Journal

Ruby and Angelos — Cypriot Wedding, Nicosia

This is a traditional Cypriot wedding, photographed over two days in Nicosia, Cyprus.

Ruby and Angelos at the altar of an ornate gold Greek Orthodox church, Nicosia

Navy gift boxes tied with gold satin ribbon on a tray

Violin and bow resting on a white sofa beside an embroidered cushion

A truly Cypriot wedding in two parts

The preparations

Angelos, the groom, got ready in Nicosia. His best man (koumbaro) gave him the last shave in the presence of his family and friends, then dressed the groom in a shirt, waistcoat, tie and suit while musicians sang and played. Friends and family then wrapped the red scarf around the groom's waist as a symbol of his fertility. Angelos and his family and companions made their way to the bride's house, and all departed for the church.

Ruby got ready with her parents at their house on the day of the wedding. When she was in her dress and about ready to leave for the ceremony, musicians played and sang. The bride's parents, chief bridesmaid (koumbara) and close friends wrapped a red scarf around her waist and head to symbolise her virginity.

The wedding

Musicians with violin and lute playing in the groom's home, seen from above

Angelos seated in a vest as musicians and family gather for the Cypriot groom's dressing

Black-and-white photo of traditional musicians playing for the groom and his friend

Before entering the church, the bride's parents gave her away to Angelos, who was waiting with her bouquet. They walked up the aisle together, their parents joining and standing with them throughout the ceremony.

During the ceremony the priest gave the couple ceremonial bread (prosfora) to eat and red Cypriot wine (koumandaria) to drink, symbolising the wedding at Cana in Galilee, where Christ blessed the marriage and converted water into wine. The bride's chief attendant placed a ceremonial headband (stefana) on Ruby's head, and Angelos's best man placed one on the groom. During the Orthodox service, the priest said prayers over the newlyweds and their stefana, wishing them all of God's blessings.

While wearing the stefana, Ruby and Angelos exchanged wedding rings three times before placing them on the fourth finger of each other's right hand, recognising that God's right hand is the hand that blesses. The couple then performed the Dance of Isaiah, with the priest leading them three times around the table holding the Gospel and the Cross. The best man and chief bridesmaid walked behind the couple, holding the stefanas in place. The priest blessed the couple, removed the stefana and asked God to grant them a long, happy life together. Finally, he separated the couple's joined hands, showing them that only God can separate them from one another.

Ruby and Angelos were now officially married.

After the church

Lute player serenading Angelos as family watch the traditional groom's dressing

Best man shaving Angelos as musicians play and family look on

Family member waving a red scarf over Angelos during the Cypriot dressing ritual

Ruby tossed her bouquet and one lucky lady caught it. We captured the guests and took some lovely pictures of the married couple — so many family and friends. Cypriot weddings are all about the family and the village.

The party

One thing the Cypriots know how to do perfectly is a party. Words cannot do justice to how much fun and laughter there was this day — dancing, drinking, fun. We stayed into the small hours with our couple and enjoyed the evening as much as they and all their friends and family did.

Part Two — the family dinner

The day after the wedding, Ruby and Angelos had an amazing dinner at their parents' house. A lovely occasion full of warmth and love.

Woven tray held over the groom's head during the traditional dressing ceremony

Close-up of hands fastening the groom's cufflink

Angelos in a tuxedo being dressed by family as musicians play

Angelos and his best man smiling in black tuxedos and bow ties

Relative tying a red scarf around Angelos as the musicians play

Black-and-white photo of the groom hugging a relative as musicians play

Silver incense burner carried through the groom's home

Angelos dancing a traditional Cypriot dance with family in the living room

Guests dancing in a circle with the groom as the musicians play

Family and friends dancing hand in hand around the groom

Stone house with tall conifer trees under a blue sky in Nicosia

Bridal shoes and a pink ribbon in a colourful woven basket on a dresser

Wedding rings in a silver bowl tied with red ribbon

Strappy silver bridal heels beside white flowers

Silver tray holding a traditional incense burner and dried leaves

Open make-up palette and leopard-print bag on the dressing table

Make-up artist applying eyeliner to Ruby

Ruby's lace wedding dress hanging in the hallway, framed by gypsophila

Traditional musicians with lute and violin playing beside a stone fireplace

Bridesmaid fastening the buttons on the back of Ruby's lace gown

Bridesmaids arranging the long lace train of Ruby's dress

Ruby looking down in her strapless lace gown, softly lit

Violinist in a traditional waistcoat playing at the foot of the stairs

Bridesmaids coming down the staircase as the musician plays

Ruby standing in a doorway as the lute player serenades her

Ruby seated in her gown as musicians play for the Cypriot bride's dressing

Bridesmaids and family smiling as they watch the bride's dressing

Ruby laughing in her chair surrounded by family and musicians

Ruby smiling and clapping along to the musicians

Bridesmaid fitting a bridal shoe with handwritten names on the sole

Close-up of Ruby's silver sandals beneath the lace hem of her gown

Ruby seated in her gown as family gather around during the bride's dressing

Ruby laughing as a relative lifts a woven tray over her head in the Cypriot tradition

Smiling guest holding a colourful woven tray during the bride's dressing

Musicians playing as women dance around Ruby in the living room

Ruby smiling up at bridesmaids as the lute player plays behind her

Relative wrapping a red scarf around Ruby as the lute player plays

Ruby's father embracing her after tying the red sash around her waist

Ruby and her bridesmaids dancing beneath a chandelier

Ruby taking a selfie with the two traditional musicians in red waistcoats

Arcaded white building framed by trees and palms in Nicosia

Church bell towers seen through a dark stone archway under blue sky

White church façade framed by a colonnade of stone arches

Ornate gilded church interior lit by a large chandelier

Golden iconostasis and white flowers at the altar of the Orthodox church

Gilded chandelier and painted frescoes on the church ceiling

Box of Angelos and Ruby order-of-service booklets held by a guest

Angelos stepping out of a black car on a palm-lined avenue

Groom and best man waiting in a shaded stone arcade

Angelos holding a pink peony bouquet beside his best man at the church door

Angelos waiting with the bouquet among candles inside the church

Chanters in black robes singing beside gilded icons inside the church

Two bridesmaids walking through an ornate gateway towards a palm-lined avenue

Page boys and flower girls waiting in a sunny arcaded courtyard

Classic grey Mercedes wedding car parked in the arcaded courtyard

Ruby in her veil looking out from the classic wedding car

Ruby stepping out of the vintage car with her father in the courtyard

Flower girls and page boy walking down the crowded church aisle

Black-and-white photo of Ruby walking down the aisle on her father's arm

Packed Orthodox church with frescoed walls and chandeliers, seen from above

Ruby arriving at the front of the church with her father as guests watch

Ruby's father handing her to Angelos as the priest stands by

Orthodox priest in gold vestments leading the ceremony beside the couple

Frescoed vaults and chandeliers above the crowded church during the service

Congregation filling the ornately painted Orthodox church

Priests in gold robes reading from the Gospel during the service

Ruby holding her pink peony bouquet beside a bridesmaid in the church

Close-up of the groom's hands with a red ribbon beside the bride's peonies

Close-up of Ruby's pink peony bouquet held against her lace gown

Ruby and Angelos smiling side by side at the altar

Priest blessing Ruby and Angelos as bridesmaids look on

Groom and best men in tuxedos during the Orthodox crowning ceremony in a gilded Nicosia church

Black-and-white photo of the priest blessing Ruby and Angelos during their Orthodox ceremony

Smiling bride with pink peony bouquet greeting guests at the altar in Nicosia

Bride kissing the priest's hand beside bridesmaids in blush dresses during the church ceremony

Overhead view of guests gathering in the arcaded monastery courtyard in Nicosia

Ruby and Angelos at the ornate golden iconostasis, framed by white hydrangea arrangements

Bride and groom walking down the aisle past white floral pew ends in a gilded church

Guests throwing rice and petals as the newlyweds leave the church through a floral arch

Ruby and Angelos kissing outside the stone church as guests cheer, peony bouquet in hand

Bride's long lace train spread across the petal-strewn church steps as guests watch

Bride throwing her bouquet in the arcaded courtyard ringed by guests

Bride turning to toss the bouquet in the courtyard, guests forming a wide circle

Laughing bride holding pink peonies among clapping female guests in the courtyard

Bride and groom stepping out of a tall wooden church doorway at dusk

Ruby and Angelos kissing in a sunlit doorway, her lace train fanned on the tiled floor

Guests gathered around a lit fountain among palm trees at the Nicosia reception

Bride and groom arriving through the palm-lined reception garden past guests

Newlyweds walking hand in hand across the terrace as guests take photos

Bride and groom crossing a palm-lined courtyard towards a grand building at sunset

Ruby and Angelos sharing a kiss, champagne glasses in hand, on a stone terrace

Saxophonist and pianist at a white grand piano playing the garden drinks reception

Saxophonist performing beside a white grand piano under lit palm trees

Close-up of a saxophonist's hands on a gold saxophone during the reception

Guests mingling with drinks on a lantern-lit stone terrace at dusk

Crowd of guests gathered by a fountain among palm trees at twilight

Guests dancing beside illuminated fountains under purple-lit palms at night

Round tables dressed in white beside a stone villa and cypress trees, Nicosia reception

Gazebo with white drapes and lattice framing the reception tables at sunset

Crystal chandelier hanging inside a white wooden gazebo ceiling

Sun setting behind glassware and a mirrored centrepiece on a reception table

Reception tables beside a tree of white blossom at sunset

Four-tier white wedding cake with gold baroque detailing at golden hour

Reception lawn of white-clothed tables seen through a wrought-iron gate

Ruby and Angelos greeting guests beside lilac gypsophila arrangements at a stone house

Bride kissing a guest on the cheek while the groom raises a glass by a stone wall

Smiling guests chatting in the garden under purple uplighting

Reception lawn of round tables with gold chairs beneath purple-lit trees at dusk

Bride and groom making their entrance past gypsophila and a stone wall in the evening

Newlyweds arriving among guests under purple-lit stone walls at night

Ruby and Angelos cutting their gold-detailed wedding cake at night

Ruby and Angelos raising champagne glasses behind their gold-detailed cake

Bride and groom at a lantern-lit buffet table in the evening garden

Night view over cypress trees of the busy reception lawn under purple lights

Guest giving a speech with a microphone on the illuminated dance floor

Guest in a blue suit giving a speech on the lit dance floor at night

Bride laughing with guests at a table by a purple-lit stone wall

Bride hugging two friends on the dance floor, one wearing a red rose in her hair

Bride dancing with an older guest, hands raised, at the evening reception

Ruby and Angelos dancing their first dance on an illuminated floor at night

Bride and groom in a close embrace on the lit dance floor among guests

Packed dance floor of guests under purple and pink lights

Bartender pouring cocktails into rows of coupe glasses at the reception bar

Three guests holding espresso martinis and smiling on the dance floor

Older guests dancing with arms raised among the crowd

Guests beaming for the camera on the dance floor under blue light

Bride dancing joyfully with friends in a floral dress under purple light

Groom and bride celebrating with shot glasses among friends at night

Guest dropping to his knees mid-dance on the lit floor as others cheer

Older guest dancing energetically while the crowd watches

Black-and-white photo of a guest dancing on his knees on the dance floor

Guests forming a dance line across the lit floor at the Nicosia reception

Guest in a colourful floral dress dancing under blue stage lights

Black-and-white photo of guests dancing late into the night

Guests posing inside an ornate gold photo-booth frame with props

Laughing guests holding up a gilded frame and flower props in the photo booth

Guests pulling funny faces with inflatable props and goggles at the photo booth

Bride with bouquet beside a vintage white convertible as the groom leans on it at sunset, Liopetro, Kouklia

Jade and Ian in the lit doorway of Hedsor House at night

Jade and Peter walking hand in hand along a white arched colonnade at Anassa

Emily and Chris silhouetted against a sunset sky, bouquet raised high, Minthis, Paphos

Double-exposure silhouette of the bride and groom holding hands at golden sunset, De Vere Wokefield Park

Bride and groom laughing under a shower of confetti at Liopetro, Kouklia

Couple in a doorway framed by glowing fairy lights beneath a starry night sky at Liopetro, Kouklia

Charlene and Ben twirling on a country lane among dry grasses at Liopetro, Kouklia

Bride and groom silhouetted against a fiery sunset, her veil streaming, at Alassos

Ruby and Angelos at the gilded iconostasis amid white hydrangea arrangements, Nicosia