Europe Weddings

I’ve said it once, I’ll say it a thousand more times – Santorini is the most beautiful place on the planet. So hire the likes of the talented Nicholas Purcell Studio to capture some beautiful moments while you are on island? Well, that’s a no brainer. And this pretty little gallery of images is proof. See even more in the VAULT.

From Nicholas Purcell Studio…Santorini. It’s so well known for it’s sparkling white and blues that in photographing it, there is a danger of shooting nothing but cliche. But this beautiful island has so many shades of colour and varieties of light that are almost never seen. Sparkling whites are unavoidable sometimes, but I wanted to capture a feeling of this other island.

Photography: Nicholas Purcell Studio | Venue: Santorini Secret | Photography - Assistance: Tristan Rebien

Santorini may just be one of my favorite places on the planet, so it makes perfect sense to me that this couple wanted to say I do on one of the prettiest islands in the whole wide world. And with the beyond talented Anna Roussos behind the lens to captured all the stunning moments, we are all left with a gallery that is beautiful in every sense of the word. See even more in the VAULT.

 

From The Bride…After visiting Greece in 2010 I was mesmerized with Santorini. I truly fell in love with the town, the people and the culture, which is very similar to our Latin culture. There is no other word to describe Santorini other than magical. My dream was one day to get married in Santorini and that dream came true when I met Marcelo. We wanted the wedding to be about us and our love so we decided to forgo the stress and elope in Greece. There can still be some stress planning a wedding from many miles away but this was easily gone once we found a wedding planner in Santorini to help our dream come true.

Thanks to social media we were able to find all the vendors we wanted for our day. The most important for us was finding a great photographer to capture the moment for our family and friends. We found Anna Roussos and immediately changed our wedding date just to have her as our photographer. It was totally worth it! Maria from Divine Weddings helped us through every step of the way and even took us to our florist to hand select the flowers for our wedding day. Every detail was planned out. Our wedding day was amazing we couldn’t have asked for more, as it was stress-free and only about us two. It was truly breathtaking, romantic and sentimental sharing this beautiful day with the love of my life in the most beautiful place in the world. The best day ever!!

Photography: Anna Roussos | Event Planning: Divine Weddings | Floral Design: Betty Flowers Santorini | Wedding Dress: Nicole Miller | Bride's Shoes: Schutz | Makeup: Renia Bledaki | Hair: Brisilda Kola | Groom's Attire: Hugo Boss | Venue: Dana Villas

And just like that, Kibogo Photography has ignited wanderlust in each and every single one of us, because this gallery sitting pretty in The Vault? Well, it’s honeymoon perfection. Imagine – waking up next to your beloved in out-of-this-world-stunning Santorini, sounds pretty dreamy right? Until we find ourselves there we’ll be living vicariously through through these honeymooners via The Vault!

From Kibogo Photography….Santorini, endless views for sunset and sunrise and white houses everywhere. A dream Island for photographer.I stayed in Kamari, a little and beautiful village next to the black beach. Kamari is the place where people come for a lazy day at the beach. There you have plenty of restaurants where you can enjoy traditional greek food but also sea food and other standard meals or just a Frappé (greek iced coffee drink). And this is where I met this super gorgeous couple after chatting a whole night via Instagram with Rachel. We never met before just found her through a hashtag #Santorini After a super fun afternoon at the beach they took me to Oia where they stayed and arranged everything for the couple shoot for the next day.

Oía and Imerovig is a must see! Oía is the city with many white houses/churches and blue roofs. Imerovigli has a beautiful view of the Caldera and both towns have magic sunset views. If you are in Oía you should definitely eat some crepes with nutella! They are the best! You have plenty cafés with a view.

From the Newlyweds… Santorini was one of the most magical, breathtaking places we’ve ever visited. We spent most of our time in our airbnb, but when we weren’t there we were exploring oia, watching the sunset, and drinking frappe on the beach (Kamari). We also shopped and ate in Thira one day, which was nice (Just a tad touristy). If you’re going there to honeymoon, I would definitely suggest checking out the airbnbs in Oia. They are a more affordable, yet just as beautiful way to experience the gorgeous caldera view. We also rented a car for a couple days, which was the BEST decision. We were able to travel across the entire island and experience all of the different types of landscape.

Photography: Kibogo Photography | Apartment: White Cave House In Oia | Couple: Rachel Iliadis

A stunning Santorini wedding, that’s something that just happens in the movies, right? Oh no my friends, this sort of beauty actually does take place in real life and Anna Roussos’ pics are proof. Orchestrated by The Bridal Consultant and overflowing with blush roses and beautiful bridesmaids decked out in Jenny Yoo, this destination wedding is what fairy tales are made of – more in the VAULT right this way!

From The Bridal Consultant.. It was after Alex and Oliver spent their first holiday as a couple on Santorini that they knew they wanted to be married on this beautiful Greek Island.

This was the perfect choice as they also wanted their wedding to be a bit more traditional than the usual overseas wedding. If I had to summarize their wedding abroad in a couple of words, they would be elegant and stylish with a hint of vintage.

Alex and Oliver chose to have their wedding ceremony at Le Ciel. Le Ciel is a stunning wedding venue that was purposely built on the edge of the caldera in 2015. They followed this with their wedding reception at La Maltese Hotel, which shares the same magnificent sunset views over the Caldera.

The Bride’s wedding dress comprised of two elements. Alex fell in love with a Caroline Castigliano shrug. She returned to the same boutique (Les Trois Soeurs) where she tried on different silhouettes until she found the perfect Sarah Janks wedding dress.

Alex chose a beautiful pair of Jimmy Choo shoes and clutch bag; and as she wanted to keep her accessories simple, Alex opted for a stunning floor length ivory veil, diamond earrings and a matching diamond tennis bracelet. In the evening Alex removed the shrug and added a beautiful vintage style diamante belt.

The bridesmaids’ dresses were by Jenny Yoo and were flown in specially from New York. They were called Juliette in Cameo Pink with gold flecked lace.

The groom, his best men and the fathers of the bride and groom looked equally elegant in their attire. They opted for a classic navy blue three-piece with a modern twist. The suits by Sartorial Style of Saville Row were personalized with a scope waistcoat, wider than normal lapels and pink stitched highlights (such as a single cuff buttonhole) to match the bridesmaid’s dresses.

Details are always an important part of the wedding day and Alex and Oliver spent months building a mood board. We liaised with designers including Wedding Wish (wedding florist and decorations) in Santorini to create the beautiful image of their wedding day they envisioned.

Their wedding cake was a four-tied ivory cake with a hand piped lace design to match the bride’s dress. The bespoke wedding stationery, including menus, were designed and made to order by a stationer in the UK and were in keeping with their colors and theme.

For the favors, Alex chose personalized candles for the ladies and Oliver chose a cigar and whiskey bar for the men.

From the Bride… We first holidayed in Santorini as a couple and we simply fell in love with the island. The weather was beautiful, the scenery was spectacular and the sunset was one of the best we had seen. We’d always imagined that we would get married in an English manor house with beautiful gardens, but the thought of getting married with the Santorini sunset in the background changed our minds. The whole planning experience up until the big day was one emotional rollercoaster, but was worth every moment! Our best memory from the day was the moment we saw each other at the aisle and our first dance. This was made even more special as we had sparklers for all of the guests and fireworks at the end of the dance.

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Peruse more destination weddings here!

Photography: Anna Roussos | Event Planning: The Bridal Consultant | Wedding Dress: Sarah Janks | Ceremony Venue: Le Ciel | Reception Venue: La Maltese Estate | Bride's Shoes: Jimmy Choo | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Jenny Yoo | Groom's Attire: Saville Row Co. | Bridal Boutique: Les Trois Soeurs | Bride's Clutch: Jimmy Choo | Bride's Shrug: Sell my weddding dress | Floral Design + Decor: Wedding Wish

This Santorini wedding is so out-of-control-pretty, it deserves two parts. First on the agenda – a pre-wedding photo shoot with Jen Huang as these two lovies explore around the island before their Big Day. Inside THE VAULT you’ll find a whole gallery of wanderlust-inducing photos, and if you think this is good…just you wait until the wedding up next!

From Jen Huang…  Shanshan and Philip really tried to incorporate the natural beauty of Santorini into their wedding. With the colors inspired by the cerulean ocean and the decor inspired by the olive orchards of Greece. Shanshan and Philip also brought in the color red, which is the traditional Chinese color of celebration. Shanshan wore a red dress for her tea ceremony and dressed her bridesmaids in beautiful berry colored robes. The ceremony was short and sweet during the sunset, and the married couple rode off to their reception in a vintage VW convertible from the island. Guests ate traditional Greek cuisine. Dishes were plated on wooden charges and the tables were decorated with more local flowers and plants, again including Greece’s beautiful olive branches.

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Photography: Jen Huang Photography | Event Planning: StellaAndMoscha Exclusive Greek Island Weddings | Wedding Dress: Amsale | Invitations: Mospens Studio | Bride's Shoes: Kate Spade | Venue: Sun Rocks Hotel | Beauty: Renia Bledaki | Robes: Plum Pretty Sugar | Vendor: Bally

I take back everything I’ve ever said about my dream wedding because this couple’s Santorini elopement is everything I want and more. As if the breathtaking setting, lush flowers and intimate moments between the gorgeous bride and groom weren’t enough, they left with stunning photos thanks to Anna Roussos and a lovely video from Olive Tree Films—what more could a girl want? Fall in love here.

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From the beautiful Bride… I am the type of girl who doesn’t like the spotlight, a bit different from most brides.

We always knew we wanted to get married overseas. Such an amazing experience and it creates an unforgettable story to tell in the future.

Benny and I were flicking through travel magazines and a colour picture of Santorini caught my eye. The beautiful white buildings, blue doors and spectacular views. I then showed Benny that same picture and our immediate decision was yes! Santorini it is!

We thought it looked like heaven on earth and now from experience we can say its exactly that! So the searching began.

I’d be lying if I said it was stress free. The thought of organising a wedding alone comes with its difficulties but to organise one on the other side of the world definitely has it’s challenges. Though once we found the right people to work with us, wedding planner, photographer, videographer, venue etc it all just fell into place.

The rest as you can see is history and we couldn’t be more proud of what we created with our fantastic team of experts.

If you’re thinking about getting married in Santorini, don’t think twice, it’s the best choice we could’ve possibly made!!

From Tie The Knot In Santorini… Planning & designing with Katie and Benny their elopement in Santorini was absolutely delightful!! They are a couple full of positive energy and had so many great ideas for their wedding!

Opting for a modern feeling, Katie decided having a vivid color palette: pink, coral, purple and gold elements! I absolutely loved the idea and could not wait to bring it to life! We used gorgeous flowers to add to this color scheme, such as peonies, ranunculus, dahlias and roses that were used for the stunning bouquet and centerpieces.

We also tried to complement this bold palette with a more vintage look, which perfectly matched the natural Santorini backdrop. Our goal was for the wedding’s style to be in absolute balance with the surrounding environment. Vintage table and chairs from a private collection were brought to their private terrace for the romantic dinner. And, we also added vintage details to the tablescape, such as the gold candlesticks and glasses that I found at a flea market in Athens.

What made the wedding even more exciting was the fact that we also used personalized items: The wooden cake stand was made just for them by Benny’s father! Katie’s father created the lovely VW miniatures that were carrying their wedding rings. It was such a lovely way to have their beloved ones present, through the items they crafted for their wedding day!

It truly was a beautiful day! It had it all: love, happiness and beautiful set up! A wedding we will never forget.

Photography: Anna Roussos | Videography: Olive Tree Films | Event Planning: Tie The Knot In Santorini-Weddings & Events | Floral Design: Betty Flowers Santorini | Wedding Dress : Sarah Seven | Cake : PetranArt Santorini | Rings : Port Heritage Jewellers | Catering: Spicy Bites | Makeup: Renia Bledaki | Hair: Bella Damigou | Groom's Attire : Tarocash | Venue: Alta Vista Suites | Signage: Weddings & Whimsy

I’m kind of obsessed with this engagement session. And when I say obsessed, I mean totally head over heels in love. This couple was not only lucky enough to have their engagement session in stunning Santorini, but they also had the amazingly talented team at Bubblerock behind the lens to capture all the magic – leaving us with a gallery that almost seems to good to be true. 

From Bubblerock…Renee and Micheal were engaged on an island: Waiheke Island off the coast of Auckland in New Zealand and it’s on an island they also chose to have their engagement session.

Off on a tour of Europe before settling down in London for a few years, they happened to be in Santorini at the same time as we were so we booked in for an engagement session there. It made total sense.

From sunrise in Oia to sunset by a lost church at the end of a gravel road, we spent the day roaming the island in search of beautiful spots, screaming Santorini just as much as being far away from the obvious tourist locations. Their love for each other and the easy-going nature made for such a cool adventure in one of the cyclades’ most famous islands.

And no need for any styling when the location offers so much beauty already. Santorini is such a great place to come and visit but also a destination for weddings. We all fell in love with it.

Photography: bubblerock | Venue: Santorini | Film Lab: Carmencita Film Lab

After going through this photo shoot by Heidi Lau and Artiese Studios (over and over again), I’m just about ready to pack my bags and run off to Santorini. Blue Lavender Events captured the classic beauty of this romantic island to a tee, and I’m left craving both of these jaw dropping gorgeous bridal looks. While I may not be able to jet off anytime soon, there’s plenty more pretty where this comes from.

From Therese, Heidi, and Iris…This shoot was inspired by the romance of an intimate island, bold but classic colours, iconic landscape, and of course beautiful light. No other place in the world encompasses these qualities better than the picturesque island of Santorini.

The organic & architectural elements of this captivating island set the tone for our colour scheme and tablescape. From the white buildings and signature blue-domed churches to the bright pink blooming bougainvillea, this shoot was rich in vibrant hues reflective of Santorini.

Our main floral inspiration was the bougainvillea found all over the island – pops of pink against the classic white buildings. We loved how romantic and organic the flowers were and incorporated this idea over the sweetheart table and overflowing centerpiece to emphasize the romance and intimacy for our couple. Hints of bougainvillea were also on the invites peeking through the laser cut blue gate, mimicking the ornate doorways in Santorini.

The desserts were inspired by the small details that make up the beautiful island. The cookies mirror the intricate details of Greek tiles, the cake was inspired by the cascading hills of Santorini along with the wrapping of the bougainvillea that decorates the entry ways of the island.

We gave our brides two different looks, both inspired by different aspects of this beautiful Greek island.

The first bride was inspired by the colours of Santorini and wore an intricate updo accented by a jeweled head piece with matching earrings and hand piece. Her dress was simple and understated so that the bold hues from her jewels and vivacious fuchsia bouquet would stand out against her white gown.

The inspiration for our second bride was the organic, natural elements of the island. She was styled in a relaxed, flowy gown and her hair was down in loose waves topped off with a floral crown inspired by olive leaves. Her earrings were the perfect hint of blue tying into the bright blue accents of Santorini.

We wanted the groom to complement his bride, but also be a standout on his own. We felt that the blue suit was a fresh twist from the classic black suit and had more of a Greek island feel. What made his outfit extra unique was a custom reversible tie and pocket square. This way, he’s able to change his look from the ceremony to the reception just by reversing his accessories.

With the overall atmosphere and so many gorgeous details, we felt like this shoot transported us to the romantic island of Santorini. We hope that these images do the same for you!

Photography: ARTIESE Studios | Photography: Heidi Lau | Cinematography: One Heart Films | Floral Design: Coriander Girl | Stationery: Peppercorn & Poppy | Rings: Everlast Diamond | Makeup: A Glow By Joan | Hair: Puzzle Creations | Suit: Garrison Bespoke | Men's Attire: TYTAN | Cake & Confections: SweeterE | Dress (Couple): Ferre Sposa Bridal Boutique | Dress (Model): Sash And Bustle | Jewelery: Tara Fava Jewellery | Producer, Stylist, Coordination: Blue Lavender Events | Rentals: Anne & Co.

When it comes to destination weddings, I will forever have a love affair with Santorini. It’s majestic caldera views and open blue waters embracing the whitest of whites, leave you feeling surrounded by pure romance. So is true in this gorgeous seaside soiree from Anna Roussos Photography. With guests donning only white, a seriously beautiful Bride and a breathtaking backdrop, this gallery is a destination dream come true. Don’t miss the film from Xavier Roussos below!

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From the beautiful Bride… We dreamed of a very intimate affair and decided to have our wedding some place unique. We knew that Santorini was beyond romantic and that the beauty of this island would match the love we had for one another. So with twelve of our immediate family members we began our journey as husband and wife and it was a trip of a lifetime filled with laughs, tears, and smiles.

From Anna Roussos Photography… Catherine and Matt flew all the way from USA to get married in beautiful Santorini Island. They had very few guests, just immediate family, so it was very friendly and intimate affair. They also have planned a bigger celebration with all the friends and rest of the family when back home. But this lovely day in Santoirni was dedicated just to the closest ones in their lives. What can be more romantic than getting married “on top of the world”? That exactly how it feels when you are exchange your vows facing breathtaking Caldera View of Santorini.

Absolutely everyone was dressed in white and it created an amazing feel, very pure and romantic. I just loved this idea and it worked very well with the colors of Santorini. Catherine was stunning in her Nicole Miller dress and Matt looked very handsome in white Calvin Klein suit. It was pleasure to be part of this great celebration and I hope you will get inspired going through the photographs of their special day.

Photography: Anna Roussos | Videography: Anna Roussos | Florist: FABIO ZARDI Event & Wedding Design | Wedding Dress: Nicole Miller | Suit: Calvin Klein | Venue: Celestia Grand Executive Villas | Bridal Shoes: Louboutin | Groom Shoes: Zara | Veil: Nicole Miller

I can barely breathe this wedding is so beyond. It’s so pretty I could cry, and has me suffering from a serious case of wanderlust. It’s beautiful, gorgeous, breathtaking – every adjective I’ve ever uttered fits nicely in describing this gorgeous set of images from Sarah Falugo Photography. With a natural color palette that pantone colors are made from, and a couple from Oklahoma deciding this is just the place to start the rest of their life – this stunning Santorini affair is practically perfect in every way, and it’s all sitting pretty right here.

From Sarah Falugo Photography… This wedding had only two guests at the simple sunset ceremony at Ikies Traditional Houses in Santorini, Greece. Steve and Cassie are from Oklahoma and decided to get married in Santorini as it seemed like the most romantic place in the world.

Wedding Photography: Sarah Falugo Photography / Wedding Venue: Ikies Traditional Houses / Event Planning: Katerina from Ikies Traditional Houses + Shirley Chiarolanzio / Floral Design: Mr. Markos Zorzos (+30.228.603.1482) / Cake: Lixoudis Pastry Shop / Musicians: Mr. Pantelis (+30.694.433.6204) / Wedding Dress: David’s Bridal / Hair and Makeup: Helena Savva from Savva Interntional

A day spent frolicking through the gorgeous city streets of Santorini and Mykonos sounds pretty much like the greatest day EVER – and when you throw in the one you love and the oh-so-talented White Photographie to capture every blissful moment, well… it goes straight from great to downright EPIC. Case in point: this adorable duo and their seriously amazing e-session.  It’s bundles of cuteness meets breathtaking scenery meets a whole lot of romance.  See so much more right here.

From White Photographie… This was a sunny, Mediterranean engagement session captured on the beautiful streets of Santorini and Mykonos, Greece.

Photography: White Photographie / Locations: Santorini + Mykonos, Greece

Smart Productions not only captured the gorgeous details from this sunset celebration, all exquisitely put together by Poema Weddings & Special Events, but also caught some seriously stunning views of the beautiful island of Santorini where it all took place.  The sensational black and white details and bride’s amAHzing Dolce & Gabbana gown look so chic and glam against the majestic backdrop!

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From Poema Weddings & Special Events… Sola and Steve are a couple from Lebanon who dreamed their wedding on the beautiful island of Santorini. The ceremony was at the church of Saint Marcus, and the reception was held at the terrace of Dana Villas.

Wedding Cinematography: Smart Productions / Ceremony: Saint Marcus Imerovigli in Santorini, Greece / Reception: Dana Villas in Santorini, Greece / Wedding Photography: Eva Rentl Wedding Photography / Event Design + Planning: Poema Weddings & Special Events / Wedding Invitations: Tessie Creative / Wedding Dress: Dolce & Gabbana / Bride’s Shoes: Christian Louboutin

I have never been to Greece, but if this stunning Santorini soiree is any indication, I would absolutely LOVE every minute of it.  Seriously… Does it get any more romantic than this?!?  I.  Think.  Not.  With breathtaking views, a stunning Vera Wang gown and image after glorious image by Anna Roussos, this wedding is literally overflowing with the romance and I am officially obsessed.  All designed and planned to absolute perfection by Weddings in Santorini, this is one soiree that is guaranteed to leave you smiling (and humming love songs) for the rest of your week.  Trust me, you don’t want to miss a minute of lovely, so join me in the gallery for even more and then stay tuned for an amazing film from Aegean Films below!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

The pretty just keeps on coming with this fabulous film by Aegean Films!  Enjoy!

From Weddings in Santorini… Newly engaged and visiting friends recently married at Lake Como, Evgeny and Masha’s eyes met again, this time over a Santorini coffee table book.  Just as when they met, something clicked. As soon as they could, they traveled to Santorini to scout for wedding locations. Masha became so excited while visiting a beautiful whitewashed church in Imerovigli that she turned to Evgeny and kissed him passionately. They knew at once this is where they would be wed. Evgeny and Masha followed their hearts to express their easy-going, fun personalities, Russian heritage and Greek location through their wedding.

Greek musicians serenading her with wedding songs met Masha, who wore her amazing, tailor-made Vera Wang gown, at the church. Inside the simply decorated chapel, women covered their heads with beautiful scarves in the Russian Orthodox tradition. They flew in their family priest from Russia to perform the ceremony in Russian in addition to Greek. After being showered with rice to symbolize fertility and prosperity, the newlyweds arrived at their reception overlooking the Caldera in a convertible Beetle. There, the mother of the bride greeted them holding a Russian brioche she had brought all the way from Russia! Following tradition, the newlyweds each salted and ate a piece of brioche. Then, they drank champagne and smashed the glasses, which in Russia symbolizes the couple’s luck in their future life together.

To celebrate their lightheartedness, the reception was awash with glowing lanterns and square glass vases filled with mini olive tree branches. Escort cards tied to wreaths of olive branches were worn as bracelets or crowns. Masha and Evgeny love ‘40s and ‘50s rock, so after changing into retro ‘50s clothes, they swing-danced all night! When it came time to cut the cake, which looked like three large pillows, one on top of another, Evgeny explained how it represented their style: when at home, the two of them like to lay in bed with lots of pillows! After a night spent celebrating, Masha and Evgeny spent the day cruising in the Caldera, where they swam in the volcano’s hot springs and enjoyed a saxophone sunset.

Wedding Photography: Anna Roussos – Photographer / Wedding Cinematography: Aegean Films by Vasilis Pasioudis / Floral & Event Design: Evangelia Mendrinou of Weddings in Santorini / Event Planning: Stella and Moscha of Weddings in Santorini / Wedding Ceremony Location: Anastasi Church, Imerovigli-Santorini / Wedding Reception Location: Thermes / Bride’s Shoes: Yves Saint Laurent / Wedding Dress: Tailor Made / Table Cards: Evangelia Mendrinou of Weddings in Santorini

I have to be honest, I felt a major jealousy pang when I came across this destination wedding from Punam Bean Photography.  Not only is the setting absolutely divine (take a look at that view!) but the wedding itself is just so lovely with a natural and carefree air.  There is no need to fight your surroundings when you are in Santorini, Greece so you might as well make the most out of your location like using olive branches from a neighboring orchard.  The results are simple but so breathtaking.  Click here for more destination inspiration!

Check out the full wedding gallery for even more goodness from Greece!

Michael and I decided to get married in Santorini, Greece because we’d never been there before and wanted to honeymoon there. Santorini with a group of 50 of our closest friends and family seemed the perfect compromise between elopement and a traditional wedding celebration. My parents flew in from Taiwan, his family flew in from Austria and Germany. We wanted an intimate celebration so friends and family could really spend quality time together. We basically wanted an unforgettable party. The whole wedding was planned online, with a total of two phone calls. We’re pretty proud about that!

We found our amazing hotel, the outdoor chapel, the rehearsal and reception restaurants, everything online and then cross referenced with Trip Advisor. All arrangements were done via email with individual vendors. I was more than a little nervous prior to arrival since I’d never seen these places before, but everything turned out better than I could have hoped for.

We wanted the wedding theme to be simple and focus around the beautiful location, so decorations were kept to a minimum and stayed with a very “natural” vibe. We shipped two large boxes full of supplies from Save-on-Crafts where you can find just about anything you’d need to decorate a  giant ballroom, provided you are willing to put a little creative energy into it. Because we shipped our own decorations, we had to keep things light, literally. So we used vintage looking wooden crates as the centerpiece and filled it with Sola wood flowers (very light) and olive leaves. I made the table cards myself from blank Birch cards purchased from Etsy. The theme of olive leaves was heavy throughout the wedding not only for its symbolism of peace and love, not only because we were in Greece, but because it was practical, economical and environmentally friendly! Santorini is a volcanic island, so water is scarce and so are flowers. We found a woman on a neighboring island called Sifnos who owned an olive tree orchard and pressed their own oil. She ferried over a box of freshly clipped olive branches along with 50 small bottles of olive oil that came from those trees. We used these bottles of oil as favors for the guests. The olive leaves not only looked great, they provided a lovely story and the oil tasted divine.

The day before the wedding we rented a boat down at the Old Port from a company called Dakoutros Travel. The boat cruise lasted all day and took us to a nearby island called Thirassia where we stopped for freshly grilled seafood lunch. We also went to the hot springs and a hike up to the volcano. This is a typical itinerary for boat cruises around Santorini and  was an excellent way to start the wedding weekend, giving the guests a chance to get to know each other as many came from different states, and different countries and were meeting for the first time.

One very important thing I learned from planning a destination wedding: make friends with the locals, particularly your hotel concierge. Our hotel, Aria Suites, was absolutely incredible. They helped us arrange transportation, helped us locate restaurants (Michael and I rented a car for logistical reasons, but the island does not have street names or addresses!), they basically helped us with anything we hadn’t anticipated.
Our friend officiated the ceremony. It was quick and beautiful, with an appropriate reading from Dr. Seuss’s “Oh, the Places You’ll Go!” Michael and I have wonderful memories of the wedding weekend, we wouldn’t do anything different. As for the 244 buttons I sewed onto the back of my dress, I’d do that again, too.

Wedding Photography: Punam Bean Photography / Ceremony Venue: Saint Irene Chapel at Villa Irini / Reception Venue: Pyrgos Restaurant / Bride’s Shoes: Aldo / Wedding Dress: David’s Bridal and BCBG