PHOTOGRAPHY: SANDY AND ODYSSEAS | WEDDING PLANNER: The Twelve Events | Reception Venue: Island Private House | WEDDING DRESS: Maria Farbinni | BRIDAL SHOES: Manolo Blahnik | JEWELRY: Cartier | VEIL: Wedding Salon of Manhasset | GROOM SUIT: Michael Andrews Bespoke | GROOM SHOES: Salvatore Ferragamo | WEDDING RINGS: Rizo's Jewelry

Laura & Nick

THIS LUXURY WEDDING ON ISLAND ATHENS RIVIERA IS WHAT EVERY CLASSIC BRIDE DREAMS

Secreted in one of the Athenian Riviera’s most illustrious wedding venues, Laura & Nick’s Island Art & Taste elegant black-tie wedding is everything a classic-wedding loving bride dreams. Our beautiful Spaniola bride and her Greek groom always wanted to say I do where the ocean meets the most spectacular sundown, and their Orthodox vows in Athens meant getting wed in a church with many a guest honoring their destination nuptials. To this, they chose Island, whose manicured lawns have witnessed some of the most exclusive events in the city.

Now, few Greek Orthodox churches come as pretty as Panagia Faneromeni in Vouliagmeni, just a breath away from the coast the beautiful minimalist, peach-hued edifice looks more like a sculptor’s work, was just perfect for the ceremony. As Laura and her family are Christian Catholic a designated polyglot offered his services in translating the prayers and rituals and it was incredible how everyone enjoyed each moment, making it an even more emotional moment for the couple.

When the time came for us to whisk away our beautiful duo for some portraits,  their guests headed for a sleek cocktail hour in the lounge of Island Private house set to perfection by The 12 Events. We’re talking about gilded frames and chic chandeliers, lavish arrangements in ivory, lush dessert displays, and even a floral arch to frame the sparkling moments. Upon their return to the venue, Laura and Nick were greeted with enthusiasm and as the day gave way to the sweetest possible peachy sundown we snapped a few more elegant portraits and allowed them to mingle with their loved ones.

The black-tie reception was held underneath the shed, where myriads of fairy lights sparkled. Laden with candles, fresh floral arrangements, gold and dusty pink details it was quite the wowser moment until the skies filled with fireworks and our lovers were serenaded into their first dance. It was a truly magical night, one we can’t easily forget.

Bride

From the

How we met and the proposal

Our Wedding looks

Nick and I met while I was playing matchmaker for one of my friends with a friend of his. We had never met until that point. We have been together ever since. He proposed to me at a vineyard in North Fork, Long Island as we sat sipping wine with an uninterrupted view of the Long Island Sound. It was intimate and he knew that it is my favorite place to escape to when we need a break from our busy lives. The weekend that we got married marked our eighth anniversary together.

The designer of my wedding dress is Maria Farbinni. I had tried on other dresses and had gotten no reaction from my mother and sister. When I tried on my wedding dress they both cried and another bride's mother came over to me and said "this is the one." I started laughing and it was obvious to me that this dress was it. The dress itself was very comfortable and had pockets! The color of the dress, the beading, the dimensional flower lace, the train, everything about it was magical. I remember thinking the dress was not what I envisioned wearing. I thought white, no texture, and simple; but this was not the day for simple. The dress was perfect.

Nick's tuxedo is from New York's Michael Andrews Bespoke. He knew he wanted it to be navy. At Michael Andrews Bespoke, he was able to fully customize every aspect of his tuxedo from the material to the stitching and buttons. They tailored it perfectly to his body. He was comfortable wearing the tuxedo the entire day. He was so impressed by their studio and personnel that he also ended up with a custom- tailored suit from them. He tells me that he cannot wait to go back for more. They have found themselves a loyal customer. It was elegant and it was also perfect.

Why we chose Athens

My family is from Spain and Nick's is from Greece. We thought that the Athenian Riviera was a location that would maximize the amount of family members able to attend our wedding. This was most important for us. When we saw the location, we fell in love with it. The coast line reminded me of my hometown. We had a traditional greek orthodox wedding. My family is catholic. Therefore, we had fans made for our guests explaining the significance of the rituals. 

Décor and florals

We asked our wedding planners for the color scheme to be white, green and gold. Our flowers were white with greenery. Our tables had a blush runner and white candles with gold candle holders. The tables were numbered with gold mirrors. We had crystal chandeliers and fairy lights hanging from the pergola. We asked for a dessert table and escort cookies from Pavlov's Lab. We also had a cheese table. Everyone that knows me knows I love dessert and cheese. Nick had asked our wedding planners to set up a lounge area with a mirror wall hanging from the greenery. The result was spectacular during the day and even more stunning at night when the light's went on. We had a flower arch for our guests to take pictures under with the beautiful coastline in the background. We had a mirror booth which people loved. For entertainment we had a traditional greek band as well as a DJ. We danced all night to traditional greek music, traditional songs from Spain, and popular international music.

MOST ANTICIPATED MOMENT

For me, the most anticipated moment of our wedding day was the firework show. It was scheduled for after we had cut the cake and done our champagne toast. It started as Lana Del Rey's "Young and Beautiful" played in the background and it felt like a movie scene. The pictures and the video of that moment are breathtaking. 

Advice to other couples

My advice for other couples planning their wedding day is to take the time to plan the things that are most important to you. On your wedding day relax. Enjoy every moment because it goes by quickly. Things may not be as perfect as you have meticulously planned but it will still be the best day of your life. Don't forget that the most important part of your wedding day is the person you are choosing to spend the rest of your life with.