Church wedding

What a church wedding is

A church wedding is a sacrament of the Orthodox Church, through which the church blesses a marriage. It has been part of Georgian family life for centuries.

For many couples it is the most emotional moment of the wedding - more so than registration or the supra.

Our role

The priest conducts the church wedding, and the church sets the conditions. We connect, interpret and arrange the day.

Our aim is that the couple and guests know what is happening and what is expected of them, and approach the rite with respect.

Legal force

In Georgia a church wedding has no civil legal force. Before the state, a marriage is established by registration.

Some priests ask for registration to be completed before the church wedding. We clarify this with the specific church.

Often both happen on the same day: registration in the morning, the church wedding in the afternoon.

Baptism

As a rule, both partners must be baptised Orthodox Christians for a church wedding.

Proof or information about baptism may be requested. If you were baptised in another country, we clarify this in advance.

The priest considers every case individually, and the final word is his.

Other Christian denominations

If one partner belongs to another Christian denomination - Catholic or Protestant - a church wedding is sometimes possible with a special blessing.

This is always a decision of the church hierarchy and takes time. So we start on the question months ahead.

Tbilisi also has Catholic and Armenian churches, and some couples choose a ceremony there.

Baptism before the wedding

Some foreigners decide to be baptised before a church wedding. That is a serious spiritual step, not a formality.

The priest often asks for preparation - conversations, prayers, taking part in church life.

So this decision should not depend on the wedding timetable. We say this honestly.

Talking to the priest

The first step is a conversation with the priest. He explains the conditions, the preparation and the rite.

Some priests speak English or Russian. Otherwise we interpret, respectfully and precisely.

The conversation often happens after you arrive, but we make the first contact in advance.

Confession and communion

In the Orthodox tradition the couple often go to confession and receive communion before the church wedding.

This is preceded by fasting and prayer. The priest explains the details.

If this is new to you, ask the priest everything in the first conversation - that is normal.

The mejvare

The mejvare, the wedding sponsor, is an important figure in a Georgian church wedding: they stand beside the couple and often hold the crown.

Traditionally the mejvare is a baptised Orthodox Christian. If your friend is of another faith, we clarify this with the priest.

The mejvare is considered a spiritual relative in the couple's life, and the bond lasts for years.

Documents

The church may ask for identity documents, information about baptism and sometimes the registration certificate.

If one partner was previously married in church, that is a separate matter and requires the bishop's decision.

We get the list from the specific church and arrange translation where needed.

The calendar and fasts

The church does not hold weddings during Great Lent, the Nativity fast and several other fasting periods, nor on some major feasts.

The Georgian Church follows the old-style calendar, so its dates do not match the Western ones.

We check the exact calendar for your year with the priest before booking a venue or flights.

Days of the week

On some days - the eve of a major feast, for example - church weddings are usually not held. The priest will confirm the rule.

Weekends are the most popular days for Georgians, and a church may hold several weddings in a row.

On a weekday the church is quiet, and the rite takes place more intimately.

Choosing the church

A church is often chosen for its story: where the family was baptised, which church they love, where the supra will be.

A church that is beautiful for photos is not always convenient - the road, the capacity and the priest's consent matter just as much.

We offer two or three options and clarify each one's conditions in advance.

City cathedrals

The large cathedrals of Tbilisi and Mtskheta are impressive but crowded on popular days.

Several church weddings are often held in a row here, and time is limited. We allow for this in the plan.

A large cathedral also has tourists, and the rite is not always private.

Village churches

A small village church is often centuries old, with stone walls and frescoes. A church wedding here is intimate and calm.

Such a church may have no electricity and little space. Candlelight makes the photos special.

A village church does not always have a permanent priest. Arrangements are made with the regional diocese.

Mountain churches

Mountain churches - against the peaks - are the most breathtaking, and many couples dream of them.

The road to them is sometimes difficult, the weather changeable, and some priests do not hold weddings there. We find this out early.

If a church wedding is not possible, a photo session near the church often is - with respect.

The rings

The rite begins with the blessing and exchange of rings. The priest exchanges the rings between the couple three times.

You hand the rings to the priest before the rite. In some churches they are placed on the altar in advance.

If you already exchanged them at registration, you take them off again for the church wedding.

The crowns

The crowns are the centre of the rite: they are placed on the couple's heads or held above them.

The crowns belong to the church, and the couple do not bring them.

During a long rite the mejvare's arm gets tired. So two people often take turns.

The common cup

Part of the rite is a common cup of wine, from which the couple drink three times - a sign of their shared life.

In a wine country this sign resonates especially deeply.

If you do not drink wine, tell the priest in advance. He will always understand.

Walking around three times

The priest leads the couple around the lectern three times, to the sound of chant. This is the most beautiful moment of the rite.

The photographer needs to know about this moment in advance, to be in the right place.

A dress train gets in the way here. A long train is often fastened up or removed for the church wedding.

Length

A church wedding usually lasts from half an hour to an hour, depending on the priest and the tradition.

In the running order we leave more time: arrival, a word with the priest, photos in front of the church.

If there is another wedding in the church, we plan a margin for waiting.

Language

The church wedding is conducted in Georgian, in the liturgical language, which sounds archaic even to Georgians.

Some priests briefly explain to foreign guests what is happening, before or after the rite.

An interpreter does not speak in church during the rite. So the explanation happens in advance.

Text for guests

For guests we prepare a short text in your language: the parts of the rite and their meaning.

The text is on a card or in a small booklet, and guests read it during the rite.

We show the text to the priest, so everything is described accurately.

Dress: women

In church women cover their heads with a scarf and wear a skirt or dress below the knee. Shoulders must be covered.

A wedding dress with bare shoulders needs a shawl or wrap in church.

We write this in the guest guide for foreign guests in advance, and prepare shawls at the church entrance.

Dress: men

In church men take off hats and wear long trousers. Shorts will not do.

A Georgian chokha looks especially fine at a church wedding for the groom and the mejvare.

These rules are a sign of respect, and guests keep them easily when they know in advance.

Guests standing

In an Orthodox church people usually stand. There are few chairs or none at all.

We allow for this in advance for older guests and ask the priest to let them sit.

A small church will not hold every guest. Some wait in the courtyard, and that is normal.

Chant

Georgian church chant is polyphonic and has an ancient tradition. It gives a church wedding a special atmosphere.

Some churches have their own choir. Otherwise inviting a choir is agreed with the priest.

The chant is recorded on video with a separate microphone - that memory lasts for years.

Candles

During the rite the couple hold lit candles. Guests often light candles before the icons too.

Candles are sold in the church, and buying them is a traditional way of supporting the church.

A lit candle close to a headscarf or veil calls for care.

Photo and video

The priest sets the rules for filming: often no flash and no moving towards the altar.

We brief the photographer on these rules in advance. Details are on the photo and video page.

We ask guests to put their phones away during the rite - it is a prayer, not a show.

A donation

It is traditional to leave a donation to the church for a church wedding. It is not a price, and the amount is for you to decide.

Some churches ask for a separate arrangement for the choir or special preparation.

We clarify with the priest in advance how and when to give it, so there is no awkwardness.

From church to the supra

After the church wedding: photos in front of the church, congratulations and the convoy to the supra.

If the church and the supra venue are far apart, we offer guests light food and water on the way.

In some villages neighbours meet the couple at the church door and bless them. That cannot be planned in advance, and that is exactly why it is beautiful.

Children in church

In a Georgian church children are always welcome guests, and their voices do not spoil the rite.

Still, it is best for a small child to be with someone who can take them out into the courtyard if needed.

A child can be entrusted with carrying the rings or scattering flowers - this is agreed with the priest.

The priest at the supra

In Georgian tradition the priest is often invited to the supra, and he says the first toast or a prayer.

It is a sign of respect, not an obligation. The invitation is made before the church wedding.

If the priest comes to the supra, we keep a place for him at the family table and arrange transport.

A second marriage

If one partner was previously married in church, a second church wedding requires the bishop's blessing.

The process takes time and is decided individually in each case.

We raise this in the very first conversation, so the date is realistic.

Couples already married

Many couples have a church wedding years later - often on an anniversary or while travelling in Georgia.

It is a beautiful, intimate ceremony, often with just family and close friends.

The conditions are the same: baptism, a talk with the priest and the calendar.

A church certificate

Some churches issue their own certificate or record after the church wedding. It has religious significance, not legal.

If your church at home needs such a certificate, we clarify this in advance.

Where needed, we arrange a translation of the certificate.

Common mistakes

Choosing a date in a fasting period without checking the calendar. Booking flights before talking to the priest.

A dress with bare shoulders and no shawl. Guests who do not know the dress rules.

A mejvare whose faith was not discussed with the priest. We check all of this in the first conversation.

What we need from you

Both partners' religion and baptism details. Whether either was previously married in church.

The preferred date or season, the region and the number of guests.

The mejvare's name and faith, and whether you want chant.

Price

The donation to the church is for you to decide and is not part of our proposal.

Our help - liaison, interpreting, the text for guests, logistics - is agreed in advance.

The choir, transport and photographer are separate lines, with no hidden mark-up.