Elegant Greek Orthodox Wedding In Chania, Crete Denise & Mel
Crete always had a special place in the heart of Denise, with her family roots tracing back to Chania and many summers of her childhood spent on this beautiful Greek island. Planning a destination wedding in Denise’s second home and inviting their international friends has been her dream!
To show the best of Crete and introduce their guests to the beauty of local culture, the bride & groom with the help of Crete For Love went for a two-day celebration that combined Cretan hospitality and elegant sea view wedding.
The weekend of festivities started with a pre-wedding dinner at a rustic Cretan tavern. The bride & groom welcomed their guests to Crete , treating them with impeccable Cretan cuisine & local wines in the traditional laid-back setting of the space.
In contrast, the wedding day was all about elegance and simplicity. It started with the preparations of the bride & groom, surrounded by their families and closest friends. Going for a classy look for their Big Day, the couple chose to incorporate white tones and natural colours throughout the decoration elements, flowers, wedding stationery and their own attire. While the groom selected a creamy white suit with a stylish taupe tie, the bride wore a stunning white sequin dress that was beaming in soft September Cretan sun.
The Greek Orthodox wedding ceremony took place in the church of the village, where Denise’s family were coming from. The entrance to the premises of the church was framed with minimal white fabrics and small compositions of roses & greenery, while the stone wall along the aisle was aligned with loose greenery and vases with hydrangea. At the end of the aisle, the priest table with the wine carafe and bible stood between two “lampades” installed on the graceful bronze stands – all the elements of a religious Greek wedding ceremony, designed in a chic modern fashion. To the sound of live violin, the guests were treated with welcome refreshments and took their places to greet the bride who walked down the aisle with her father to meet her groom at the altar. The ceremony went on according to the Greek wedding tradition: blessings of the priest, “stefana” crowning, the couple sharing wine, exchange of rings and, of course, the walk up the aisle under the shower of rice – for the happy and fruitful future of the newlyweds!
For the reception of Denise & Mel wedding in Crete, our team has scouted for a classic luxury villa with the panoramic view of Chania bay. As the guests started arriving to the villa, they enjoyed butlered cocktails before proceeding to the mirror booth with seating cards, decorated with a lavish curtain of hydrangea & falling orchids. Apart from the seating cards, the tables had a variety of customised stationary, designed to match the elegant style the newlyweds were going for. For guest favours, the couple chose the traditional Cretan “bombonieres”, embellished with a classic evil eye “mati”.
As the new Mrs. & Mr. have arrived at the villa and made their entrance, the wedding dinner, served by the high-end catering, has started. Over this gourmet 4-course meal, the family and friends gave warm speeches, congratulating the newlyweds with this special moment and making the atmosphere of this big wedding quite intimate.
Setting the mood for the party, the mobile cocktail bar was preparing exquisite cocktails and working throughout the evening. As the dusk was taking over, the festoon lights across the villa and the candles around the pool added ambience to the space. In this environment of chic festivity, the party went on late into the night, celebrating the exciting future of Denise & Mel!
