Greek wedding. Dancing in the rain

Under the spreading chestnut tree.  Unfortunately this tree gave too much shade.  Humidity was high and there was hardly a breathe of air even at 6 oclock in the evening.  What should have been a perfect location with a  cool, refreshing breeze turned into a sauna.  But that didn't spoil anyone's enjoyment of the wedding.  It took place outside the church with 3 priests presiding.

There can't have been a more joyful bride.  She glowed with happiness, smiling all through the ceremony.  Here she enters the courtyard escorted by her equally happy father.

Accompanied by a bouzouki player singing the traditional wedding song (in greek of course) 

Today a wedding is taking place

In a pleasant garden

Today they  will be parted

Mother and daughter

Groom, love the bride

Do not chide her

As a pot of basil

Be proud of her

(my translation)

After the church we were loaded into small water taxis  and were taken across  the harbour and over to the mainland for the reception.  The chairs and tables were set up on the lawn around the swimming pool of a hotel with a view of the sea and Poros in the background.

The bride and groom arrived driving in amongst the tables on a scooter, the bride riding side saddle, holding up the long train on her dress.

The siblings made a short film of the couple's lives, cradle to matrimony, shown on a screen which you can just see in the distance in the photo above.  Behind the screen there were continual flashes of lightening and soon I got a text from my daughters to say it was pouring with rain on Poros.  We were still safe then though a sharp wind had got up.  Next we had a terrific show of fireworks right over our heads with  bits of ash and paper hailing down on us but fortunately no sparks, and then a drone buzzed over us taking photos I presume for the family.

At 10.30 the rain came down.  Luckily we had already eaten and enjoyed a few glasses of wine.  Everyone rushed for cover, what there was of it.  We sheltered under a pine tree which dripped on us.  All the younger crowd just got up and danced in the rain.  In this photo the groom and bare foot bride are leading the dance.  Later the newly wedded couple and their friends dived into the pool, best clothes and all.

By midnight the rain had stopped but we were soaked so we clambered back into a water taxi with a dozen or so other drenched guests and headed home.  A wedding we won't forget.

Rain on your wedding day is supposed to foretell goodluck and happiness in the marriage.  On my daughter's wedding the rain poured down as they left the church.  Happily the people who ran the hotel where we held the reception had foreseen the rain and moved the festivities lock, stock and barrel from outside around a swimming pool to inside and under cover.

Sugared almonds and an almond cake given out to the guests after the church ceremony. 

 These were the traditional sugar coated almonds plus others with sugar coating surrounding chop almonds and chocolate.  I'm amazed I got them home untouched to take a photo.