Real Wedding in Chania, Crete

So as you all know Sara and I headed back to Crete last week to set up a wedding she had been planning for the gorgeous Nancy!  It was awesome to be back at Metohi Kindelis again and I must say, Manoli the owner, has made it even more beautiful!  Seeing it at a different time of year also bought a whole new aspect to the venue for me, as different plants were in full bloom and obviously the light was different as the sun set later.  The bride was amazing.  So chilled and generally a very kind soul to work with.  Her ideas were beautiful and due to the fact she works in the design industry her eye for detail was striking.  The menus, invitations, escort cards and place names were printed on hand painted card which resembled the colourings of a rose petal.  They were honestly breath taking and my photos do not do them justice! 

So to break down the different areas for the wedding. The main courtyard was were the cocktail hour was held.  Champagne and strawberries with an array of meze.  Through to the rear garden, the dining area was set up around the pool with the live Greek band situated in front of all the tables.  Lastly, the party area.  This was in the second pool area of the property (there are 3 private gardens with pools at the venue) with bare bulb lights and pom poms not forgetting the bar and the DJ.

What I love about Greece and it is something that any bride getting married in Greece needs to accept, is that the Greeks go at their own pace.  This can sometimes be alarming, for example when you are heading to Church for the service and the tables are only just getting set.  Don't fret.  It amazes you when on return and hour or so later the whole venue has been transformed!  The heat has a lot to do with it.  We were working in mid thirty degrees, it was hot to say the least!  So the later you can leave it the better.

The suppliers that were used were the same we had sourced for my wedding and I must say they never cease to amaze me.  The food was divine, the flowers gorgeous and as always the sound and lighting were spot on.  It was also really cool to be on the other side of the procedure.  Am not sure that I didn't enjoy it even more this time!

I will showcase the wedding over the next couple of posts. It really was gorgeous!

NY

Diary of a Greek Bride - My Moodboard to Date

So far, our planner has been great in coming up with suggestions and working with us to develop our vision of what we would like the wedding to be. Ok, she might have taken 3 weeks to reply to my latest email but I guess I just have to accept how laid back Greeks are in comparison to a couple of London city dwellers like us who are used to being in the fast lane in life!  Plus, most places are closed in the Winter months in the islands so it’s not always easy for her to get quotes immediately. Patience is most definitely a virtue here!

While we haven't got a colour scheme as such we have decided to have the olive tree as our wedding "emblem" to represent peace and love and thought it would tie in nicely with our wedding on the island with it being native to Greece. We're hoping to have olive coloured ties for the boys and my bouquet of Greek white roses will have olive leaf foliage in it. We’ll sail all our guests around the island the day before the wedding which we hope will be loads of fun and encourage pre-wedding mingling.  Our civil ceremony will take place outdoors in the ruins of an ancient castle next to the cutest most quintessentially Greek chapel you have ever seen (neither of us are Greek Orthodox so can’t marry in a Greek church). For favours, our guests will each receive a mini bottle of local olive oil made on the island to take away as a memento of our wedding. We’ll have a processional walk back to the reception venue accompanied by traditional bazouki/violin players and it’s these touches which people have oooh’d and aaaahhh’d at that keep us sane in the knowledge we have made the right decision to marry abroad.

Images from (clockwise from top left)
sugarpluminvitations.blogspot.com, stylemepretty.com,
rockmywedding.co.uk, Soros Beach Taverna, & myrecipes.com

My 2 lovely bridesmaids will wear these beautiful dresses from Two Birds http://www.twobirdsbridesmaid.co.uk/ - they're perfect for a Greek island wedding being light weight, versatile and allows each bridesmaid to choose a style suited to their shape.

I've attached my mood board (the dress isn't on there as I will not be giving that away until after the wedding!) to give you an idea of the style of our wedding which will have vintage elements with a rustic feel. I hope you feel inspired by it all!

Next on our list is the invitations .....more to follow!

CC

Guest Blogger: Manos from Sound Design!

I met Natalia and Sara, I think 2 years ago, in Hania town on Crete Island.  It was an October afternoon when I had a call in my office in Heraklion. On the other  end of the telephone line was Sara Pavlatou (the director of  sp-weddings.com) who was calling me to organize the music - sound and lighting installation for Natalia’s wedding event on May 2008 at Metohi Kindelis traditional, luxury farmhouse.  I was impressed   when I found out that these two ladies, started to plan the wedding event almost a year before.  Just because in my company www.sounddesign.gr   we  believe in responsibility and consequently,  it was nice  that I had found  people like them, who were preparing   their events  not  4 or 5 months earlier,  but   one year earlier.

Images by A friend & Annie Angelopoulou

I remember after a couple of  e-mails between us, we had our first meeting in Hania, 8 months before Natalia’s wedding. The area was really impressive, it looks like you were waking in a medieval Cretan villa and the entire atmosphere also felt that way.

We spoke about the master plan of the Natalia’s wedding reception and it didn’t take a long time for me to understand the way they could imagine (both Natalia and Sara) the event. They  already had the plan for the decoration, the sitting, and the timing of the event.

My company’s   www.sounddesign.gr  contribution was the music, sound and lighting installation for the certain areas and stages of the event.

We had also spoken in our meeting about the music and lights which is also a very important part of   most events.  I was excited when Natalia sent me her wedding party song – play list , and I found out that we almost had the same “taste” of music. We  also provided  Natalia’s wedding with Cretan folk musicians and dancers, and also the D.J. for the after hours party.

Images from Annie Angelopoulou & a friend

It’s a really bad impression when you find out that your guests after the dinner on a wedding event have had a boring evening just because of the music , the D.J. or the music band,  was really annoying and sent your guests to sleep on the tables.:)  So pay attention when you choose music and lights for your event. Act with the same attention as you had spent money and precious time for all the rests.  When you find out that your guests are bored it is because you didn’t pay the right attention for your music choices and off course there’s no other chance than that night. Really you won’t have another chance, unless you get married again….joking!

The area Kindelis in Hania, Crete had 3 different stages, cocktail, dinner, and party area and I think it was perfectly combined for that wedding's demands.

We had really nice atmosphere that spring night of May. The cocktail area with an outstanding decoration by these two ladies, amazing. Sounddesign's  smooth lighting plan, gave the area romantic and mystic sense.  The dinner area was also decorated in a smooth style.

Image from a friend

But the pool party area, oh!   Was planning  for a real great party , crazy uniforms, funny masks and Mexican hats with under tree lights and DJ music was  shakin’  the crowd with old gold hits and modern music styles until the early morning hours.

At last, I think Natalia and Sara (sp-weddings.com) put their own unique decorated drawings on that exclusive luxury wedding event.  They know how to organize, promote, and manage  with the right stuff and partners, impressive events worldwide.

Great job once again.

Manos

www.sounddesign.gr

A Little Inspiration from Hollywood

I know, I know, sad but true.  I love chick flicks!  Whilst watching The Proposal I fell in love with the decor of the barn wedding scene.  It turns out that plain, varnished branches decorated solely with bare light bulbs, floats by boat!  I think they look gorgeous and just so we are clear, I think this look could look great in a variety of venues.

The aisle is just striking, pretty impressive for such a simple idea.  DIYing this look would be easy and not too time consuming either and I am wondering how cool this would look on a beach.  It could be a great way to define an area as well as an aisle.  Or just splitting the branches into bunches rather than as a wall could also look amazing dotted between your tables. Adding a lick of vanish on the branches can also add great surface for the light to reflect off. Subtle and yet striking.

The other part of the decor were these balls of light hanging from the ceiling.  Coupled with the rusticity of the branches they give a perfect contrasting dimension to the overall look.  They bring a softness to it all.  Just plain gorgeous!

NY

Crackle Crackle!

I was out Christmas decoration shopping the other day and came across these lights which rocked my world.  I am known for my over excitement at this time of year, I just love it and to be honest, these just made my day! 

 In relation to weddings in Greece I love the idea of having them on the table interwoven with flowers or herbs.  The light that reflects through the glass is similar to the light through water and is beautiful ( I may be sporting a string on my mantel piece!).  

Not only can you get them in a string but also they come in a solo glass ball in two different sizes enabling you to give a variety on the table.  Check out johnlewis.com for price information and sizing's.

I adore them!

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

Sometimes DIY is Best

….  It really is!  With the previously stated problems with hiring, DIYing some aspects of your Greek wedding is really the easiest way to handle the problem.   Now I am not going to say it is all a bundle of fun, because some of it isn’t but the end rewards make up for it!  I found it very hard to stomach that 200 tea light holders were going to set me back at least £400 and that was without any candles in them. So I decided to make my own! It may have taken a little longer than expected but I got them done!  I found an online site where I could buy 200 small Jam jars for £60…perfect. Next I bought some fine wire from Homebase and some raffia!  After getting comfortable on my sitting room floor in front of a good movie I set about constructing the rustic tea light holders.  It took me about 2 weeks (don’t worry, I wasn’t sitting there solidly, only 1-2 hours an night) and too be honest they were perfect for what I needed).

The other detail that gave me a lot of jip (and Sara will definitely agree as I dragged her halfway round Athens looking for them) was the Bombonieres.  My god!  It was so painful.  I looked everywhere, changed my mind about 100 times and still wasn’t happy.  I have drawers of these things from all my family’s weddings and for me it was important not to waste a lot of my budget on something that I did not deem as hugely important.  In the end I put my mother and 2 family friends to work and made up some cute little packages with an evil eye and the Koufetta inside.  There was also an explanation of what the Koufetta stood for inside, for all the non Greeks.  My father did have some issues with this area as it is traditional to have something made of silver, for the family at least but in the end he caved and for me it was the best decision.  Most of the young (or not so young) were just happy taking away the hats and wigs.

NY

Disco Ball Chandelier DIY

As you may have read in my interviews leading up to my wedding, I had decided to create a focal centrepiece to be hung in the middle of my dancefloor at the hotel! I am uncertain where I found the picture of the disco ball chandelier, however it was immediately filed and I was certain I wanted to attempt to recreate it!


So to remind you of the initial inspiring image:

How cool is this? I mean it would be incredible in a living room or
even over a dining table!!!

And here is my own attempt:

I am quite pleased with it to be honest with you? I think in the evening it will look really cool!

5.5 Weeks Until D-Day

Natalia: So, D-day is just 5 and a half weeks away.  How are all the plans coming along?

Sara: They are coming on slowly.  There is still lots to do, I am compiling a list and hope to get most completed in the next 2 weeks

Natalia: What if anything is causing you the most stress?

Sara: The dress and the paperwork.  The dress is really late and still not completed, the paperwork I just need to do and haven't, so that is my own fault.   The original plan was to have it complete in May, it is now August and I reckon it will be done for the end of August.  It just means that if I hate it, I don't have an alternative.

Natalia: You were worried about it a couple of weeks back.  Are you still having doubts about it or do you still love the design?

Sara: I am very critical of it, I can't really see it very well, there is no full-length mirror at the dressmaker’s house, and so it's hard to tell. I definitely would not have it made by this lady again.  It has been far too stressful.

Natalia: Do you have to go to Athens to get your paperwork done or can you get it all done in Rhodes Including the Apostil?

Sara: No it's all done in Rhodes, I just have to decide to go and do it really.  I need to speak with the priest and then take a morning off and go to get everything done.  All our paperwork is issued directly into Greek, so we don't need Apostilles or translations or seals of any kind.  If you are a foreigner; paperwork cannot be Apostilled locally, unless it can be issued here, the only place in Greece are the embassies in Athens

Natalia: Is your priest quite relaxed or is he of the old school mentality about paperwork?

Sara: Very, very relaxed, which is great.  He is actually quite fun!!! However I still need to get the paperwork from my local parish and the main Archiodiocese before taking it over to him.  I have to request my birth certificate, go to my local parish and get a freedom to marry letter, buy the money stamps from the tax office and then take this all to the Archiodiocese who will issue the marriage license, then take this to the priest in Kastellorizo.

Images from weddingobsession.com

Natalia Yannaghas: So on the reception side how are things going?

Sara: Fine, I think food and drink is now all sorted and ordered (apart from the raspberries, but they too are almost sorted).  The entertainment is almost complete; we need to order the final speakers and CD player equipment for the DJ. Decor, I still have to make the pom poms, another hundred rice cones, the table plan needs doing and I have to buy some additional lanterns.

Natalia: The hotel had rented rooms out to guests who were not coming to your wedding.  How have you sorted that problem out?

Sara: We booked all the remaining rooms, and in reality I think they have rented 5 out to others (3 were already booked when we approached them.  So we have just dealt them out to guests as they have confirmed they are attending. However the issue of having to rent all the rooms was not made clear from the beginning

Natalia: Have you invited the guests from the 5 rooms to the wedding?  So you can party for longer?

Sara: We are looking at turning the music down around 02.00 AM, I am ok with this as the timeline is to start the dancing at 22.00

Natalia: Will you be seeing the party out until the end or will you make a retreat earlier?

Sara: No way.  I am staying to the bitter end.   I am deliberating how to deal with the fact that I am not having official photographs taken, nor changing and really want to attend the cocktail party, however everyone so enjoys the official "entrance" as man and wife, I am not sure if we should leave at some point although it does seem pointless

Natalia: I thought that you were having some official Photos?  And more importantly why can't you attend the cocktail party?   Just get announced into that instead of dinner. It would be a crazy decision not to attend. Cocktails rock!

Sara:  We could do that.  Arrive late at the cocktail party; it goes on for about an hour, so we could come for the second part! Especially with our friends performing on their guitars, I love their music

Natalia: Perfect and get some photos done in the first half even if it is only 10.

Sara: Yes, I suppose we can just walk back slowly and Annie can take some pictures

Images from Dannisblog.com & thehaystackneedleonline.com

Natalia: The big question is; are you excited?  What is your favourite feature of your wedding?

Sara: I am apprehensive at the moment, but really want to make an effort to get things finished so that I can be really excited and anticipate next month’s festivities! I think I love the theme colours and the disco ball chandelier, I also cannot wait to see the effect of the olive trees all lit up. I also love the digital Polaroid camera that we have decided to use instead of a guestbook; each guest will take a picture of themselves and then write their name or a wish for us. I am going to frame all of them for on my wall.

 SP & NY

Jam Jar Heaven

OK so I have mentioned I used Jam Jars for tea lights at my wedding and I thought I would share some inspiration ideas I found whilst scouring the net.   I loved these ideas below.  Jam Jars can look amazing and so handy for a wedding in Greece as they are easy to find and all you have to do is recycle them on your way out.   

Photos from pastthemoon.com 

My Favorite ideas are the light bulb and using jam jars for drinks, I think they look great.  I can’t believe I didn’t think to use them to serve the Pimms out of at mine.  Damn it!  The light bulb, quite frankly is just cool and I am thinking I deserve some for my back yard.  Now what are your thoughts on using these really cute jam jars as place settings?  They would be so easy to make; all you need is jam jars and a pot of blackboard paint.  They could double up as either their water glasses or they could be favours with the koufetta in them.

Photos from epting events & Etsy.com

Photos from Etsy.com & Crazyagnus

I love the flowers and candles hanging in them.  It looks wonderful and also very practical with the temperatures in Greece to enable the flowers to have water.  They would look great in a beach wedding as well as a more traditional venue, modern or rustic theme.  Loving the jam jars!

NY

Lighting Your Stage

A subject we haven't discussed yet is lighting, which is key to setting the atmosphere for you wedding.  It is vital you put some thought in how you want your venue lit and by what form of lighting.  I was working with a beautifully rustic canvas and had split it into 4 areas.  The courtyard was the reception area, the raised patio was the chill out area, the back lawn was the dining area and lastly, the orchard pool area was the party zone.  I therefore needed lighting to depict the usage.  I obviously had some help!  I used a company from Heraklion called Sound design.  Not only did they provide all the Greek dancers and band but they also did all the lighting and DJ-ing, Manoli was fabulous.  He came to meet us in the February and we walked around the grounds picking out which trees to accent with up lighters (common areas also need addressing in certain cases) and his vision was also on the same page as mine.  Some venues will direct you in what needs to be done whilst others will use some imagination, it really depends on what type of venue you have chosen.  Kindelis, which was my reception venue was so beautiful in its own right that very little dramatic lighting was needed.  Only really in the party zone where I used pink lighting instead of normal which looked great against the turquoise of the lit pool!  Uplifting was really all we did with the rest of the venue.  We up lit key trees and the the house so it stood out a little more and also we lit a couple of the pots as accents around the courtyard.  The photos are below so decide for yourselves what you think.  I loved it!

Photos by Annie Angelopoulou and friends

Once you have decided on your larger lighting then the fun part comes with the smaller details.  I wanted to have a lot of candles in the venue and also to have the Chinese lanterns which I adore.  Although, in relation to the Chinese lanterns, it was not exactly what I was wanting I had to compromise.  I had envisioned a sea of large and small globes but due to the vastness of the back lawn it was impossible.  They would have sagged too low and we were unable to put in supports as it would have been a) messy b) too much of a liability for the guests.  So in the end I had to make do with 2 strings of large white Chinese lanterns in the dining area coupled with very simple candles on terracotta dishes dotted about.  On the tables I used beautiful terracotta tea light holders which were made locally and I rented off the florist. Now I know I said hiring is hard but we found a wonderful florist who bought them all and charged me a smaller rate as she was going to re sell them in her shop.  I would like to add she was so kind she gave me about 20 of them to bring home and if I say so myself, they look gorgeous on my garden table.

Leading to the party zone from the dining area was a beautiful walkway covered with bougainvillea and roses.  This needed to be lit as at night it was very dark with little lanterns hanging from the pergola and larger ones on the floor, it was so romantic as well as guiding people to the next step in the wedding.  I  used the tea lights that I made all down the driveway as well.  It was magical to look down and just have candles twinkling in the trees.

In the party zone I had fuchsia Chinese lanterns to accent the up lit trees and back lit wall.  It just gave the area the added light that it needed and made it stand out from the rest of the venue.

photos by Annie Angelopoulou

My advice to you all is take some time to think about what you want from your wedding, what atmosphere and address the lighting accordingly.  It is well worth the time and trouble and can completely change a venue from beautiful to magical.

NY