When we first saw this breathtaking destination wedding in Santorini we couldn’t decide if it was a styled shoot or real wedding because the design is out-of-this-world gorgeous. We’ve been glued to our screens thanks to the incredible design by The12events that has had us in full-blown fan-girl mode. Seriously, just you wait until you see the photos by Anna Roussos! With incredible blue ombre arches made from lush hydrangeas, complete with hanging chandeliers, at the ceremony to the reception setup filled with blue hues and floral linens we cannot stop gushing over this wedding.
From the bride: I knew I wanted to get married in Santorini before I’ve even been to Santorini. The blue sky, the vast ocean view, and the romantic blue domes are elements you cannot find anywhere else in the world. And after taking a trip out there with John, I knew in my heart that this is it.
I actually think the toughest thing about planning a destination wedding is to PICK a destination. I know so many people that want to have an exotic wedding, but can’t decide on a locale in the end and so decide to do it locally. I say just listen to your gut and stick to it. So many people (including my own parents) have questioned my choice since flying there from Shanghai (where I currently reside) is a complicated process that involves at least 1 flight transfer. I could totally have chosen Phuket or Bali as an alternative destination, with breathtaking views of the ocean and many venues to choose from. But John and I just don’t feel the same type of passion for Southeast Asia as what we felt in Santorini. I still remember the amazing sunset and the fun ATV rides around towns. Those memories can only be topped by our wedding. We have travelled to over 20 countries together, but Santorini is our special island.
The actual wedding planning process took about one year – from booking the venue to the day we had our friends and family fly to Santorini from all around the world. It was definitely an interesting experience working with vendors that I’ve never met in person, and who are located in different parts in Europe, but I trusted my gut in these professionals, and they all delivered a wonderful job in the end. With that said, even with a full team of professionals, I had to make some choices along the way that I never thought about beforehand. Questions like “What flowers represent me? What is my ideal color palette?” But it was also the best feeling to know you get to make your vision come true, and this is really MY big day.
To see everything come together on the day of the wedding was so incredible. I hope I had more time to take in every single detail, but I was so preoccupied with being a bride! I remember the night after the wedding, John and I were lying down side by side on the bed, and we looked at each other and said, “Did that really happen?” We made our Santorini dream wedding come true.
By Ruffled Blog
Bride and Groom: Julia and John | Venue: Nafsika Estate by Vedema | Photographer: Anna Roussos
