(Updated October 2025)
While food plays a huge role in Greek weddings, music and dancing are equally essential. To put it in perspective, Greek culture boasts more than 4,000 traditional dances, so it’s no surprise that dancing is a central part of the wedding celebration. Perhaps the most famous of these is the Money Dance. In this tradition, the dance begins with the bride, the groom, and a handkerchief, and during the dance, family and guests give the couple their wedding gifts in the form of money. That’s right—forget toasters, crystal, or linens. Greeks give the gift everyone truly needs: cash to start their new life together.
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Is there a certain kind of handkerchief used?
In traditional Greek weddings, the handkerchief used for dances, especially the Money Dance, is usually a simple but elegant piece of cloth rather than an ordinary handkerchief you’d keep in your pocket. Here’s what’s typical:
Material & Style
- Often white or ivory, symbolizing purity and celebration.
- Made from linen, cotton, or lace, sometimes with delicate embroidery.
- Can be plain or slightly decorative, but not overly flashy, the focus is on its symbolic use, not the material itself.
Size
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Usually large enough to be held comfortably between two hands, allowing the couple or dancers to grip it without letting go.
Cultural Names
In Greece, it’s sometimes called a mantili, meaning handkerchief, or shami in some dialects.
Function in the Dance
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Connects the bride and groom to their guests.
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Provides a surface for guests to attach or drop money during the Money Dance.
So while there’s no strict rule, the handkerchief is traditionally elegant, symbolic, and functional. It’s chosen to honor the custom and the joyous occasion.
The Handkerchief Dance
The Handkerchief Dance is called the handkerchief dance because the leader and the second dancer in line hold onto a handkerchief. In the Greek culture folk dances, like this one, performed today at weddings are believed to have originated from ritual dances in ancient Greece. They make perfect dances for weddings because they are performed by groups arm-in-arm in a line or in an open circle moving counter clockwise. The leader of the group often improvises, while those following repeat the basic steps.
During the traditional Kalamatianós, because the lead dancer holds the second dancer by the handkerchief instead of the hand, it allows them the freedom to improvise with more elaborate steps.
How to dance the money dance
Like the popular Greek Syrtos dance, the Money Dance (Kalamatianós) is a line dance, and it’s also affectionately called the Bride’s Dance. The celebration begins with the bride and groom dancing together, connected by a handkerchief.
Before the wedding, the parents of the bride and groom prepare for this special moment by pinning together stacks of the largest bills in their currency. Some families even create an elaborate crown made of money for the couple! During the dance, the parents step forward first, draping their money creation over the happy couple and holding hands with them to form the start of a curving line of dancers, all facing right.
Once the parents have done their part, the rest of the guests join in. They pin money onto the couple, or in some regions, they throw money toward them, never coins, of course. The scene is lively and sometimes chaotic, but that’s all part of the Greek wedding tradition. After offering their gifts, guests join the dance line. The dancer at the right end of the line becomes the leader, and may even perform a solo, showing off moves like slapping their thighs while everyone else keeps the basic steps going.
What is the meaning of the Greek wedding dance handkerchief?
In Greek weddings, the handkerchief (or sometimes a small cloth) used in the traditional dance plays a symbolic role. Specifically, during dances like the Kalamatianos or Syrtaki, the handkerchief is held between the hands of dancers, often connecting the bride, groom, or family members with the rest of the wedding party. Here’s what it signifies:
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Connection and unity – The handkerchief symbolizes the bond between participants and the joining of families through the wedding.
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Guidance and support – In some dances, especially the “money dance” or “kefi dances”, the handkerchief allows the couple to be guided through the dance while others may throw coins or bills onto it.
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Tradition and blessing – It represents the passing of good luck, prosperity, and protection to the couple.
The Money Dance is more than just a ritual and the handkerchief isn’t just decorative; it’s a cultural and symbolic tool that reinforces community, blessing, and celebration. It’s a joyful, communal expression of love, prosperity, and celebration, where everyone in attendance becomes part of the couple’s first dance as newlyweds.
