Weddings in Greece
Weddings in Greece are still as popular now as when I started planning weddings 16 years ago, so today we discuss the different islands and what is charming about each.
Greece for a long time has been a popular holiday destination for us Brits, with over 2000 islands to choose from offering everything from modern cosmopolitan islands to more traditional islands with coastlines dotted with fishing villages, hidden coves and charming homely b and b’s, Greece has something to offer everyone.
Greece is well known for it’s amazing beaches, the azure pristine waters and soft sandy beaches are so inviting, then there’s the delicious local cuisine, everything from fresh fish to hearty Mousaka or the favourite of many, the Kebab, all served with the lovely Greek welcome and charm we’ve come to love.
Depending where you go Greece still offers incredibly good value for money.
So it’s not too surprising that weddings in Greece are more popular than ever and interestingly it’s one of the few destinations in Europe where you can have a legal beach wedding.
Zante – Zakynthos.
We’ve been planning weddings in Zante for over 16 years and Zante was actually our first destination to plan weddings in, an amazingly it’s not really changed that much in all these years.
The wedding market is more sophisticated now, mainly due to demand, for example you can now get western style hard iced wedding cakes whereas once upon a time you had to have a local Greek wedding cake (I actually prefer these and think they taste divine). The Greek wedding industry appreciate that it’s mportant to cover all manner of tastes for weddings and they’ve gracefully adapted to it. The Greeks know how to make great coffee AND great dessert and Zante these day has a plethora of coffee and cake houses…and for someone who enjoys coffee even more than wine it’s a real delight.
Beachside weddings are still the most popular style of weddings in Zakynthos, not surprising really considering the beaches have been give the blue flag award, they’re calm, shallow and incredibly picturesque.
Zakynthos has recently seen a rise in luxury hotels and venues to suit a new, more discerning clientele. We recently added 2 luxury villas to our portfolio, and they’re proving incredibly popular as more couples desire private wedding venues with luxury ‘on tap’ and want the ease of getting married and staying in the same location.
There are hotels to suit all budgets from a few Euros per night for a basic studio to over 1000euros per night for those in search of luxury.
No matter where you stay and what your budget is you’ll still get to enjoy the beauty of Zakynthos and even though the wedding maybe the highlight of your stay, there’s so much to see and do, you can literally tour the whole island by car in a day, you simply must explore and enjoy the beauty Zante has to offer you.
Santorini
Santorini really took off in popularity around 10 years ago, before then this was a very quiet island hosting just a few weddings each year, mainly small intimate weddings. Its undeniable unique beauty has made Santorini ‘THE’ place to get married……for those that can afford it. It is now one of the more expensive places to get married in Greece, but for those extra pennies you get a whole lot uniqueness that cannot be found anywhere else in the world.
Santorini is one of the most photographed islands in the world, it’s domed roofs, windmills and sunsets being recognised around the world.
Santorini isn’t the most family friendly place to holiday in Greece, the caldera side with charming cobbled streets and rickety paths are charming and yearn to be discovered but aren’t the best for little unstable legs or prams. Families tend to stay on the beach side of the island where it is flatter and more inline with what you’d expect to find on a Greek island with numberous bars, restaurants and pretty boutique shops.
The one difference here is that the beaches are black and pebbly and the dramatic red cliffs make for a wonderful backdrop, they’re like something out of a scene of Star Wars.
Weddings on the volcano side are still the most popular option in Santorini, with so many beautiful hotels, restaurants and wineries available to provide you with all you need on your wedding day.
The best time of day is when the sunsets, you absolutely MUST find a spot on the volcano side, pour yourself a glass of local wine(or your favourite tipple) and enjoy some olives whilst the sun performs its dance of colours as it disappears into the horizon before your eyes.
Crete
One of the largest islands in Greece, Crete is open 365days a year and has one of the longest sunny seasons .
Crete is the islands of many faces, with modern cosmopolitan resorts like Rethymno to the more rustic charming fishing towns like Chania.
The beaches in Crete should get a special mention, they are some of the largest and whitest in the whole of Greece. No wonder this is one of the most popular places in Greece for beach weddings, here it’s easy to find a tucked away secluded location to say your ido’s. Whether you want rustic and rocky, or soft and sandy, Crete is your island.
It’s often surprising how green Crete is with vast botanical gardens and mountainous hillsides commanding impressive views, here you can find any type or style of venue from vineyards, working farms, private luxury sea view villas or rustic tavernas. There really is a style for every type of bride.
Crete is also great value for money, whether you want intimate and rustic, or to pull out all the stop for a luxury affair.
Rhodes
Rhodes is one of the most southern islands in Greece, it’s possible to actually take a day boat trip too/from Turkey.
Rhodes is an island filled with unique Greek towns that make you feel like you’ve stepped back in town with cobbled walk ways, steep inclines, roof top bars and terraces and charming fishing harbours.
The impressive coliseum is the back drop to one of our most popular locations, the traditional town of Lindos.
If you can negotiate the steep hillside walks and you love that ‘old yesteryear’ feel then this is the place for you. You can spend hours wandering the windy pathways with charming views from each turn. With 100’s of hidden, bars, restaurants and shops to discover you can visit numerous times and still find something new.
For those that are brave enough you can tour the town and the coliseum on a donkey! Warning – you need a good head for heights to tour the coliseum on a donkey.
Pefkos is next to Lindos and is a popular choice amongst our couples, it’s flatter than Lindos, has vast soft sandy beaches and a wonderful array of hotels, bars and restaurants, with an emphasis here on families. It’s also retained that rustic feel, it’s doesn’t feel ‘too touristy’, so you can expect all the comforts a modern holiday offers but still feel like you’re in the middle of traditional Greece.
Kalithea in northern Rhodes is also another destination very popular with our couples.
The ancient Kalithea Spa on the waters edge is simply divine and available for weddings, it’s also within easy reach of many traditional restaurants and bars, for this reason it’s very popular for weddings.
No matter what style of wedding, Rhodes really has that WOW factor that will leave a special feeling in your heart making you want to revisit for years to come.
