In ancient Greece, couples marrying would wear crowns known as Stefana, usually made from olive branches, lemon blossoms and vine leaves.
Today, whilst the Stefana are far more decorative and beautiful, the tradition remains central to a Greek wedding and is upheld by the church, though the honour and glory of the ceremony has passed from Aphrodite to God.
Although the crowning ceremony remains central to a Greek wedding, the requirement for the bride and groom to wear the Stefana for one week after the wedding, thankfully no longer applies; due to practicality and safety reasons!
These simplistic yet beautiful crowns are today as popular as ever, particularly with brides who want to look stunning without being ostentatious. And we think it’s lovely that both bride and groom benefit from this ceremonial aspect of the wedding.
During the wedding, the Stefana are interchanged between bride and groom three times, immediately after the blessings are given, in order to seal the union of the couple. It is expected that the crowns are removed after the honeymoon, but these days there’s a little latitude in this regard.
Having been making Stefana for almost two decades we understand the importance of both a bride’s wedding day, and the tradition that accompanies it. Our brides can choose from a great selection of ready- made Stefana or, design their own handmade crowns.
It is such an important part of the wedding and will be featured in so many of your photos, so you need Stefana that look beautiful, compliment your dress and which are sturdy enough to withstand the rigours of a Greek wedding!
Furthermore, the Greek Stefana are one of the few objects from your wedding that can be kept as a memento, which is why so many couples choose to display the crowns in their home after the wedding.
We only use solid brass bases, Swarovski semi-precious stones and crystals and offer six different finishes from rhodium plated to traditional rustic. Our crowns are matched to our bride’s aesthetic and taste, come in a beautiful wooden presentation box (with a glass lid) and are sure to garner great admiration long after the wedding.