From picking the right hairstyle to figuring out when to touch-up your roots, I asked one of my Lefkas Weddings hair stylists, Effie Katsabiri, for the best bridal prep advice to give your hair some extra love in the months leading up to your Greek island wedding.

Here are Effie’s 5 Top Tips for gorgeous destination wedding hair:

1. It’s all in the Prep

Around 3 months before, start with hair masks to get your hair in great condition for your big day. “From experience, I can say that hairstyles hold longer in hot and humid weather when hair is healthier. A hair mask will deeply hydrate your hair, making it look healthy and feel silky”

2. Highlights and Colour

Finalise your hair colour goals at least 6-weeks prior to your departure. “This allows time for things to settle in and makes sure this is the hair colour you truly want for your wedding day. It will also give you time to try on your dress or suit with that hair colour to make sure it’s right.”

3. Cut and Trim

If you have been growing your hair or need a trim, book this is for around one month before the wedding. “This gives your haircut a chance to settle down and enough room to grow a tiny bit if you aren’t totally happy with the cut… and don’t do any drastic changes!

4. Curl Control

“I would recommend that brides or grooms with curly and textured hair should prep their hair with leave-in conditioners, and products that aid against frizz and humidity.”

4. On The Beach

When you arrive in Greece for your wedding you’ll be enjoying lazy beach days and fun in the pool which means washing all the sand and seawater out of your hair. For this reason, it’s tempting to shampoo daily on holiday however Effie recommends “Try to simply rinse chlorine or salt water out of your hair with water and try not to shampoo more than 3 times a week because washing your hair every day, if it is not used to it, will strip your hair of its natural oils and leave it feeling dry, brittle and damaged.”

What About Choosing The Perfect Wedding Hairstyle?

Effie advises “First you want to think about the neckline of the dress to make sure your hairstyle compliments it. I like to know what time of day and where the wedding will be; maybe you are travelling on a boat, you will be in the sun or the shade? These details can be important because I want you to have a style that will last all day.

For the trial, if you are wearing one, you should bring your veil or headpiece so we can try it in the hair. And the last thing I find very helpful is to have some inspiration pictures to show me what is in your mind. I work with Claire’s brides from many countries and languages so a picture can say many words!”

As a destination wedding planner, I almost always suggest a trial for hair and makeup so there aren’t any surprises and miscommunications the day. This is your opportunity to express exactly what you want and receive their expert opinion, so you can relax and focus on other things the morning of your wedding.

… and Effie’s top wedding day tip?

Put a few hairpins, mini hairspray and mini brush in your bride or bridesmaid bag for touch-ups!

BIO: Effie has been a freelance hairstylist for over ten years and styles both local and destination brides. She speaks both Greek and English and has been part of my Lefkas Weddings team for over four years styling my beautiful brides and bridesmaids on Lefkas and Meganisi.

IG: @effiekatsabiri

For more wedding inspiration from destination weddings in Lefkada and Meganisi browse my Galleries pages.

There is all sorts of stationery for your wedding day in the Greek islands, from the invitations to the place setting cards. But one perhaps that is not the most obvious — is a pair of wedding vow books, so that you and your partner can get down those vows in a special way.

What is a wedding vow book?

It is a stylish way to have your vows ready to read at your ceremony instead of a crumpled piece of paper or post-it note (oh yes we have seen everything!) and looks very elegant in your photographs.

You can use the book for notes, first drafts, and ultimately, the harmonious blend of words you say on the actual day. Or simply print your finished vows and stick them inside in a clear, easy to read font.

Whether your style is classic, romantic, rustic, or something in between, the options are endless when it comes to choosing vow books that fit your wedding aesthetic and budget. And the best bit is that they act as excellent keepsakes for years to come after your big day, which is the ultimate win.

Why should we write our vows down?

When you are excitedly (and nervously!) standing at the ceremony, even the most rehearsed wedding vows can suddenly vanish from your mind in the emotion of the moment so I always recommend my couples to write them down and myself or the officiant also has a copy on the day too, just in case!

Taking the time to write down your vows in a journal might seem old-fashioned, but that’s exactly what I love about this tradition. Your wedding vow books will become keepsakes that you can store with your wedding photo album, invitations, and other mementos from the day — not to mention that you’ll get a wave of nostalgia whenever you open the books and re-read your vows.

Here are some elegant and pretty vow books and cards from my destination wedding couples in Lefkada at Sivota Thesprotias.

Images by Maxeen Kim Photography

You said yes! You have the ring and are both excited to kick off the plans for your special day but… where to start? Don’t worry I have put together for you the 7 most important things you need to start planning your destination wedding in Greece.

1. Do the maths

First sit down with your partner and discuss how much you can afford to save and spend. Next up, if either or both of your families have offered to contribute financially, get together with them and calculate how much they are adding to your budget. I know, uurgh right, talking about money but once you know how much you have to play with you can start to make firm decisions and get the planning underway.

2. Get on top of that guest list

You can’t make everyone happy, it’s impossible. Being tough when it comes to deciding who makes the cut is vital because it will have a huge impact on so many choices. More guests equals more of the budget but also venue capacity, and even simple things such as more guests means more tables means more flowers etc. A general rule of thumb for destination weddings is about 10-15% of guests will decline on their RSVP.

3. Make a date

Spring in the islands or autumn sunshine, which will be your choice? The first thing your planner needs to know is the date. If you don’t know exactly, try and narrow it down to at least the month as it can have an impact on prices. For example, early June is low season where as late June is often classed as high season. 

4. Holidays or term time?

It’s worth taking a look at your guest list and seeing if any guests would be affected by a date that was outside of school holidays. During term time it can be difficult for parents to take children out of school or teacher friends may struggle to get annual leave.

5. Check the flights

An important consideration is where the majority of your guests are flying from. Check the flights from your country into the destination airport; are they daily or only certain days? For example if there are only flights Saturday and Tuesdays, then immediately you can discount those two days as potential wedding days as guests will be travelling.

6. Mid-week vs. Weekend

As we are all used to attending weddings on a weekend, the natural choice is to opt for a Saturday date. However, do remember that Saturday is the most popular day for the local people to get married, so you will face more competition for venues and vendors at the weekend. This can be more so in Greece where baptisms are big celebrations like weddings and also take place on the weekend. 

7. Choose your destination planner in Greece

Great you have a budget, guest number and a date, so now you need the perfect planner to help you with the next steps!

Do your research on the Greek island or area you are interested in and contact planners who specialise in that area, creating the style of wedding you want. Ask for a telephone or Skype call to meet them and see if you have a good rapport. Ask about how they work, the planning timeline and the types of ceremony available. You are trusting them with planning the day of your dreams, so it is important they understand your vision and you can communicate well.

If you are considering a destination wedding in Greece and are keen to get your planning started, contact me to chat about your ideas.

Best wishes, Claire

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Our wedding celebrant, Elizabeth Cass Kanti shares three great ideas to personalise your ceremony and make your destination wedding in Greece unique!

“This could have turned into a book if Claire hadn’t asked for my top three! Because that’s the beauty of a celebrant led ceremony – there are an infinite amount of creative ideas to include!

Plus you are free to draw on inspiration from within (or outside of) your own culture, beliefs or personalities. So here are my favourite three!”

1. Create a sensory memory

From your ceremony, most of your memories will be visual; the people surrounding you… the vibrant location… your partner next to you and all these will be captured up by your wedding photography. There is also likely to be audio; the music for your entrance and exit… the words of the ceremony… your wedding vows…. but what about if you included smell and taste?

Can you imagine being transported back to the moment when you exchanged your intentions and promises to each other just by a sip of a particular wine?

The wine ceremony will do this for you. You take two bottles of your favourite wine into the ceremony. We open one and just before you exchange your vows, you each take a sip. You savour the aroma… you let the taste sit on your tongue… at the back of your throat…. and you speak your promises over that taste.

Next we create a future memory…. The second bottle we enclose in a box and you dedicate the opening of the wine to an occasion – perhaps your wedding anniversary. Or on a ‘need to recall’ basis after an argument! Open the wine, let the taste and smell awaken the memory of what you intended and promised. Resolve your differences, forgive and move on, or just celebrate the time you’ve spent together and all that’s still to come!

2. Create a visual memory

Think “unity rituals” here. A unity ritual is any ceremonial act that symbolises, well, unity! Popular ones include sand blending (a bazillion ways to do this involving any combination of people), hand fasting, Greek wedding crowns, a rose ceremony, unity candles – it’s quite a list.  You can even do sandwhich making, cocktail making or knock up a G & T!

It’s all about teamwork and support – the ritual will either show you and your partner working together to make something, or people who love you supporting you in making something.

Unity rituals are a whole other blog post (even a book!) but the point is that they add great theatre to your ceremony and theatre is visual. If your guest list is international and not everyone’s first language is English, they are a winner at engaging people in your ceremony who can’t follow it word for word.

3. Include your Guests

Yes, all of them! It’s possible. Obviously they are already included in that they are your witnesses and are watching your wedding, but you can also have them actively take part in your ceremony. Some rituals lend themselves better to more intimate gatherings, but things like a communal vow or ‘spreading the light’ can be beautifully inclusive for larger gatherings too.

“We do too!” Ask your guests to reaffirm that they will continue to love and support you as both individuals and as a married couple with a communal ‘We do!’ Or have them all sign your wedding day certificate!

The lighting and sharing of candlelight is prevalent in all Greek life. Fire, like love, does not diminish as it is shared, so spread your love by passing on the flame to lanterns held by your guests. This is easy to include if you have already lit a remembrance candle or have included a unity candle.

TOP TIP: When this is done at the end of a twilight ceremony it’s incredibly beautiful and your guests can give you a candle lit recessional as you take your first steps in wedded partnership!

Your Celebrant led wedding ceremony should have your personalities stamped all over it. Remember to include things that hold meaning to you both, or to your families if that’s important for you. Don’t just stick stuff in for the sake of it! The ideas you choose to include to personalise your ceremony should be heartfelt and reflect your identity as a couple and as individuals, And never be afraid to explore a new idea, who knows where it will take you in your ceremony!

Much love, Elizabeth

Find out more on how Elizabeth can enhance your destination wedding ceremony in Lefkada, Meganisi and Parga at www.weddingcelebrantingreece.com