48 Guests
6th June 2024
‘We are very much still reveling in what an incredible day it was! ’
We were on the hunt for a European venue, El Viento immediately stood out & I shortlisted it. Adam is a bit of a history buff & so loved the idea of us getting married at a venue which had an ancient windmill. So, the venue led us to Santorini, rather than the other way round.
We invited a total of 68 guests (including 8 children) and we ended up with 48 guests including 7 children (aged 6 months – 12 years).
My dress was by Maggie Sottero & funnily enough it didn’t take long. I’d spotted the dress online & fell in love with it. Whilst back in the UK for a quick visit, I planned a fun day of trying dresses on with my mum, sister & close girlfriends. The shop turned out to stock this particular dress, so everyone picked a dress, all varying in styles, I picked the Maggie Sottero number & I ended up walking away having found my dress that day!
Earrings – My something borrowed. My maid of honour leant me her wedding earrings.
Bracelet – Saint Valentine
Thumb ring – Pandora
Shoes – Harlo
Bouquet charm – Etsy
Adam purchased his suit, along with the groomsmen’s and they were all from Peter Jackson.
The bridesmaids outdid themselves. I gave them the task of selecting their own dresses. They all have unique styles, body shapes & tastes & so I didn’t want to make them all wear something they didn’t feel amazing in. The brief was ‘Olive/sage, neutral or blush’ and I think they nailed it.
I shortlisted 3 colour themes:
Adam picked the theme that we ended up going with, olive, blush pink & neutral.
There were so many incredible moments, it’s hard to narrow it down to one best memory. Personally, I loved the lead up to the ceremony, spending that time with my mum, sister & closest friends was time that I really cherish, especially as we live on opposite sides of the world and at best, see one other in person once a year.
However, the standout moment for me was seeing Adam’s face at the end of the aisle. There had been a bit of a kafuffle with transport (my stepdad accidentally taking the bridal car to the venue, leaving us without transport & running late!) which made the arrival a little chaotic, as the registrar had another wedding shortly after. I was also emotional & nervous as I had always imagined this moment with my father by my side, but sadly he passed 4 years ago. The moment I saw Adam’s face, I instantly felt calm & I knew I was exactly where I was meant to be.
Adams favourite moment was the speeches, coming in on a high from our entrance & settling down at the table, taking it all in & listening to the wonderful & very funny speeches. Everyone did such an incredible job & we know there were a lot of nerves involved!
The unique settings you can find at destination wedding, such as El Viento. It is unlike anything you would find in the U.K.
A destination wedding becomes a vacation for guests, allowing them to explore a new place and combine it with the wedding festivities. Some of our guests from Australia are still in Europe exploring now, over 4 weeks later! Personally, for us, we stayed in a small hotel (11 rooms) where 8 of the rooms were allocated to wedding guests, this meant although it was a busy week, we were able to spend time around the pool, or having breakfast with our close family which is time I will forever cherish. & of course, the most obvious is having more of a chance of nicer weather, although it did sprinkle a little on the evening of our wedding (which I hear is meant to be good luck!)
Budgeting beyond the basics: Be sure to factor in all the little extras that add up. This includes things like wedding stationery (welcome signs, menus, place cards), ceremony décor (arbour, aisle runner), and reception details (guest book, card box, favours). These will either need to be hired, brought over with you or sacrificed (depending on what is important to you & your groom).
Do your research, if you select a destination which you are unable to visit or spend much time there before the big day, write a shortlist of what’s important to you & your groom & look into it so that you can resolve any potential hurdles/issues.Also, trust the process & your incredible wedding planner. They’re worth their weight in gold
Photography https://www.lanavisual.com/
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