Antiparos, Sunset Deseo

PHOTOGRAPHY: SANDY AND ODYSSEAS | Event Planning and design: Deplanv | Venue: Sunset Deseo | WEDDING FILMS: Jim Grillas | RENTALS: Alibrantis & Zazoo | LIGHTING, ENTERTAINMENT & PHOTO BOOTH:

Boogaloo | WEDDING DRESS: Rime Arodaky | BRIDESMAID DRESSES: Lowellita | BRIDAL SHOES: sergio rossi | HAIR, MAKEUP & BEAUTY: Christos Michailidis | GROOM & HIS MEN: Ralph Lauren | GROOM SHOES: J.M Weston | JEWELRY: Avinas | WEDDING RINGS: Maison de l'Alliance

Alexandra & Maxime

as seen in: Wedding Chicks

Our couples love strides beyond the oceans. It sparkled in Saint Tropez, continued in Paris, got serious in Mexico, became official in Zurich, and was celebrated in Antiparos!

Alex and Max are two of the most beautiful and genuine people we’ve met, and their weekend wedding on Antiparos is the kind that makes a photographer, guest or bystander dream for days. Their love strides beyond the oceans. As Alex’s best friend put it, it sparkled in Saint Tropez, continued in Paris, got serious in Mexico, became official in Zurich, and was celebrated in Antiparos. What could possibly come next? As their wedding photographers, we have to tell you it was certainly signature! With their people traveling from Mexico, China, Dżakarta, and the South of France to join they were greeted with a pack of surprises.

One: a boat trip to the islands blue grottos. Two: watermelion slices, endless diving and cruising in the sunset. Three: their pre-wedding Mexican Fiesta.

What did the couple gift their guests with? Well that would have to be the immensely talented DePlanV who staged an epic bash brimming with colorful papel picado banners, an utter feast for the senses, and the coolest vibes we’ve ever collected. What’s more, when Max announced that Alex was carrying the merry party boomed with huzzahs! We couldn’t help but get goosebumps the next day upon hearing the beautiful couple exchange their vows, how their family spoke about each of them and … we saved the best for last: Maxime’s father’s inspiring speech about Love that really played on our heartstrings.

Want to know why? Here it is:
Did you know that the ancient Greeks had 6 words for Love: the first one that I’d like to mention is Eros, or sexual passion -I don’t think I’m going to go any further on that. The second one is Philia, or deep friendship – this is very important. The third one is Ludus, or playful love- nothing better than chirping and winking and having fun with it. The fourth one : Agape or love for everyone- so nice to love and be loved by all. Pragma, or longstanding love- this all about making compromises to help the relationship overtime. And then please forgive my Greek but here it goes: Philautia- everyone know how to pronounce that right? Okay… Philautia, or love of the self. There are two types: one is the unhealthy variety associated with narcisism where you become self obsessed and focused on fame and fortune. The healthier version entails your wider capacity to love, the idea of self, that if you like yourself and are happy, you will have plenty of love to give to others.

Bride

From the

How we met and the proposal

Our Wedding looks

Max and I met at a dinner in the South of France one summer. The proposal took place in Mexico, my home country during a trip I organised for his 34th birthday. It was a very casual proposal, he got down on his knee during a day at the beach and with a lot of emotion asked me to be his wife with a bamboo ring he had just made for me. It was important for him to do it in my country that means so much to me. The ring came later during a second proposal in Paris while having a drink with a breathtaking view on Paris and the Eiffel Tower at hotel Raphael. He got the ring from a jeweller friend of mine Fabienne Fryba who has a brand called Avinas. Funnily enough as I am answering these questions I realise a lot of our wedding / proposal moments happened while drinking an Aperol Sprtiz, I guess that makes it our special couple drink!

I, the bride found my dress in Paris at the bohemian chic specialist Rime Arodaky. I wanted something simple but original. I went for a two piece dress, high waisted skirt and top with floral lace details. I felt comfortable and feminine, this was very important for me. I had simple but elegant white wedges from Sergio Rossi and kept my accessories very simple with just cristal white pear drops as earrings. My husband went to Ralph Lauren for his suit, he is a big fan of the brand which is very much his style. We wanted something that fit the location and style of the wedding, but at the same time to fit our styles and personalities. 

As for the bridesmaid dresses, having my own ready to wear fashion brand, Lowellita, I had made for them a beautiful open back maxi dress with pastel embroideries. They looked stunning !!

Why we chose Antiparos

MOST ANTICIPATED MOMENT

For our wedding we wanted something very down to earth but most importantly something that reflected us as a couple. During the year of our engagement, we were having a hard time agreeing on the wedding location. It just happened that we travelled to Antiparos during the summer of 2016 and found ourselves at Sunset Deseo for a sunset drink, we both agreed this was the ideal spot for us. We wanted a bohemian chic wedding and we wanted the location to speak for itself, not have to transform anything. Naturally the theme revolved around the sunset in this specific location. The Sunset Deseo team were very helpful and flexible with all our desires, we are so thankful for Marcello and Emma, they really made us feel at home.

 There were no religious or cultural traditions as such, we chose to have more of a spiritual ceremony and to incorporate as much of our personality into it. We asked Max's father to officiate the wedding, we prepared this together, making sure to incorporate the history and meaning behind our chosen location, Antiparos and Greece. 

There we too many to number but the top 2 are ... the moment we announced to our friends and family we were expecting a baby for winter at our Mexican fiesta and obviously the moment of our ceremony. Walking down " the aisle " with my dad and towards the love of my life , all this witnessed by our most loved ones, that was a very special moment we will never forget.

Advice to other couples

Surround yourself with an amazing team, we were lucky to feel that all our wedding team ( wedding planners, photographers, videographers and catering team ) were like family. We felt extremely privileged to be able to share and communicate these moments with them and we are especially grateful for the service we got in return. Another advice is just to listen to yourself as a couple, not let people influence your choices. And last but not least, what we really enjoyed at our wedding was the intimacy, keeping it small makes it so much more special as you really get to live the moment and enjoy the people that are there as much as possible.

Décor and florals

We owe the wedding decor completely to our amazing wedding planner, Vanessa and the DeplanV team. We had a few meetings together about what we liked and how we envisioned our wedding week end and they made it all come true, even better then we could have imagined. They mastered the decor at our welcome Mexican Fiesta, every detail was special from the bar, to the buffet to the photo booth, so much thought and detail was put into it. Same for the wedding reception. The ligh bulb sky and the peacock chairs ... they really respected the simplicity of the place by enhancing it with sublime details.  

Florals are such a big part of weddings. For our welcome party we had a cactus theme obviously for the Mexican fiesta. For the wedding day we had agreed with Vanessa we wanted mainly white and greens and bougainvilleas.