Orthodox Wedding Ceremony: The Betrothal, the Crowns and the Common Cup



  • The Orthodox wedding has two parts: the betrothal, when the rings are blessed, and the crowning.
  • The priest joins the couple’s right hands and places crowns on their heads, praying, “O Lord, our God, crown them with glory and honor.”
  • The crowns stand both for the couple’s own household, a small kingdom, and for the sacrifice marriage asks.
  • The couple drink from a common cup and are led three times around the table in the procession called the Dance of Isaiah.
  • There are no vows; the priest asks each partner’s consent at the start, and the rest of the service is prayer, Scripture and hymns.
  • An Orthodox Christian may marry a baptized Christian of another church, but the Church cannot bless a marriage to a non-Christian.

An Orthodox wedding is a service in two parts, the betrothal and the crowning. The priest blesses the rings, joins the couple’s right hands and places crowns on their heads. They drink from a common cup of wine and are led three times around a table. There are no vows; the service is prayer, Scripture and hymns. What happens at the betrothal? The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America publishes the full service in English. The Orthodox Church in America gives…

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