Getting Married in Santorini, Greece

A dreamy wedding hideaway. Santorini in the Cyclades has always been an absolute favourite for overseas couples who want to celebrate in an amazing setting. The island offers its own comprehensive wedding directory: exquisite beach sites, luxurious hotels, boutique guest houses, chapels and breathtaking views over a volcano make Santorini one of the most sought after wedding and honeymoon locations in Greece.

Start dreaming about your nuptials, chose your bridal gown and costume, and don’t worry about a thing. Here you will find detailed answers to your questions.

What kind of wedding ceremonies take place on Santorini?

Civil ceremonies are held in almost any location you choose. Greek Orthodox ceremonies take place in Cathedrals and chapels; Catholic ones at the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist in the town of Firá, and Jewish weddings can be conducted as well as a rabbi is also available. If you are already married but want to relive the romantic atmosphere of your marriage ceremony, our wedding planners can also create the perfect setting for you to renew your wedding vows. Due to the fact that couples come from all over the world, civil weddings are bilingual, in Greek and English. When necessary, interpreters for other languages as well as sign language interpreters are available.

Santorini chapel dome

So, which are these locations we have been talking about?
The island of Santorini loves weddings and many sites are geared up to ensuring that all that is required of you is to arrive and enjoy the big day. Restaurants and hotels with sprawling patios, and beachside tavernas host fabulous weddings, wedding meals, and receptions, which you can ride to on one of the island’s resident donkeys. For a smaller, more intimate affair, there’s no better place to celebrate than at one of the small hotels set along the rim of the Caldera. Here, couples can marry on one of the several terraces or inside a vaulted cave with the sunset, the volcano, the sea and the surrounding islets as a backdrop. On Santorini you can even choose to tie the knot at remote locations, away from the confines of a banqueting hall: volcanic beaches, vineyards, or even boats provide the ideal scenery for those who wish to put their own, distinctive signature on their nuptial ceremony. If you want to carry on celebrating after the event you can dance the night away at one of the island’s clubs.

Breathtaking views of Caldera, Santorini sunset

But “excellence is in the details”, as the saying goes.
For your wedding bouquet and the groom's buttonhole choose from a selection of local flowers. (Some tips: try an exuberantly colourful floral arrangement of stargazer lilies and red roses; colourful Euphorbia flowers, yellow roses, lilium pink and blue liatris, etc.). Your wedding coordinators will cater for the reception menu, as well as the cake. The ring: purchase it from one of the island’s jewellery stores. For your reception ceremony, different kinds of live bands are available for your dream wedding party.

Donkey Wedding in Santorini

How can I please my guests and family?
Use hotels to house all of your guests. People here will go out of their way to help you with wedding preparations and offer a warm hospitable welcome to guests. Days will be filled with seaside activities, exploring the island, or just lazing on a sun lounger. If you are more interested in exploring Santorini’s archaeological sites, you will find our itinerary extremely helpful.

Legal information

There are a number of legal requirements and any couples intending to marry on Santorini must have the right documents before leaving their own country. Due to the fact that the documents required vary significantly according to the country of origin, contact the on-site wedding planners, who will help you throughout the whole process of preparing for the event.

Santorini Wedding chupel

Who can help me with the arrangements?
Your wedding coordinator can work with you to offer comprehensive, tailor-made wedding packages to fit any budget. Our on-site experienced planners can help you with: all legal arrangements for your wedding, booking for the officiant/venue/priest/church, recommendations about locations, live Internet video broadcasting so relatives and friends can watch the event as it happens, videoconferencing, flowers and decorations, wedding dinner, reception, cakes, menus, catering, live music, professional dancers, fireworks, professional photographer and videographer, beauty care, accommodation arrangements for you and your guests, ground transportation, excursions and tours; we can even arrange for the bride to travel to the church on the back of a donkey. So, all you have to worry about is booking your wedding date as soon as possible!

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Location, Location, Location

You have the ring; you have set the date; now the task ahead is finding a venue that will accommodate your vision.

There are several aspects that you must take into consideration when deciding on your venue. First, what does the venue say about you and your beloved? Does it suit both your personalities? Can it accommodate your guests? Does the décor work with your theme, if you have one?

With so many locations to choose from, how do you go about choosing one? To begin, you both should visit each of your possible sites. Call for an appointment with each location’s manager, and take some time to outline your questions and concerns.

You also need to pay attention to the size of the location to make sure it can accommodate your entire guest list. If possible, you will want to see the location while there is another wedding going on; the space may look large when it is empty, but how does it look when it’s filled with tables, chairs, the band’s set-up, DJ equipment, and people?

It’s also important that you address the following questions and issues when searching for your wedding site:

• Parking/Transportation: Is the space accessible to public transportation? What is the parking situation? Is there a valet? Make sure the location is safe for all your guests to get to and from their cars.

• Event Planning: Will the site provide you with an event coordinator for your wedding day?

• Photography: Is there a location on the grounds to take photographs? If it is an indoor location, how is the lighting? How will your photos look?

• Package Price: What does the site-rental fee include? Catering, cake, décor, etc.? Schedule a meeting with the chef and pastry chef to discuss your menu. Make sure the décor suits you, your personality, and your theme. Find out if you can coordinate table settings, colors, and accessories.

• Backup Plan: If you have decided to have your wedding outdoors, does the location you’re considering have a backup site to accommodate you if there is a change of weather? Will you need to rent a tent from an outside vendor, or will your site take care of it?

• Payment: What are the payment arrangements? What is required once you decide to commit?

• Getting In: How far in advance of the wedding will you have access to the premises?

• Narrowing It Down: If possible, take photos of each location you visit, as well as obtain a promotional package for each.

Sit down with the photos and promotional materials and outline the pros and cons of each location you both “love” before signing any agreements. Comparing all the possibilities will enable you to rule out unsuitable choices, narrow down the list, and ultimately find the site that’s right for you. Note that it may take several visits to the “finalists” before you decide on and book your site. And remember, venues are generally booked nine months to one year in advance, so you don’t want to put your search off for too long.

Happy Hunting!

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Beach wedding cake topper

Santorini Wedding cake topper!!! found here

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