Elopement in Dana Villas – Santorini

When I received the first email from Kelly, who was planning her elopement in Santorini, I was beside myself with excitement. There is something wonderfully romantic in an elopement wedding and I couldn’t wait to capture the magical moments of this lovely couple on one of the most fascinating Greek islands, Santorini. I had already witnessed Cydney and Bilal’s barefoot elopement in Mykonos and had been looking forward to working on a similarly inspiring concept. So now my wish was granted!
Kelly and Stan traveled all the way from the USA to get married in Greece, and they chose to elope in a breathtakingly beautiful place enveloped in an aura of mysticism and the mist of old legends. In an elopement there are no guests, no parties, no group activities; the photographer can focus exclusively on the couple, spending an entire day with them, so the shooting becomes a really unique experience.
The day was filled to the brim with emotion, love and happiness. Preparations started in Dana Villas, an amazing hotel in Firostefani that offers unobstructed panoramic views of the caldera, the volcano, the Aegean Sea, and the world-famous Santorini sunsets. Kelly was deeply moved when she read a letter written by her mother just before the elopement, and so was Stan when he got a present and a letter from Kelly.
The bride was radiant in her lace wedding dress and her blue silk bridal shoes. Actually, the blue color was a surprise for Stan; he had expressed the wish to see his bride wear blue shoes and, although this was not in her original plans, she made sure she wore shoes with a “lace appliqué” to them. The bridal bouquet consisted of tulips, anemones, white roses, and white violets.
An exceptionally talented wedding planner, Maria Sila from Tie the Knot in Santorini-Weddings & Events, had planned impeccably every single detail, from the elegant flower decoration with blue and white hydrangeas to the cute colorful wedding cupcakes and a very special wedding cake topper with representations of Stan and his black lab mix, Briar, and Kelly and her pug, Gus.
The wedding ceremony included a “unity in glass” ceremony, in which the bride and the groom combine colored crystals which are used later to make a sculpture, bowl or vase from blown glass. This symbolizes the timelessness of their union and the uniqueness of their love, how amazing!!!
Next, we got into an incredibly pretty antique Cabrio Beetle and drove to the Faros (lighthouse) of Santorini to shoot pictures and then to Santo Wines to taste the delicious local wine Vinsanto. The couple had chosen a wine museum for the engagement –a perfect place to make perfect memories. After that we went to Prophitis Ilias, one of the highest points of the island, and lastly to my favorite location in Santorini Oia. The stunning colors and the mesmerizing views created the ideal setting for the wedding photos of Kelly and Stan that will always remind them of their dream wedding on a dream island…
Kelly & Stan, if i was now with you i would give you a big hug to both of you!!! Thank you so much for choosing me as your photographer for the sweetest elopement in Santorini!