Why did you choose to get married in Crete?

We had always wanted to get married abroad; the idea of having the special day stretched out into a longer period of relaxing in the sun with close friends and family sounded perfect to us. We had no idea where we wanted to get married and so we spoke to Lisa at the Bridal Consultants who gave us a lot of options which included many different venues in lots of different locations. We loved the idea of a naturally stunning location and we both love fresh Greek food and as soon as we saw the pictures of the venue, we fell in love. This was quickly confirmed after a trip out to visit the venue in person and we are so pleased with our choice.

We received so many compliments on the venue from our guests, the majority of whom had never experienced a destination wedding. It was truly stunning and so memorable.

How many guests did you invite to your wedding and how many accepted and attended?

We invited 68 people in total, 55 of which attended. Some guests were unable to travel due to childcare commitments or illness.

Please tell us about your gorgeous dress.

My dress was made by Madi Lane, an Australian designer. I found it at the first bridal shop I went to. It was the eighth dress I had tried on; it wasn’t what I initially had in mind, but when I tried it on and saw myself in it, I knew it was the one for me. I am so happy with my choice as I felt very comfortable in the dress and it really suited our venue.

And your accessories?

I bought my shoes from ASOS, which were the same as the Bridesmaid’s shoes. I picked the shoes for the Bridesmaids and started to explore wedding/designer shoes for myself and decided I didn’t want to spend a lot of money on shoes as they wouldn’t be seen under my dress, especially as I was taking white crocs to dance in! Comfy shoes are a must for dancing. Once I had decided I wouldn’t be spending a lot of money on shoes, I settled on wearing the heels I had chosen for the Bridesmaids as I loved them.

I wore a pearl headband by Richard Designs which I got from the dress shop. I also had pearl pins in my hair from Etsy.

And Matt’s suit?

Matt wore a cream suit with a subtle light blue check running through it. It was very summery and was worn without a tie with an open collar white shirt. I would describe it as relaxed formal; he looked very handsome.

The bridesmaids looked beautiful, tell us about their dresses.

The Bridesmaid’s dresses were olive green which I thought was fitting due to the fact that we were getting married in an olive grove. They were multiway dresses bought on Amazon which were perfect as they looked great on all of the Bridesmaids and suited all of their skin tones.

Tell us about the venue styling.

We loved the simplicity and natural beauty of the venue and so we waned that to be the main focal point. We used simple, natural colours like creams and greens to allow the beautiful venue shine through.

What’s your best memory from the day?

It is hard to pick just one, as it truly was the best day of our lives and we made memories we will cherish forever. If I did have to pick one stand out memory it would be our first dance. It was made extra special by the fact that the venue turned off all of the outside lighting whilst our guests stood around the dance floor holding sparklers. The moment where our guests joined us on the dance floor was unbeatable. Our close friend made our first dance song by mixing the orchestral and original versions of our favourite song together, making it truly unique and that little bit more special.

The moment was extended by the fact that fireworks were set off at the end of our first dance, which looked truly magical against the dark night sky; all of the guests were in awe of them. I had also forgotten that I had requested fireworks and it turned out to be a beautiful surprise.

What do you think makes a wedding abroad stand out from a wedding in the UK?

The longevity of the celebrations. We had a whole week with all of our friends and family in a beautiful Greek city. We had a mini stag and hen do two nights before the wedding and a meal with all of our guests on the night before; it was great to be able to debrief and reminisce by the pool for the last few days of the holiday. It was undoubtedly the best week of our lives.

We were even able to attend a beach club party two days after the wedding which was played by our wedding DJ.

What advice would you give to future brides and grooms who are getting married abroad?

Just do it. Having a wedding abroad really does mean that all of the guests that attend genuinely want to be there to celebrate with you, as they are willing to take the trip to be there. It also means you can be that bit more ruthless with the guest list. The fact that you get to spend more than just one day with those that you love celebrating one of the most special times in your life is invaluable.