Tag Archives: Lefkas Weddings

Persephone’s Bouquet: 5 Flowers For Your Wedding From Greek Mythology

Beautiful Bouquet with Flowers inspired by Greek Mythology

From purity to passion, flowers have many meanings throughout Greek myths and legends. So why not draw from these beautiful stories, specifically that of Persephone, and include 5 flowers for your wedding from Greek Mythology

Each flower I have selected for you is associated with a legend and together they form the flowers of Persephone’s bouquet. These are the flowers the goddess Persephone and her companion Nymphs were gathering in a springtime meadow when she was abducted by the god Hades; rose, crocus, violet, iris, lily and larkspur (Source: Homeric Hymns).

Pink Garden Roses at a Villa in Greece

Rose. Aphrodite the goddess of love is credited with creating the rose from her tears over the mortally wounded Adonis and the goddess of flowers, Chloris, was said to breathe roses as she spoke. Throughout the ages writers, poets, artists, and others have used the rose as a metaphor for undying love, beauty, and passion. They are the perfect wedding flower being both ideal for classic and contemporary styles of bouquet and arrangements.

Lily. Associated with Hera, the Greek goddess of marriage and created by Hera in the legend of Zeus and his son by the mortal woman Alceme. The lily symbolizes purity and refined beauty and based on the colour or type, the lily can convey different meanings; white is for modesty and virginity, orange is for passion and yellow for gaiety. A much sought after choice for bouquets due to its luxurious and elegant appearance, Calla, Stargazer and Casablanca lilies are all ideal for a destination wedding in Lefkada.

Iris. The goddess Iris, a messenger to the gods was thought to use the rainbow as a bridge between heaven and earth. By some accounts, the ancient Greeks believed the rainbow was actually the flowing, multi-coloured robes of Iris. Others believed the beautiful multi-coloured flowers were also part of her robe or the flowing veil from her dress. Thus, these flowers were named to honour the Rainbow Goddess and bring favour upon the earth. Typically purple or blue, although they can be found in yellow, pink and red also, they are a pretty flower to combine in a bridal bouquet.

Violets. Greek legend tells of a nymph named Io, who was beloved by Zeus. To hide her from Hera, his wife, Zeus changed Io into a white cow. When Io wept over the taste and texture of the coarse grass, Zeus changed her tears into dainty, sweet-smelling violets only she was permitted to eat. They are a perfect Spring flower for a wedding bouquet, bridesmaid posy, in centrepieces and to decorate cakes.

Larkspur. Similar to the Delphinium, the larkspur is a pretty cluster of many flowers on a long stem. According to Greek mythology, larkspur flowers came forth from the blood of Ajax, who killed himself after he could not obtain the protective covering of the slain soldier Achilles. Thus, larkspur is often known as ‘the knight’s spur,’ and a flower that has existed for thousands of years. Arrange these blooms with other flowers for a wild flower and rustic floral theme.

I hope this has inspired you to add some mythical charm to your wedding bouquet and centrepieces. If you are dreaming of your own gorgeous destination wedding in Lefkada and would like some help bringing your dreams to life, contact me. I would love to discus your wedding with you.

Photography: Maxeen Kim Photography

2019 – A New Year And A New Look

Portrait of wedding planner Claire Salisbury by Maxeen Kim Photography

After a wonderfully busy 2018 wedding season in Lefkada, I have finally found the time to update my website, and I am so excited to get blogging and sharing Lefkas Weddings news and wedding planning tips with you.

One of the first things I am delighted to show you is my new logo. As my business has evolved over the last seven years I wanted something that reflected what I do now. What could be more apt to represent all your beautiful wedding stories than an homage to Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love. This ancient flower pattern is associated with her and is a symbol of creation, love, balance and equilibrium.

Blue and White Geometric Flower Logo for Lefkas Weddings

I started as a wedding planner for Lefkada and each year looked for ways to introduce elegant weddings to the other areas nearby that I have lived and are close to my heart too. These include the tiny paradise of Meganisi and the pretty Epirus coastline which includes Parga and Sivota. Recently I have organised beautiful events in Palairos, which is a new destination for me, and the surrounding islands of Kastos and Ithaca.

Although my blog will be mostly wedding themed, I want to add in some posts about the great areas I cover to inspire you for your wedding stay, honeymoon ideas and next visit to Greece.   Plus a few more personal and advice posts including behind the scenes, what I get up to throughout all the planning stages, from the first venue visits with clients right up to the wedding morning itself.

Pastel Doors and Buildings in Lefkas Town on the island of Lefkada in Greece

None of my work would be possible without the amazing team that is behind each and every wedding day, I work with some of the very best venues, caterers, photographers, videographers, stylists, florists and many more suppliers of pretty much any wedding related service you can imagine! I look forward to introducing you to some of them here and you’ll get to meet them on my Lefkas Weddings Instagram stories too!

And of course… sharing the prettiest pictures and details from the gorgeous weddings I get to plan.

Best wishes, Claire x

Images: Maxeen Kim Photography


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.

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

Finding the ceremony location for the couple was a fun search that led myself and destination wedding photographer, Maxeen Kim, on an afternoon exploring the coast of Lefkada 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.

Coral Villa Rossa Wedding in Parga – Georgina & Alex

Alex and Georgina have always holidayed in Greece and love the culture. Parga on the stunning Epirus coast is a hidden gem and ticks every box for the setting, traditional charm and hustle and bustle they love. They fell in love with the colourful town after visiting it together and it became the natural choice for their perfect wedding destination. 

Listening to the couple’s requirements we suggested the striking Villa Rossa, a beautiful red building, set amongst the pine trees on the tip of Parga sea front. One of the oldest buildings in the area it has had a rich past in many guises and continually owned by the same family who have now lovingly turned it into a boutique guest house and restaurant.

“The food and staff were outstanding. As we looked out to sea from our table and up to the castle on the hill we knew it was a special place to host our wedding dinner.” Bride, Georgina

The styling of the wedding had Greek inspired touches with both the bride and bridesmaids carrying hand tied bouquets of peonies and olive. The couple exchanged vows at an intimate and romantic spot lined with hanging lanterns dressed with clusters of flowers.

Stella York gowns are known for their spectacular beading, glamorous laces and enchanting fabrics and Georgina’s fitted gown did not disappoint and suited her perfectly. She chose a sage green dress with a beaded neckline for her five bridesmaids; a colour which cleverly complimented each girl’s different colouring yet beautifully blended them together.

Alex and his groomsmen kept their cool in English heritage tailoring and bow ties for a formal touch.

The restaurant we filled with yet more peonies in mixed vases with gypsophila and olive on the table and gorgeous little bunches on the chairs. Each guest’s place was marked by a hand tied rosemary garland with their name tag.

Villa Rossa served a dinner full of delicious modern Greek dishes using locally sourced ingredients such as Black pork with matured Feta and Corfu beer sauce. Dessert was a runaway hit of baklava with ice cream shot that left us all wanting more!

All that was left to do was enjoy the first dance, romantically lit by a backdrop of guests holding sparklers aloft for the newlyweds, and dance the night away by the edge of the sea.

Truly a wedding from Parga with love…

If you are dreaming of your own wedding in Parga 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 amazing team of suppliers who helped me make this day possible:

Romantic Pastel Lefkada Elopement – Ellie & Jesse

Ellie and Jesse travelled across the world for their wonderfully romantic elopement in the Ionian island of Lefkada, Greece.

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

The only sound was the water gently lapping at the side of the deck as Ellie made her way down the steps to meet Jesse under a gazebo of flowers. It was intimate and romantic.

Lefkada was a relaxing break after the bustle of sight seeing in Athens and before they jetted off again for the next part of their extended holiday around the Greek islands and Europe together. The spectacular view of the ceremony and its setting fulfilled their shared love of the ocean.

” I chose the restaurant wharf from the options Claire selected for us because I knew we both needed to be able to see the water. We both grew up on the Great Barrier Reef. My husband spent months at a time as a child on the ocean and I on an island so the water makes us feel at home.” ~Bride, Ellie.

Ellie’s dress incorporated a few different styles. She wanted something sexy yet simple. Finding it hard to find a white dress without added detail and embellishments, she commissioned a handcrafted gown from Peta C with a slight flair and short train. It was simple, timeless and understated.

Her hair was worn in loose waves and fastened with a comb of blush pink peonies and roses that also surrounded the Protea flowers in her bouquet. These are very similar to the Warratah, the Australian national flower and was included as a touching tribute to her sisters. Though they wanted an intimate elopement, Ellie and Jesse are also big family people and her sisters are her best friends, so eloping was a huge decision as it meant she was without them.

In the décor we used a lot of florals and fairy lights to create a feeling of intimacy and enchantment. Using an image of an enchanted garden that Ellie sent to me, the team created hanging gardens overflowing with flowers, structured around a gazebo. It was a designed in two parts, so the couple saw one floral display during the ceremony and the final look was a surprise. Waving them off on a luxury speedboat cruise around the islands, my team quickly go into action, hanging lanterns, opening fairy lights and filling the deck with lanterns. When they returned it was a candlelit paradise!

” I couldn’t have achieved our dream day without Lefkas Weddings. You need a planner/helper/elf! If you are thinking about it, don’t think, just do it! Claire is so amazing and always cool, calm and collected. Our day was completely stress free and magical. “ ~Ellie & Jesse

If you have your heart set on an elopement in Greece and need some help making it happen, send me an email here. I would love to discuss how we can make your very own elegant and romantic Lefkada elopement a reality.

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