Greece One of Top Dream Wedding Destinations in the World

Greece wedding — Sarah Hatjipavlis acts as celebrant for a wedding at the Sheraton Rhodes Resort. Photo courtesy Sarah Hatjipavlis.

Greece has long been favored by couples who want to get married in a destination wedding with particularly beautiful and memorable surroundings. Now, the number of couples who would love to get married in Greece can be substantiated with data from a report released on May 24 based on data from the social network Pinterest.

For many engaged couples, planning a wedding takes careful consideration for months on end; often they end up choosing Greece and its many stunning locales for the site for the big day.

Greece: destination wedding hotspot

On the image-based site Pinterest, brides and grooms-to-be can create “boards” to “pin” their favorite images from other weddings and wedding planners in order to gain inspiration for their own weddings. Using the data from these boards, analysts were able to determine the figures behind Greece’s popularity as a wedding destination.

Greece emerged as the second most sought-after country in which to get married, according to Pinterest. Surpassed only by Morocco, the newly affianced are most likely to spend hours swooning over Greece’s cliffside beach weddings.

Although the last year has been difficult for many engaged couples, with many being forced to cancel or postpone their weddings due to coronavirus, nothing could stop couples from imagining what their wedding could look like in dream destinations like Greece.

The top five global dream destinations for weddings, according to a Money.co.uk report, are Morocco, Greece, France, Italy, and Mexico. Closely following those destinations are Bali, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, and Fiji.

Admittedly, the report is likely more accurate in recording which countries people wish to become married, rather than necessarily where these weddings end up actually occurring in real life. But the numbers are impressive.

Why is Greece such a popular destination?

In an interview with Greek Reporter, Sarah Hatjipavlis of Grecian Ceremonies spoke about why people might want to travel and get married in Greece.

A multiple award-nominated wedding planner, Hatjipavlis resides on the island of Rhodes. Her job has taken her across the country, accumulating a great deal of expertise on destination weddings in Greece over the years.

“The experience of traveling to Greece, the culture, the food, the beautiful country, the islands, the blue waters — those are the number one reasons,” Hatjipavlis explains, making it obvious why Greece has almost universal appeal for engaged couples.

“So yes, they choose it for the weather, they choose it for the beautiful sea, and also some of them choose it because it’s cheaper to get married abroad than it is to get married in their own country.

“It’s very expensive to have a wedding in the US and the UK, so some couples choose Greece because they can have a nicer experience. They come to Greece and have their wedding so it often does work out cheaper, even with the flights,” she continues.

There are multiple reasons why just about anyone would love to get married in such a breathtaking country. However, individuals may also specifically choose Greece because it holds sentimental and familial value for them.

“Another reason is that they have heritage in Greece. The couple may come from the States, but they may have a Yiayia in a village in Northern Greece, and they want to come back to the country of their descent and enjoy their wedding there,” says Hatjipavlis.

Getting married… in a pandemic

Last year was very difficult for the wedding industry, with the majority of weddings being cancelled or postponed. Unfortunately, much of 2021 is looking quite the same, with most large weddings having been postponed to 2022.

“The majority of the larger weddings have been moved to 2022. So I have something like 35 weddings next year already all around Greece.”

The pandemic has meant smaller, intimate weddings for most. Especially when choosing to do a destination wedding during this period, couples are likely to opt for weddings that are specially held between the two of them and a celebrant.

The coronavirus situation has also led to perhaps longer-lasting or irreversible changes to the wedding industry in Greece. Because of the pandemic, people have become more likely to explore getting married in other locations beyond the big four locations of Santorini, Mykonos, Rhodes, and Crete.

“I would say that there is a definitely a trending change towards smaller islands. Smaller islands — a bit more like “Mamma Mia” the movie. So people are obviously looking for little places post-COVID. Recently, people are also not necessarily looking for an all inclusive hotel, because it seems that the all-inclusive hotel is maybe something that’s fading into our past,” confessed Hatjipavlis about recent trends in the wedding industry which may have been influenced by COVID-19.

Due to its stunning beaches, beautiful venues and rich culture, it is no wonder that Greece attracts so many couples who want to have a dream destination wedding!

Comments

Ten Unforgettable Things to Do Around Syntagma Square in Athens

Syntagma Square, Athens. Credit: Public Domain Syntagma Square has literally been the very heart of Athens ever since the city became the capital of the modern Greek state. With the Greek Parliament building and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier looming over it, it is rich with history and is the place where most major events of the last two centuries have taken place. Its name in Greek means “Constitution Square,” a name granted by Greece’s first modern royal, King Otto, on September 3, 1843, after an uprising of the people. This was a smart political move, since the royal palace overlooked the square. In 1934, the royal palace was turned over to the Greek Parliament, and ever since that time, Syntagma Square has been the place where all public protests and demonstrations have taken place. Syntagma Square home to historic demonstrations and protests In December of 1944, just after the departure of the occupying Nazi troops, a people’s rally at the square was marred b...

Inside the Magnificent Minoan Palace of Knossos in Crete

The Minoan palace at Knossos. Credit: Gary Bembridge /Wikimedia Commons/ CC-BY-2.0 The Palace of Knossos, located about five kilometers (three miles) south of Heraklion on Kephala hill, was the largest of all the Minoan palaces in Crete. It was also at the core of the highly sophisticated civilization that flourished on the island over 3,500 years ago. The discovery of the Minoan Palace of Knossos The discovery and subsequent excavation of the palace dates back to the beginning of the twentieth century. Before then, Knossos had only served as a place mentioned in Greek mythology. The first modern scholar to take a serious interest in the area was the German Heinrich Schliemann, who in 1870 had excavated the site believed to be Troy. Schliemann was certain that a major Minoan palace lay hidden near Heraklion, but the Ottoman authorities who still ruled the island at the time denied any permission to dig there. Years afterward, the British archaeologist Arthur Evans, inspired b...

Μπέος: «Εύστοχα χαρακτηρίστηκε φτύσιμο στα μούτρα των μελών της ΕΕΑ»

Καρφιά προς την Επιτροπή Επαγγελματικού Αθλητισμού έριξε με δήλωσή του στα social media ο Αχιλλέας Μπέος. Με αφορμή την απόφαση του CAS για την υπόθεση ΠΑΟΚ-Ξάνθης, ο δήμαρχος Βόλου θυμήθηκε τις ενέργειες της επιτροπής στην περίπτωση του Ολυμπιακού Βόλου το 2011 όταν εκείνος ήταν ο ισχυρός άνδρας της ομάδας. Επίσης εξέφρασε την απορία του για το ότι κανείς μέχρι σήμερα δεν έχει υποβάλλει την παραίτησή του. Αναλυτικά όσα έγραψε ο Αχιλλέας Μπέος: «Η απόφαση του Διεθνούς Αθλητικού Δικαστηρίου (CAS) για την υπόθεση των ΠΑΟΚ–Ξάνθης, αναμφίβολα είναι ένα ηχηρό χαστούκι γι αυτό που στην Ελλάδα ονομάζουμε Επιτροπή Επαγγελματικού Αθλητισμού, που υποτίθεται αξιολογεί, κρίνει και αποφασίζει αντικειμενικά και με βάση το ισχύον Δίκαιο και στην πραγματικότητα αποδεικνύεται ένα εργαλείο άσκησης μικροπολιτικής και ικανοποίησης αθέμιτων επιθυμιών και επιδ...

The World’s Oldest Living Olive Tree is on Crete

The most ancient olive tree in the world, in Crete. Credit: Dimitra Damian/Greek Reporter The oldest olive tree in the world is located in the village of Ano Vouves of Kissamos in Chania, Crete. The ancient tree is 3000 years old, as determined by the international scientific community. The ancient olive tree in Vouves has a trunk with a circumference of 12.5 meters (41 feet), and a diameter of 4.6 meters (15 feet). It belongs to the local tree variety of tsounati, and was grafted at a height of 3 meters onto a wild olive tree. Because of the grafting, its trunk has been so beautifully shaped by nature that it resembles a sculpture. In 1990, after a unanimous decision in the prefecture of Chania, the Vouves Olive Tree was declared a Natural Monument of great importance due to its status as the world’s oldest tree of its kind. The oldest olive tree still produces high-quality olives The fruits of the ancient olive tree make the best olive oil in the world, making the area...

Rolls-Royce Names Panos Kakoullis New CFO

Rolls-Royce aircraft engine. Credit: Mark Kobayashi Hillary/ CC BY 2.0 British aircraft engine maker Rolls-Royce will name Panos Kakoullis as its new CFO, Reuters reported on Monday. Kakoullis will start in his new role on May 3. The company hopes that the Greek-British Kakoullis, former head of audit and assurance at Deloitte, will successfully guide the company through the coronavirus pandemic. As the the second-largest maker of aircraft engines, Rolls Royce has taken major hits due to the dramatic decrease in air travel caused by the coronavirus. Airlines pay the company by the number of hours each plane is in flight. Accordingly, as the travel industry has come to a standstill, Rolls Royce faced severe financial difficulty in the past year. Rolls Royce CEO Warren East highlighted Kakoullis’ over 30 years experience at Deloitte in a statement: “Panos delivered significant transformational change at Deloitte, streamlining and simplifying the business and we look forwa...

The Greek Who Taught the Japanese to Eat Feta Cheese and Olive Oil

Credit: Facebook/ Thanasis Fragkis Pioneering businessman Thanasis Fragkis was the very first person to introduce olive oil and other traditional Greek products to Japan more than a decade ago. Olive oil, wine, feta cheese and Greek yogurt, relatively unknown food items to this Far Eastern country, are now being enjoyed as the great gourmet delicacies they are. Speaking to Greek Reporter from his home in the town of Mito, around 120 km (76 miles) north of Tokyo, Fragkis was justifiably proud of his achievement. “We have taught the Japanese to eat olive oil, cheeses, including feta, yogurt that were not part of their diet. They hardly knew of olive oil,” he says in wonderment. Originally from the town of Kymi on the island of Evia, Fragkis emigrated to England, where he met his future wife, who is Japanese. “When we got married we thought ‘you are Japanese, I am Greek, what is the point of living in England?’. Greece was a difficult place to start a business in at the ti...

The Fascinating History of Thessaloniki’s Iconic White Tower

The White Tower. Credit: ΣΟΛΑΚΙΔΗΣ ΣΩΤΗΡΙΟΣ /Wikimedia Commons/ CC BY-SA 4.0 Residents of Thessaloniki, Greece’s second largest city, often use its White Tower as a point of reference when giving directions in the beautiful seaside city. That’s because the tower is by far Thessaloniki’s most iconic monument. The ancient city, located in northern Greece, has a rich history stretching from antiquity to the modern era, but is most noted for its importance during the Byzantine period. During that time, Thessaloniki was a competitor with the great city of Constantinople in terms of its wealth and influence. The White Tower was a witness to many of the city’s most important historical events, and its role in Thessaloniki changed as did the ownership of the city itself throughout the millennia. Studying the history of the White Tower means learning the history of Thessaloniki. The Tower’s strategic location along the Thermaic Gulf made it perfect for guarding the city from thre...

Best Nude Beaches in Greece — and the Entire World

Plaka beach on Naxos. Credit: Carlo Pelagalli/Wikimedia Commons/ CC BY-SA 3.0 Greece is a country that appeals to almost any traveler, from its towering seaside cliffs to its nearly countless pristine beaches. It is also favored by naturists who want to feel free to be sunbathe and swim in the nude. Greece actually has too many nude beaches to count, with travelers knowing that if they desire that experience, they are never too far away from a nudist beach anywhere in the country. It is not an uncommon sight for women to sunbathe topless, even at conventional beaches in Greece, which is emblematic of the free-spirited nature of the country. Here we have collected some of the best spots for nude bathing all across the nation. World naturist bathing map A global guide to topless and nude sunbathing. Credit: Pour Moi swimsuit company website. A British swimsuit company named Pour Moi has now created a global map for naturists to know where nude bathing is legal — or at leas...

The Five Most Opulent Beach Bars in Greece

Some of the best and most opulent beach bars in the world can be found in Greece . Credit: Greek Reporter When summer rolls around in Greece people beat the heat by flocking to beach bars to enjoy a “frappe” coffee with the indigo blue sea stretching out before them. Beach bars and cafes are truly a summer staple in Greece, but sometimes the sheer variety of options can be overwhelming. The seaside establishments listed below are tried and tested, and are sure to satisfy every beachgoer this summer! The five best beach bars in Greece Le Moon Luxury Seaside Beach Bar – Olympus Riviera Le Moon Beach Bar is the epitome of luxury, located near Mount Olympus. Credit: Greek Reporter Le Moon beach bar is located near Mount Olympus, northern Greece. The bar is a perfect escape from your day-to-day life, offering delicious coffees and a plethora of other drink options right on the beach. The bar even has its own pool, making it a perfect refuge for those who prefer freshwater swi...

Minoan Language Linear A Linked to Linear B in Groundbreaking New Research

Palace of Knossos, Crete. Credit: Pat Scrap/Pixabay The Minoan language known as “Linear A” may finally be deciphered with the help of the internet, which can be used to uncover previously-hidden links to the much-better understood Linear B language, which developed later in the prehistoric period. The puzzle of Linear A has tormented linguists for many decades, as they attempted to link it somehow to Linear B, which was translated successfully for the first time in the 1950s. Linear B was used on the Greek mainland and Crete 50-150 years later than Linear A. Tablet with Linear A writing. Archaeological Museum of Heraklion, Crete. Credit: Dr. Ester Salgarella, Cambridge University Understanding the link between them and decoding the secrets of Linear A would allow experts to paint a much more complete picture of Minoan civilization going back as far as 1,800 BC. Linear A, which was used by the Minoans during the Bronze Age, exists on at least 1,400 known inscript...

Qoutes

Search This Blog