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We’re always head over heels for a destination wedding in Greece, yet this wedding in Andros took our breaths away. The inspiration behind this elopement was the authentic greek personality of a traditional wedding in Greece, with nods to elements of the past like crochet finished fabrics, the warmth of raw leather, and effortless florals just picked from the garden. After all, we get inspired by the unique wedding touches of our country in pretty much all the wedding designs, whether large or tiny and intimate. In the Eventions office, bridging the old and the new always gets us very excited.

Why choose Andros for a wedding in Greece?

Andros is one of the lesser-known Cyclades islands full of adventure, activities, and epicurean delights, and traveling there with the amazing Jacobo Pachon for the most romantic elopement resulted in the most beautiful photographs we’ve seen.  Andros offers the slower pace and potential for serendipity that many busier destinations have gradually lost, making this destination a very romantic one for couples that want to get married in Greece.

Andros is a big island—the second largest in the Cyclades after Naxos—composed of mountains and valleys, natural springs, pristine coves, hidden waterfalls, villages, and monasteries. It’s two hours from Rafina port in Athens, a short distance from Tinos, and on the way to Mykonos. Andros’s history as a maritime center, combined with the island’s fortified villages, has drastically deterred development, especially through mass tourism. But with a little research, this underrated island begins to reveal itself as both mysterious and enchanting – unexplored heaven waiting to be discovered by those who seek authentic greek tranquility and the couples that feel like Greece is a lost paradise.

An ideal wedding destination in Greece

Being the twenty-first-century escapists we are, we were thrilled to discover Mèlisses. We are always on the hunt for new and exciting places to explore in Greece, that’s how we stumbled across the guesthouse painterly situated above the ancient underwater ruins of Palaeopolis. Its stone buildings are designed to fade into the hillside, and two saltwater pools melt into the horizon every evening when the sun is setting. There we met the lovely Allegra Pomilio, the kindest and most accommodating hostess with plenty of stories to share about the island. Melisses was perfect for the elopement we were planning – tiny enough to be charming and full of a buzzing personality! For the couples that want a quieter and more intimate wedding with just a couple of friends and family, it doesn’t get better than Melisses as a wedding venue.

 

 Like islanders

When getting married on a Greek island, soaking up as much of the atmosphere as possible is essential to the experience. A lovely “volta” in the Chora was the perfect prewedding activity for Sophie and George who wandered around the marble streets with Jacobo to capture some portraits and see the sights. Chora defies the usual Cycladic ideal of cubist minimalistic architecture and cobbled streets that’s apparent in islands like Santorini, Mykonos, and Paros. Reminiscent of the time that Andros was one of the richest islands in Greece at the beginning of the 19th century, the roads are paved with grey marble and lined with neoclassical mansions with decorative details picked up in Venice, Marseille, and Odessa. A colossal bronze statue of a sailor by local artist Michalis Tombros quietly watches the waves crashing against the ruins of a Venetian castle, built in 1207 and almost destroyed by German bombs in World War II. Unlike the rest of the parched archipelago, Andros has plentiful springs and streams, waterfalls, and wetlands.

 

 An effortless, just-picked kind of wedding

We’re usually drawn to wedding designs that are effortless, natural, and have a just-grown feeling and freshness, especially to everything that has to do with florals. Wedding flowers are an integral part of wedding themes. Maria from Fillo Flower Design created a stunning setting for the wedding ceremony and dinner! All florals could be found around the island and they highlighted the youthful atmosphere of an elopement in the summer. Freshly cut greenery, little white blooms, and an abundance of seasonal herbs made the atmosphere fragrant and lovely, and most of the floral design was almost blooming naturally, shaping the ceremony setting and dessert table for the few guests. The bridal bouquet was an ode to natural minimalism with delicate flowers and greenery effortlessly bound together.

Giving brides a quick little tip, here’s the thought process we use each time; from season to wedding colors, to wedding bouquets, to the wedding venue itself — each element should form a cohesive unit in order to represent each couple. For a wedding in Greece, this means freshness and beauty.

 

Sartorial details and a breathtaking wedding ceremony

Every detail was curated to celebrate the greek personality and the unique character of a wedding in Greece. The wedding dress by Nidodileda was inspired by the traditional wedding dresses of Ioannina town in Greece, a destination with long and unique sartorial history, perfect for the modern bohemian, free-spirited, and feminine bride. The dress was paired with timelessly elegant leather sandals crafted from the amazing artist in Mythologia Sandals in Greece, a must-have for summer nights as they are comfortable enough to allow endless wandering in the narrow streets of the Chora and feminine enough to be a wedding shoe choice. The same effortlessly sophisticated vibe went for the groom as well, choosing a flowy ensemble out of linen, perfect for the hot summer days and catching the breeze.

 


We were thrilled for the ceremony setting that encompassed what summer feels like in the Aegean. The ceremony was held among perfectly white and sage-scented cotton sheets, reminding us of fresh laundry in the garden. Among the lavender, olive trees, and Mediterranean herbs Sophie and George said their vows for honoring and loving each other while endlessly exploring the world. A glorious setting sun illuminated the scene perfectly, like a painting, while the breeze moved the sheets creating perfect little ruffles.

A feast for friends, a celebration of family

For the handful of friends joining them, we created a beautiful table for Pomillio’s famous feasts. Allegra is this magnetic wonderwoman, a photographer, a food stylist, an amazing cook that created a dinner inspired by granny-approved courses, oozing with Greek charm. For such a dinner, we wanted to create an atmosphere that celebrated coming together and sharing a moment, a soul-filling gathering for friends. We set the table in eclectic ceramics and unique bone-colored handmade plates from our favorite ceramist and dear friend Lava Toy. Maria’s garden florals gave the prettiest dimension to the setting and the table was complete with fresh fruit and local produce, candles, and the most unique wedding favors. We love small artisan brands, and we paid homage to their creativity and endless inspiration with handmade soaps by Alchemia as wedding favors for the guests, and natural beeswax candles to honor the name “Melisses” which means honey bees in Greek.

A different wedding dessert table

When it comes to greeting guests, we believe in the power dessert tables have as a place of gathering. For a destination wedding in Greece, we love incorporating into the design sweets and traditional delights from the destination we’re exploring on each wedding day. When in Andros that means traditional amygdalota (amazing sugar-coated almond treats like cookies) with rose water, and traditional spoon sweet with seasonal fruit of the island. Also, we figured gifting guests with various dried flowers and herbs to use as wardrobe refreshers. Lavender, sage, and chamomile are so lovely and make clothes smell so delicately! This setting was truly magical, in complete tandem with the garden and so lovely!

Honoring the sea and the sky of the Mediterranean

Waking up to the sound of the waves in the background is so calming and to us, the perfect honeymoon morning. Taking a long morning in, waking up, and heading to the beach with a beautifully curated brunch is the Mediterranean way of celebrating the start of a marriage. A dip in the crystal waters, sunbathing till everything fades in the background, and kissing in the sunshine is the perfect honeymoon morning ritual in our books, especially when the surroundings are that beautiful. Sophie and George ended their weekend-long celebration by tending the garden and enjoying apero time over a platter of fresh and natural delicacies Allegra put together. The famous Muscat wine of the Cyclades gave their kisses the perfect summer scented taste and sealed a couple of days they’ll forever cherish in the very traditional, very discreet Andros island in the Archipelagos of Cyclades.

To us as wedding planners, to Jacobo Pachon and Maria the most talented floral artist, more intimate weddings like this bottle up the youthful feeling of being in love in the summer. The images really capture the essence of what summer feels like in the Greek islands, how delicate yet bursting in colors and scents the atmosphere is, and how the blue of the sea and the vastness of the sky calm the mind and the heart. A wedding like no other, a secluded location, a couple of friends, and breathing the greek tranquility in could be the next big wedding trend, especially for couples wanting to explore and choose something completely out of the box. If a big white wedding filled with tulle is not what they dream of, a weekend away in Greece seems like a wonderful alternative – one that smells like sunshine, saltwater, and sage.

 

Vendors

Concept design & Planning: Eventions 

PhotographyJacobo Pachon

Floral Design: Fillo Flower Studio 

Venue: Melisses 

Models: Olivia Konstadina Filippou & Alfred

Stationery: Love Me Do 

Flatlay Styling: Hermione Tsentidou 

Hair & Make-up artist: Vassia Papakonstantinou 

Ceramic plates: Lava Toy Ceramics

Dinner napkins: Coq Grec 

Clay candle holders & garland : Anna Barota

Candle sticks: Melicera 

Soaps as wedding gifts: Alchemia self-care rituals

Bridal outfit: Nidodileda wardrobe treasures

Jewelry: Prigipo 

Sandals: Mythologia 

Shirts: it’s a shirt.

White dress : Madame Shoushou 

Silk headpiece: Aenao 

Bridal underwear: Mind Your Style 

Silk gown & beachwear outfits: Ether 

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