Meganisi Vow Renewal with Olive Details – Nikki & Darren

05/09/201818/02/2020

The evening light at Pasoumaki beach was perfect for the intimate and personal Meganisi vow renewal of Nikki and Darren. This little Ionian island paradise holds special meaning as it was also the location chosen by the Bride’s parents to celebrate their own 40th wedding anniversary.

Nikki explained why the vow renewal was especially poignant for them. “We always said we would renew our vows on a beach for our 10th anniversary. After life threw us some curveballs, it seemed even more important to reaffirm our vows as our marriage has helped us grow stronger and closer as a couple.”

Bride and daughter arriving at beach ceremony

Family vow renewal ceremony at the beach

Their family has grown to include two children, and it was important to reflect their journey together ten years on from the wedding day. By chatting to Nikki and Darren when taking all the details of their story so far, I wrote a ceremony which allowed each member of the family (couple, children and parents) to participate, including the reading of a poem and the exchange of traditional olive garlands, known as Stefana.

Their Stefana were made with olive branches, a symbol of peace and friendship. The olive tree is one of the most beloved, sacred trees and its place is firmly rooted in Ancient Greek tradition and mythology.

Close up image of olive and pink rose Greek wedding crowns known as Stefana on the beach

Bride reading vows to Groom standing by the sea at beach ceremony on Meganisi island

Couple wearing Greek stefana during their vow renewal on Meganisi island

It portrays a symbol of oneness between men and women, as a sign of sublime and perfect love: the twisted trunk of the tree representing intertwined bodies of two lovers turned into an olive tree, to be together throughout time.

Olive details filled the intimate ceremony. From the tree lined beach and stairway, to the finishing touches on the bonbonieres I gave them. Nikki and her daughter both held a simple olive bouquet cut from the island olive groves. The dusky, green colour of the leaves was so pretty against the white dresses and outfits they had all chosen to wear for the occasion.

Bride close up wearing olive head garland and gold bracelet

After the ceremony at the beach was complete, the the family ended the special evening by dining at Tilevoes in Vathy and sitting at a table by the waters’ edge.

Bride and Groom at the beach holding hands facing each other at vow renewal ceremony in Meganisi

If you are considering your own luxury vow renewal in Lefkada or Meganisi and looking for a planner, send me an email here with all the details of your day. I would love to help bring your special day to life.

Thank you to my wonderful team of suppliers who helped me this memorable Meganisi vow renewal happen.

Planned and styled by Claire of Lefkas Weddings
Photography: Maxeen Kim Photography
Assistance: Exclusive Meganisi
Flowers: Gourioti Flowers
Restaurant: Tilevoes

A Spring Wedding in Lefkada, Greece – Erin & Stuart

07/07/201814/06/2020

Bride and Groom kissing at ceremony by the sea

Erin and Stuart’s dreamy spring wedding in Lefkada began with the bride and bridesmaids enjoying this wonderful view of Vlyho bay from her parents’ villa on the Geni peninsular.

Sea view of Vlyho Bay from wedding villa in Lefkada

The gardens of Villa Katerina have been created around the original olive trees and filled with pastel coloured roses and oleander bushes.

Close up of Catherine Deane Laverne dress hanging in olive tree

Bride Jo Malone perfume bottles and wedding rings and olive wedding stationery

The blue tiled patio provided the perfect backdrop for photographer Maxeen Kim to capture the pretty, wedding stationery and bride details.

Flat lay of olive wedding stationery with jewellwey on tiled floor

Lucky sixpence in box and in the bride's shoe

Erin included the British wedding tradition of a sixpence in her shoe to bring her luck on the wedding day!

Close up of bride fastening earring at villa

Close up of bride makeup and hair with eyes open and closed

Bridesmaids putting flower corsages on to their wrists

Delicate corsages for the bridesmaids’ wrists made a pretty accessory for each girl, together with their hand fan. I particularly liked Erin’s choice of floral print bridesmaid dresses over a more usual block colour, which perfectly suited their spring wedding in Lefkada.

Portrait of Bride surrounded by bridesmaids and her mother

Father entering room and seeing his daugher as a bride for first time

It was certainly an emotional moment for all when Erin’s father entered the room and saw her for the first time, dressed in her gown and veil.

Bridemaid's emotional reaction to watching Father see his daughter ready for her wedding

View from pool terrace at villa vangelis lefkada

Meanwhile, Stuart and his groomsmen relaxed and put the finishing touches to their outfits at Villa Vangelis, just down the road from the girls.

Groom buttoning waistcoast with leather deck shoes and Dior Sauvage

Traditional wedding musicians with bazouki and accordian lefkada

Bride and father walking with musicians to along road in Lefkada

Father of the bride, Peter, made a path from their villa through the olive trees to the road. This allowed Erin her dream of walking to the wedding ceremony, accompanied by Cantarades (local musicians), just as a village bride would do!

spring wedding ceremony lefkada island at seaside restaurant terrace

What a view! The ceremony was on the waterside terrace at Seaside Restaurant, which is one of my most favourite places my team can create your wedding in Lefkada. It is exclusive to Lefkas Weddings clients.

white urns filled with olive branches sat on columns as wedding ceremony decoration

Olive was the key greenery to the wedding decoration and the bride’s parents provided the florist with an ample supply from their villa. We used it at the ceremony to fill the decorative urns and also on the tables, by laying small sprigs amonst the cut glass vases.

Bride arm in arm with her father walking to ceremony carrying bouquet

Bride and Groom facinng each other between two columns with olive at wedding ceremony on terrace by the sea

Close up of roses tagged with Greek words for love for spring wedding ceremony in lefkada

Each of the bridesmaids carried a single rose and placed it in the vase on the ceremony table. Each rose was labelled with one of the five Greek words for love; Agapi, Filia, Eros, Pragma and Filaftia. The ancient Greeks believed you needed to blend all of these for a strong relationship.

Close up of ring exchange with bride holding pink spring wedding bouquet

Bride and Groom celebrating with a glass of champagne by the sea

Bride and groom with groomsmen in blue waistcoats pink shirts and beige shorts

With Stuart and his groomsmen all being rugby players, they opted for bespoke attire so all the pieces could be taliored to fit each boy’s shape. Their waistcoasts gave a formality to the day and suited the warm, spring weather.

Bride with five bridesmaids in long pastel flower print dresses

Erin’s Laverne Gown by Catherine Deane was the epitpome of effortless elegance. It had a delicate lace back and cap sleeves plus a free-falling skirt in fine, silk tulle.

pink bride bouquet with peonies roses lisianthus and limonium

A spring wedding in Lefkada has an abundance of flower options and we selected the prettiest for Erin and Stuart’s day. Her hand-tied bouquet was filled with pink peonies, roses and white lisianthus. Statice flower and limonium added subtle shades of lilac. Olive provided a touch of greenery and was also used in Stuart’s buttonhole.

Bride sat at Seaside restaurant lefkada holding pink spring flower bouquet

Game of Thrones wedding table stationery with olive details

The olive design on their invitations featured again on the reception stationery, and the couple named each table with characters from Game of Thrones, their favourite television series!

Wedding table decor with floral placemats olive and copper cutlery

I sourced the fabric for the place mats to blend with the floral bridesmaid dresses and we had them made especially for the wedding. The whole day had a very coeshive feel colour wise and the unobtrusive white decor of Seaside Restaurant provided the ideal backdrop.

Cut glasses vases with pink spring flowers and olive on wedding dinner table

Spring wedding table decor with olive flowers and limoncello bottles

Each guest had their place marked by a personalised, minature bottle of limoncello to toast the speeches.

Bride and Groom sat at dinner table clapping speeches and smiling

Bride and groom sat togther smiling at each other

A few words from the family…

Everybody knows me as an organiser, but Claire at Lefkas Weddings is on another level! We certainly wouldn’t have achieved such a wonderful day if Claire hadn’t been on board. Venue, menu, ceremony admin, flowers, photography, music, makeup, hair etc, etc she has all the information you’ll need. Nothing was too much problem, and if we needed ideas, Claire was there with numerous suggestions!

If we had any questions, even if it was the same one we’d asked about 15 times she was always available to give us the answer and always keeping her patience! We have another daughter and if she chose to marry in Greece, Claire will be my first port of call and she should be yours as well!
– Melanie & Peter O’Neill and Erin & Stuart Edbrooke (Bride and Groom)

If you are considering your own spring wedding in Lefkada and are looking for a planner, send me an email here with all the details of your day. I would love to help bring your special day to life.

Thank you to my wonderful team of suppliers who helped me bring this day together:

Award winning elopement in Greece – Ellie & Jesse

03/02/201819/04/2020

Kalo Mina! Welcome to February and what a great to start to the month at Lefkas Weddings with an award winning elopement in Greece! I was ecstatic to get Ellie’s message this morning that their romantic day is the finalist in the DUO Magazine Australia, Wedding of the Year!

Eschewing a traditional wedding they decided on a six week trip of lifetime island hopping around the Greek islands with a relaxing stop in Lefkada for a few days to tie the knot with an intimate elopement.

The private, waterside location was sourced especially for this adventurous couple to create Bride Ellie’s, dream of a fairy light garden by the sea.

Their elopement was shot by one of my favourite photograpers, Lefteris Kalampokas. He told me ‘I love to shoot both film and digital and love natural light and beautiful surroundings. My approach is to tell the story of my clients, documenting intimate emotions, joyful smiles and elegant details of their wedding day. I love the tiny details, meaningless to some people but which make the day truly unique. Those same details we will enjoy looking at years later, teary-eyed and overwhelmed with emotion’

Read the full story of Ellie & Jesse’s award winning Greece elopement here

Thank you to my amazing team of suppliers who helped me make this day possible:

Planning & Styling: Lefkas Weddings | Photography: Kalampokas Fotografia | Dress: Peta C Australia | Flowers: Gourioti Flowers | Venue: Keramidaki

Breathtaking Porto Katsiki Beach Wedding – Chow & Mike

06/01/201805/03/2021

bride and groom embracing on deck at sunset at nv lefkada

This Porto Katsiki beach wedding was a breathtaking, sunshine filled day, at one of Lefkada’s iconic beaches. Isn’t it just the most incredible location?

wedding arch flowers at porto katsiki beach lefkada

It was a modern, multicultural blend as my bride Chow-Ying, of British-Chinese heritage, married her British-Irish sweetheart, Mike. Guests travelled from UK, Australia and Hong Kong to celebate with this gorgeous duo.

They met at work and started off as friends. However, two years later, that friendship bloomed into a beautiful romance, with Mike poposing on a gondola ride on their ten year anniversary trip to Venice!

wedding arch with blue and white flowers on the sand at porto katsiki beach lefkada

beach pebble tower on white sand beach in front of wedding arch at porto katski beach lefkada

Bride, Chow: We were excited to be first couple to get married on Porto Katsiki as, although it is a famous beach in Greece it is on a remote part of the island away from the main resorts. It was amazing! The set-up was beautiful and the colour scheme complemented the natural beauty of the beach.

ceremony flowers on table at porto katsiki beach lefkada

My heart melted when I saw my Dad standing at the beginning of the aisle ready to walk me down! It was wonderful exchanging the vows we wrote ourselves in front of our family and friends. It was such a magical day in a beautiful location.

Close up of groom holding shell filled with sand and wedding rings

bride and groom at beach ceremony at Porto Katski beach Lefkada

bride and groom walking through confetti throw at porto katskik beach lefkada

close up of champagne pouring at porto katsiki beach wedding

bride and bridesmaid in aqua multiway maxi dresses on Porto Katskiki beach Lefkada

bride and groom with head on each others shoulders at porto katsiki beach lefkada

bride with bouquet on the sand at porto katsiki beach lefkada

close up of wedding arch flowers in blue and white

bride and groom on steps of boat at porto katsiki beach lefkada

After the ceremony, we had a boat cruise back from Porto Katsiki beach around the south coast of the island. It was fun for everyone, as the view was to-die-for and the cocktails were awesome!

black and white image of bride and groom laughing faces

black and white image of bride and kissing behind lace hand fan

bride and groom standing at front of Lefkada cruise boat

Our planner was Claire Salisbury at Lefkas Weddings. She was brilliant! Claire made planning a wedding abroad simple and straightforward and she also speaks Greek, which helped with organising the event. She was so organised, friendly and made our special day one to remember, and was also brilliant in coming up with ideas.

bride and groom embracing on the deck at nv lefkada

black and white image of bride and groom with heads together

Chow and Mike wanted endless sunshine for their big day, and that was just what they got. The most beautiful weather, a sparkling turquoise sea as a backdrop, and a day filled with laughter and love! From the boat ride after the beach ceremony to the fireworks, to Chow’s dad pulling some serious moves on the dancefloor, it was memorable from beginning to end!

bride and groom inside wedding polaroid frame

If you are dreaming of a breathtaking beach wedding in Greece and looking for a planner, send me a message here with all the details of your day. I would love to help bring your special day to life.

A Porto Katsiki beach wedding needs a terrific team so a BIG thank you to my wonderful team of suppliers who helped me bring this day together: Planned and styled by Claire at Lefkas Weddings

Secret Beach Elopement on Lefkada – Karla & Marko

01/12/201712/03/2021

Couple Hugging on the Rocks at Their Secret Beach Elopement on Lefkada

This adventurous millennial couple chose an elopement in all the classic sense of the word, as their ceremony in Greece was a secret from family. Joined by their closest friends they enjoyed a relaxing escape at a luxury villa before marrying in an intimate ceremony on a secluded beach.

The excitement started with an afternoon of pampering for the bride and her friends whilst the groom and guys chilled at their villa on the pretty south coast, where your view reaches across to Ithaka and Kefalonia islands.

Luxury Villa Where Couple Dressed for Their Secret Beach Elopement in Lefkada

Bride with her Shoes and Perfume on the Morning of her Lefkada Elopement

Bridesmaid Helping the Bride into Her Dress

Groom Dressing Ahead of His Secret Beach Elopement On Lefkada

They decided on a first look and couple shoot in the villa gardens and Karla revealed her rock chick side with a pair of striking red print heels under her full-length gown that added a flash of colour as they walked hand in hand through the winding pathways towards the sea on the edge of the estate.

Bride and Grooms First Look Before Their Secret Beach Elopement on Lefkada

Couple on the Rocks with a view of the Ionian Sea

Happy Couple During Their First Look At Their Elopement on Lefkada

Happy Couple standing on the Rocks at their Lefkada Elopement

An afternoon exploring Lefkada for the beach elopement location led me and destination wedding photographer, Maxeen Kim, on a search for a rumoured hidden beach known only by locals. We stumbled across it finally and I knew this little paradise was the perfect setting for a romantic escape.

Ceremony Area for A Secret Beach Elopement On Lefkada

Close Up of the Lilac and White Flower Wedding Arch

Image of Lilac Flowers And Pebbles for A Secret Beach Wedding on Lefkada

Floral Details For a Secret Beach Elopement On Lefkada

Bride and Groom Holding Hands During their Secret Beach Elopement on Lefkada

Brides Lilac, Pink and White Bouquet with a Beach Background

To tie the modern style bouquet which blended autumn flowers, herbs and delicate berries with the classic arch for the beach preferred by the bride we used complimentary pink and purple colours. It then seemed fate when I sourced some pretty bottles of sparkling wine with a flower design that added that final finishing touch to the ceremony table.

Bride and Groom Exchanging Rings at their Secret Beach Elopement on Lefkada

Bride and Grooms First Kiss at their Secret Beach Elopement on Lefkada

Bride and Grooms Portraits on the Beach After Their Secret Elopement

Couple Under A Floral Arch at their Secret Beach Elopement on Lefkada

Close Up of Grooms Buttonhole and Grooms Portrait

Bride And Her Girls Celebrating on the Beach in Lefkada

I was delighted when Karla messaged me the following day to tell me “It was perfect! and the Seaside, the food, people, atmosphere, everything!”

Couple on the Beach After their Secret Elopement on Lefkada

If you are considering your own secret beach elopement on Lefkada or somewhere else in the Ionian and are looking for a planner who can make your romantic moment a reality, send me an email here with all the details of your day.

Thank you to my wonderful team of suppliers who helped bring this vision to life.

Planning & Styling: Lefkas Weddings
Photography: Maxeen Kim Photography
Flowers: Gourioti Flowers
Luxury Villa Experts: Whats On Greece
Elopement Dinner: Seaside Restaurant

Dreamy beach wedding with purple orchids – Jennifer & Marc

18/11/201712/03/2021

Let me take you back to a warm July evening… Soft light plays on the sand and we covered the beach with romantic details, many flowers and petals. To this dreamy scene, Jennifer and Marc invited 120 guests from the USA and Netherlands to celebrate their love at a beach wedding, beautifully decorated with purple orchids hosted at Ariea Time Stands Still, Lefkada.

“Lefkada is an amazing island and we knew from the very beginning that we wanted to have our wedding there. My family and I spent a lot of happy summers on the island and it is also close to the Netherlands, which made it convenient for our Dutch friends and family to travel to. We wanted an intimate wedding close to nature which is why Kathisma beach was our dream location. Surrounded by water on one side and mountains on the other, it made for an ethereal and romantic atmosphere.” Bride, Jennifer

bridal makeup destination wedding preparation

groom looking upwards smiling as he sees bride for first look

bride and groom embracing during wedding first look

“My Justin Alexander wedding dress was simple and romantic; I wanted something flowy to give me a feminine and chic look. With an A-line skirt and ruched bodice, my dress was beautiful and comfortable for a beach ceremony.”

luxury flower pink and purple flower wedding gazebo on beach

purple orchid wedding ceremony decoration

“We wanted to create a ceremony that included elements from both of our Greek-American and Dutch cultures. Our professional officiant, Elizabeth Cass Kanti, designed a unique and heart-warming ceremony which really resonated with everyone. It included the exchange of stefana (wedding crowns) as well as Marc and I reading letters to each other. In a traditional Greek church ceremony, the couple do not speak, so for us it was especially meaningful to be able to express ourselves during such a significant moment.”

bride and groom with stefana at beach wedding ceremony

bride and groom lighting lighting candles at beach wedding ceremony

bride and groom wearing stefana and lighting lighting candles at beach wedding ceremony

“Our ceremony ended with the lighting of candles, which was a great way to make everyone feel like a part of the ceremony. It also made for a beautiful scene during sunset on the beach!”

luxury beach wedding confetti throw with bride and groom

pink and purple floral arrangement for sweetheart table

purple and pink rustic luxe table centrepiece

“The décor was romantic rustic-chic with lavender, both the color and flower, being a connecting decorative element. Our dreamy beach wedding ceremony and venue were styled with lush flowers, including roses and orchids, in varying hues of purple, pink and white. Candles throughout the venue created a soft-glowing, ethereal illumination against the mountain backdrop. My bouquet was composed of gorgeous Dendrobium orchids along with roses in white and pink.”

wedding reception dancing at beach wedding lefkada greece

“Nearly seven months after our wedding, friends still tell us what a special an amazing time they had. This would not have been possible without the help of our awesome wedding planner, Claire from Lefkas Weddings. Our wedding ceremony and venue were styled and set up exactly as we pictured. Planning a wedding from the Netherlands was difficult as we could not travel to Lefkada beforehand to make arrangements so it was really important for us to have someone on the ground that we could trust. Claire made our vision a reality and we wouldn’t have changed anything. Not having to deal with logistics also gave us more time to relax and have fun with our guests!”

Truly a beach wedding from Lefkada with love… Na Zhsete!

If you are dreaming of your own dreamy beach wedding in Lefkada and need some help making it happen, send me an email here. I would love to discuss how we can make your very own destination wedding in Greece a reality.

Thank you to my vendors who helped make this day possible and I am so delighted to have it featured on Chic & Stylish Weddings.