Sunrise Elopement at Porto Katsiki Beach – Barbara & Neven

10/10/202002/12/2020

This sunrise elopement at Porto Katsiki beach was definitely worth getting up before the sun! In this post, I’m sharing everything you need to know to plan your dream sunrise elopement and this blog will have you ready to jump out of bed before the sun comes up for your own sunrise adventure elopement in Greece.

back view of couple sat on white stone beach with cushions looking out to sea

Sunrise brings a touch of magic to your wedding ceremony. Getting married is a transition itself, and you’ll understand how beautiful it is to mark that transition with the rising of a star. To know in this big wide world as night changes to day you have found someone to share all the days of your life with.

Meet the couple of this sunrise elopement at Porto Katsiki beach

When we were planning their day, Barbara and Neven both mentioned how much they absolutely love to travel and in their nine years together they have explored the globe and made memories in over 30 countries! Maxeen and I thought it was perfect therefore that on one of those trips together, watching the sunrise in Morocco, Neven asked Barbara to marry him and she said Yes! So they decided that they would like to recapture that moment, as the sun rises for their elopement. It was to be an intimate ceremony, just the two of them on their holiday exploring the Greek islands before their more traditional wedding in Croatia in the autumn with family and friends.

bride with glasses holding white and green flowers laughing with groom with arms around each other

We collected the excited couple from their hotel in Nidri and drove towards the south cape of Lefkada where the only traffic we met was a herd of goats, with their bells jangling as they crossed the road in front of us! The daylight was just breaking as we reached Porto Katsiki beach and we descended the steps to our deserted paradise. Kicking off their shoes, the couple walked along the beach to explore and we set up their breakfast picnic.

mini champagne on slate with crystal glasses with beach in background

As the sun rose to reveal the azure blue colour of the Ionian sea, Barbara and Neven stood hand in hand by the seashore and exchanged vows. They followed this with a sand pouring ritual, mixing sand, pebbles and shells from the beach to make a lasting memory. We left them to enjoy some private moments with a champagne breakfast picnic with pastries and cookies made by a local bakery. It was the best morning with such a great couple!

sand pouring beach wedding ceremony sand bottles

bride and groom at beach at sunrise for elopement

slate tiered stand with greek pastries beach picnic

slate tiered stand with greek pastries beach picnic and couple embracing

And the extra-special part of it for me was that it was also my birthday! I was lucky to be at the most beautiful beach on Lefkada with one of my best friends, our elopement photographer Maxeen Duncan, and eat cake for breakfast!

white rose, olive and eucalyptus bride elopement bouquet

3 Things to keep in mind for a sunrise elopement

Dreaming of your own sunrise elopement? Here are three things to keep in mind:

Keeping to the timeline is key
Be sure to get an early night the evening before!
Plan a post sunrise ceremony activity

First, it’s especially important to keep to the timeline for a sunrise elopement. This means you’ll need to get up and go before the sun rises to capture that perfect shot. The sun isn’t going to wait for you, for me, or your photographer. Once it’s risen, it’s risen! If you’re thinking of a sunrise elopement, you really have to be willing to keep to the schedule. If this doesn’t sound like your dream day, (and that’s totally okay if it doesn’t!), you have a bit more leeway with a sunset schedule, so that might be a better choice.

An early night is recommended as sunrise is early between 06:00 – 06:30 during the summer months in Greece. Plus, you need to get up and plan enough time to get ready and drive to your location, especially if you need to walk a little when you arrive.

Finally, it’s a good idea to think about how you would like to spend the day after your sunrise elopement. Barbara and Neven headed to Nidri harbour for a delicious brunch, and then went to relax at the beach. But you have so many options for your day! Want to go paddleboarding, horseback riding or kayaking after your sunrise elopement? You can totally incorporate all your fun ideas into your day.

aerial shot of bride and groom walking hand in hand along white beach greece

bride and groom kissing on stairs above porto katsiki beach lefkada

Do you love the idea of planning an elopement in Lefkada but not sure where to start? Contact me to discuss how we can plan it together.

The Wedding Team:

Event Planning & Design: Claire at Lefkas Weddings
Photography: Maxeen Kim Photography
Bridal Flowers: Gourioti Flowers
Stationery Card: Dimitria Jordan Wedding Stationery

White and Green Wedding at Seaside Lefkada

06/06/202031/12/2021

confetti throw over bride and groom at seaside restaurant lefkada greece

Greece just got even more gorgeous with this intimate destination wedding at Seaside Restaurant in Lefkada with green and white flowers! The picturesque location was the perfect outdoor venue for a seafront ceremony and reception for British couple Mark and Lauren.

Delighted with their beautiful photographs by Maxeen Kim Photography, the couple were keen to chat about the wedding day so scroll down to find out more.

sea view of vlyho bay with yachts and mountains from terrace of seaside restaurant lefkada greece

grey and white destination wedding stationery flat lay

Why we chose a destination wedding in Greece

“We both love Greek food! Also, Lauren spent many family holidays in Greece and has lots of great memories of the different places she has visited with her family. We stumbled across Maxeen’s photography of Lefkada on Instagram and instantly fell in love with the scenery. The idea of getting married on a Greek island that wasn’t well known to ourselves or our family and friends felt like more of a unique choice.

We wanted it to be a relaxed day with lots of laughter as well as an opportunity to be on holiday surrounded by our family and friends, at one time in one place.

I found Lefkas Weddings via our photographer’s recommendation and I am so pleased we did! Claire is well organised, speaks the language and knows the area well. This means she can make recommendations and resolve any local problems that may occur. Claire not only helped with the day itself but also with the accommodation for ourselves and our guests, airport transfers as well as arranging our pre-wedding dinner during the holiday!”

groom reading letter from bride with gift

groom wedding details tom ford buttoniere

bride and bridesmaids in dressing gowns with wedding hair and makeup at wedding villa in lefkada greece

Bride holding Betsey Johnson shoes with blue soles

white bride clutch bag with diamante clasp on wedding veil

bride holding bouquet and open locket with image of her grandparents

bridesmaids reading cards from bride on wedding morning in lefkada greece

The white and green wedding decor

To create Lauren’s vision of an elegant white and green wedding in Greece, we used olive and willow island greenery with a mix of seasonal white flowers. The bridal bouquet included white peonies, wax, lisianthus and was scented with eucalyptus.

The ceremony had an arch by the sea and a sweetheart table with a flower garland for our signatures.

The reception tables were filled with a delicate mix of flower-filled grey ceramic and glass vases and cut glass candlesticks. As the evening fell the venue was lit by flickering candlelight.

bride holding white peony and eucalyptus bouquet

three bridesmaids in light grey multi way dresses holding green and white bouquets

wedding ceremon on terrace by sea with green and white flower arch at seaside restaurant lefkada greece

groom standing under green and white floral wedding arch by sea

groom crying at wedding ceremony at seaside restaurant lefkada

bride smiling holding hand of groom at wedding ceremony at seaside restaurant lefkada

wedding couple kissing on terrace at seaside restaurant lefkada

green and white wedding decor details at seaside restaurant lefkada

sea view from seaside restaurant with green and white wedding flowers vases

green and white flowers in grey vase and wedding chair decoration

seaside restaurant with green and white wedding flowers vases

three tier greek wedding cake with white icing and green and white flowers

perspex wedding sign with green and white flowers

bridal party with wedding couple with green and white flowers at seaside restaurant lefkada greece

greek mezedes wedding dinner at seaside restaurant lefkada greece

Finding the perfect venue

“We booked Seaside as our wedding venue two years in advance on the recommendation of our planner without visiting in advance. A few days before our wedding day we went for lunch and we’re all instantly blown away by the setting. When lunch arrived, we were even more impressed… beautifully presented and tasted delicious. Any doubts or worries we had about the day were gone and we were filled with excitement.

The day went so smoothly and we couldn’t have asked for more. Owner Kostas is certainly the host with the most! This place will forever be special in our hearts and we will certainly be back!”

bride with green and white wedding bouquet at seaside restaruant lefkada

bride and goom kissing by sea at seaside restaurant lefkada

wedding couple standing on terrace of seaside restaurant lefkada

Plan your own wedding at Seaside Restaurant, Lefkada

The picturesque location of this Lefkada wedding venue is the perfect outdoor venue for a ceremony and reception by the sea. Located overlooking Vlyho bay on the east coast it enjoys the unique combination of sea views and a mountain backdrop. Seaside Restuarant is exclusive to Lefkas Weddings.

Do you love the idea of planning a wedding at Seaside Restaurant Lefkada but are unsure where to start?

Contact me to discuss how we can plan it together.

The Wedding Team:

Enchanting Jewel Tones Botanical Wedding Inspiration

02/05/202029/12/2021

Bridal details flatlay with velvet heels, blue ink stationery and delphium flowers

Welcome to May! Let’s brighten up lockdown with our Botanical Beauty wedding inspiration with an enchanted big-day vibe combining leafy forest touches with rich jewel tones. See this styled shoot in print, in the Spring 2020 issue of Wedding Ideas, one of the UK’s leading bridal magazines!

Wedding Couple on leather sofa in front of large gold mirror at The Oathill Leicestershire

It Started With A Swan…

Inspired by a swan vase found in a bric-a-brac shop, the shoot came to life as I envisioned it sprayed, antique gold and forming the centrepiece for a wedding table. Swans are nature’s symbol of monogamy and loyalty, they fill our fairy stories with graceful beauty and elements of enchantment. I knew I had the right shoot location when I visited the venue and spied a regal, gold pheasant sitting on the sideboard in the conservatory – it was a match! The light, open space provided the ideal setting, furthermore, the feature print wallpaper brought the outside inside for our woodland theme, so we began to put the rest of the elements together.

Bronx and Banco tiered wedding dress with wedding stationery

Jewel tones set the mood of the day for this botanical wedding inspiration. I used rich velvet fabric on the dinner table and the Groom’s tuxedo jacket; lined with bird pattern fabric, it added a hint of fun to the outfit and a nod to our theme. The tiered bridal gown from Australian designer, Bronx & Banco, added a romantic, vintage mood paired with velvet Ted Baker heels.

Emerald velvet groom tuxedo jacket with printed birds lining

Botanical beauty jewel tone flowers bride bouquet

Wedding table viewed through Orangerie door with wooden chairs and green velvet tablecloth

Our Enchanted Delights

To complete the shoot for us, designer baker, Francis Quinn, decorated a detailed woodland theme cake complete with her signature marzipan bees. The Oathill mixologist created magic with a teacup cocktail named ‘Apothecary’s Garden’, served with woodland berries that ingeniously altered the taste of the drink when sampled together!

Wedding sideboard cake display botanical theme gold and green

Woodland wedding cake with Francis Quinn bees

Bride holding a floral teacup cocktail with pink foam and fresh fruits decor

A Jewel Toned Table with Botanical Florals

We used the rich colours of delphinium, roses, carnations and clematis flowers mixed with grey-green eucalyptus to complement the emerald, velvet fabric on the table. Cut figs placed with the gold accents and mercury glass tea lights added luxuriousness, reminiscent of a banquet.

The talented Millie of Millie Stone UK designed bespoke stationery for the shoot including vellum menus, name cards with velvet ribbon, and ink wash invites.

Gold swan vase filled with bright coloured flowers

Table decoration with figs and pink and purple flowers

Table laid with emerald velvet, green crockery, gold details and multi coloured flowers

Wedding couple with jewel tone bouquet standing on steps in gardens of The Oathill

Our models, real couple Rachel and Ashley, are marrying in a destination wedding in Greece later this year, therefore we had a serendipitous Greek connection! The shoot gave them a beautiful set of pre-wedding images to add to their wedding story.

Botanical Beauty Styled Shoot Snapshot

Are you looking for a Planner and Stylist for your wedding in the UK or your destination wedding in Greece? I’d love to hear from you, so send me a message to get in touch about your day.

Thank you to Wedding Ideas magazine and to the team of vendors who cooperated to make this shoot possible:

A Garden Wedding on the Ionian Riviera Greece

15/03/202029/12/2021

This sweet couple had one vision in mind; a romantic garden wedding by the sea in Greece, ideally on the beautiful Ionian Riviera, the area close to the family home of the Groom’s father.

Matt and Rae met through mutual friends and live in Hong Kong in an area of the territory known for its coastal location and green surroundings around its cityscape. They were keen to work with a wedding planner in Greece with expert local knowledge as they would be planning all the details of their August wedding from afar due to both of their hectic work schedules.

After understanding their vision, I proposed several locations around the area and they decided on a hotel venue with a garden overlooking the sea near Sivota Thesprotias for their wedding day.

Make up artist applying lipstick to Chinese bride

Rae’s wedding villa in Sivota, was a buzz of excitement starting with the traditional Chinese tea ceremony. This was held privately and the couple served tea to the elders and received well wishes and gifts, welcoming Matt to the family. Once the Groom had departed for his family home, the bridal preparations began and we caught up with Rae as she revealed her stunning Rosa Clara bridal gown with a full skirt which she paired with a delicate Swarovski diamond pendant and earrings.

Chinese bride in wedding dress at Greek stone villa

The focal point of the celebration was the full floral wedding arch; an abundance of pink hydrangeas, roses and soft peach anthurium flowers by floral designer, Tasos Korfiatis from the Lefkas Weddings team. On the dinner tables, geometric wooden centrepieces were filled with more pastel flowers and surrounded by candles. For each guest, the place setting had personalised stationery and a sprig of eucalyptus tied with ribbon.

Rae’s hand-tied bridal bouquet was created using the same pastel roses and peonies plus fragrant eucalyptus and delicate strands of astilbe.

Pastel floral wedding decoration at Greek wedding

Garden wedding ceremony set up with arch in Sivota Greece

Full floral wedding arch with greenery and pastel flowers

Groom lifting bride's veil at wedding ceremony in Greece

bridal couple in front of floral arch in a garden by the sea in Greece

I understood that this unique American / Chinese couple needed a little something extra to the classic civil marriage ceremony, therefore I recommended Celebrant Helen Astarte to work with Matt and Rae. She created a ceremony that reflected both their heritages and featured emotional speeches from both sides of the family. The couple were particularly keen to incorporate the Greek Stefana (wedding crowns) for Matt’s family into the ceremony.

Greek wedding crowns being placed on heads of bridal couple

American Chinese couple at garden wedding ceremony in greece

Bride and groom holding hands at ceremony

Confetti showering couple in garden wedding ceremony in Greece

After their ceremony, the couple had their portraits taken on the beach of the hotel, making the most of the sunset light, before rejoining their wedding guests at Plataria Seaside Resort for dinner and dancing into the early hours of the morning.

Geometric wooden table centrepeices with pastel flowers

American groom and chinese bride on beach in Greece

bride and groom standing on beach in Greece with mountain backdrop

Do you love the idea of planning a romantic garden wedding 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:

Event Planning: Claire at Lefkas Weddings
Photography: George Bozouris Photography
Florist: Gourioti Flowers
Venue: Plataria Seaside Resort
DJ Event Sound: Ktistis Sound
MUA: Valentina Tsoumani
Hair: Papaya Hair Salon

5 ways to use peonies for your destination wedding

12/01/202003/05/2020

Peach peony and eucalyptus bride bouquet

If you love peonies as much as I do, here is some inspiration on how to use peonies for your destination wedding in the Greek islands.

Peonies are loved by brides the world over, with pretty ruffles and large, full heads that make a perfect feature flower for any bouquet or table arrangement. Their colours range from white through to pastel pink, to burgundy and coral, making them a truly feminine bloom.

white peony, olive and lavender bouquet with peach peony and eucalyptus bouquet

Revered since ancient times, the peony gets its name from a Greek myth in which Paeon, physician to the gods, angered his teacher Asclepius, the god of medicine and healing. When Asclepius threatened to kill Paeon out of jealousy, Zeus saved him by changing him into the lovely flower we know today as the peony.

1. Peony bride bouquets

Peonies are delicate and romantic-looking which makes them the perfect flower choice for any destination bridal bouquet. In the warm Greek sunshine they open fully into big, ruffled flowers that look beautiful in both traditional or hand tied bouquet styles.

If you are after a more traditional look, peonies are ideal for a classic posy style bouquet. Either as a bouquet of full, white or pale pink peony blooms or with accents of your favourite bloom for a more personal touch.

For Evaggelia, we blended white peonies with lavender and marguerite daisies.

White peony, daisy and lavender bride bouquet

Mixing the peonies with other summer wedding flowers is a great way to add more scent and colour to your bouquet – as proven by Lisa’s beautiful rose and peony bouquet

Pink peony, white rose and eucalyptus bride bouquet

Adding a couple of peonies to a simple bouquet and will instantly make it romantic. Here we mixed blush pink peonies with Protea flower to Ellie’s elopement bouquet and white peonies with succulents for Nina’s beach wedding bouquet.

Bride bouquet with pink peony and proteia flower and white peony and succulent bride bouquet

Georgina choose white peony and olive bouquets for her bridesmaids at their destination wedding in Parga.

2. In the small details

Use peonies for your destination wedding as buttonholes or as equisite, natural hair decoration for the bride and bridesmaids. See more details of Ellie & Jesse’s elopment here

Pink peony buttonhole and pink peony bride hair decoration

3. Your ceremony decor

Here we added peonies in the flower decoration on our wedding ceremony arches. They look stunning against the backdrop of the blue Ionian sea – don’t you agree!

Peach peony and white rose wedding arch flowers

Fuschia pink and pale pink wedding arch flowers

Close up of pastel coloured peonies and rosesflowers on top of a wedding arch

4. On the tables

The peony’s versatility and symbolism make it a favourite choice for any centrepiece. At Jo and Richard’s intimate, vintage styled, wedding at Seaside Restaurant in Lefkada the table was dressed with mismatched china and glassware to display the pastel coloured peonies. Read more about this day on Chic & Stylish Weddings

Pastel pink and peach peony wedding flower decoration

5. As a finishing touch!

In Greece, the cakes are usually decorated with gorgeous real blooms, turning your wedding cake into a romantic floral masterpiece.

Naked style two tier wedding cakes with peony flower decoration

Wedding Planner Tip: As peonies have a large head, you don’t need as many to fill a whole bouquet. Instead to reduce costs a little, go for the natural and wild look by adding a little extra foliage in to the mix. Or consider the minimalist look, with just one or two peonies for your bouquet.

Images by: Lefteris Kalampokas, Maxeen Kim Photography & Protography

Resources: The Secret Language of Flowers Interflora

Beach Elopement Inspiration with Lefkada Embroidery

29/11/201929/11/2019

Beach wedding arch and table on the sand decorated with white and green flowers

This Lefkada beach elopement inspiration features a floral fantasy of white hydrangeas, island greenery, and endless romance!

All that was needed to add a touch of Ionian style to this elopement shoot were some unique details. Inspired by a tablecloth embroidered with the Lefkada stitch called Karsaniko, loaned to me by Christina at Gourioti Flowers, I sourced some hand-made jewellery created from peices of the same style and set to work!

Close up of white hydranges and roses on beach wedding arch in Lefkada

The floral arch for this beach elopement inspiration was created by my florist partners, Tasos and his mother, Christina. The base was long, feather like leaves of Greek eucalyptus studded with white hydrangeas, roses and chrysanthemums. We opted for a half moon style of wedding arch, to allow the brilliant, blue Ionian sea to be our backdrop to the initmate ceremony setting.

white and green half moon ceremony arch on the sand by the sea in Lefkas

Close up of white hydrangea and eucalyptus wedding arch flowers

Elopement ceremony table on the sand at Agios Nikitas in Lefkada

A tiny pop of yellow was added to the bouquet and table centrepeice with delicate marguerite daisies.

In the bouquet, I wanted to incorporate the silvery, green leaves of Dusty Miller. If you take a walk along the coast near Agios Nikitas, you can often find this growing wild, as it likes the west coast climate.

white yellow and green bride bouquet by greek door

white and yellow daisy buttonhole and groom holding crystal dish with sand and wedding rings inside

The tablewear had a touch of gold to bring out the colour of the Lefkada embroidery on the tablecloth. Paired with crystal flutes and candlesticks and a display of crisp, sweet merringues from the patisserie.

Landscape image of beach elopement tablescape in white and gold set for two people

Lefkada embroidery tablecloth with vase of white and green flowers

Beach elopement tablescape with white and gold flatware

Crystal candlesticks and glassware on embroidered tablecloth on beach in Lefkada

Whilst you do not need all the elements of a standard stationery set for a destination elopement, you can still have pretty details, such as an announcement note and vow cards for your ceremony.

To illustrate our stationery, the geometric design of this famous stitch was copied on to pale lemon card and paired with a grey envelope.

Close up of vow card and Lefkada Karsaniko embroidery on a white tablecloth

Flatlay of beach elopement stationery on the sand

beach elopment inspiration stationery close up

The west coast of Lefkada is perfect for a destination beach elopement. I chose Agios Nikitas, a traditional village which has a smooth, paved pedestrian street winding down to the white, stone beach. You wind your way past white-washed houses with wooden shutters and gardens bursting with flowers: all adding to the romance of the setting.

Beach wedding decoration at Agios Nikitas Lefkada

Do you love this shoot’s unique take on a beach elopement? Then keep an eye on my blog for more inspiration soon!

Thank you to everyone who helped with this beach elopement inspiration at Agios Nikitas:

Planned and styled by Claire at Lefkas Weddings
Photography: Maxeen Kim Photography
Floral design: Gourioti Flowers
Sweet Treats: Patisserie Il Sapore
Hand-made jewelley: Paradise Gifts, Lefkada