Prewedding
During our first meeting with Papa Evagelos (the priest who performed the ceremony) Kajsa was blessed with the LUCKY bird pooping on the head omen. After that everything was smooth sailing...yeah right. We were truly blessed to have Papa Evagelos perform the ceremony. It was only after we met with him for the first time that we found out that he spent 20 years in Australia and that he could speak English fluently. He could scense that we were stressed and worried about almost everything and quickly reasured us that everything would go through regardless of the fact that we were missing important documents. (Of course we got them all just in time.) On the Sunday before the wedding, he gave a beautiful service in the village church. He finished with a small speach first in Greek then in English that brought us to tears. We were so moved by his kind words. He is truly an amazing person and we own so much to him for making our wedding so much more special, more than we expected.
Now this will come as a surprise to most of you who will read this but sit down and brace yourselves. The Greeks no longer break plates! I know, I couldn't believe it myself. They say it is too dangerous. Sure we have all taken a few shards of plate to the face during a Greek wedding, but this is no reason to stop such a well know tradition. So what do they do you may ask. Well they throw carnations. Lucky for us, there was a carnation farm in the town near the village and the owner was somehow related to me. Go figure.
This photos shows an amazing moment in Kajsa's life. Up until this point she was slighly depressed that none of the major male figures in her life were going to present for the wedding. So when Cherry (Kajsa's mom) informed me that Jay was on his way and required a hotel room with two separate beds. Hmmm why would Jay and Lisa want separate beds? Well as it turned out, Kajsa's dad (Fred Duke) was the mystery guest. Instant Niagra falls.
One of the first group dinners consisting of many of out of country guests a couple of days before the wedding. The calamari was amazing. Actually as Carmen would put it...fucking amazing. Ah Carmen.
Now this photo may look ordinary but a closer look would show that Kajsa's dress is soaked. She had just saved an old Greek man who we believe had a heart attack in the water. The story starts with Kajsa walking down the main road in Paralio Astros. This road happens to run parallel with the beach but is separated by a row of houses. Along the road of houses there is vacant lot and the beach can easily be seen and accessed. Well as Kajsa passed one vacant spot she heard a voice screaming Voeetheea (Help in Greek). She turned towards the scream and witnessed an elderly lady in the water waving her hands in the air and beside her was an old Greek man face down in the water in a nice star fish pose. At first Kajsa was shocked that there were so many people around the couple that were doing absolutely nothing. Quickly, Kajsa sprinted across the beach down to the water, dived in and swam to the couple. She grabbed the man and dragged him to shore and once on shore she proceded CPR. At first she had no pulse but shortly after the CPR she felt a pulse. Soon after, an ambulance arrived. I call this photo: the Hero.
Dinner number two with both Kajsa's and my immediate family.
and my mother are busy trying to decide how to decorate the candles. As the Koumbaro, was resonsible for a ton of things and we were luck and blessed to have as our Koumbaro.
The night before the wedding my mother decide that the church should be cleaned. So off and I went to mop the church. I had fun.
mopping the church floor. Actually, cleaning up the mess I made.
According to tradition, I was to get dressed at the house of my father's father and here we are. My father, me, , and my mother. And I might add, my mother looked gorgeous in that blue dress. The second best dressed woman that day some would say. I was also supposed to sit on a barrel and get shaved. That didn't happen.
I was totally amazed with the three piece band. They played and we danced. Lots of dancing all day. Me in front, then Fotis Kalantzis, then my uncle Gus Tsougriannis. I'm actually holding onto Kajsa's bouquet. I suppose to hold it until we meet up at the church.
More dancing, this time in the middle of the village road. I think we caused the first road jam in the village. Nice moves Nick!
While we were busy dancing in the 35deg heat, Kajsa was busy getting all beautified with Pernelle. Here they pose with a statue of a mermaid at the port in Paralio Astros. I call this photo: Sirens.
Meanwhile back at the ranch, Carmen, Paul and Jay await the arrival of the beautiful bride.
Kajsa and her Mother.
Kajsa is ready and wearing her grandmother's pearls. I call this photo: Goddess
By now almost 90% of the guests and myself are at the church waiting for Kajsa's arrival. Here my Thea Ioanna and my Father.
My beautiful sister Vivian and me. She will have her big day on the 1st of September.
Demetri and Demetri. Two good looking Greeks.
My uncle Louis and Carmen. I must have been waiting over 45 minutes for Kajsa to arrive. Everyone was trying there best to stress me out. Another one of those tradition things. Even the priest got in on the fun. It was either: "It is looking kind of late, I don't think she is coming. I think she getting cold feet." or my personal favourite from my slightly older uncles: "you still have 5 minutes, you can still get out of this!" I wasn't worried, I knew she was coming.
Following with tradition, the bride is supposed to walk up from her house to the church. Considering that the walk from Canada to the church is almost impossible she settled for a short walk from the school house up to the church.
We finally meet.
Papa Evagelos.