Cyprus-Forum.com

[Gasman]

I was very surprised (and slightly amused) the first time I received an invite to a wedding of a couple I'd never met and had no idea who they were lol!

My Cypriot neighbours then explained to me how it all works!

[FragnaticDeath]

its all busness. PATHETIC

[denizaksulu]

At a lovely place perfect spring condition with the smells of fresh flowers in the air.

Anyhow most people out there don't have a perfect wedding because most of them think the wedding is more like a small busness. More people you invite the more money you might get.

I'm the guy who is going to just invite the most important people in my life.

Your mother-in-law.

[Gasman]

[paliometoxo]

its all busness. PATHETIC

its not all business.. they are happy to share their love with everyone and in the village some people go to get free food LOL because they cant be bothered to cook that day lol..

and it also helps them to get a good start on their new marriage

[FragnaticDeath]

LOL share their happiness with a couple of thousand of strangers? Plz paliometoxo plz. It all comes down to money when this kind of people have a wedding. Wtf I know a couple who had the wedding after 3 days they got divorced. The didnt announce it from before they just wanted to get the money. Happiness? think again

[paliometoxo]

this woman in cyprus i know goes from village to village and marries people for the money then divorces them and goes somewhere new.. she offered it to me and i was like nooo i laughed at her.

but ok the honest ones who get around 30,000 by the end of the wedding put it to good use and live happily together

[Gasman]

Well I think enough money for a deposit on a house is better than half a dozen toasters, towel and bedding bales etc.

But the parents still have to fork out to FEED the x thou guests don't they?

From what I can gather - it was always the tradition to pin money on the bride. (Not a good idea with today's bridal gowns costing thousands!)

And I've been to one wedding in Dekhelia where the bride and groom stood on stage with a bucket each and the guests came up and put their 'presents' in it.

But I guess when the tradition started, even if you invited everyone from your village - it would not amount to very many people. Not the thousands they invite these days.

The first thing I thought when I attended a really big one was 'GAWD! I could just not stand there for hours and hours on end greeting everyone who came into the reception and thanking them personally for their 'contribution'.

And I was a little surprised to find out that some newly weds treat it in a very business-like fashion and actually keep an account record book of who gave how much! If they hadn't stumped up a decent amount, they were accused of only coming for the food and drink and eating and drinking more money's worth than they gave as a gift. lol!

At the huge wedding in the Monte Caputo, I saw guests turn up armed with rolls of baco foil and head straight for the food and parcel loads of it up and just go home with it! My Cypriot pals who were on the same table with me were not in the least shocked or surprised. They said that, especially the traditional dishes that took sometimes days to prepare and cook - would be gone very quickly - parcelled up and taken home!

At another wedding I attended with some past neighbours of mine, they were asking me how much I was going to give the newly weds. Then saying as we were all going together in my car, it would be better if I put mine with theirs with just one card from all of us. I declined this offer as it seemed very odd as I was not 'related' to them, just lived next door.

Another neighbour told me they would cut down their donation as mine was quite generous for a single guest and not to do it!

I find this all highly amusing really.

The very first cypriot wedding I ever attended was many years ago when I was looking for a nice Taverna on the East Coast to have dinner on my last night of a holiday here. I found what looked like a very lively one and we paid the taxi and went in and sat down. We were then approached and told it was a private wedding party lol! I apologised profusely (then noticed the bride and groom on the stage in one corner!) but the mother of the bride implored us to stay, told us she didn't know half the guests there anyway as they were from Russia and ordered us a meal and even insisted we let her teach us some Cypriot dancing!

A very memorable and magical evening indeed and sums up how I've found most Cypriots to be - generous, honest and friendly.

[CBBB]

The problem with all this is that the coat of the reception is normally quite close to the receipts from it, so just do away with it and get the parents to give the money directly to the couple!

[paliometoxo]

Well I think enough money for a deposit on a house is better than half a dozen toasters, towel and bedding bales etc.

But the parents still have to fork out to FEED the x thou guests don't they?

yes the cost of the wedding and the services like hotel and the band im not 100% sure about how much they pay..

From what I can gather - it was always the tradition to pin money on the bride. (Not a good idea with today's bridal gowns costing thousands!)

the dance when they pin money on the pride and groom is village wedding and some women hate that, so instead they have wedding when you just put money in the envolope instead.

And I've been to one wedding in Dekhelia where the bride and groom stood on stage with a bucket each and the guests came up and put their 'presents' in it.

in all my life i have never seen such a thing maybe thats a turkish thing.

But I guess when the tradition started, even if you invited everyone from your village - it would not amount to very many people. Not the thousands they invite these days.

in my fathers day he had not many but he has a big family so it was ok

The first thing I thought when I attended a really big one was 'GAWD! I could just not stand there for hours and hours on end greeting everyone who came into the reception and thanking them personally for their 'contribution'.

LOL yes they stand for hours and greet everyone shake their hand and kiss them before they go to eat then dance.

And I was a little surprised to find out that some newly weds treat it in a very business-like fashion and actually keep an account record book of who gave how much! If they hadn't stumped up a decent amount, they were accused of only coming for the food and drink and eating and drinking more money's worth than they gave as a gift. lol!

i have been to weddings to just eat then leave and when i shake the brides hand and tell them na zisete they look at me like who the h is that lol

At the huge wedding in the Monte Caputo, I saw guests turn up armed with rolls of baco foil and head straight for the food and parcel loads of it up and just go home with it! My Cypriot pals who were on the same table with me were not in the least shocked or surprised. They said that, especially the traditional dishes that took sometimes days to prepare and cook - would be gone very quickly - parcelled up and taken home!

yes us cypritos hate wasting food..

At another wedding I attended with some past neighbours of mine, they were asking me how much I was going to give the newly weds. Then saying as we were all going together in my car, it would be better if I put mine with theirs with just one card from all of us. I declined this offer as it seemed very odd as I was not 'related' to them, just lived next door.

So in england you just give presents? how does it work?
Some of us are very friendly to our neighbours we dont have to be related to want to give them money. but i guess not everyone does even if related.

Another neighbour told me they would cut down their donation as mine was quite generous for a single guest and not to do it!

I find this all highly amusing really.

lol thats true

The very first cypriot wedding I ever attended was many years ago when I was looking for a nice Taverna on the East Coast to have dinner on my last night of a holiday here. I found what looked like a very lively one and we paid the taxi and went in and sat down. We were then approached and told it was a private wedding party lol! I apologised profusely (then noticed the bride and groom on the stage in one corner!) but the mother of the bride implored us to stay, told us she didn't know half the guests there anyway as they were from Russia and ordered us a meal and even insisted we let her teach us some Cypriot dancing!

i bet you where not expecting that! ;p

A very memorable and magical evening indeed and sums up how I've found most Cypriots to be - generous, honest and friendly.

i am glad you liked it.

tell us about your countries marriages?