Wedding, Paramithia of Thesprotia
In Paramithia of Thesprotia, on the day of the wedding it is customary for the vlamis (the groom's best friend) to leave with friends – an even number in their entirety - from the groom's house and head to the bride's house together. They carry cosmetics and shoes to offer to the bride. On the road, as they go, they hold the bairaki (Greek flag) in hand and dance at the same time.
Then they all go to the church, where the mystery takes place. After the mystery the couple goes to the groom's house. At the entrance of the house, the groom's mother awaits them, and the so-called "meloma" takes place. According to this custom, the mother-in-law gives honey to the bride and then the bride to the mother-in-law to sweeten each other. After that again at the entrance of the house, the bride breaks a plate on the floor as she enters, for the good luck.
Then, at the center of the celebration, the groomsman arrives first, accompanied by a clarinet, and sits in his seat with the co-groomsmen (friends of him). After a while the newlyweds go and after they dance their song, cut the cake, drink champagne, then the orchestra starts playing and welcomes the world with table songs. At the same time they begin serving the 1st dish (until then nothing) to the guests. After that, begins the feast with the newlyweds and their parents. They dance the first dances, the folk songs of the wedding, and then the program for the guests begins.
Around one, after midnight, and while they are having fun, another custom takes place, the “treat of the groomsman”, according to which the invitees eat lamp, drink wine and eat bread, which are a treat by the groomsman. At that time, the clarinets play songs of the groomsman around the table where he sits. After the treat process is completed, the groomsman with the newlyweds and the co-groomsmen get up and dance (then the dance begins).
