This Greek Destination Wedding Honors Tradition, Family, and Fun

Bride and groom on steps next to rock wall

Mike and Liana are both educators from Long Island, NY. They like to think that meeting each other was fate; a mutual friend had shown Mike a picture of Liana in the summer of 2017 with the intent of setting them up together (unbeknownst to Liana), but Liana was in Greece visiting her family at the time. Fast forward a month later, Liana was back home and on the search for a job, as she was fresh out of college and about to begin graduate school. As fate had it, Liana was hired to work not only in the same school as Mike, but in the same classroom! From their very first date, they were inseparable, and Mike popped the question in July of 2020. Throughout dating, Liana brought Mike with her on her trips to Greece to introduce him to her family and the place she calls her second home. From their travels to Athens and to the Greek islands, Mike too quickly fell in love with the country, the culture, and the people.

Liana & Mike got married on Island Art & Taste in Athens Riviera on the 16th of July, 2022. Both residing on Long Island, they decided to have their destination wedding in a picturesque chapel in Greece, due to the bride's Greek descent. Keep scrolling to see the photos of this beautiful day by Moments To Keep, featuring flowers by Anthologia Flowers, fireworks by Nanos Fireworks, and catering by Dipnosofistirion. The full gallery is available at the bottom of this page and should not be missed!

Aerial photo of invitation, rings, shoes, and roses Angled photo of invitation with greenery

Bride popping champagne bottle with bridesmaids in matching camis and shorts

Bride and bridesmaids toasting champagne glasses in getting ready outfits

Groom pouring whiskey into glass Portrait of groom in grey suit

Bridesmaids buckling bride's shoes

Mother of the bride adjusting bride's dress

The Bride's Attire

Liana wore the Simone dress designed by Galia Lahav. What sold her on the dress was the beautiful detachable cape. From the second she found the dress on Instagram, she envisioned herself walking down the aisle in it, and ended up buying it on her first day of wedding dress shopping with no regrets! For her second look, she wanted something fun that would make a statement, and changed into a fringe mini dress designed by Bronx and Banco during the after party.

Portrait of bride with bridesmaids in champagne dresses with flower girl

The Bridal Party's Look

The bridal party had elegant hairstyles and makeup to complement their stunning champagne colour bridesmaid dresses.

Bride hugging groom from behind on beach at first look

Groom holding up bride and kissing on beach at first look Groom holding up bride on beach at first look

Mother of the bride holding up bride's train walking to ceremony

The Venue

When planning their wedding, they knew they wanted it to be an unforgettable night in the most beautiful place they know. The second they found Island Art & Taste through researching online, they knew they found their dream venue. What made the venue so special to them was the beautiful little chapel located right on the grounds that allowed them to have an outdoor Greek Orthodox ceremony overlooking the stunning sea.

Greek chapel with ceremony table Floral installation on Greek chapel

Greek traditional wedding ceremony

The Flowers

For the florals, the couple wanted something that would be timeless, and something simple yet elegant, that would enhance the natural beauty of the chapel and venue. They chose white roses for the bouquets and centerpieces, with lots of greenery— including olive leaves and eucalyptus — that effortlessly tied in a classic Greek style.

Bride and groom holding hands during traditional Greek ceremony Bride taking part in traditional Greek ceremony

Panoramic view of guests and bridesmaids at ceremony

Bride and groom holding up hands at end of wedding ceremony

Signature Cocktails

For their signature drinks, they knew they had to incorporate the little love of their lives— their Maltipoo puppy named Olive. Given her name, they thought the perfect cocktail for “Olive’s Choice” would be a dirty martini, which they served with vodka, olive brine, and a splash of dry vermouth. Liana wanted something fresh and light that guests would enjoy in the Athenian heat and picked her go-to: a Patron margarita with lime juice, triple sec, and simple syrup, served on the rocks. As for Mike, the stronger the better! He chose one of his favorites: a black Manhattan, with a delicious mix of rye whiskey, vermouth, angostura bitters, and orange bitters.

Bride and groom cutting wedding cake

The Wedding Cake

For their wedding cake, they wanted to continue their theme of “simple yet elegant,” and chose a cake decorated with fresh berries and olive leaves. To make it more personal, they topped it with custom-made figurines that showcased their personalities and - of course - their dog, Olive!

Wedding guest spraying champagne

Advice from the Vendor

1. When looking for a venue, don't forget to check out the best spots for your portraits session! In this amazing venue we had a private beach all to ourselves, and the photos turned out so well! We usually end up with that many photos at an "After Wedding" session, but this venue had this amazing advantage that is really valuable!

2. Another important factor is time. Please ask the advice of your photographer about the time of the ceremony. We usually suggest that 2 hours before the sunset is a perfect time to have the ceremony so that you end up with amazing light during & after!

Bride and groom watching fireworks

The Party

After the first dance, the couple and their guests enjoyed a beautiful show of fireworks which was the perfect start for a crazy party! A lot of plate-breaking and Greek traditional dances made this wedding truly unforgettable.

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