How to Plan a Destination Wedding in Greece?
Blazing sunshine, gorgeous islands nestled between the Agean and Ionian Sea, delicious food, friendly people and a slow and peaceful pace of life make Greece one of the most romantic and enjoyable places to have a destination wedding. Also you’ll spoilt for choice with amazing wedding venues.
But with a treasure trove of locations to visit and a thousand places to fall in love with and spend your special day, how do you even begin to tackle the task of planning a destination wedding in Greece?
We’re here to help you with every step of planning a destination wedding in Greece and all the things you’ll need to consider so you can plan and then look forward to the day of a lifetime!
When is the best time to get married in Greece?
Firstly, it’s a good idea to start planning well in advance - wedding venues in Santorini, one of Greece’s most popular destinations, can get booked up to three years in advance so it’s good to get ahead of the game.
Wedding season in Greece runs from May to October, with a huge guarantee of good weather during these months which gives you really good scope for planning your wedding. The time of day for your wedding is also important, late afternoon ceremonies are perfect as the heat of the sun won’t be too strong and you’ll be in prime spot for that golden hour glow. Remember to pack your SPF.
If you choose to go in either May and June or September and October you’ll probably be able to save some extra pennies as prices in hotels and restaurants tend to be cheaper, it’s out of school holidays so if you’re conscious of your budget then these months could be perfect. So have a think about when you’d like to set the date and when might suit your wedding guests!
Best spots for a wedding in Greece
Probably the most difficult (but most enjoyable) part of destination wedding planning is picking the right region of Greece, and then choosing from a range of wedding venues across Greece is no small feat. Picking the region in Greece you want to get married is the first step in planning as once you’ve got this decided you can start researching for venues that are within your budget. Here’s a breakdown of some of most popular regions of Greece:
Athens: You’ll find culture, style, history and grandeur in Athens. If you dream of a luxurious wedding that involves a lot of culture and exploring then Athens is the perfect place with its various hidden gems to grande venues. If you’re a lover of landmarks, search for elevated hotels so that you can get married with a view of the Acropolis in the back of your wedding shots.
Corfu: As Corfu is a popular wedding destination, it means there are a whole host of amazing wedding suppliers, so if you’re all about getting every little last detail exactly how you want this could be the perfect location. Complete with gorgeous beaches, luxury hotels and a bunch of private villas to tie the knot you’ll have a memorable wedding to remember.
Crete: Can’t decide what kind of backdrop you want for your wedding? Well, Crete has it all. From mountains towering beside the ocean to vineyards and beaches there are endless wedding destinations to choose from. It’s also home to historic cities full of character and charm that look picture perfect glistening in the ocean's reflection at night.
Mykonos: If you want your wedding to go well into the hours of the AM then make sure you jet off to Mykonos and celebrate the wedding for as long as you possibly can. Mykonos is Greece’s Ibiza. You can all recover in the next coming days by soaking up some rays on one of the island's 25 beautiful beaches and taking in the luxury atmosphere.
Paros: Paros is beautiful, attracting the likes of artists and creatives and of course, celebrities. It feels like a different world with beautiful harbours, white washed villages, charming establishments and sandy beaches with crystal clear waters.
Rhodes: Rhodes has some beautiful spots to have your Greek wedding from springs surrounded by striking architecture to chapels full of character. You’re also spoilt for choice for reception venues with cocktail venues and tavernas galore. If you’re a lover of nature and beauty there’s even some UNESCO world heritage sites to visit.
Santorini: Hands down the most popular place for weddings, Santorini is the textbook definition of a traditional greek wedding. The views are unparalleled and the atmosphere is incredibly romantic.
Booking a pre-wedding trip
Need an excuse to book a pre-wedding trip? Why not take a chance to explore all the potential venues, hotels for guests and maybe squeeze in some trial runs with hair and makeup artists on the island. Preparation is everything, if not second to communication so if you can’t visit before make sure you communicate your vision to all your vendors and creatives!
The legalities of getting married in Greece
There are a couple of documents and details you need to organise to prove your identity, where you currently live and that you are able to marry. Here is what you both need for a civil wedding ceremony in Santorini:
Passports (Plus photocopies)
Birth certificates
A photocopy of your witnesses passports
Name change deed poll certificate
A sworn affidavit from a solicitor
Certificate of No impediment
Divorce or death certificates if needed
Religious weddings require all of the above, as well as:
Certificates of no previous marriage certified by your home country
Family status certificate from local registry
Baptism registration certificate
If one of the party is not baptised a public notary to state children will be baptised as christian is required
Family status certificate for the best man, who must also have had a religious wedding
All the above documents will need to be translated via the Greek Embassy of your country or via a lawyer in your chosen area. They will also need Apostle Stamps which acts as an authenticator of your documents for use abroad and these documents cannot be older than 3 months from the day of your wedding date. But once you have these documents ready you’re good to go, so best organise them sooner rather than later!
Many couples choose to get married at home prior to their destination wedding and then have a symbolic wedding in Greece as it takes away the pressure and stress of paperwork and lets them focus on exchanging vows and celebrating with their loved ones. Same sex couples are also welcomed to have symbolic ceremonies in Greece!
Set A Budget for your Wedding
You and your partner will know how much you want to spend on a wedding and what you can afford so make sure you agree on a budget or a range and try and stick to it. Consider these elements:
Venue: This is the element that will eat up the most of your budget but you need to make sure the venue is perfect for you and your partner! Do you want a wedding overlooking the sea high in the cliffs, a villa wedding or a beach wedding with a buffet and BBQ? You’ll not get to repeat it, so pick somewhere you both love and check whether catering is included with the venue or if you need to pick a catering company for your venue. Note that with beach weddings, many beaches are privately owned, so search for a venue with exclusive beach use.
Catering: Food food food! Will you be trying the traditional Grecian delicacies? It’s highly recommended. Many catering companies in Greece offer traditional Greek and Mediterranean menus so that your guests have a good range of choice. Research a range of catering companies you could use and their menus.
Lighting & Decoration: Decoration is so important and can really elevate your ceremony. What kind of atmosphere do you want to create, make a list of all the things you’d like and make sure someone can provide it for you or you have a case spare to fly everything over. Decoration is sometimes included in the venue hire so please check this when booking.
Music & Entertainment: What vibe of music do you want to go for? A traditional Greek band, an orchestra or are you happy with a DJ?! Consider the cost of hire, travel and extra vans for equipment in your budget.
Photography: This will be one of most important aspects of the day as after all the planning, prep and hard work that goes into planning a destination wedding in Greece you’ll want to be able to look back at all the amazing memories for years to come and fill photo albums full of memories.
Make sure you pick a wedding photographer and videographer that fits the style of film you want and captures the atmosphere of your wedding well. Why not take a look at some of the weddings we’ve captured along the way. We love capturing adventurous couples and what’s more adventurous than jetting off to the islands of Greece to be married!
Hair & Makeup: Decide if you want to do your hair and makeup yourself or have a hair and makeup artist from home to fly out with you to do your styling on the day, if so will you pay for their flights and accommodation or split the cost? Or will you have a local vendor? Whatever you pick, make sure if you’re choosing a vendor you research and communicate everything you want beforehand so you’re prepared.
Travel Costs: Flights, transfers, taxis and then any other travel costs need to be accounted for in your budget. Remember sneaky things like extra suitcases for all the wedding attire and equipment depending on how much you’re bringing. Make sure you discuss any travel arrangements with everyone.
Who will be on your guest-list?
Write down exactly who you and your partner want at your wedding in your notebook so you can gauge how many people might potentially attend. Destination weddings usually tend to have a smaller number of guests so you might need to be selective with who you invite or you might still want to fill a plane full of people!
Destination weddings are like a mini holiday for everyone and guests will most likely make a big trip out of it so once you have decided on the venue and your guest list then you can write your save the date invitations. Include the exact location and venue, a description of the area, hotels and apartments that are nearby to suit a range of budgets and how much taxis and flights will roughly cost so guests can decide if they will attend or not.
Final notes…
Fly out a couple of days before your wedding and your guests so you have time to go over all the final arrangements, visit the venue to clarify everything and have some fun and spend quality time together before you take that first step into married life. It’s not too soon to be thinking about honeymoons either, why not have a honeymoon in Greece visiting all the other regions and enjoying the first few weeks of being married!