Northern Greece Destination Micro Wedding In Stunning Colorful Florals And Personally Meaningful Details
HOW TO STYLE YOUR INDOOR MICRO WEDDING IN LUSCIOUS BOTANICALS AND PAIR WHIMSY & CLASSIC FOR A LUXURIOUS EFFECT…
How did you two meet?
Bastien and I met during our kindergarten years. Both of us have Sephardim Jewish origins and would visit Thessaloniki almost every summer with our grandparents who were long-time friends.
George Kostopoulos Photography
George Kostopoulos Photography
Despite our year-round distance – I lived in Beaune, and Bastien in Aix – we slowly grew into good friends, and during our last semester in college, we came even closer. By the end of summer, we were convinced our love was meant to be. Within two years’ time, I moved to Paris to be with him, but we always loved the idea of returning to Greece for a romantic holiday – no grandparents this time.
Life caught up and we always seemed to be so busy it was impossible. Four years forward, Bastien popped the question at Christmas and, frankly, the time felt right. We decided to head to Greece and get wed where it all started.
George Kostopoulos Photography
George Kostopoulos Photography
How did things go with planning your wedding during the C-19 crisis?
To be honest, we hadn’t foreseen how much the C-19 would impact our lives, so we only managed to fly to Thessaloniki in May. Cassie was a major help with all the details, taking us to see places and offering her insights non-stop. Finally, after quite a few zoom calls in late autumn, we decided to fix the date for May 2021 and downsize our guest list to the minimum, our closest friends only.
Our Covid-friendly plans also included two indoor-hosted celebrations, a rehearsal brunch and our intimate reception. As most hotels and resorts were already becoming super-booked we opted out of a busy venue.
Instead, Cassie helped us locate a gorgeous building on Queen Sofia’s Ave. offering a perfect, naturally lit studio, which we could style like a blanc canvas for the reception. Normally, I would love something busy, and outdoorsy, but looking at it, and reading about the history of the building I was hooked.
George Kostopoulos Photography
Tell us About Your Wedding Style and Theme
Our theme was super-personal and I have Cassie and the vendors she chose for us to thank for.
First, she connected us to botanical designer Maria Voudouri, a local with mindblowing vision and floristry techniques. In fact, if we could get wed once every year I’d choose her over and again to work on our blooms.
George Kostopoulos Photography
As she was going to create both our pre-wedding and the wedding reception as well as my bouquet we went on several confabs where I laid down the details on my hearted colors, my all-time favorite Dutch paintings, and the general ambiance I wanted to evoke.
George Kostopoulos Photography
Although the main color was to be dusty pink paired to black, Maria suggested more dramatic and colorful combinations with some truly rare hybrid blooms she has created herself. I loved the idea of yellows, oranges, pinot noir reds, marigolds, and purples popping so I gave her carte blanche on the design. I feel this gesture was highly appreciated on her behalf because she went truly insane design-wise and gave us more than we could have wished for.
George Kostopoulos Photography
Then Cassie sourced out incredibly chic notes for our table decor, including a remarkably personal touch. One of the pet names Bastien calls me by is Lemur, which is a combination of l’amour (love) and the actual furry little animal because of the way I sometimes hug him from behind.
Cassie sent me an Anthropologie link to look at. It was a set of dessert dishes designed by Nathalie Lete for her Titania collection, featuring a couple of lemurs. It was such a lovely, intentional, and intimate nod! Florals dominated the entire scape in the form of butter dishes, cookies, our cake and sweets that Sugarela baked, as well as little bowls, and napkin rings.
George Kostopoulos Photography
But the scene came complete with the different pieces of dusty pink and black seating. What a match! When the night fell and we lit the candles the entire room felt magical!
I must tell you I’m not a huge fan of packing. Having to pack my wedding gown all the way from France gave me a headache, and the idea of having it shipped over with possible delays in mind felt insane. Lucky for me Cassie’s friend Alkmini happens to be one of the greatest wedding dress designers in Thessaloniki and I found the idea reassuring to say the least.
George Kostopoulos Photography
With my dream dress in mind, I spoke to her about the design and she agreed to make two sure-mesure gowns just for me. A perfect white silk wedding dress with an exaggerated bow on one shoulder, and a wilder, glam, and sparkly gown for the after-party. I traveled to Greece only once for a fitting and to meet with my hairstylist Nestoras and Theti my MUA artist for a trial and that was that! The entire team made everything feel completely effortless.
Which moment of the wedding was your favorite?
There is no moment that felt less important than the rest. The entire trip to Greece was a blast, as the days prior to our wedding we enjoyed two wine and food tastings, a SPA trip to one of Chalkidiki’s most elegant resorts, and a truly gorgeous pre-wedding brunch where Bastien had bought me a new engagement ring as a surprise.
George Kostopoulos Photography
It was so important for us to begin our new life together surrounded by our best friends who went above and beyond to be with us. Plus, we had the best photographer one could ever wish for. George captured everything so poetically.
But if I have to choose just one moment that would be when Bastien held me in his arms and we got to dance our first song as husband and wife. I’ve known this guy all my life and it was only that moment I realized another “entirety” of a lifetime is waiting ahead. That was moving.
George Kostopoulos Photography
Being a C-19 bride is there anything you would change?
Probably everything would feel different if we had opted for an outdoor reception, being able to have a more extended guest list, or maybe do it sooner. But, on the other hand, we only got to experience amazing moments, so perhaps that old adage that everything happens for a reason is very right.
George Kostopoulos Photography
And a few words from the Photographer, George Kostopoulos:
“It was an incredible experience with this couple, getting to see how their story evolved and how important it was for them to say I do in a place where they had roots and memories. Since the C-19 presented them with bigger challenges in hosting their wedding as they originally imagined, I was happy to see they readjusted their sails and went with the bliss the new winds brought them.”