Details, Ideas and more details!!!

Today I wanted to discuss the set up of the reception in a little more detail!

As we arrived at the reception, the girls had set up a welcome table that included some bowls spelling party that were filled with praline chocolate and almond dragee's for guests to help themselves to! Our wedding guestbook, the polaroid camera and a selection of pens! We ended up getting a traditional book, where guests could stick their picture and write a small note to us!

As we walked in, we had my sister take the first picture of the evening from the polaroid camera and stuck it onto the first page thanking guests for attending the wedding!

I had cleared the cocktail level of most furniture, leaving the bar, a couple of tables for the hors d'oeuvres and the stools for the musicians to perform, most people were happy to stand or even dance and the hour seemed to fly by!!! I had created paper pom poms to hang from the bar area that looked really cool, we also ran fairy lights along the wall separating the upper from the lower level!

On the reception level we had the tables, upon which was a royal blue tablecloth, my little fairy lit olive trees in their tin buckets, lemons around the base, my silver giant numbers, my stripy pouch favours and lots of candles!!! It looked magic and exactly how I wanted it to!

For the chill out area I had the sofa's with the royal blue and white striped cushions and bowls of lemons with fairy lights in them, the wicker lanterns glowed in the dark, again it was minimal and very us!

All in all the decor was minimal, Greek and chic and I absolutely love how it all came together!

Our fabulous Reception!!!

After much partying, anxiety, preparation and effort, the time had come for us to put on the largest and most expensive party that we will probably ever have!!!!


All my efforts from the start had been focused on creating a laid back atmosphere that guests could feel relaxed and that would make people feel like partying although ensuring it was distinguishable from a normal party!

Upon arrival we had a cocktail hour, two friends who have an unplugged band played and sang some very soft rock songs, that actually got people dancing and in the mood! Most guests didn't want the band to stop playing and at the time I was quite tempted to let them play longer, however my wedding planning brain insisted we stuck to the schedule and I made everyone move!

Dinner was delightful, great food and wine, great atmosphere and ended with a spectacular fireworks display that would not end (courtesy of my father). I decided to have a buffet rather than served as again this adds to the informal atmosphere of the event.

Image by Spiros Tsambikakis

After dinner we cut our very cool cake (more on that later) and danced our first dance under my fabulous disco ball chandelier with all our friends and family waving sparklers, I think this part was like magic!!!

 We had instructed our DJ to go straight into some groovy tunes after the dance and since people were already standing the dancefloor filled and remained that way for the entire evening!

The bar, chill out area and dessert buffet opened shortly after dancing commenced and these were all visited frequently by all!

I personally danced all night, had a great time and consumed plenty of Mojito's!!!


I really wouldn't change anything, everyone had great fun, all my guests went home with great memories and Nikos and I have grins on our faces still when we talk about it!

I have a video of the first dance that is very cool, it is on Facebook, so hoping this link does work:
http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/video/video.php?v=431366286127&ref=mf

Preparing the reception

Hi all,


As I look back at the pictures of setting up the reception the day before the wedding, I remember feeling intensely happy and fatigued at the same time! As with all the weddings that I organise you are spurred on by will and of course the desire for everything to be just perfect! I had decided not to visit the reception venue at all on the wedding day and so tried to prepare as much as possible so that the set up the next day would be really simple!

It took around 5 hours of hard work before Niko and I were able to leave the reception venue, run to our house for a quick shower, change and then attend the ouzo evening! Needless to say I retired at 23.00 from this event, I simply could not have another late night, drink, dance and then get married the next day!

So back at the hotel, we were given a room to store all my items that I had brought in and I selected a small team of friends and family who I thought would be capable of helping me with the preparations, we proved to be a great team and got all the things ready to go in around 2 hours!

After this we oversaw the layout of the tables, finalised the table list, yes a mere 20 hours before the reception there were still changes to be made despite my best efforts and tried the lighting to ensure that there would be enough (there was!!!)

Although exciting, fun and enjoyable this afternoon was stressful and tiring and looking back on it, I would have preferred to just overseen rather than coordinate the set up, but there you go, it is what it is!

I must say that I was able to put my controlling side to rest, as everything was ready, I had explained where I wanted each item to my sister and assistant and I knew that very little could go wrong!!! Alternatively I am certain that I would have been there in the morning of my wedding with the rollers in my hair!

Of course I must admitt that had I had more energy that evening or attended on the day, I would have changed a little of the layout of the furniture, but all in all I was extremely happy with the outcome and can actually say I was proud of it!

My Beautiful Bridesmaids!

Images by Annie
Angelopoulou &
Friends

What to dress to your bridesmaids in.  That was a real problem for me as I, personally dislike bridesmaids over a certain age to all be dressed the same and therefore did not want that for my bridesmaids.  Also I am extremely keen on the colour black and so is my friend Parks who was my M.O.H but my mother nearly had a heart attack over just the mention of the idea. Guess who one that fight!!!  It is really important to take into consideration the likes, styles, body shapes and characters of your bridesmaids if you are going to subject them to a public appearance in a dress they have had some, little or no say in.  I have been a bridesmaid 3 times in my life, the first time was traumatising and the other two times where fine as the brides took into account that I am extremely funny about wearing dresses and if I didn't like it, I point blank wouldn't wear it.  Now I know that it is the brides big day but honestly, you have to be a little considerate to your wedding party too.  Can I say one thing, there is never a good time for the colour nude, please, ladies, leave it alone. It truly is not flattering even on a super model.

So, my choices.  I had three bridesmaids:  Two in their 30's (one who was pregnant) and a six year old. Now I am not going to lie and say they all went out and bought their own dresses but I did send them through photos of dresses that I liked and thought would suit them and if I don't say myself, I did good!  Evie (the 6yr old) was not too keen on the colour of her first dress but Monsoon bought the same dress out in fuchsia and it was a hit and to be honest I completely agreed with her.  You really can get some great dresses out there that are a) not 'bridesmaid' dresses as such b) not a back breaking price and any tweaking that is needed can always be done.  The 2 older girls had a dress by Ted Baker and an Amanda Wakeley Elements dress (a range for Littlewoods.com and a bargain!) In the end, the fact they were comfortable, felt good and looked great was what was important for me and I think they did.  Obviously, your opinion is your own!

NY

The ceremony in Kastellorizo

Today we are over to discuss the wedding ceremony at my wedding in Kastellorizo!

As mentioned the Greek Orthodox ceremony was held outside my chosen church on a stone platform up 6-7 stone stairs, creating a really theatrical setting for the ceremony.

Image by Spiros Tsambikakis

The lambades or wedding candles that are required for the ceremony were decorated with olive sprigs winded around the candle, rope wrapped around the little plastic vases used in floristry to keep flowers looking fresh in the heat and a rose in each of these small vases, they looked really gorgeous!

Next we had the ceremony table upon which were the tray, wine decanter and glass ( these can be purchased from a wedding shop or anywhere else you prefer). The stefana or wedding crowns, I decided to go as inexpensive as possible, as I don't really see the value in them, they were covered in tiny pearls and I replaced the white ribbon with the navy blue striped ribbon that ran throughout the wedding!

In addition I had four olive trees, two at the foot and two at the top of the chairs potted in rusty looking pots, again they just complimented the venue rather than becoming the focal point!

Image by Spiros Tsambikakis

The ceremony was beautiful, I am ashamed to say that I talked, laughed and paid no attention whatsoever to the priest, so the time passed extremely fast, if you add to that the Isaia's dance where in the Dodecanese it is customary to pat or hit the men in the wedding party on the back, and throw bags of rice, that certainly got a few laughs!!!

In addition, one of the best men signed on the groom's line, so I technically married him for a little while!!! Again lot's of laughs were had!

Chania at Last

So Jubbs and I finally arrived in Chania at about 3 am this morning,as always, we thank Easyjet for a 5 hour delay. What made it all worth it was walking out of the airport to the beautiful smell of Crete and on arrival at our hotel, finding a bottle of wine and some snacks waiting for us. Obviously, this trip in my case is a little bit of holiday and little bit of work.  I am hoping to corner some of the suppliers I used for the wedding to give you brides some advice on the best way to go about planning and how to sort the good suppliers from the bad.  For the mean time though, I am going to get some lunch and hitting the beach for some sun baking!

NY

Brooch Bouquet

Image from 1amanda Etsy.com

I saw this and had to share it.  I think it is incredible and quite frankly, extremely cool!  Can you believe it is made up of brooches? The intricacy of it really is beautiful and in my opinion is a great option if you are not wanting real flowers.  I will say it again, very, very cool!

NY

Our Church in Kastellorizo

I think a few factors swayed my decision to hold my wedding on the island of Kastellorizo, the first were the three gorgeous houses that we used as accommodation (each with 5 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms, they were incredible) the second was the church!

When I arrived on the island for the first time, I met with the priest and discussed the options of where to hold the ceremony, he basically gave me carte blanche and suggested that I set off to tour the island (it takes two hours in total with stops, pictures and several coffees) and looked at all the churches.

As I entered the main square, there were four churches dotted around it, the first was the main church, it was a little average with a courtyard, next to it were two twin churches that were tiny with no particular defining features and finally in the opposite corner was this derelict enormous church with broken windows, stone stairs and overgrown trees......to me this is heaven!

I really set my heart on this, although on close inspection I realised the church had never been completed and so didn't have any icons or any of the required items for a Greek Orthodox ceremony, so I left this idea to the side for the moment!

We continued our walk finding cute options, but nothing as striking and unique, even theatrical as this venue!

I returned to the appointed appointment with the priest and broached the subject of my gorgeous old church and suprisingly he immediately said yes informing me of it's history, a couple had dedicated their lives to building this church, however both passed away before it was completed and the church never had the funds to complete, so it was left to become derelict! I think it's so sad as a story, although I am certain the couple would be happy that at least one wedding has taken place in the building they struggled to create!

By the way did I mention that we were able to hold the ceremony outdoors on the stone platform outside the church at the top of the stairs, truly a theatrical location!!!

photos by Annie Angelopoulou

A Sprinkle of Confetti

Images from marthastewart.com & Annie Angelopoulou

There is a range of confetti out there but a lot of Churches nowadays have either banned the use of confetti or have restricted which type you can use.  On speaking with our priest it became apparent that he had no demands in this area so we went with a blend of petals, lavender and rice.  Now for the fun part, how to package it!  I originally saw a great image in the Martha Stewart magazine of transparent bags (see above) but after painstakingly ordering stamps and little bags I  realised they were not going to work out. A change of plan was in order, so we went for something simple; baskets full of the confetti, that the guests could just take handfuls out of and they worked perfectly. Although, I still love those ones above, so cute!

I thought that you may want some images for inspiration on this subject so please enjoy the below ideas.

Images from mrandmrsweddingshop.com,
orchardandbrown Etsy.com & myhayleygirl Etsy.com

Images from Marthastewart.com & paper-scissors.co.uk

Remember a lot of these are easy to make yourself so if you are wanting to cut the budget, making your own confetti and packaging is a great way to do it. That's why you have bridesmaids!

NY

Photographs I Love Part 2

As you can see by all of these photos, there truly is no excuse for bland, average wedding photos.  All of the below shots show great creativity and a good eye for composition.  They set the mood of the day, as well as depict the individuality of the subjects.

Images by (all from flickr.com)
diegomigotto,
silvia stories from the sea
& marilena santiaggo 

Images by alisonevents.com,
charles butler flickr.com
& byronjyu flickr.com

All of them speak for themselves and are extremely strong images.

NY

Accessorising

Continuing with showcasing my wedding images, ideas, we move on to one of my favorite subjects, accessories! These can really make or break an outfit, I love colored shoes on a bride, I definitely despise pointy satin white bridal shoes and rhinestones well they can be really good or really bad, so I choose to stay away from those as well.

When it came to accessorising my wedding dress, a funny thing happened, I wanted a white dress with blue details on it, I was having this made and while in the UK in June I bought a headpiece to match my dress. Once back in Greece, I had a try on with the unfinished dress to find that the color and stlye didn't match the headpiece and that the dress was a little too short with the fabulous shoes that I had picked even before visualising the dress design. However not wanting to "waste" good money, I continued with the dress, thought about switching to flats and no headpiece to accommodate the dress. My motto is that accessories make an outfit, without them the dress was bland, unbecoming and simply boring, not really the look I was going for.

When it came to deciding that I had to find a new wedding dress within 30 days, I couldn't think of matching accessories, matching themes, matching colors, nothing, I had to find a dress that would "do" better than what I had and that was all I could hope for. So I chose the one dress that really appealed, requested it be made in white, was turned down, so as I waited for the antique gold dress, I looked at my poor accessories in the corner of the room and thought they were yet again redundant.

To my delight when the dress arrived, it fitted, it looked great with the shoes and it really set off the headpiece! So although I would like to tell everyone how carefully planned my outfit was, how each item was picked out after much thought, it was actually by chance that I got a fabulous outfit that I am proud to have worn to my wedding!!!

Advice, do not do this, you may have a heart attack, acquire high blood pressure and other medical conditions, it's not fun and it's not pretty!

The dress ......oh the dress!!!!!!!!!

I think those that read this blog will know about my dress drama's, changing the dress one month before the wedding, buying my new dress online, from an unknown up and coming designer, I took a risk to say the least, however the result did me proud, I loved, adored and savoured every minute I wore it! It was light, airy, easy to wear, easy to dance in and just looked perfect, it appealed to young and old, Greeks and Brits but more importantly it appealed to me. At the end of the day this is what always matters, you must love what you wear every day, even more so when it is your wedding day!

Image by Spiros Tsambikakis @ stphotography.gr

I think this post could get really fashion oriented, I could definitely go off on one about how we should all narrow down our wardrobes to the items that we love wearing and then slowly add pieces to it (not a good move for the bank balance) but I think this would be better suited to another post possibly on another blog!!

So on my very windy wedding day, which actually made for some pretty spectacular pictures, I wore a fabulous wedding dress, incredible killer shoes and a fascinator (that I bought upon my sisters insistence) and the look really came together for me!

Thank you Maria Lucia Hohan, you were a Godsend literally!!!

Image by Makosandtheworld

Photographs I Love Part 1

I was scrolling through Flickr and came across an abundance of amazing wedding photographs.  The photographers have captured such incredible moments and created wonderful senses of atmosphere with these images that I felt I should share them.

Images by (all from Flickr.com) ludovic.ismael.com,
shyann harker & tomasz horowski 

Images by (all from Flickr.com) ed peers,
brunosennaphotos.com & kkoroleva

As portraits I find them striking and love how they really do justice to the characters of the subjects. I think they are all stunning.

NY

I'm back............Married, done and dusted

Hi all, yes, yes I have finally returned to the world of blogging, planning and simple day to day activities and for the moment am really enjoying just relaxing and not stressing about anything.
My five day trip was wonderful, I enjoyed it immensly, despite being incredibly tired throughout as I was planning, moving, setting up, showing guests to their room, greeting people, settling suppliers followed by evening entertainment that we had planned for each evening meant there was very little time for sleeping or even eating!
I had been concerned about the size of the island that we chose for our wedding, it is tiny, there are only two bars, ten tavernas and perhaps ten coffee bars. There are a few sites to visit, climb up to the monastery, visit some nearby islands that are uninhabited and a small town of Turkey that is 20 minutes away by boat. I have now realised that this choice is what made the entire event such a success, there was no need for directions, appointments to meet people, I simply walked along the harbour front and could find almost anyone I wanted to. In addition all our friends got to know each other, socialised and have become more friendly than ever which is great!
The first evening consisted of an unplanned dinner with the first few guests that had arrived, followed by drinks and dancing, oh yes there was dancing every night and plenty of it! I think it was at this point that I was able to relax and realise that it was all going to go well, guests were arriving, guests were happy, guests were dancing, I was dancing, everything is really ...... OK.
Next evening was the party, a foam party no less, it was great fun, unexpected, a great success, I think everyone enjoyed it, got drunk, danced and had a good time, which was the point!
Following evening and the night before the wedding was ouzo night, set up along the harbour front it was so cute, all guests had arrived for this event and it was great to be able to spend a little time with everyone! Lot's of ouzo and Greek dancing was had by all!
And then we arrive at the wedding, which I will go into in more detail over the next few days!
SP

Disco Ball Chandelier

As you all probably remember Sara did a post on her DIY disco ball chandelier. Now, after seeing her wedding photos I thought I should post a photo that does this glittering ball of goodness justice.

Image by Annie Angelopoulou

How awesome is that!!!  I absolutely love it. Hats off Sara, that is some cool sh*t!

NY

Anyone for Cake?

After getting very excited and to be honest, very hungry, writing the 'Croquembouche Greek Style' post, I punished myself by scrolling through hundreds of cake images to post you some more cake inspiration.  The cake can be a pinnacle point in your reception decor and the wedding day, so getting it right is important.  Here is an array of different cakes for your perusal.   

Images from ( left filmsrtip )cakeladycakes.com, 
bluecakecompany.com & themacbeths flickr.com
(right filmstrip) kiccacakes.co.uk,
cakeladycakes.com & cateritsimple.com   

How gorgeous are these cakes.  The angel cake by cakeladycakes is incredible.  It looks so tactile and light.  I also love the rose cake by Kicca cakes.  The colour is striking and the use of roses in vases to break the tiers is beautiful.  

NY

Let's go Green!

I have just come back from a wonderful weekend in South Devon.  It was my god daughter's christening and whilst all the god parents were hovering around the font, I got chatting to her uncle who runs a re usable wrapping company.  I know you are probably asking yourselves why am I sharing this fascinating piece of information with you all, well because it gave me an idea for favours and welcome packs!

Images from evergreenwrap.com

They make beautiful wrapping out of fabric, which of course, can be re used afterwards.  What I love about their product is how beautifully designed the fabrics are and their versatility.  They have thoroughly thought through the whole process and have a special section on their website to show you how to tie the knots/ bows in a variety of different ways.  What struck me as a great idea would be to use them for wonderful, colourful packages in the rooms of your guests or a simple way to package the favours, whilst adding striking colour to your table.  If you are having a beach wedding they can also double up as a sarong, how cool is that!

Images from evergreenwrap.com

Unfortunately Hugo and Bella are taking a well earned break for a week before the Christmas rush ensues but on their return they are going to make up some welcome parcels and favours for us to look at.  Until then, check out their website to see how gorgeous their wrapping is. Don't forget to look at the techniques page to see the variety of uses the wrapping has! www.evergreenwrap.com


NY

Croquembouche Greek Style

Image from wedding-cake.co.uk

We very nearly had a tower of loukoumades at our wedding and for the life of me, I don't know why we didn't.  After looking at the wonderful pictures of Croquembouche cakes, I am still convinced it could be made with loukoumades and be incredible. Am so bleak I didn't have one, can you imagine how cool that would be.  I am going to have a word with the patissier in Chania and see if she can rustle one up, just so we can see it in all it's glory! What an great choice for a wedding cake.

NY

Save the Date

You have got engaged and you have set the date for your wedding in Greece, next step, sending out your save the dates.  There are some really individual ideas out there ranging from traditional to just plain funky. So which do you choose?  Here are some I found to inspire you!

Images from weddinginvitationshop.co.uk & blog.ourweddingday.com

Images from Emmalinebride.com & heartvsheart.com

Images from melandgerinyc Etsy.com & bridescafe.com

Jubbs and I went with the postcard option.  We had a blast finding the most amusing and for a select few, indecent postcards we could in Chania. It was reasonable in price and simple. Plus I liked the fact they arrived with a Chania postmark, fitting considering the wedding was to be there.  Below was one our favorite postcards....how cute is that old man!

Image by Georges Meis

He still makes me chuckle!

NY

Curtains up!

As we mentioned in an earlier post, finding a marque in Greece in difficult and usually very expensive but there are other ways that you can dress a venue to make it feel a little more covered.  I found these images online and love the softness the give to a structure.

Images from jesslehry.com & dexknows.com

Draping fabric can provide a really intimate feeling to an open area or a pergola.  I think the use of curtains is really cleaver and I love the how it provides the garden with a sense of enclosure and tactility. Coupled with these beautiful floral tie backs would give an  amazing feature to your wedding venue.

Images from weddingconcepts.co.za & interior.exquisite-design.com

The options are boundless as they can be adapted to all themes and locations.  I think the pergola with the floating fabric panels on the beach is just magical especially if a breeze catches them.  So romantic. Also using them to designate areas such as a lounging area can be great. Imagine soft candle light, comfortable sofas, flowing fabric, who wouldn't want to take some time out from dancing to have a quiet drink and an intimate chat.

NY

Pomegranates: Traditions & Inspiration

Images from marthastewart.com,
 thelisaportercollection.blogspot.com & dipity.com

For thousands of years pomegranates have been symbols of fertility in Greece.  They are an important part of Greek wedding rites and have been since ancient times.  It is believed that the many seeds in a pomegranate promise children and the red colour of the fruit signifies the soon to be non-existent virginity of the bride.  The Greeks are known to shatter the fruit on the threshold of the newly weds home to increase their fertility and also break them on the floors of their own house at New Year to bring good luck.

Images from greekshops.com, byappointmentonlydesign.com &
michaelaram.com

Now Sara can confirm my slight obsession with the joy that is the pomegranate.  Every time I am in Athens or Crete I buy myself a new pomegranate trinket, whether it be a Christmas decoration, a glass pomegranate or a bit of jewellery.  I love them!  They make cute favours as well.  Anyway, enough of my over enthusiasm, have a look for yourselves.

NY

Some Moodboards for Inspiration - Table Design 2

Whilst I was on this subject I thought a moodboard of place name options and table numbers might be in order.  Enjoy!

Images from theknot.com, BeachHouseLiving Etsy.com,
 ilLUMInate Etsy.com, corkcreations Etsy.com,
floralaffairs.co.za &  coxandcox.co.uk

How great are those corks. They could always be a fun DIY project as well.  Especially if you have to drink enough wine to provide the corks!

NY

Some Moodboards for Inspiration - Table Design

Thinking up ways to set up your tables can either be a breeze or a chore.  Here are some moodboards to help you get your perfect look.

Images from (starting top left going clockwise) floranovadesign.blogspot.com,
projectwedding.com & kellyoshiroevents.com

Images from (starting top left going clockwise) alisonevents.com
& weddingconcepts.co.za

Any table design can be adapted for an indoor wedding or an outdoor wedding, don't be afraid to take a formal set up and tweak it to fit your venue.  I like the idea of having a contrasting table set up to venue.  It would be really cool to have a formal table design set on a beach.  Done well it will be incredible and totally unexpected. Don't be afraid to play around with accessories and styles, a mixture of styles can really work.

NY

Sunken Images

Last year Sara and I had the fortune to meet an incredibly creative and visionary lighting and marquee man in Athens.  He works on all the large events for the banks and big corporations in Athens and it was from him that this idea came.  The image I am showing you is actually a swimming pool in NYC (the Thompson Les Hotel) and as I couldn't find an exact image of what I want, this showed the idea I am about to share with you.

Image from guestofaguest.com

You take cool photos, enlarge them, frame them in perspex and (this is a bit of guess work) silicone it together and then weight at the bottom of a pool!  Now you may think I am mad but it looked amazing and if you look at the image of the Andy Warhol Pool above you can get a rough idea.  It could images be of anything you want; flowers, yourselves, anything.

I think it is awesome and would make such a cool change from just a pool!

NY

Pom Poms Rock

These colours look fantastic,  so vibrant and perky.  Really liked the idea of hanging pom poms over the dance floor and coupled with these gorgeous flowers displayed under upside down glasses, amazing.  I also thought the idea of putting the candles on the bases of the glasses was cool, especially using the same vibrant colours. Don't you think it looks great?

Images from somethinggreenevents.blogspot.com &
theknot.com

You could always substitute the pom poms for flower balls made of gerberas or hydrangeas, ooh I love that idea, with some flower balls floating in the pool if you have one.  Seriously, loving the spheres at the moment!

NY

A Striking Lighting Idea

Wow!  I love these projections onto walls.  They look amazing.  It would be a great way to not only jazz up some walls in a hotel or white washed venue but would also look fantastic projected onto the stone wall of a traditional building.

Images from eventbase.co.nz & mccune.com

What I like about this idea is that the options are endless.  If you are having your wedding reception in one room you could use a projector to depict the different parts of the day/evening.  Changing the images as the night goes on to alter the atmosphere of the room would be great or even just having the images come up when the dancing starts.  I think it would be so striking. Otherwise it could be a great way to give separate rooms their own ambiance and show their use ie dance room, chill out room etc.

Images from sp-projects.co.uk & mccune.com

What you project is also endless.  It could be images of yourselves, flowers, writing, photos of your guests, so many options.  I just love it and as you can tell, it excites me immensely.

NY

Some Moodboards for Inspiration Part 2

Herbal anyone?

These moodboards are both themed by herbs (just incase the subtitle hadn't already given that away!).  Herbs last well in heat and are not only fragrant but beautiful.

Lavender

Images from (starting top left going clockwise)Rebecca Newport Flickr.com,
 tmphotography.net, southernaccents.com, blossomfarm.com,
 myweddingflowerideas.co.uk

Mint

Images from (starting top left going clockwise) The designers Co'op Flickr.com
ifood.tv, mytenthousandwedding.blogspot.com,  idoinspiration.blogspot.com
marthastewartwedding.com, amyatlas.com

I love the freshness of these moodboards and just imagine the aroma coming from that mint.

NY

Flower Inspiration

The Designers Co'op Photostream, Flickr.com

Images from Designers Coop Photostream Flickr.com

I found getting excited about the flowers for the wedding really quite difficult.  There are so many options and amazing things you can do with flowers, that it all overwhelmed me a little. I have just been putting together some moodboards (to be posted a little later when perfected) and came across a photo stream on flickr which is great for ideas.  It is a collection of company's that have put up images of their events, mainly an abundance of awesome flower arrangements.  The photostream is called The Designers Co'op and is definitely worth a look, they have some amazing arrangements. Just Gorgeous.


NY

A Bridesmaids Gift Idea

Images from theoldbagcompany.com,
Annie Angelopoulou & monsoon.co.uk

I don't know about you but when it came to deciding what to get my bridesmaids as a gift to say thank you, I was a bit stumped.  It is hard to buy one present for all as everyones tastes differ, so I decided to leave a beach bag in each of their rooms filled with some goodies that I thought would come in handy whilst they were in Greece.  I had 2 grown up bridesmaids and 1 who was 6 years old and altered the bags and fillers accordingly.  For the older two I got them very different types of bag as they are completely different personalities.  Hels loves green so it was a no brainer to get her a hand painted, handmade, green bag that I found in Chania town and filled it with Korres suncream factor 15, Korres aftersun, a book and a pink & white polka dot sarong. Parks loves monochrome and is very organised, the old bag company do a great spotted bag with magazine pockets which I then filled with factor 15 Korres suncream (and a factor 50 for her husband as he is of the pale skin type), aftersun, a book and a black sarong.  On top of this they also were given their antique brooches which they used to affix their pashminas at the ceremony.  As for Evie my bridesmaid of 6, I filled her cute bag with girly magazines, some jewelry from Accessorize and a little fabric jewelry bag ( she had just got her ears pierced and was very excited), which she loved.
The one thing I learnt from organising the wedding was things add up and cost start running away from you.  Rather than blow a lot of money on a gift, that a lot of the time they will never use (going from personal experience), get them something simple that they can enjoy during your wedding and beyond.  What the girls loved about their gifts was that I had thought them through individually rather than just giving them a generic present.

 NY

The Peloponnese Hotels as Promised.

Below are 3 choices from the Peloponnese for you to have a look at.  They are all gorgeous and yet have their own character.  I have put all their website details for you t as I can only show you a selection of photos per hotel and there are some amazing ones on their sites.  

Hotel Perivoli, Pyrgiotika, Nafplio

Images from www.hotelperivoli.com

The Pervoli Hotel sits in Orange Groves on the outskirts of Pyrgiotika Village.  It was built in 2009 but in keeping with the traditional architecture of the area.  There are 12 rooms, all of which have views looking out over the countryside and village.  The hotel is just 6.5 Km from Napflio.

The Hotel has a restaurant on the ground floor and also an al fresco dining area by the pool.  The restaurant serves homemade food with only the freshest, local ingredients.  They cater for receptions, depending on the area you use, range from 50 - 150 guests.  The website with all the information, photos and contact details is www.hotelperivoli.com

Kinsterna Hotel  & Spa, Agios Stefanos, Monemvasia

Images from www.kinsternahotel.gr

This hotel is tucked away in the hills over looking Monemvasia.  The building itself, is steeped in history and dates back to the 13th centuary.  There is a Spa in the hotel and there are 27 rooms and suites, each meticulously renovated.

The hotel is set in citrus groves and vineyards so is a beautiful venue for a wedding.  The hotel itself has the facilities to organise all the details from flowers, photography, cake to transport.  There are also a varitey of churches in the area to choose from for the ceremony.  Find out more on their website www.kinsternahotel.gr.  It really is a beautiful hotel and the setting is divine.

Kyrimai Hotel, Gerolimenas, Mani

Images from fhotels.net, yadeshotels.gr & Gobez.gr

Kyrimai stands on a bay at the end of the village of Gerolimenas.  It's deck looks directly out over the sea and the building was newly refurbished in 2003.  Their restaurant is run by the award winning Greek chef Yiannis Baksevanis and serves Greek cuisine.

It is an amazing area and the views are stunning.    There are 21 rooms in the hotel ranging from classic rooms, a tower house to suites and all have been beautifully decorated. Please visit their website and see how gorgeous this hotel is; www.kyrimai.gr

Also I stumbled across a great little book the other day with hidden gems of hotels throughout Greece, if you are interested give it a read; Alastair Sawdays's Special Places to Stay GREECE.

I hope you enjoyed the hotels I choose.

NY