Weddings in Greece are important events full of tradition and emotion. Everything is carefully planned to honour the couple and their families. Sweets are offered to guests as symbols of wishes for happiness, fertility, prosperity and long-lasting love.
Greece has a rich culinary tradition, including wedding sweets. Each region has its own traditions, shaped by history and local products. Some sweets are common throughout Greece.
Koufeta
The koufeta is a sweet treat at Greek weddings. It is made of almonds wrapped in white sugar and given to guests as a gift. The almond represents fertility and resilience, while the sugar symbolises the sweetness of the couple’s life together.
Amygdalota
Almonds are a sweet made with almonds, sugar and rose water. You’ll find them in many island regions, such as the Cyclades. They’re served at weddings as a symbol of happiness and purity. Their simple but refined taste makes them popular in traditional celebrations.
Diples
In many regions of Greece, diples are the main wedding dessert. Made from fried dough with honey and walnuts, they symbolise happiness and prosperity. In the Peloponnese, diples are linked to wedding ceremonies and often prepared at home.
Melomakarona and Courabiedes
Although these sweets are mainly associated with Christmas, in many regions of Greece they are also offered at weddings. Melomakarona, made of flour, honey and walnuts, and kourabiedes, butter and almonds with powdered sugar, symbolise a sweet life and peace.
Pasteli
Pasteli is one of the oldest sweets in Greece. It’s made of sesame and honey, and in some regions, especially in the Dodecanese and the Peloponnese, it’s offered at weddings to symbolise the strength and prosperity of the couple.
Gamokouloura
In Crete, gamokoulouras are breads or buns with honey and walnuts offered as a dessert at weddings. The fermented bread represents abundance and fertility, while the sweetness of the honey symbolises hope for a happy and harmonious life.
The relationship between tradition and evolution
While traditional desserts are still firm favourites, modern cuisine has brought new options to the wedding table. Lots of couples are now combining classic desserts with more modern creations, such as multi-tiered wedding cakes or desserts inspired by international cuisines. Even though new trends emerge, traditional sweets remain a popular choice among Greeks at weddings. They’re often given as a symbol of wishing the couple a long and happy life, with a sweet taste.
Wedding sweets in Greece are much more than just tasty treats. They carry within them deep traditions and symbolism that have been passed down from generation to generation. Every sweet, from kouffelta to almond cakes, represents wishes for the couple and their life together. In modern times, these traditional flavours are often combined with new ideas, while always retaining their essence and meaning.