KUKLA'S KOUZINA










  • home
  • BOOKS
  • blog
  • about
  • videos
  • gallery
  • contact us
  • kouzina EXTRA!
  • events

The Wedding Season~Karpathos Style

6/3/2019

9 Comments

 

Karpathos~A Lover’s Paradise

Picture
Spring is a time of renewal and rebirth as tree branches fill with blooms of white and fuchsia, and flowers happily salute the warm sun. It’s no wonder that this season has become the most popular for weddings, ushering in celebrations that extend into the fall. In Karpathos, the preparations are now underway for a summer-long wedding season that rejoices in not only the natives’ nuptials, but those of the prodigal sons and daughters who return to their ancestral home for the customs and traditions with family, the breathtaking scenic backdrop, and the lush-yet-affordable reception…plus it’s convenient since most Karpathian families vacation on the island during the summer, allowing them to bypass the travel expense of this destination wedding.

Honeymoon Krevati

Krevati (κρεβάτι, pronounced kreh-VAH-tee) means “bed” in Greek, but it’s also the term used on the southern Greek islands to describe the preparation of a wedding, in particular the couple’s new home (including the bed), with each island imparting slight nuances to the details of this custom. 

Typically, the night before a couple gets married in Karpathos, the family is invited to the newlyweds’ house for a "krevati" where they decorate the dwelling and their new bed to make it festive for the couple’s arrival. 

The elaborate preparation comes in the form of a procession as goods are carried through the village and up to the house. It is adorned with beautiful bedspreads and fabrics that were embroidered, crocheted, and knitted by grandmothers (γιαγιάδες, yiayiades), mom’s (μητέρες, miteres), aunts (θείες, thies), and cousins (ξαδέλφια, xadelfia) after the engagement was announced. 

A traditional large wooden pillar in the center of the house supports the roof beam, symbolizing the support of the family. This pillar is decked out with silk fabrics embellished with colorful needlework for the wedding (as is the bride) and other special celebrations—this is every Karpathian’s opportunity to take home-décor to the extreme, the lavish embossing representing their richness in hospitality. 

Sumptuous island dishes, exotic beverages, and delectable pastries fill the dinner menus that extend that richness to colorfully-adorned guests as they gather for this joyous decorating occasion.

Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Karpathiko Spiti (Karpathian House)~completed krevati

Come One, Come All

Picture
traditional Karpathian bride
Picture
traditional Greek island brides
One memorable summer, we experienced that celebratory lifestyle firsthand while vacationing in Karpathos with Kukla, our mom. As we gathered for breakfast one morning, our cousins told us to get ready, we were going to a wedding. We turned to our mom and the look on our faces pretty much said it all. We weren’t invited and we didn’t know the people getting married, so are we crashing the wedding? She said that, first, we are cousins to the bride and groom (as we were to most of the island…surprise, surprise!), and second, a wedding in Karpathos means an open invitation to everyone on the island. 

Weddings are a particularly festive island event in Karpathos where everyone, including visitors, is invited to partake not only in the couple’s joyous ceremony but also in the food event to follow, seating up to 900 people in a barnlike structure standing in as a hall.

The bride wore the traditional Karpathos dress, and crowns were exchanged during the ceremony. Immediately following the mass, the close family of the couple pinned large gold pieces on the lapel of the groom’s jacket and on a bib worn over the bride’s gown. This centuries-old custom of giving gold is meant to sustain the couple in times of financial hardship (gold pieces such as these were saved by our grandmother and used to feed the family during the Great Depression and WW2). 
Picture
Picture
Picturesousamomelo
After the church service it was time to eat. We never saw anything like this. People lined up outside and were ushered into the hall in large groups for the wedding meal. When one group finished, the next came in to eat. This continued until everyone (yes, all 900) dined, and dined well!

The tables were set with individual servings of sousamomelo (a sesame-and-honey confection served at weddings, symbolizing fertility and sweetness), and baskets of peanuts, candy, and, our favorite, psilokouloura (thin, sesame-covered, olive-oil breadsticks)—seriously irresistible!

Picture
psilokouloura
Picture
Karpathian baklava
Friends and family joined in to prepare the feast—caterers were replaced by cousins in aprons, and it was no surprise to find Uncle Demetri pouring the wine! Lemon-oregano marinated lamb was roasted outdoors on a spit, trays of vegetable-laden moussaka and béchamel-layered pastitsio were passed around, and delicate heart-shaped, powdered-sugar-coated shortbread cookies, kourambiedes, were shared and devoured. Also offered was this island’s most excellent version of baklava. Unlike mainland baklava, mbaklavas Karpathikos (Karpathian baklava) is made with an olive oil-based pastry dough that is rolled into a spiral of thin layers, then sliced, and deep fried. Once drained and cooled, the diamond-shaped, flaky slices are drenched in a fragrant, spiced honey syrup and sprinkled with walnuts. Made for special celebrations such as this, these extraordinary treats are piled high on trays, wrapped in colorful cellophane and tied with elaborate bows. 
After the eating came the mantinades (μαντινάδες), each a melding of folk song and rhymes. Mantinades are the true spirit of the people of Karpathos, written by the parents and close family of the bride and groom. These lyrical poems, read by the authors, contain heartfelt wishes and blessings for the couple, as well as reflect on their lives as children, while conveying the love felt for each of them. This is all followed by tears of joy, hugs, and the final phase of the evening, dancing!
Picture
Picture
As the area was cleared to make room, local musicians on the lyra (a fiddle-like instrument), tsambouna (bagpipe), and laouto (similar to a bouzouki) took their places in the center of the floor. With everyone joining in, music for the sousta, kalamatiano, and hasapiko dances carried the festivities into the wee hours of the morning while the bride and groom snuck off to their elaborately-decorated krevati.

I hope you enjoyed this behind-the-scenes look at Karpathian weddings and how it all comes together to create a truly unique and loving occasion. Check out our blog Karpathiko Spiti (Karpathian House) to learn more about our lifestyle customs.

Sign up for our e-newsletter (if you haven’t already) and stay connected on social media for cooking tips and recipes, as well as for all Kukla's Kouzina updates and news.

Thanks for following us and we’ll see you next Monday!

Until then~
Kali orexi! Good appetite!

Kelly
Bookmark and Share

Copyright © Kukla's Kouzina: A Gourmet Journey~Greek Island Style / The Naked Truth About...Greek Cooking!    

Web design by Kelly Salonica Staikopoulos
9 Comments
LD Juarez link
5/4/2015 05:34:34 am

Beautifully done! I love all the traditions and celebrating! Similar to my Mexican background, however, while our family will invite _everyone_, they typically don't come in to the house to decorate. I think that is a lovely tradition that you have described! Such a celebration! :)

Reply
Kelly from Kukla's Kouzina link
5/4/2015 10:36:53 am

Thank you LD for your lovely comment! Every culture has a unique tradition that is cherished and appreciated by others. It's heartwarming to hear that I was able to convey that in this blog. Cheers to you!

Reply
Gina Zarcadoolas link
5/5/2015 09:16:42 am

Kelly, I have enjoyed the wedding traditions Karpathos Style. You did a phenomal job in describing them in details. I can just imagine 900 people waiting on line for food....and those Sesame-Honey Confection sound divine....Well written and beautiful photos. :D

Reply
Kelly from Kukla's Kouzina link
5/5/2015 10:54:44 am

Aw, Gina, thanks so much! So glad you enjoyed it. The food is worth waiting for and the wonderful aroma drifting out of the reception hall keeps people on line (as does the ouzo that's passed around).

Reply
Gina Zarcadoolas
5/8/2015 06:26:17 am

My pleasure Kelly! Great read 😀

Artandkitchen link
5/6/2015 04:48:53 pm

Worderful report! I love reading about Greek traditions. I had a look to youtube for some Karpathian music and dances. I loved it I would like to be there. Sounds very similar to Cretan music.

Reply
Kelly from Kukla's Kouzina link
5/8/2015 08:46:10 am

So glad you enjoyed it!! Karpathos is just next door to Crete so there will be some similarities but there are many nuances as well. Thanks for reading and for the kind words :-)

Reply
Irène Orfanos
1/9/2022 07:21:17 am

Mon père était originaire de Olympos (Île de Karpathos) il est parti à l âgé de 12 ans. Il était né en 1899
Je ne connais pas l île et c 'est mon grand regret. J ai peu d espoir étant âgée et en mauvaise santé. Mais j ai plaisir à regarder.

Reply
Kelly from Kukla's Kouzina link
1/9/2022 10:55:00 am

How wonderful to know your father's history! Thank you for sharing it with us and we hope you continue to enjoy reading our blog. God bless you!

Reply

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Picture
    Subscribe to get our weekly e-newsletter and add "kefi" to your in-box. Be the first to hear about our new Greek food blogs, events (including cooking workshops), cookbook news, special offers, and much more. 
    ★ It's easy and it's FREE!
    SIGN UP NOW!

    about

    Picture
    Picture
    This Greek cooking blog is a companion to our  cookbook series 
    KUKLA’S KOUZINA: 
    A Gourmet Journey~
    Greek Island Style, including Meze 
    ​
    (Appetizers & Petite Plates) and Spreads & Dips, on Amazon. Visit our BOOKS page for more info.


    It's a Greek cooking school in your own home. Here you'll learn about Greek-island foods and will find cooking techniques that will demystify what is sometimes considered a complicated cuisine, allowing you recreate the dishes of the gods in your own kitchen! ​

    visit & follow

    Subscribe to me on YouTube

    share


    Tweets by @KuklasKouzina

    olive oil kouzina

    Picture
       This exquisite olive oil produced by Mentis Estate is hand picked and carefully pressed by local artisans, creating a pure unblended oil that is aromatic and fruity with an acidity of less than 0.5%. 
       Mentis Estate is truly the finest olive oil we at Kukla's Kouzina have ever tasted and it's our first choice for serving with crusty bread, drizzling on salads, and finishing a dish. 

       Check out our blog Olive Oil~Branch to Bottle to see what makes Mentis Estate so special. Delicious (υπέροχος)!

    author  
    Kelly Salonica Staikopoulos

    Read all about Kelly, Kukla's Kouzina's blogger, and the rest of our team in our about page!


    categories

    All
    About Kukla
    Anytime Flips
    Apple & Phyllo Minis
    Apple Recipes
    Apples & Cream
    Apples & Phyllo
    Apples Warm & Spiced
    Aprons On...Inhibitions Gone!
    Artichokes: Heart Your Salad
    Beef
    Blooper Videos
    Bread
    Bright Lamb Week
    Bright Week Kouzina
    Cake Recipes
    Chicken
    Chocolate
    Cocktail Kefi
    Cocktails That Say “Opa!”
    Cocktails With A Greek Twist
    Cookie Bloopers & Laughs
    Cut The [Greek] Cheese!
    Desserts
    Dessert Wine & Sweets Pairing ~ Part 2
    Dolmathakia (dolmadakia)
    Drink Like A Greek~OPA!
    Eat Your Fava
    Fasting & Feasting~Greek Foods For Body & Soul
    Fasting Foods
    Feta
    Feta Feast
    Fish
    Flippin’ Dip It Greek
    Flippin’ For Pumpkin Fritters
    Flippin' Greek!
    Flippin’ Greek Br-EGG-fast Makeovers
    Flippin’ Greek Healing Foods
    Flippin’ Greek Lunch Makeovers
    Flippin’ Greek Pizza
    Flippin’ Greek Roasted Potatoes
    Flippin’ Greek Savory & Sweet
    Flippin’ Greek Slider Makeovers
    Flippin’ Greek Snacking
    Flippin' Greek Yogurt Dessert Makeovers
    Flour Kouzina
    Friend Your Fillo
    Fruit Recipes
    Get Into The Greek Spirit ~opa 2
    Get Your Souvlaki On
    Go Greek Cooking 101
    Go Greek Cooking 101-the Basics
    Grain Kouzina
    Great Greek Pumpkin Pie (Kolokithopita)
    Greece~An Edible Revival
    Greece Cuisine
    Greece: Trending Edibles
    Greek Artichokes 101
    Greek Baking
    Greek Beans For Lent
    Greek Beverages/cocktails
    Greek Blue Zone Kouzina
    Greek Bread
    Greek Cheese
    Greek Cheese~delectable Varieties And Uses
    Greek Cheesefare Week
    Greek Chocolate Love
    Greek Christmas Cookies
    Greek Cookies
    Greek Cookies~Filling In Love!
    Greek Cooking With A Karpathos Island Twist
    Greek Cuisine
    Greek Custard & Fruit Pastry
    Greek Customs
    Greek Desserts
    Greek Diet
    Greek Dolmathes Dolmades
    Greek Dolmathes Dolmades~stuff Wrap Roll
    Greek Fish For Palm Sunday
    Greek Foods
    Greek Foods Of Lent
    Greek Grains
    Greek Herbs~Spices & Flavorings
    Greek Holy Week & Pascha~easter Foods
    Greek-Island Salads
    Greek~Karpathos Recipes
    Greek Kouzina In A Can
    Greek Lamb For Pascha (Easter)
    Greek Olives
    Greek Orthodox Great Lent
    Greek Orthodox Pascha~Easter
    Greek Pascha
    Greek Pasta
    Greek Pastry/pastries
    Greek Phyllo Pizza
    Greek Recipes
    Greek Snack Recipes
    Greek Spirits Dessert Wine And Sweets Pairing
    Greek Spirits Ouzo Tsipouro Brandy
    Greek Syrup Pastries
    Greek Traditions
    Greek Veggies For Lent
    Greek Village Eats
    Greek Wine And Food Pairing
    Greek Wine And Food Pairing (part 1)
    Greek Wine & Entrée Pairing
    Greek Wine & Meze Pairing
    Greek Wines
    Greek Wines And Spirits
    Greek Wine & Seafood Pairing
    Greek Yogurt
    Greek Yogurt In Pastry
    Greek Yogurt~Simply Homemade
    Growing Up In Kukla's Kouzina
    Honey
    Honey~An Ancient Treasure (part 1)
    Honey~An Ancient Treasure (part 2)
    Honeyed Feta & Yogurt Pastry
    Honey~Karpathian Gold
    It’s A Wrap!
    Karpathiko Spiti (Karpathian House)
    Karpathos
    Karpathos Beaches
    Karpathos Customs
    Karpathos Honey
    Karpathos Island Beach Paradise & Sports Mecca
    Karpathos Island Cooking & Foods
    Karpathos Sports
    Karpathos~Style Pickled Wild Sea Fennel
    Karpathos Wedding
    Koulourakia~Making The Perfect Twists
    Kukla’s Kouzina: 9 And Stacked
    Kukla’s Kouzina Celebrating 6 Yummy Years
    Kukla's Kouzina~Coming Full Circle
    Kukla’s Kouzina Flippin’ Greek!
    Kukla’s Kouzina Magic 8
    Kukla’s Kouzina~Sweet 7
    Lagana: Bread For The Spirit
    Lahanodolmathes (lahanodolmades)
    Lamb
    Leftover Phyllo Solutions
    Legume Kouzina
    Legumes
    Lemon Lust
    Lenten Chick…Pea Inspiration
    Lenten Cuisine~A Faith Inspired Journey
    Lenten Foods
    Lenten Kouzina Made Easy
    Lenten Wine Koulourakia
    Lent Me Some Loukoumades
    Marriage Traditions In Karpathos
    Meat
    Meat The Greek
    Mediterranean Blue Diet
    Mediterranean Diet For Lent
    Mediterranean Diet Resolution
    Mediterranean Diet Resolution: Fats Fiber And Flavor
    Mediterranean-diet-resolution-power-up-with-omega3s
    Mediterranean Diet Resolution Recipes
    Mediterranean-diet-resolution-scaling-the-pyramid
    Melomakarona Finikia Shaping Filling Dipping
    Meze/Appetizers
    Olive Kouzina
    Olive Oil
    Olive Oil~Branch To Bottle
    Olive Oil Odyssey
    Olive-Thyme Flatbread & Pizza
    Pasta Kouzina
    Pasta~Makaronia
    Phyllo/Fillo/Filo
    Phyllo/Fillo/Filo Recipes
    Pickling~Greek Island Style
    Pita-bilities
    Pizza
    Pork
    Pumpkin
    Pumpkin Pot Pie (savory Kolokithopita)
    Recipes
    Roasted Pumpkin By The Ladle
    Salad Flips
    Salad For Lent
    Seafood
    Sea Salt ~ Cook~Taste~Savor
    Sea Salt~Meze To Dessert Recipes
    Sea Salt ~ Natural & Flavored & Infused
    Shish Kabob
    Side Dishes
    Sideline
    Soups/Stews
    Souvlaki
    Super Bowl
    Super Game-Day ChicEats
    Tailgate Fryers
    Taramosalata~Beyond Meze
    Tavernas & Restaurants Of Karpathos
    The Art Of Making Kourambiedes
    The Wedding Season~Karpathos Style
    Trending Edibles: Balsamic Glazes
    Trending Edibles: Crepes & Pita
    Trending Edibles: Liqueurs
    Trending Edibles: Sea Salt & Olive Oil
    Trending Edibles: Za’atar
    Valentine It Greek
    Valentine’s Day
    Valentine’s Day
    Valentine’s Day
    Vegetables
    Videos
    Village Cooking-horiatiko
    When Greek Meets Chocolate
    Whole Grains
    World Cup Greek Recipes
    World Cup Tailgating~Greece Scores The GOAL


    archives

    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    January 2022
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    October 2017
    January 2017
    June 2014
    April 2013


    foodie links
    Kontos Foods
    Sahadi's
    ​Mediterranean Foods

    Titan Foods
    'Anama Concept
    Recipiada
    Grubstreet
    Eater

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.