Category Archives: Lefkada Weddings & Elopements

Collection of elegantly styled weddings and elopements on the island of Lefkada, planned by Claire Salisbury of Lefkas Weddings

A Indian Inspired Wedding in Greece – Sam & Lauren

bride and groom confetti throw

Sam and Lauren hosted three days of fun and celebration for their Indian inspired destination wedding in Greece. Their 65 international guests travelled from America, UK and India to the warm, autumn sunshine of Lefkada.

“We knew that no matter where our ceremony was, a large portion of our family would have to travel. So, we thought if everyone is having to travel, we should have them travel some place that people would also like to visit like Greece! We also, serendipitously met Claire from Lefkas Weddings via a friend and it just all fell into place” Bride, Lauren

View across lefkada channel to greek mainland

They welcomed all the guests on the Thursday with a pre-wedding private boat cruise cruising around the off shore islands of Meganisi and Skorpios.

On Friday evening the villa garden was filled with the bright colours of saris and clink of champagne glasses for the mehndi party, complete with authentic Indian food expertly prepared by Royal Indian Chef from Athens. The atmosphere that night was electric as guests of all ages from grandmother to grandaughter were dancing to the Bollywood beats before heading to bed to get ready to enjoy the wedding day on the Saturday.

So happy you could come!

flat lay of food items in wedding guest welcome bag

“My mom and I designed the gift bags and what would go in them. We chose miniature products from each of our home countries, the places we have lived and Lefkada honey for our wedding destination!“

The mehndi party

bride and groom in indian clothes at mehndi party in Greece
bride groom and guests at mehndi indian inspired arty in greece

“Our mehndi party attire was all bought in India for us by Sam’s family. I loved the vibrant colour of the sari chosen for me by Sam’s mom and sister and Sam’s sherwani and dhoti (jacket and trousers) was chosen by his other sister and brother-in-law.”

Indian inspired wedding decoration with bright colours and sari outfits
close up shots of details of wedding prosecco van

“I really loved the Bubble Couple van and the decor for mehndi. The whole evening including the food and drinks was colorful! The food was Sam’s area of expertise, he chose all the dishes and we wanted it to be as authentic as possible.”

indian catering food images at wedding in greece
flat lay of polaroid images of pre-wedding mehndi indian inspired party greece

The wedding day

wedding rings and wedding dress hanging on olive tree

“My dress; I knew I wanted something lacy and slim fitting and I definitely wanted sleeves. I saw this design and loved it straight away and had the dress custom made. Sam opted for classic tailoring by Hugo Boss for the wedding day with tan accessories and a gold tie to keep with our theme.”

groom preparation deails brown brogues and white buttonhole
Gold cheval mirror wedding welcome sign with white and green flower decoration
white rose and olive wedding ceremony arch decoration
close up of violin and order of service
bride and groom standing under arch at garden ceremony in greece
bride and groom exchanging rings in garden ceremony in greece
bride and groom laughing during marriage ceremony
bride and groom with hands joined under flower arch
collage of bread and wine for communion at marriage ceremony in greece

“We met when we were both living and working in Paris and we attended the same Protestant church. We became good friends and it started from there!

In the ceremony with our Pastor we included elements that reflected our shared faith and it was also very important that people close to us from our family and dear friends took part in the ceremony. The live music was the perfect accompaniment, and we also opted for a singer. We chose songs that were very special to us as a couple but also in our spiritual journeys.“

filigree detail gold frame with wedding table number, napkin tied with olive and indian inspired gold elephant place name card
olive garland and candle wedding table decoration
wooden olive wreath bride chair sign and indian inspired gold elephant wedding place names

For the décor we put together a colourful mood board for the Mehndi party and then a classic and elegant board for the wedding day incorporating Lauren’s favourite colours of white and green. Knowing that Lauren and Sam wanted an Indian inspired wedding in Greece the cohesive colour of gold and little elephant details worked beautifully across both days.

2 tier white wedding cake on pedestal cake stand decorated with white roses and olive

“The most memorable moment was looking out over the sea and mountains while ‘King of my Heart’ was being played and sung by the musicians. Everyone we loved was sat just behind us and it was so perfect and special.

Thank you again Claire, for everything you did for our wedding. It was seriously perfect and everyone had the best time!” Lauren & Sam

indian groom and american bride with rose bouquet holding hands

Is a destination wedding in Greece at a private villa something you have been dreaming about but not sure where to start? Contact me to discuss how we can plan your day together.

A big thank you to my wedding team who helped create this celebration:

Our Villa location

When Lauren described the garden setting she had in her mind for the wedding, I immediately proposed Thealos Village as an ideal location for their day. The estate has a large lawn, with sea views and mature gardens and I felt it offered them the right note of formality for their ceremony. They could also host all their guests close together, within the privacy of the individual villas and suites.

“We loved Thealos from the beginning. It is such a stunning venue and most important for us, all of our family and friends could stay on the property. It gave us additional time with our guests as we gathered every morning for an amazing breakfast. Thealos’ garden, reception area, villas, swimming pools and views were all as amazing as the pictures!”  Lauren & Sam

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:

A Spring Wedding in Lefkada, Greece – Erin & Stuart

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.

View of Vlyho Bay Lefkada from villa
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
Exterior view of villa vangelis Lefkada
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.

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

Planned and styled by Claire at Lefkas Weddings | Photography: Maxeen Kim Photography | Villas: Villa Katerina and Villa Vangelis | Bridal Gown: Laverne by Catherine Deane | Bridesmaid dresses: High Society Bridal | Groom Attire: King Fox Menswear |MUA: Despoina & Maria Kourbei | Hair: Evaggelia Stamatelou | Florist: Gourioti Flowers | Venue: Seaside Restaurant, Lefkada

Award winning elopement in Greece – Ellie & Jesse

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

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.

blue and white beach theme wedding cake
bride and groom drinking mojitos
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

Photographer: Kalampokas Fotografia | Dress: Wed2be | Groom Attire: ASOS | MUA: Despoina Kourbei | Hair: Effie Katsabiri | Floral design: Gourioti Flowers | Catering: Tulip Lefkada | Reception: NV Beach Bar

Secret Beach Elopement on Lefkada – Karla & Marko

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.