.
