Friday, February 15, 2013

Destination Wedding in Greece

Words by Alicia Clark
Photos courtesy of Anna Roussos

The process of bringing two people together in marriage is often times lost in the chaos of planning a wedding. What flowers to get, how many groomsmen/bridesmaids, what kind of décor? The list of things to do can go on for miles. Some couples want to strip away all of this excess and focus on the thing that’s most important, the two of them. This was the case for Scott and Michelle, who initially wanted to elope, but in the end had 4 guests attend their wedding in Greece on the gorgeous island of Santorini. For Scott and Michelle, less really was more.

“We really wanted to have a wedding that was about us and our commitment and love for each other,” the bride Michelle said. By having a small wedding with a limited number of guests, Michelle and Scott were able to indulge themselves when it came to selecting their venue, music and catering. The couple also pointed out that they did not have to factor extra cash into a honeymoon location seeing as the honeymoon and wedding were both in the same place.

One of the most important things Michelle and Scott learned was the value of a trustworthy wedding planner. “I would recommend to any couple planning a destination wedding to research reputable wedding planners in the area and enlist their help – don’t do it alone.” The one bump in the road the couple faced came in the form of a whooping tax placed on some of the attire they had shipped to Greece before the wedding. “We spent some time in Italy before hopping over to Santorini for the wedding, so we didn’t want to carry around a wedding dress, suit, shoes, etc.” Looking to avoid this complication, Michelle and Scott had these items FedEx’d a few weeks in advance. Unfortunately, their attempt to circumvent problems ended up turning into a major hurdle.

“The package ended up getting stuck in customs in Athens and we were asked to pay an import tax of $1,000 (on top of the $400 to ship the dress to Santorini).” Scott and Michelle have nothing but gratitude for their Greek wedding planners who were willing to go the extra mile to help the couple out of this bind. Michelle and Scott encourage other destination couples to research any surprise taxes they may encounter when travelling.

When it comes time for your destination wedding, take a page out of Scott and Michelle’s book. Whether you are having a massive hometown wedding or a small destination wedding, don’t let your love for your soon to be husband or wife get lost in all the stress of planning a marriage.

Vendors: Photography: Anna Roussos, Wedding Planner: Stella and Moscha, Ceremony/Reception site: Grace Hotel, Hair and Makeup: Helen Savva, Gown Designer: J. Crew, Groom’s Clothing Designer: Hugo Boss