Tag Archives: Meganisi Wedding

Emotional Grey & Olive Vow Renewal – Emma & Matt

Couple kissing on beach, bride is holding a bouquet of olive leaves

A Greek island escape was the perfect setting for Emma & Matt’s emotional vow renewal with grey and olive details on a secluded Meganisi beach.

We felt incredibly blessed, happy and loved every minute of it; it really was an unforgettable evening!

Table on pebble beach draped with fabric and decorated with baskets of olive
Couple walking down steps to the beach

Emma and Matt have been married for 17 years and have a daughter together. Following Matt’s diganosis earlier in the year they planned a family holiday in Lefkas, and looked forward to the summer.

Matt’s illness taught us as a family a number of valuable life lessons to truly realise what is important and precious to us; to make every day count and to live our best life.  From this day on we chose to live by this to get us through what had become our new life in fighting this terrible disease.

Having had the most perfect wedding day we didn’t want to recreate another similar day and hadn’t planned on a vow renewal until we stumbled across Claire’s website.  The elegance and simplicity of each event she has created, the very personal touches and of course the stunningly beautiful choice of locations made us think we could have a different type of ceremony.  We instantly knew this was a perfect opportunity to celebrate our lives together, something really special and unique with the wow factor. 

olive stefana wedding crowns and baskets of olive on the beach
olive buttonhole close up

Inspired by a beach elopement, we chose to take a boat from Lefkas to the neighbouring island of Meganisi. A hidden and secluded bay, surrounded by pine and olive trees, was the backdrop for our special moment to renew our vows at the waters’ edge.

couple holding hands on beach with olive bouquet
couple and daughter reading vows at vow renewal ceremony
bride reading vow and reaction of groom smiling

Writing a vow renewal ceremony is an enjoyable task as it is heart warming to hear why couples love each other and how their relationships have grown. I ask them to write a few personal words about what they mean to each other and encourage the whole family to be part of the ceremony.

Emma told me; It really made us think about our life together, reflect on each other’s qualities, what we truly value in each other, our relationship and remind ourselves why we fell in love in the first place.

daughter doing reading to parents at beach vow renewal ceremony
parents and daughter with hands joined at vow renewal ceremony
girl with olive wrist corsage holding olive wedding crowns
daughter placing olive wedding crowns on heads of her parents
family vow renewal reaction laughing and hugging

The details

Inspired by Emma’s Jenny Packham gown with silver beading, the decor mood of their vow renewal was grey with olive details. Soft fabrics and tones of the dresses and decor, brought out the lush green of the olive bouquet and floral details. It was all design to blend wonderfully with the natural enviroment of the beach.

couple kissing on Meganisi beach with olive bouquet
couple sat on rocks on Meganisi beach with champagne glasses
close up of bride with silver dress holding an olive bouquet
close up of beading on bride dress
close up of bride holding olive bouquet with trailing ribbons

A note from Emma & Matt…

Our wedding day back in 2002 was a day to celebrate our marriage with our family and friends.  Our beach vow renewal was an intimate event with our daughter; just the three of us.  Sharing the photos with family and friends afterwards, we were touched by other people’s reactions, views on ‘How amazing it looked’, ‘Wow’,’So so special’, ‘What a beautiful thing to do’, ‘How did I plan all the little details in a matter of weeks?’ Well, this was all down to the talent, creativity of Claire at Lefkas weddings in truly creating a dream come true for us.

My biggest congratulations on this next chapter of your love story, Emma & Matt!

Do you love the idea of planning a vow renewal but not sure where to start? Contact me to discuss how we can plan it together.

The Wedding Team:

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.

Chic Island Elopement on Meganisi – Sally & Chris

If you love the idea of having a romantic island elopement on the beach, then you are going to love this ceremony captured for Lefkas Weddings by Two Clicks Photography.

For Sally and Chris, the idea of being married on the beach coupled with a relaxing holiday and honeymoon in a luxury villa on Meganisi, the Ionian’s secret island escape sounded perfect.

Bride shoes at Greek villa and close up of rings on wedding card with writing
Bride in white jumpsuit putting on bracelet and earrings at villa in Meganisi

“We opted for a first look at our villa which overlooked Ambelaki bay. Chris was waiting for me in the villa gardens and it was a lovely moment to start the evening!

Groom waiting expectantly smiling to see Bride for first look at elopment in Meganisi
First look of Groom seeing Bride at villa before elopement cerermony in Meganisi
Bride pinning white buttonhole to Groom shirt at elopement in Meganisi
Bride and Groom walking hand in hand on path lined with olive trees and stone wall

For a non-traditional wedding one needs a non-traditional gown and Sally was on trend for 2018 with her chic Liberty of London jumpsuit. I personally love that the Alice McCall style she chose was called “At Last”, a fitting choice for any wedding outfit.

“As we were eloping and getting married on a beach I didn’t want to wear a traditional wedding dress. I also wanted to be able to wear my outfit again, so I felt the white jumpsuit with beautiful floral embroidery was perfect.” Bride, Sally

Close up of bride bouquet next to Greek window and Bride and Groom walking hand in hand in village street
Bride and Groom hand in hand descending steps to beach elopement ceremony
Close up of embroidery on Bride jumpsuit with bouquet in Meganisi Greece

Floral designer, Tasos created a wild flower bouquet which picked out the colours of the embroidery on Sally’s jumpsuit, he included seasonal blooms and flowers like Limonium and Dusty Miller which you can find growing wild on the island’s beaches if you know where to look. These touches were important to the bride as she wanted to incorporate flowers from the local area.

Greenery and bright flower circle wreath garland on the beach by the sea in Meganisi
Close up of ring boxes and white table with champagne on beach in Meganisi Greece
Bride and Groom exchanging rings at beach elopment in Meganisi Greece

They asked me for a private location and I was confident that I found them the ideal little spot at Pasoumaki! It had a pretty entrance for the couple down steps through olive trees which lead them to the beach and their ceremony ring of colourful flowers. Their backdrop to “I Do” was the Ionian Sea and the sunset falling over the islands of Skorpios and Lefkada in the distance.

Close up of Bride in white jumpsuit at beach elopement in Meganisi Greece
Close up of Bride and Groom holding hands at beach elopment Meganisi Greece
Bride and Groom embracing inside beach elopement flower circle in Meganisi
Bride and Groom toasting with champagne glasses at elopement in Meganisi
Bride and Groom hand in hand on beach in Meganisi with champagne glasses
Bride and Groom close up hugging at beach elopement in Meganisi
Close up of bride with bouquet standing in flower circle on beach in Meganisi
Bride and Groom standing in front of green Greek village door in Meganisi

We stopped in Vathy village for a stroll amongst the traditional houses to soak up some of the Greek atmosphere”

To end a perfect evening they dined at Tilevoes in Vathy with a table for two by the waters-edge.

Intimate moment of Bride and Groom after first look in Meganisi Greece

A few words from Sally & Chris: “I have always loved visiting Greece and I have had lots of special holidays there with my family and with Chris. Claire was amazing with helping us get married in Greece. She is so organised, professional, friendly and very good when our plans altered at the last minute. She did this all calmly and found our amazing photographer; Lefteris from Two Clicks. We could relax and enjoy exploring Meganisi with no worries! Thank you, Claire x”

If you are considering your own intimate island elopement 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:

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.