Tag Archives: Maxeen Kim Photography

Olive and Gold Wedding in Meganisi – Jack & Hannah

aerial view of terrace overlooking the sea set for wedding ceremony

Jack and Hannah wanted a stylish rustic destination wedding in Meganisi; the tiny Greek island of Meganisi that stole their hearts. They choose the island’s breathtaking viewpoint as the place to exchange vows, before cruising the coastline to a Greek bistro venue set in the village square, surrounded by plane trees and hung with fairytale string lights.

bride and groom holding hands at ceremony in Meganisi
green and gold table decoration

We join our couple at the start of their wedding day story with a relaxing morning and the excitement of bride preparations at villas Melina & Christina overlooking a secluded cove in the north of Meganisi by luxury specialist The Thinking Traveller. ‘As we were having a holiday and a wedding, we rented two gorgeous villas on the top of a hill that had views of the sea for miles.‘

view of olive tree landscape over two bays
bride details jo malone perfume and white sandals with silver detail
close up of bodice of bridal gown lying on bed

The ceremony took place in Spartohori village at the viewpoint known locally as ‘The Stefani’, which means crown in Greek because of its shape. The view is simply spectacular and it has become one of my most favourite ceremony locations in the Lefkada area.

bust on marble base in paved square overlooking the sea Meganisi
olive and gold wedding ceremony details picture frames
white chairs with olive and gold details in Spartohori Meganisi

The olive and gold decor mood for their wedding in Meganisi was inspired by Hannah’s love of green foliage as the main decoration, as it felt natural, understated but stylishly rustic. Being in Greece, we used olive mixed with ruscus and the long leafy strands of willow. The bride added hints of gold to the ceremony decor with photo frames filled with little messages.

We really liked the idea of a boat cruise in between the ceremony and reception. It fit perfectly with when our ceremony finished, and the walk down to the port was so pretty through the trees. The whole boat cruise really was a highlight of the day and all guests loved it!

If you are looking for a stylish wedding experience with an authentic Greek island feel, then Mika’s bistro in Meganisi has lots of charm. Set in the village square in Vathy harbour, its modern wooden decor is an excellent backdrop for adding some fantastic, floral touches and was ideal for their 40 guests. My florist team hung hoops of greenery from the roof amidst the rows of string lights. A mix of white roses, lisianthus, alstroemeria and tiny limonium decorated garlands and vases on the table with candles for soft romantic mood in the evening.

Gold picture frames with wedding table stationery with olive detail

‘It was a cute little taverna in the village square with a pergola and string lights that looked really magical, however by the time it had been decorated it was breathtaking. I remember walking around the corner and being blown away by the transformation; it was the perfect mix between formal wedding and still keeping the spirit of a traditional Greek taverna.‘

From Hannah and Jack ‘We had been on holiday to Meganisi a few years before and fell in love with the scenery and laid back way of life. We found Claire from Lefkas Weddings and really could not have had the amazing wedding we had without her. She knew all the little hidden gems and had the best contacts!

If you’re getting married abroad, I can’t recommend enough getting a wedding planner, they have all the best contacts and know what will and won’t work within your budget. They speak the language and take the stress away on the day so you can focus on enjoying your big day without having to sweat the little bits. Maxeen was by far my favourite photographer, as everything looked natural and not overly staged. She was over my original budget but I’m so glad we splurged on her as photos are the only thing you have to remember the day.’

Is a destination wedding in on a pretty Greek island something you have been dreaming about but not sure where to start? Contact me to discuss how we can plan your day together.

Meganisi is located in the Ionian Islands, Greece. It has three villages and numerous little beaches and coves for lazy days in the sun and evenings of great Greek food. It is a short 20 minute ferry ride from Lefkada or a quick hop in a speedboat! Lefkas Weddings works together with Rebecca at Exclusive Meganisi office to provide you and your wedding guests with full assistance on the island including villa accommodation, airport transfers and car and boat rentals.

A Luxury Elopement in Sivota – Rebecca & Ben

Our couple flew to Greece from Australia and hosted their closest friends for their secret and intimate elopement. In their emails, they spoke excitedly about their forthcoming trip to Greece and asked me to help them arrange a small ceremony and an intimate dinner somewhere a little luxurious.

I suggested Sivota Thesprotias on the stunning west coast of Greece, and the Agios Nikolaos Suites. This intimate feel, 5 star, luxury hotel overlooks the off-shore islands, offering scenery of breathtaking views where lush green vegetation embraces the beautiful white sandy beaches and the clear turquoise waters.

view over infinity pool and sea at sivota thesprotias
View from agios nikolaos suites sivota thesprotias

Elegant floral stands overflowing with white and blush pink roses, eucalyptus and olive blended with the garden ceremony location perfectly. This was reached via a pretty walk through stone arch ways and path ways lined with an array of beautiful coastal flowers.

bride walking beside pool carrying bouquet
metal floral stand with pink and green flowers on lawn
groom holding vow book at wedding ceremony
sun flare image of bride and groom reading vows
bride reading vow book at wedding ceremony
sun flare image of bride and groom walking through shower of rose petals

They wanted a rustic feel but in a style that suited the stylish design of the hotel, so we laid the table with a full garland of greenery, flowers and pink hypericum berries. To add to the romance of the occasion we nestled a mix of antique toned gold glass vases and candle votives amongst the foliage which lit the evening beautifully.

Bride wore the Saboya bridal gown by Rosa Clara. A fitted silhouette of silk crepe with exquisite beading on the cap sleeves and elegant back detail.  The bride bouquet contained white and blush tones of roses, lisianthus, alstroemeria, astilbe and eucalyptus.

close up of beading detail of Rosa Clara bridal gown
bride and groom walking hand in hand through hotel gardens greece
bride and groom elopement sivota thesprotias greece

Dinner was served by candlelight on the terrace of Agios Nikolaos’ a la carte restaurant, and the guests enjoyed a variety of modern Greek cuisine including fresh lobster.

intimate elopement dinner table sivota greece
bride and groom embracing with modern concrete stairway backdrop

Do you love the idea of planning a romantic and intimate elopement in Greece but not sure where to start? Contact me to discuss how we can plan it together.

The Wedding Team of this beautiful day:

Breathtaking wedding with pink and olive details at luxury Sivota villa – Hattie & David

A panormanic sea view was the breathtaking backdrop for the wedding of Hattie & David at luxury villa, Atokos House in Sivota, Lefkada island.

Panoramic view of swimming pool and sea from terrance of luxury villa in Sivota Lefkada

We chose Lefkas for our wedding destination as we have been sailing there for ten years. We love the Ionian islands and the scenery and wanted it to be part of our day. When Claire showed us Atokos House we picked it straight away as our wedding villa because of the amazing views over the neighbouring islands! Bride, Hattie

Atokos house is elegant, intriguing and exquisitely inviting, with magnificent views out across the sun-shimmered sea. From the terrace you take in view of Lefkada, Meganisi, Atokos, Arkoudi and Ithaka islands!

On the estate there is the charming Atokos Cottage where our bride Hattie spent the morning relaxing with her sister before getting ready for the afternoon ceremony at the main villa.

I wanted the flowers to be the bright pink colour of bougainvillea because it is such a beautiful colour in the Greek sunshine!

Together with Tasos at Gourioti Flowers the floral arrangements for their day were designed with a a mix of peonies, roses and astilbe, added texture with hypericum berries and fragrance with eucalyptus.

For the ceremony we used urns and columns to reflect the classic style of Atokos House, they provided an elegant backdrop and left an unclutterred view of the the amazing landscape from the villa terrace.

I was so, so nervous walking to the ceremony but as soon as I saw David, my family and friends waiting I felt calm. We chose a religious blessing as it was important to David and his family and I did enjoy the more traditional feel it gave our day. We we able to discuss with the Chaplain and tailor our ceremony which added a personal touch to our day.

I didn’t intend to pick a big dress but then I tried on this Stella York gown and I loved it – no other dress compared! The tulle skirt was ideal and a lot cooler to wear than expected because of all the delicate, light layers.

If you are considering your own luxury villa wedding 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 bring this day together:

Lilac & Pink Cactus Wedding Inspiration in Parga

Cape North West is located on the sandy beach at Valtos with the Venetian castle as a back drop and the sun setting over Paxos island in the distance.

For your destination wedding in Parga, Cape North West is the perfect venue for a small, intimate celebration of barefoot luxury or a bigger celebration with all your family and friends. The relaxed atmosphere with stylish, white, minimalist decoration offers you a wonderful blank canvas to work with. The ideal starting point from which my team and I will create your wedding theme and styling.

I came up with the concept for this styled shoot with photographer, Maxeen of Maxeen Kim Photography, who mentioned she wanted to design a table setting based around her love of cacti and succulents.

We infused romance into the décor of this chic beach club with a lilac, pink and green theme, in keeping with the current trend of potted cactus wedding centrepieces. Succulents and cacti are a great option for your wedding décor because they last long after the wedding and each of your guests can take a cute mini cacti home with them as a keepsake.

The table featured natural décor elements that we chose to fit with the beautiful beach location such as hand painted terracotta pots and ecru weave table-mats. To highlight the extra special feel of the occasion we added little extra touches with pink glassware and dove-grey wedding stationery.

If you are considering your own luxury destination wedding in Parga and looking for a planner who can bring your elegant vision to life send me an email here with all the details of your day. I would love to help bring your wedding dreams to life.

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

Emerald and Copper Autumn Wedding Inspiration

emerald and copper wedding inspiration tablescape

Kalo Mina! Welcome to November, are you ready for today’s styled shoot from the Autumn 2018 cover of luxury bridal magazine Ellwed! It features emerald and copper autumn wedding inspiration. The gorgeous rich tones add a real touch of elegance to this beach romance.

Stone windmill ruin on Lefkada beach Greece with copper and emerald wild fauna

Our idea behind this cover shoot was to display the diversity of the Ionian Islands as a wedding destination across the seasons, whilst keeping close at heart the beautiful beach locations the islands offer you. The beach at Agios Ioannis stretches for miles and ranges from glorious golden sands at its western end, to wild windswept sand dunes dotted with old stone windmills where our shoot took place.

Model in Stalo Theodorou bridal gown with v neckline and delicate bow back detail

I wanted to feature a Greek bridal designer and this Complice Stalo Theodorou wedding gown encompassed trends from Vogue Italy Bridal report for 2019. With bow detail, nude tulle embellished with lace detailing and exaggerated volumes, for a skirt to make you feel like a true princess.

peach and copper roses with eucalyptus and pampass grass

And did we mention the florals by Gourioti Flowers! Truly perfect for this autumn wedding inspiration, he blended the emerald and copper pallette, using a combination of peach Tiffany roses, hand dyed roses, eucalyptus and pampas grass, wrapped in silky, emerald green ribbon

emerald and copper wedding stationery menus and agate slice

All stationery, from thank you cards to menus and invites, was created by White Olive Design Studio, London especially for this styled shoot in Lefkada. Copper embossed menus and agate slices with hand-written calligraphy script, place settings and favours, were the important touches to the table.

The concept for our Ellwed cover shoot was produced with a mood board, to curate the ideas in the same way I help my brides put together the styling for their days. It was great to have creative input by the shoot photographer Maxeen Kim who is known for her love of capturing personal wedding details.

Emerald and copper wedding table decor
table on wooden balcony with sea view decorated in emerald and copper tones

We styled a copper infused wedding table and blended the metallics with other textures such as tiles and glass. Adding the multi-tonal copper, emerald and deep blue crockery supplied by our venue we wove the look together. The keepsake for each guest was a polished agate slice personalised with their name and a traditional Greek coffee pot called a “briki” planted with a succulent as a living reminder of the special day.

An Emerald and Copper Autumn Inspired Styled Shoot Snapshot

  • bridal magazine front cover with girl in emerald dress standing on beach
  • copper plates and emerald details for wedding inspiraiton shoot

Thank you to Sanya at Ellwed magazine and to the team of vendors who cooperated make this shoot possible:

Planning: Claire Salisbury at Lefkas Weddings | Photography: Maxeen Kim Photography | Bridal Gown: Complice Stalo Theodorou | Dress: Costureras Shoes: Savrani Creations | Acessories: Li-Lo | Florist: Gourioti Flowers Stationery: White Olive Design Studio | Hair & MUA: Despoina Kourbei Cake: Patisserie Il Sapore | Venue: Veranda by NV Beach Bar

Meganisi Vow Renewal with Olive Details – Nikki & Darren

Vow renewal couple on beach kissing

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.”

Pasoumaki beach Meganisi Greece
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.

Olive bononieres and olive bouquet
Bride holding olive bouquet
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.