Picking the Shoes.....

Today, we thought we would do our first an editorial pick on some fabulous pretty things for the bride!

Starting with shoes:

Sara's Picks:

The yellow shoes are cute, a little over the top and add a pop of colour that I love under a simple wedding dress. The shoes are from ASOS.com
Over to the fantastic Jimmy Choo shoe boots, ideal for a fashion forward bride with style, I adore them although I am uncertain if I would be able to wear these for any length of time at all. Available at netaporter.com
The orange shoes with the gold sole are perhaps a surprising choice for a bride, however I truly believe there should be no boundaries where accessories are concerned. I can see these shoes teamed with a mini ivory dress or perhaps a structured modern dress. Find these shoes at asos.com
These fun flats would be ideal for a bride having a wedding on the beach, really feminine yet really comfortable and I am partial to a leather sandal under a flowing godess like dress. Again available at asos.com

Natty's Picks

This is not really my area of expertise! Although I love shoes, actually having to trawl through websites looking at them is not really my bag! To my mother’s dismay, I am not really a girly girl. I am more hands on and love creating things, organizing and designing. But here are some shoes that I rather liked!

I think that wedding shoes don’t have to be that conventional! What I like about these shoes (and especially the flats as I wore these on my wedding day!) is they all have their own character! I have restrained for the very vibrant colours as am sure Sara is going to cover that and as she is the one trained in fashion, felt that she is the better qualified out of the two! I love the Alexander McQueen pair (Number 4). Now I know they have a heart peep toe but they are sooooo cute! I think it is a nice touch without being too cheesy!

The White with the colour (number 2) detail is just plain cool! Would look great peeking out under a dress! They can be found at Dune

I chose the gold slops from LK Bennett as I cannot wear heels. My feet live in Ugg boots in winter and slops in summer. Basically I am a wimp when it comes to heels. I last 2 minutes. My dress was Grecian style anyway so they worked perfectly and I was comfortable for the whole day. Result!

SP & NY

Sara elaborating on her wedding theme

Natalia: What theme, if any, do you have for your wedding?

Sara: Well it is a blue, white and a little bit yellow, which is quite nautical, although I am not having any specifically nautical references except stripes. So it's a stripy wedding really!

Natalia: Was this always what you wanted or has this theme evolved from another?

Sara: It has evolved, after visiting the island, choosing the church and reception venue I realised that it was pointless trying to introduce new colours, themes that are just not suited to the venue. It was either a cream or white with blue as that is what surrounds you the entire time! I love stripes and dots, so I decided to go for a stripy theme with a little yellow added into the mix. It’s fresh which is what I wanted, to accentuate what is already in place

Natalia: How are you manifesting this theme? What details and touches are you incorporating into the decor?

Sara: This is a funny question for me today, as I am trying to find reasonably priced navy tablecloths, which is not easy! In an ideal world, I would have navy tablecloths, yellow napkins, stripy linen favours, and stripy ribbon on the invites. My centrepieces are small olive trees in buckets with lemons around the base. The bouquets will be tied with blue and white ribbon and some of my friends will wear sashes that are blue and white. I am looking at getting Niko and the best man stripy linen handkerchiefs as well.

Natalia: Will the friends be just part of the congregation or are they your bridesmaids?

Sara: Well, the best man's wife and close friend of ours will wear one, as will the young bridesmaids. Lot's of my girlfriends are choosing blue for their dresses, which I am encouraging! My sister who is the chief bridesmaid hasn't chosen a dress yet, so we are uncertain if she will wear a sash. We have only been shopping in Rhodes, which is not what you would call a fashion capital.


Natalia: Are you finding it difficult to find what you need in the whole of Greece or Just on Rhodes? The table clothes and napkins for example.

Sara: It is difficult. Not just in Rhodes but in the whole of Greece. I have found a blue fabric, but it's very bright and I am uncertain if it will look like a child's party. It is a common problem and renting in this country is a bit of a nightmare. I have tried several places today, but it will be cheaper to buy the fabric and have them sewn up than rent them. They don't seem to have understood the concept very well over here, it's almost as expensive as buying if not more. I mean who needs 20 round tablecloths after the wedding!

Natalia: Tell me more about your theme details. I love the idea of the olive trees with the lemons on the base.

Sara: Well the decor is going to be based on ambient lighting meaning many lanterns, candles and I am having tiny fairy lights in the olive trees. Actually after visiting the hotel this weekend, I really don't think it needs a lot of decorating.

Natalia: That is a very good point t make. Some venues really only need and accent rather than a full make over.

Sara: Yes, you work with what you choose. If it's a banquet hall, then more attention is needed. If it's a gorgeous garden, seaside venue then less is often more. My venue is quite large, so you either have to go ridiculous or accent it. So I am accenting. I am also creating a lounge area. This will be white outdoor sofas with a pale grey cover and stripy cushions. I will have more candles on the tables and the bar will be set up in the area

Natalia: A more chilled area to relax and chat?

Sara: Actually I want most people to move to this area after dinner. So we can continue in a more party like atmosphere. I didn't actually want a sit down meal at all, but have been coaxed into it by pure and simple logic; Guests cannot stand all afternoon and evening
We are going to cut the "cake" and have our first dance and we are giving everyone sparklers to hold for this. The dessert will be set up behind the lounge area, so in order to see the cake and eat dessert you have to get up and hopefully people will stay on the lounge side.

SP & NY

Choosing a wine

Images care of oenorama.com and semili-wines.gr

When Jubbs and I were looking for wine for the wedding we thought that there was no chance we were going to get a great Greek wine.  My family and I had obviously tasted some very special ones over the years, a lot of them not to our taste.  By chance Jubbs and I were in Athens at the same time as the Oenorama wine trade expo was on.  So away we went with my Aunt.  Poor Jubbs came off the starting blocks a little fast not realising that Greece has a large amount of vineyards and was two sheets to the wind by the end of the first room.  Only 3 more to go!  The variety was huge ranging from more conventional wines to the more Greek style wines.  I was amazed to find such a vast amount of choice and it was from here we decided getting the red from Greece was a must.  

Back to the red: Finding a Greek who has good knowledge of their wines is the key.  Get their advice and then try, try, try. If that is not possible, there are websites out there, which specialise in Greek wines, read up! If you can, try and make it out to Athens for Oenorama (www.oenorama.com).  It is a great opportunity to have all the wines in one area and maybe be able to haggle the price of a large order directly with the vineyard.  I must confess we dealt directly with the vineyard with a little help from my Aunt.  Although we had a contact I do believe it is worth a contacting the vineyards even if you don’t.

We sat down for a nice dinner with my father and around 20 bottles of recommended wine. We all tasted and rated the wines and then the overall favourite was the one we went with. After 2 hours we had a winner Semeli (www.semeli-wines.gr).  I must admit it was delicious and we ended up bringing back an extra 4 cases to enjoy at home.

The white we actually brought from the UK.  My mother likes only certain types of white wine, not helped by her allergies to some, so we thought it was best to bring over a wine we new was good and was one of her favourites.  I know that there are some great white wines too, we just never got round to look for them for obvious reasons!


NY

Trash The Dress

Nowadays it is popular to have a trash the dress session. I must confess I too participated in this ritual! Personally I have never had the urge to either carefully keep my dress protected in a dress sleeve in a wardrobe nor, it framed in a large glass box on a my bedroom wall like a shrine! Yes it does happen! So I decided to have Annie photograph me in the sea with it!

It has been done in many ways; in water, on a quad bike, on mountains etc. The extent of how much you trash you dress is up to you. Originally the plan was to play around at the beach of Okeanos Beach bar and maybe partake in some jet skiing. I ended up on a small isolated beach which had a plateau going about 15 meters out into the sea. They turned out to be my favorite photos of the whole wedding.

Done well they can be amazing. They are great for abstract portraits and to be honest a blast to do. I highly advise it!

Photos by John Micheal Cooper, bq Photography & Brandon Wyness

After cruising the Internet for a while; here are some examples I rather enjoyed!  There are also sites that specialise in this a and it seems even the papers are writing about it!   http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/10/fashion/weddings/10trash.html?  Enjoy!

NY

Natty’s Alternative Ideas for a Wedding Photographer

I went to a friend’s wedding in Geneva last year and was blown away by her wedding photographer ideas! Her first was to go to a reputable photographic school and hire a student to do her photos. The second was to a photographer she knows well from riding competitions. If you really think about they are great. For me I would have elaborated a little more on the photographic students. You could combine a wedding photographer and a couple of students together. It would be really interesting to have a photo documentary of your wedding in 2-3 different styles. Every photographer has a different eye for composition and taste in photos therefore no two shots would be the same. I have given an example of this below. the photos were taken at the same place, same day, same time….what do you think? Also students would be cheaper to hire. The experience alone would be an incentive and it would help with their portfolio.

Photos by Natalia Yannaghas & Cristina Oliver

The Photographer who specialized in photographing equestrian competitions would be very strong in photographic portraiture and would be used to photographing moving objects well. Her wedding photos were beautiful with prefect composition.
Sometimes thinking out of the box on photographers can give you an amazing array of photos and get the result that you are looking for.

Photographic Schools in Athens:

http://www.esp.gr/main.html

http://www.leica-academy.gr/eng/english_info.htm

http://www.focus.edu.gr/ 

http://photocircle.gr/index.php?lang=en

http://www.akto.gr/index.php?lang=en




NY

A Little Help from our Friends

When Sara and I were writing the first installment in my Monday interviews we touched on how useful it can be to have local knowledge. I thought I would elaborate on this a little! Understandably the locals do not like to share their hidden secrets with tourists. I think we can all empathise with this train of thought. This said, if you spend a little time befriending them, you will find they are a wealth of information. I was very lucky, in that I spent a large amount of time in Crete sourcing suppliers, venues, accommodation and general organizing. I got to spend time with people and they shared vital information with me. I met a lovely English lady who had married a Greek and they ran a tavern called Drakiana north of Platanias. It was from these lovely people, after way too much Raki, that I found my Friday night Venue. A beautiful fish tavern situated in a suburb of Chania called Halepa. Thalassino Ageri was not only stunning but the food was positively divine and in some case managed to convert non fish eating guest to the delights of the Greek sea! Another endless source of help and information was a wonderful man named Nico. He runs a boutique hotel called the Ammos in Agii Apostoli, Chania. Not only did he help me find Sunday’s venue, which I changed to at the last minute! He also helped me find the cake and desert supplier and stored hats, lights and other design necessities for me until Sara and I arrived out for the wedding. The locals are an infallible source of information and really should be utilized to their full potential. Talk to your hotel managers. Talk to the tavern owners. They know who is top of their game in the area and Who is not. Who are the easiest to work with and who is a nightmare. Who has vision and who has not. I urge you all….befriend everyone in your wake! They will make you day the one you dreamed of and if not at least you can have a wonderful array of new friends!

NY

Sara's wedding progress

This is my first discussion on how my wedding plannings are going for September in Kastellorizo, Greece!



Natalia: Your situation is very different to mine, in the fact that you live in Greece and also you are in the process of planning your wedding rather than it being an after though!!!!!!!  So, how's it all going? What made you choose Kastellorizo as your location Island?

Sara says: Well, I initially looked at a lot of locations throughout Greece. I looked at the pros and cons of choosing each location and finally decided that I would have to choose a place with close proximity to Rhodes. This was to enable our close friends to be able to attend, given the current economic climate in Greece.  This then limited the options down for me to the Dodecanese only, I looked at Patmos, Symi and finally Kastellorizo.

Natalia says: What size is it and if it is small are you having any logistical problems with your suppliers?

Sara says: After visiting Kastellorizo, I settled on the island, as it was so typically Greek, beautiful and tiny, so no transportation required and I found great accommodation!  There are only 120 people living there full time, there aren't any suppliers on the island, however the hotel is able to cater for the wedding which has taken a weight of my mind. However there isn't a florist, photographer, hairdresser, makeup artist or anything else on the island, however I knew this before I booked and am bringing everyone from Rhodes.  Oh and no entertainment so is bringing a small band and a DJ as well.

Natalia says: Is it a chore to organise for all the supplier s to come or not really. Is it adding to your stress load?

Sara says: Well, just a little, in that I hope everyone can get there!  However I am quite laid back and putting in back up plans in case anything falls through last minute

Natalia says: Why wouldn't they? What are the travel options?

Sara says: Just weather, if it were really windy the plane wouldn't fly and possibly the ferry wouldn't leave.  Although this is more likely to happen in mid July to the end of August. September is usually calm seas.

Natalia says: So talk me through some of your initial ideas? Themes?

Sara says: Ok, I have changed theme three times so far :) Too many options, too many ideas, I am having difficulty focusing on the theme. At the moment it is cream/white and blue any shade teamed with a little yellow.  I am trying not to be particular as I don't want to be obsessed by shades of blue and cream.  The look is going to be modern, minimal, Greek chic.  However the church is much more rustic, as I did want to bring this element into the day. The church is quite old and has never been used, it was actually never finished and is falling apart, I have been allowed to hold my wedding outside the building on the stairs, they are very old marble with flagstones. At the moment I am going to have 4 olive trees in rustic pots and two plain ivory candles as decor

Natalia says: Oh god that sounds divine!  I love the old marble flagstones they are so beautiful!  Especially coupled with the olive that is going to look amazing! So what is the reception venue like?

Sara says: I am having a champagne reception after the wedding in the square and then we will walk toward the reception for cocktail hour. The reception is a hotel with a massive terrace on the seafront
There is an incredible view and it's a simple open space with a grey and white checked floor



Natalia says: So is dinner going to be open air with the sound of the sea lapping on the beach?

Sara says: Exactly

Natalia says: How are you going to dress the reception space?  Are you having a lounge area?

Sara says: Indeed, a lounge with lovely white wicker sofas and tables, with a bar set up and the dessert bar, we will serve mojito's and caipiroska after dinner.   For the meal I have round tables of 10 or 12 guests with navy tablecloths, white chairs with covers on them and a few buffets set up around the area

Natalia says: Has the hotel provided all the furniture or are you bringing it in from Rhodes or Athens?

Sara says: I am using what the hotel is providing as the logistics of hiring and transporting the furniture wasn't worth the hassle. The chairs offend me the most, but I have been ensured there will be no bows on the back of them, so I think I can deal with plain covers!

Natty's Catering Choices

Sara says: Ok, so over to the catering, what were your initial thoughts on the type of food you wanted to serve at the wedding and how was it approaching local caterers compared to those in the UK (if you have experience with them)?

Natalia says: I was always going to go with traditional Greek food. To me there was no point in going all the way over to Crete and eating what would be served at an English wedding. Lamb on the spit was a priority. Finding someone who would agree to it for up to 200 people was another thing! The local caterers differed on their reaction to me. As we have already covered the fact I am quite particular about things, it is no surprise that some of them were a little wary of me at the start. We had initial meetings with the caterers and then a food trial! The first caterer refused point blank to spit the lambs and then changed his mind once he realised I knew and loved my food! The one we ended up going with, was game from the start!

Sara says: I see this with Greeks all the time . The point blank refuse at the start and then come round to the idea as you talk with them in more detail! It's really strange!

Natalia says: I think the difference between the English caterers and the Greeks is; The English appreciate that you are the client and want what you want even if they know better. The Greeks don't really care if you want it they know better! It is your job to gently coax them round to your way of thinking and then let them believe it was their idea in the first place. Sound familiar ladies?!!!!!!!! Yes both my caterers were male!

Sara says: Exactly

Natalia says: Oh apart from the cake lady! And she agreed from the start!

Sara says: Because she was female

Natalia says: basically, yes!!!!!! She was lovely and so were her cakes and I ‘tasted’ a lot of them! Yummy!

Sara says: It really depends how modern and open the supplier is, most of them do think they know best and that there are only certain ways of approaching a job. They also think they should be able to choose what is most convenient to them rather than the client. It's an interesting concept and happens throughout Greece

Natalia says: If you have a planner or you know how to gently bring them round you will always end up with what you want

Sara says: It’s also frustrating when you try to investigate how exactly they are going to lay out and event or what process they are going to use for a specific event, they will tell you they have huge experience and everything will be great. Greek Men are simply frustrating. My main recommendation is to have EVERYTHING in writing

Natalia Yannaghas says: I agree and if they can't email you, get them to fax it! It is usually quicker! In the end I used a lovely catering company called Tzedakis

Sara says: They were so lovely, both the owners. Their main attribute was setting up the kitchens on site so all the food was cooked that minute rather than being transported which is usually what happens

Natalia says: For me they were great and they catered for the Saturday wedding and the Sunday lunch. Definitely would have been a deal breaker for me if they had not cooked fresh on site. The lamb was spectacular and the Gyro that they produced on the Sunday was out of this world. Just what the doctor ordered after a 12 hour bender! They were flexible and had a very open mind which is quite rare in Greece. Nothing was a bother and they gave us a wonderful food tasting session and one of their own homes! It was amazing.  think Jubbs was in heaven!  We also wanted loukoumades. A very controversial thing to ask for it turns out!!!! Apparently they are extremely hard to make on site because the batter doesn't like to travel!!!! Well that is what one caterer told us! Take it from me...Tzedakis batter travelled just fine and all the Greeks at the wedding said they were some of the best they had ever eaten!

Sara says: So what were the pros and cons of using a small local caterer rather than a large one from the mainland?

Natalia says: I suppose firstly the cost. It would have cost a lot more to have paid for logistics, and accommodation for all the staff coming from the mainland. I think if you are on an Island it is nice to give the work to a local. They know the traditional food of that island and also sometimes the small guys are better. Especially if you are going for Greek food. Some of the best Greek food is from recipes handed down b y generations. To be honest, Crete is a large island I so had anything I wanted there, food wise. Maybe if I had been on a smaller Island I would have been more restricted.

For me it was very important to taste the food of the caterers before I made any decisions on which I would use. Then to make them cook absolutely everything I had wanted for the wedding. It was at that point I set the menu and to be honest went on a 2 day starvation diet! Eating 2 days worth of food in one sitting kills you, especially after you have had gyro for lunch and cake tasting in the afternoon! I wanted to die.

Sara says: Oh yes, I too remember, we seemed to forget the tasting in the evening until very late in the day and then had to make room for a meal for 10. What about the set up and appearance of the food?

Natalia says: The set up and appearance was rustic! But that is what I had wanted. I checked their portfolio before and told them what presentation I like and what offended me! They were very good at listening to me! This helped! In the end there were some teething problems, nothing to do with the caterer I would like to add, but all went very well and it was delicious!

SP & NY

Our favourite veils from around the web

Hi all,


Today we have chosen our favourite veils, it is an important question in itself as to whether you want to wear a veil, now there are so many veil options, that once you decide to wear one you open up a whole other can of worms. I would suggest going to a wedding shop and trying on as many styles as possible before making a decision as to which will suit you best!

Sara's Picks:

My first image is from etsy.com, seller austie and it it hard to express how much I love it! It's so simple, yet effective, dramatic and best of all there is no tulle in sight!!!!! Would I wear this to my own wedding? Umm no, cause I don't have the guts to pull it off, but hats off to the brides that do!!!
Next is a gorgeous veil from rosa clara, it has a polka dot edging, did I mention my dress is polka dot? That should be indication enough of how much I love all things dotty!!
Finally the en vogue birdcage veil teamed with an over the top fascinator silk flower, again a daring suggestion but becoming more and more common, definitely one to try on! Created by Jennifer Behr and shopbando.com



Natty's Picks:

Ok really not my forte! But here goes!

I love the bird cage look. I think it’s funky! This one with the satin headband is cute and I think it looks great!

The Spanish Veil! One of my favorites! I tried one for mine but due to the fact I have a very large chest and what turns out to be a pea sized head, the result was not good! Boo! Anyway, I love the lace detail around the edge; I think it is such a simple and beautiful option.

Ok and the last!!!!! It was too much for me to resist! I am probably going to get myself in trouble for this but that is hilarious!!!!!!!!!

Picking a Photographer

Natty's Views

Wedding Photography…My Opinion!
For me, picking my wedding photographer was a very personal choice. Both Jubby and I don’t enjoy being photographed and he tends to look like he has sat on something rather uncomfortable, unless you catch him off guard! I studied Photography when I was younger and am a keen amateur photographer so, I suppose a lot of my personal taste in composition and style comes from this.
I think you need to make a decision on whether you want your photographs to be posed portraits of you and your day or more along a documentary/abstract approach to photography. I chose the latter. I also chose a photographer who still works with an analogue camera rather than a digital. I knew that there would be an entire congregation armed with their own digital cameras (apparently the opportunity to photograph me in a church sporting a white dress was too much of an opportunity for my friends to miss catching it on camera!), and the texture and depth of the old ways, for me, are more aesthetically pleasing. In relation to your family and friends photos. My advice to you all would be have someone on standby either at the end of the wedding or the next day (if you are having a post wedding brunch etc) with a laptop and a neg card reader. Try and download as many of the photos as you can in situ because trying to collect them afterwards takes an age! Don't under estimate the quality of amateur shots. Some of my favorite photos from our wedding came from friends and family!

There is a lot to be said about knowing your subject. Like any other form of art, photography encapsulates peoples emotions and characters. Having a rapport with your photographer is important. If you do not connect with them you will not relax around them thus handicapping their ability to get the best shots of you. I met one man who made my skin crawl so badly I could not even sit in a room with him, let alone spend an entire day with him. The key to getting the right photographer for the day is make a list of what style you like, whether you want film or digital photographs (remember all film can now be loaded onto a disc anyway) and then spend a little time with them. Organise the meeting in a coffee shop or somewhere informal and see how you get on.

Jubbs and I chose a wonderful photographer called Annie Angelopoulou who we just adore. So much so, that whenever I am in Athens I always make time to spend at least 2 hours in a coffee shop with her! Here are a few of her shots of my wedding!

Photos by Annie Angelopoulou

Sara's Views:

At the start of my career, I can't say that I had any interest or even an opinion on wedding photography. In fact due to the lack of internet and the fact that I never bought or looked at wedding magazines, I think my only experience of wedding photos would have come through the framed pictures of my family's weddings and perhaps the odd wedding album of my Greek friends. Not a good start really!
At some point, I suddenly saw some images that attracted my attention, I then started to research and look into what is out there, it was such a pleasant surprise!
So on to today, I have become very opinionated about wedding photography, I appreciate this art form, I constantly look at ideas, options, shoots to get inspiration, however at all times I always return to the same core belief:

If a photographer can take four or five candid unposed shots of you, through which you can see the emotion, the look, the atmosphere of the day, nothing else matters. These five shots tell the story, you should love looking at them and they will always take you back to that day. Of course you should have many shots that show the details and tell the entire story, so you don't forget anything, but those are the shots everyone will love!

Introducing Ourselves!

Sara says: Hi All, welcome to our wedding planning blog!

Natalia says: Hi! To introduce ourselves properly, I am Natty and this is Sara!

 

                           Sara                                  Natty

Sara says: The purpose of our blog is really to give insight into planning a wedding in Greece!

Natalia says: Which through personal experience of getting married in Greece and being in the Greek wedding planning industry we thought would be handy!

Sara says: We are actually a really good team, as our focus is quite diverse, so we plan to give different perspectives and ideas on how to plan a successful wedding abroad!

Natalia says: A little background on us and a summary of characters and tastes I think is in order! For many years I was, what is classed as a Tom boy! I am extremely hands on and enjoy getting my hands dirty! I have studied and worked in the industries of interior design, Graphics, Photography and catering. I have a love of food, which is apparent in my photo! Amateur Photography is one of my passions and am very aesthetically aware. I love nature and all things that come from it. Fashion confuses me at times and is not one of my strengths but I know what I like and what I don't!

Sara says: I was the complete opposite, I am very girly, however I have no problem with hard work! I studied fashion with marketing and PR and have completed a course in wedding planning.  I love beautiful clothes; I adore shoes and generally anything and everything pretty. One thing that I lack is technical knowledge, I am useless at setting up cables, taking pictures or fixing cars!  However I can definitely express my opinion on photography, fashion, good food, setting up a venue, finding a venue and enjoy planning an incredible wedding! Thus choosing this career!

Natalia says: I am an Aquarian, Born in the Chinese year of the dragon, a feng shui number 8. I am stubborn, diligent, organised, some say a control freak and a perfectionist! I love a good party and being sociable (sometimes too sociable according to my husband Jubbs!) I love what I do and therefore wanted to share the knowledge I have gathered up until now! Most important of all the blend of our strengths make Sara and I an infallible team.

Sara says: Couldn't agree more!

Natalia says:  We thought we would introduce our boys too!

                           Nico                             Jubbs          

Natty's Preliminary Decisions

Sara says: How did you decide to have a wedding abroad?

Natalia says: Although I have been born and raised in England I have always felt an affinity to Greece.  My husband is also from South Africa and a huge fan of hotter climates, so we thought it would be great for us to get married on a Greek Island rather than in the UK.  Greece for me is a more magical place than England and the idea of having all my friends in one place for a week was too tempting to miss!

Sara says:  What made you chose Crete out of the hundreds of islands in Greece?

Natalia says: My Grandmother was from Southern Crete a place called Sfakia. So I decided that it would be nice to have it on her island.  Also it gave me more options than most of the islands as it was bigger and logistically easier to get to from all the relevant destinations the guests were coming from.

SP & NY

Sara says: So you didn't really even consider other destinations? It was steam ahead to Crete really!

Natalia says: I was looking into a couple of Islands at the start. Spetses and Skiathos were a couple of my choices. It was after looking into the options and of course talking to you, my wedding planner (!) that I decided on Crete

Sara says:  Crete is a large island, did you research on the internet and decide on Chania?

Natalia says: I had long conversations with my father who knows Crete very well and we decided that that side of the island was quieter and more untouched than the eastern side.   The internet was not particularly helpful as most Greeks do not have a website and if they do they are either written in Greek or are just rubbish!

Sara says: So you decided on Chania because you were lucky enough to have a father that knew the area!

Natalia says: Partly, and partly because it was beautiful.  We arranged a road trip down there; my parents, Jubbs (my husband) and me to go see it we liked it.  A little daunting for Jubbs as he was about to get stuck in a car with my father and me which is always interesting to say the least…we are a little too similar for our own good.

Photos by friends

Sara says: Really that is the only way to go about it?

Natalia says: It was the most efficient way in our mind to go about it.  I could have delegated everything to you but as you know, I am too much of a control freak for that.  We hired a lovely Renault Megan and set off searching the area for appropriate venues

Sara says: But that's actually a better way to go about it.  I stress when a bride has only seen her venue on the web she may hate it when she arrives.

Natalia says: I agree and from experience they really do look very different in photos than real life.  For example the monastery which we chose. The stone would actually change colour at different times of the day.

Sara says: So how did you end up choosing your ceremony and reception venue?

Natalia says: We had decided on a 3 day event. As everyone was coming from far and wide we felt that it would only be fitting to put on a Friday dinner, Saturday wedding and a Sunday lunch. So finding venues for them all was a bit tricky and they did end up changing a few times. On the initial trip we managed to find the church and the reception venue, which we stuck by!  You sent me through a few options of reception venues and on there was a place called Villa Catani.  It is a beautiful villa, run by Katrina and Costas who are gorgeous!  When we went to see it we realised that it would not be suitable for 200 guests but Costas new of another villa which could work.  I had always wanted an old Cretan building rather than a hotel so when we arrived at Metohi Kindelis it was love at first sight!

Photos by Cristina Oliver and friends

Natalia says: It was an old renovated Cretan farmhouse.  Manoli the owner studied in Italy and had come home, renovated his family home and started an organic fruit farm on the land! He has done it beautifully.  The outside still has all character and charm of it's original self yet the inside has been designed to fuse the modern with it's old, original character.  Quite breath taking really.  It is very rare to find an original building as up until lately the Greeks tended to flatten the old and just build new.  With the reception venue ticked off the list, the next venue to find was the church! 

Photos by friends

Natalia says: As I am a Greek Orthodox, I wanted to get married in the Orthodox Church. Jubbs, it turns out is a Catholic, despite having lived his entire life believing he was Church of England (I will elaborate on that another day!). He therefore had no arguments (or basis for one!) to get married in my church. This is where we got very lucky.  My parents neighbour in their sleepy little village in Oxfordshire, used to be the head of the archeological museum in London. He very kindly put us in touch with the head of the archeological society in Chania, who was amazing. We ended up getting permission to marry in the monastery at Aptera which is steeped in history and surrounded by an incredible view over Souda Bay.

Sara says: It really is about who you know in this country!!!

Natalia says: It truly is!  Contacts get you everywhere as we found out more and more as the process went on.  My advice is you don't lose anything by asking!

Natalia says: Only 2 more venues to go plus a florist, caterer, light and sound, entertainment.  Oh and the priest!