Posted by Carrie on March 06, 2001 at 19:32:30:
In Reply to: Yes, you do if........ posted by Married To a GREEK guy on January 24, 2001 at 10:28:00:
Hello I'm an Aussie girl with Irish back ground I have been with my boyfriend for over 4 years. We are now engaged to be married and have a 4 month old baby boy.
Although we are verry much inlove I some times feel traped, we live with his parents who are wounderful people but do like things done the Greek way. I feel that my husbond to be only wants to do things the Greek way for his parents.
I am not a religious person and I do not understand Greek and he seems to forcing me to get married his way and I do not wish to. 1) I wont understand what the priest is saying and 2) I have not been to a Greek Orthodox church that I like. 3) my family will not understand and although I am not religios my mother and her family are my father is not but he would like to see me happy and he can see I will not be if I marry this way. 4) I have always (as most little girls do) dreamed of my wedding day and it is not in a Greek Orthodox church. I dont know what to do I have tryed to talk to him about it but we always end up in a fight. So I f you plan on getting married disscuss this with he before so you can work out something that fits both of you.
As I said we have a 4 month old boy and before he was born I fought not to name him after my husbond to be Father for a lot reasons 1) I see it as disrespect for my father. 2) I dont wish him to be in my father in laws shadow all his life. 3) We live in the same house and the poor little one would get a bit confused about who we are talking to. 4) I hate my Father in laws name it is very common and my brother has a lot of friends with that name. 5) I dont belive in nameing children after people in your family. 6) I belive every one is not the same so why should the name be. So be carefull about this one your inlaws may get very upset about ths.(My in laws did not seem to mind but who realy knows as I dont understand Greek.)
Any way we named him a name we liked not a name we were told we should but I still have the problem of him now beinfg christened his greek name so all of my husbond to be family will now call him by that and not the name we gave him and that I do not like!!!.
Any way I dont think a non greek girl stands much of a chance with all the tradition in the Greek religion and community If you wish to do most of every thing the greek way and let youe dreams just fade away than stay with the man you love. He may seem like a realy cool guy thats care free and lots of fun but as soon as the wedding comes close you will see another side of him the very traditional and religious side although he is still the man you fell in love with he will want you to do every thing the Greek way.
Good luck!!
While I'm here if any one can help me I would like to know if a Greek Orthodox priest will do the wedding in a garden or if you know of a nice Greek Orthodox Church? Also if a non Greek orthodox person can be a god parent My husbond to be would like a greek person as our sons god father but I would like my brother can we have 2 god parents 1 orthodox and 1 not?
Please help me
Thank you