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From White Ribbon Boutique Events Coordination…Around one year before their wedding Assal and Kenny who live in London, England started considering getting married abroad. After having done a lot of research around various possible European destinations, they got very confused with the numerous options and decided to contact me. The bride is a very close friend of mine from college and therefore knew of my company, White Ribbon Boutique Events Coordination. I immediately suggested Greece as I would be able to coordinate every aspect of their wedding without them having to worry about the details.

The bride explained that apart from the wedding ceremony and reception, they had decided, in order to thank their guests who flew all the way from England, to also throw a pre-party in their honor. As a result they were looking for two completely different types of venues. I immediately knew the answer! Most people don’t know that in the southern part of Athens stretches a golden coastline with beautiful sandy beaches and clear blue waters, known as the Athenian Riviera. At a very tranquil and quiet spot of the Riviera there is a stunning venue called The Island. When the couple visited Athens I took them to see this venue and particularly a specific space within the venue called ‘The Private House’ which gives you the feel that you are on your private villa, on a cliff right in front of the sparkling blue sea. They immediately fell in love with it and decided they would have their ceremony and reception there and the pre-wedding party at St. George Lycabettus Hotel in the center of Athens overlooking the Acropolis.

Although all communication with the bride was done through email, she took great care when deciding on the style of her wedding and the details involved in creating a light and airy atmosphere that suited the location. They also paid particular attention to the photographer who was going to capture their most important moments and after my recommendation they picked one of the most talented photographers in Greece, George Pahountis.

The day before the wedding the bride and groom along with 80 of their closest friends and family gathered together at the luxury top-floor balcony of St. George Lycabettus Hotel to celebrate over some fruit cocktails. The panoramic views of the Parthenon were stunning but also guests enjoyed some surprising and out of the ordinary views too! On that day, Athens was hosting the welcoming ceremony of the Special Olympics in the ancient Kallimarmaro Stadium and therefore the whole stadium was illuminated and the Olympic flame was burning very close to the hotel.

On the day of the wedding the bride wore a dazzling strapless tulle gown for the ceremony and then changed into a Grecian style bejeweled silk backless dress for the reception. The groom wore a traditional Scottish kilt while the bridesmaids wore light blue dresses that matched the theme of the wedding. As for the venue’s décor, we placed white chiffon drapes all along the ceiling of the pergola over the aisle, decorated it with hanging glass lanterns and a large white wreath covered with orchids, hydrangeas and roses. We also organized the seating of the ceremony so that both the couple and guests could enjoy the sea views right in front of them and placed a white flower arch at the edge of the balcony. The tables were decorated with white hydrangeas and many floating white candles, the surrounding lawn areas were covered with paper lanterns while all around the pool we placed many white candles in clear glass vases. The bride also wanted to include some color to the décor therefore we accomplished this by adding a few light blue details. The colors of the wedding were in perfect harmony with the surroundings and the venue looked beautiful.

Guests partied until the early hours of the next morning and in the end both Assal and Kenny as well as their friends and family were left with the most wonderful memories of their wedding weekend in Greece.

Ceremony Wedding Dress: Pronovias / Reception Wedding Dress: Gemy Couture by Gemy Maalouf / Bridal Jewelry: Bride’s Own / Invitations + Program Design: Bride’s Friend / Floral Design: White Ribbon Boutique Events Coordination / Event Design + Decor: White Ribbon Boutique Events Coordination / Furniture: Tore Event Rentals / Wedding Photography: George Pahountis / Reception Location/ Venue: ‘Private House’ Island Art & Taste / Ceremony Seating Cards: White Ribbon Boutique Events Coordination / Favors: White Ribbon Boutique Events Coordination

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Post tags: Destination Wedding, Gemy Maalouf, George Pahountis, Greece, Island Art & Taste, Pronovias, Tore Event Rentals, White Ribbon Boutique Events Coordination
Post categories: Casual Elegance, Destination Weddings

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From Anna Roussos Photography… From the very beginning Natalia and Ruslan, both from Russia, St. Petersburg, had decided that they would get married abroad in a glamorous destination. They weren’t sure where however, so they searched possible wedding destinations over the internet.  And Santorini island eventually popped up. This happens quite often, with Santorini the main wedding destination in Greece and Europe, with more than 500 weddings yearly.

Natalia and Ruslan were both convinced that their research was over, from the very moment they saw the breathtaking views from the cliffs of the volcanic island, romantic dinners, amazing sunsets and more. They had been dreaming about the best place to get married, just bride and groom, and they had finally found it. They had to celebrate their marriage on that island. So the wedding was just for two, and no one else.

Natalia took great care while considering the style of her wedding, she brought with her many deco elements designed specially for that special occasion. The wedding gown was very interesting, like a 18th century dress with a double corset, which you don’t see so often on modern brides. As for Ruslan, he had a tailored made suit, with a double collar, which I had never seen before, but both bride and groom looked absolutely chic!

Since the wedding was just for two, photography was a very big part of the day. We planned a couple of photo sessions before the ceremony, so we had time to walk around Santorini for a few hours just taking pictures. Because I had so much time to work with the couple, we managed to capture the best moments. This day will always be in their hearts, because it was just the two of them, both on the top of the world!

Wedding Photography: Anna Roussos Photography / Event Planning: Travel Zone (Greece) + Melissa Weddings (Russia) / Wedding Ceremony Location: Dana Villas / Wedding Reception Location: Avianto Suite

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Post tags: Anna Roussos Photography, Avianto Suites, Dana Villas, Destination Weddings, Greece, Melissa Weddings, Travel Zone, Weddings in Santorini
Post categories: Destination, Destination Weddings

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From Anna Roussos Photography… This was a real Greek wedding, even though the couple and all the guests came all the way from Canada and were on time. Greeks are usually late! The bride and groom are Greek, but were born and raised abroad. Although living far from their motherland, local traditions were kept, perfectly performed at the wedding reception: wedding dances were just great, and for me, as for photographer who covers a lot of Greek events, this one was a big surprise!

Dora (the bride) took care of everything, from wedding favors till decor elements, she brought with her so many things, I couldn’t  imagine how she managed to do it all by herself, especially living thousands of kilometers away from Greece. The most touching part was the church entrance of the bride. She came on a  little boat with her mother, brother, best friend and Greek musicians of course… Groom was crying…from happiness!

What a beautiful, full of love and gentle couple. A great example of a successful wedding planed and organized from so far away!

Wedding Photography: Anna Roussos Photography / Event Planning, Design + Floral Design: DIY / Ceremony Location: Sifnos Island / Reception Location: Beach Taverna / Wedding Invitations: DIY

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Post tags: Anna Roussos Photography, Beach Taverna, Destination Wedding, Do-It-Yourself Inspired, Greece, Sifnos Island
Post categories: Destination, Destination Weddings

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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

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Post tags: Aegean Films, Anastasi Church, Anna Roussos - Photographer, Destination Wedding, Greece, Imerovigli-Santorini, Santorini, Thermes, Weddings in Santorini, Yves Saint Laurent
Post categories: Destination, Destination Weddings

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From the Bride… My Father is from a small town in the Peloponnese (region of Greece) named Kranidi. Our family has gone back every summer for the last 16 years so Greece holds a very special place in my heart. Because the island of Hydra is a short boat ride from where my Father is from I’ve visited the island many times as a young girl.  I fell in love with the island as soon as I arrived at the port.  Hydra is perhaps the most beautiful port village in all of Greece. A tiny harbor ringed with cafes, restaurants and gold shops is surrounded by a village of stone houses and villas that rise up the hills like an amphitheater. But one of the best things about Hydra is that there are no cars. Everything is moved by donkey, including groceries, building supplies, people and their luggage.  The island has basically looked the way it looks now for the last two hundred years.  The beautiful roads and alleys, paved with slabs and the houses, adorned with flowers, give to the island of Hydra a touch of magic and a romantic mood.

Scott and I stayed at Hotel Miranda.  The Hotel Miranda, originally a wealthy sea captain’s mansion, was built in 1810.  It has been declared a building of National Heritage by the Ministry of Culture, as it is considered an especially fine example of characteristic Hydriot architecture.  The Hotel Miranda with its fine collection of 18th and 19th century furniture, prints and paintings, creates a charming atmosphere and the character of a small museum.  Our reception was at the Sunset Restaurant.  The name is perfect for the venue as it is the ideal spot on the island to watch the beautiful Hydra sunset.  We had a traditional family-style dinner with traditional Greek tavern food.

I wore sandals with my wedding dress as the roads in Hydra are all cobblestone. My pearl earrings were from Tiffany’s and my wedding ring was custom-made.  Our jeweler is Hoffman Diamond Company – Scott and I both got our wedding ring/band from him…he does great work!  The crowns we wore during the ceremony were the same crowns my parents wore when they got married 30 plus years ago in Greece.

Wedding Photography: J. Cogliandro Photography / Wedding Reception: Sunset Restaurant / Accommodations: The Hotel Miranda / Wedding Dress: J.Crew / Groom’s Suit: J.Crew / Bride’s Shoes: J.Crew / Wedding Rings: Hoffman Diamond Company / Bride’s Earrings: Tiffany & Co.

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Post tags: Blue, Destination Wedding, Greece, Greek Wedding, Hoffman Diamond Company, Hydra, J. Cogliandro Photography, J. Crew, Sunset Restaurant, The Hotel Miranda, Tiffany & Co.
Post categories: Destination

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

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2010. | Permalink | 33 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Destination, Do-It-Yourself Inspired, Greece, Punam Bean Photography, Santorini
Post categories: Destination, Destination Weddings, Do-It-Yourself Inspired

Remember to check out our new Destination Guide if you are planning a destination style wedding!

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2008. | Permalink | 5 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Belathee Photography, Destination Guide, Greece
Post categories: Cultural Beauty, Destination, Destination Weddings, Wedding Photography

A few more pictures from this incredible wedding are on their way!

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2008. | Permalink | 5 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Belathee Photography, Destination Guide, Greece
Post categories: Cultural Beauty, Destination, Destination Weddings, Real Weddings, Wedding Photography