A Greek wedding! Courtney and Philip’s wedding was a beautiful, traditional Greek Orthodox wedding.
I started out the day with Courtney at her parents’ home in Stockton, while my second shooter, Michelle McDaid, met up with Philip. Courtney and Philip describe themselves as not big “picture people,” and they were looking to capture the day without making it all about the photography. Emily Faso of Embellish Floral, who provided amazing floral work, made the very kindly referral to Kristin, their wedding coordinator, after hearing they can be a bit shy around the camera.
It was a really windy day, making for fun challenges and great opportunities to get flying veils and streaming hair! Throughout it all, Courtney and Philip continued to smile and bask in the day. “We love to laugh and surround ourselves with the people we love.” That definitely shines through!
In the stunning St. Basil Greek Orthodox church, the ceremony included many traditional elements, including the centuries-old crowning of the bride and groom.
Wedding crowns, or stefana, are extremely important to a Greek couple; no Greek wedding would be complete without them. The crowning is the focal point of the ceremony and the stefana, blessed by the priest and placed on the heads of the couple, are the symbols of the unity of the couple and the presence of Christ who blesses them as king and queen of their home. The stefana are bound together by ribbon and the two crowns are to be kept intact for a lifetime. Originally, the crowns were made of materials ranging from lemon leaves and vines to gold and jewels. Couples today will often have the stefana handcrafted from some fine material such as pearls, diamantes, sterling silver, and Swarovski crystals.
Maybe not all that traditional, but pretty darn fun, was the departure from the church in the brides’s dad’s Mustang! The reception, held at the Stockton Golf and Country Club, was a mix of sweet sentiment and just a great party. David Alazzawi, the DJ, was mixing up some cool blends. The first dance was one of those, “C’mon down and join us!” dances, where the bride and groom were quick to invite their friends up as they didn’t want to stay in the spotlight too long. 😉
Courtney’s dad’s moving toast included, “There are several things we as parents tried to give our children: one was roots, the other was wings.” There were baklava, doughnuts, and cupcakes, and a whole lot of traditional Greek dancing that as a photographer, was like being wrapped up like a cinnamon bun! Sliders and fries were served at 10 pm for a late snack.
Congratulations Courtney and Philip!
Ceremony Venue: St. Basil Greek Orthodox Church, Stockton, CA | Reception Venue: Stockton Golf and Country Club | Event Coordinator: Kristin Sprague | DJ/Music: David Alazzawi | Florist: Emily Faso, Embellish Floral | Hair Stylist: Salon Avanti | Cake Artist: Frosted Flour | Second Photographer: Michelle McDaid | Photographer’s Assistant and also 2nd Photog: Cassie Leconte
