Andrea & Stephen
A glamorously Grecian Mykonos wedding, with the topaz ocean and white houses painting a magical backdrop
PHOTOGRAPHY BY Anna Fowler,
annafowler.com
Enjoying their first date in a London rooftop bar, toasting marshmallows over an open fire and stargazing, Andrea and Stephen’s relationship had a fairytale quality from the very start. And their engagement was no less romantic.
“Stephen proposed to me at the beginning of our dream trip to South East Asia. We would be celebrating his 30th birthday there, so I wasn’t expecting it at all. He got down on one knee with a pear-shaped diamond ring. The intimacy of the moment and the ring are both what dreams are made of. I’d known he was a keeper from day one, so of course I said yes!”
“I’d always wanted to have my dress made for me, but I did try on a few just to be sure.”
“12 months later, my vision had come to life and I’ve honestly never loved a dress more!” Bespoke dressmaker, Catharina Eden created the bride’s French lace gown. The design featured a low back, sheer glittering fabric beneath embroidered lace and a tulle and lace layered train.
“Just like my dress, I knew from the very start that I would walk down the aisle in Jimmy Choos!”
“I opted for elegant ivory sandals to complement my dress, adding a pair of drop earrings and a crystal embellished headpiece for subtle accessories.”
Stephen looked ultra smart in a tailor-made white tuxedo, sourced from Morts & More tailors, with traditional Irish cufflinks and double buckle monk Magnanni shoes. “He looked like a superstar and his outfit was completely different to the suits he wears every day to work. I was spellbound when I saw him at the altar. I genuinely thought I was the luckiest girl in the world!”
Andrea asked her best friends and sisters-in-law to be her bridesmaids, with the couple’s two goddaughters adopting the role of flower girls. The adult attendants wore grey, floor-length multi-way dresses from Debenhams, each choosing to tie the dress in the same way. “I love these girls so much, I felt very lucky to have them by my side.”
“The style of my dress and the Mediterranean climate at our Mykonos wedding suited an up-do, so it was a simple decision. I asked makeup artist Irene Chaleli and hairstylist Vassillis Diamantopoulos to take care of my bridal beauty. I didn’t want anything too dramatic, but I did want my beauty look to last.”
“It’s so important that you feel comfortable in your own skin. Your wedding is the one time that all eyes really will be on you as the bride.”
With their hearts set on a traditional wedding, Andrea and Stephen tied the knot in a tiny Greek Orthodox church – Zoodochos Pigis – in the heart of Mykonos town. “It was beautiful and intimate, and walking down the aisle with my father was such a special moment. Standing hand-in-hand with Stephen, who was about to become my incredible husband, made me feel so in love and completely overwhelmed with emotion. I knew he would be by my side forever.
Our reception venue, Kivotos Boutique Hotel in Ornos Bay, had a very picturesque location right by the ocean, so I wanted our décor to be elegant and romantic. To keep the look unfussy, we chose a simple white and antique gold colour palette with hints of grey to complement our setting. Hanging lanterns and gold candlesticks in antique gold holders gave it a real fairytale feel, and, with the reception being outdoors, good lighting was a priority.
Michaela, our wedding planner from Mitheo Events, really helped to bring our vision to life.” The invitations, supplied by Sonni and Blush, offered a clue to the style with handwritten details in gold foil and personalised logos.
“Because of my slightly unhealthy obsession with Pinterest, our florist had no trouble following my vision when it came to the flowers.”
Studio 7 Athens created the arrangements and bouquets in a classic white colour palette.
Guests were treated to two favours, the first being a bottle of olive oil with rosemary and ‘Olive You’ tags. The second were handmade almonds wrapped in tulle, with either an evil eye or four-leaf clover attached by ribbon to symbolise the bride and groom’s Greek and Irish cultures while bringing luck to the recipients.
“We kicked off our drinks reception with cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and a saxophonist, before a jazz band joined us for dinner. After we cut our naked cake, we were ready to hit the dance floor, choosing Eva Cassidy’s ‘Songbird’ for our first dance.”
“We even had a fireworks display to keep our guests entertained!”
After a week of celebrations in Mykonos, Andrea and Stephen island-hopped to Santorini for a minimoon of spectacular sunsets and excellent food. “We stayed at San Antonio Suites, right on the cliffside of the caldera – I couldn’t have dreamed of a more beautiful way to begin our marriage. A few months later, we flew to the Shangri-La Maldives resort for our dream honeymoon.”
SUPPLIERS
CEREMONY Zoodochos Pigis, Mykonos Town
RECEPTION VENUE Kivotos Boutique Hotel, Ornos Bay, Mykonos
DRESS Bespoke by Catharina Eden
BRIDESMAID DRESSES Debenhams
GROOM Morts & More
SHOES Jimmy Choo
HAIR Vassillis Diamantopoulos
MAKEUP Irene Chaleli
FLOWERS Studio 7 Athens
WEDDING PLANNER Mitheo Events
MINIMOON San Antonio Suites, Santorini
HONEYMOON Shangri-La, Maldives
