Pink florals cascaded down a little white church at Athens Riviera

princess-inspired custom wedding ballgown

Joseph and Christina met during their Master studies at the University in Edinburgh, Scotland. They both studied at the same University but in different focus areas; however, fate and the library brought them together. Because Joseph is German and Christina is Greek, the couple opted to host their civil wedding in Regensburg, Bavaria, in Germany and then their church wedding at Island Art & Taste, Island Riviera, in Athens, Greece a year later. Christina had always dreamed of hosting her wedding in the small white church next to the seaside, and her dream did come true!

white and pink bridal accessories trendy groom accessories

A truly Greek wedding experience

Joseph and Christina wanted to create an exceptional wedding experience for their guests and show the beauty of Greece in combination with the hospitality, the sea view, the food, all captured on camera by Tonia & Theodore. It's hard to imagine a better location for a summer wedding with the sound of the sea, the spectacular view of the Saronic Gulf, the sunset colors, the romantic atmosphere, and the white cliffside chapel.

blue silk getting ready robes

A seaside something blue

When getting ready, the bridesmaids wore blue robes to complement the color palette of the day. Christina chose the Matilda dress from Milla Nova due to its exquisite fabric and nod to a royal ball with a long train and small buttons down the back. Joseph opted for a dark blue custom made Loro Piana linen, silk, and wool suit.

corn blue suit white bow tie

Glam for the natural bride

Makeup artist Vassia Papakonstantinou understood Christina's wishes to a tee and helped her feel like a princess on her big day. This was especially meaningful because Christina doesn't like wearing a lot of makeup day-to-day, so it was important to achieve a natural but chic look. The Hollywood waves hairstyle was chosen to fit the elegance and royal nature of the Matilda dress, while the rest of her accessories were minimal.

draping bougainvillea installation

Cascading bright pink bougainvillea

To create a Mediterranean-inspired theme influenced by Greek traditions and details, they combined colors including ivory, pink, and blue for their details. On the front of the white church, Christina chose pink bougainvillea from Rosetta Eventi because they are often seen in summer on Greek islands. It also created a beautiful contrast for their photos! The rest of the flower arrangements included olive branches, eucalyptus, lysianthus, hydrangeas, and delphinium in ivory, as well as Cali lilies, roses, and other flowers in shades of pink.

traditional evil eye details Polaroid camera table

evil eye details

Evil eye details to ward off negativity

The Greek bomboniere was assembled with a blue evil eye. In Greece, the evil eye is believed to keep someone safe from jealousy and negativity, so it is given to bless and protect loved ones. The couple's wedding logo, candy bar, and rice bottles included the small evil eye details. These rice bottles were a DIY highlight for the bride!

shades of pink centerpieces with eucalyptus

An emotional speech in three languages

One of the most emotional parts of the day was when Joseph gave a speech to their international guests in German, English, and Greek. Greek is a difficult language to learn, so it was especially moving for Christina to have him speak to her family and friends in that language.

pink and blue centerpieces welcome sign with clay pots

After-the-fact advice from the bride

Christina chose her vendors with care, paying special attention to quality. She decided not to work with a wedding planner because she wanted to have a hand in every last detail. This also meant having lots of conversations with the vendors to make sure everything was in line with what she was looking for, whether that be the lovely photographers, Tonia & Theodore, to catering vendor Dipnosofistirion, each vendor provided excellent service of the highest quality. While she does not hide the fact that doing everything herself was stressful and required the help of family and friends at times, she wouldn't trade it for anything.

seaside wedding portraits