Agia Anna church | A romantic wedding in Mykonos

Church of St Anna, Mykonos

Mykonos has many famous wedding venues but the small church of Agia Anna, is a choice of a less crowded wedding. That was the wedding destination of Freddie & Christina were, as all the things in life they prefer to keep things simple. Agia Anna is a small church located at the capital of island, Chora and very close to Kalafatis village. It is surrounded by the Aegean sea in an area which is rather isolated with the name, Paraga.

To me, shooting at a minimalistic, small church is something that makes me more than happy; every island of Cyclades has its own character, its own life. Many bridal or couple portraits found their completeness having as a background white traditional houses with bougainvilleas, winding cobbled-stone paths or just a single shutter of an old mansion. The same goes for the Orthodox chapels and monasteries that are scattered across all Mykonos: there are over 700 of them, which is just an example of the deep, spiritual faith that Mykonian’s have.

To me, taking pictures of couples and newlyweds in front of Greek chapels is something that I am really fond of! Especially Agia Anna’s church with red dome and the staircase-like bell tower, is a dream for a wedding photographer!

A few thoughts on the wedding of Freddie & Christina

Since their wedding in Mykonos, there were a lot of things binding me to Freddie and Christina. You see, they are the couple who offered me the freedom I needed to start what I have always believed in – and I can’t thank them enough for it! When we first spoke on the phone and they asked me to be with them at their wedding in Mykonos, I instantly knew there was mutual trust between us. Yes, they do live in England, but physical distance matters very little when it comes to genuine relationships…

I can often tell the character of the people I take pictures of simply by taking a glance at the people they have around them. And in Christina and Freddie’s case, all those who came to share in their happiness that beautiful sunny day were amazing, the kind of people that can make a difference… It would be a shame not to mention Alex, Christina’s brother, one of the most dynamic personalities I have ever come across, their friends who travelled all the way from England for the wedding, and of course Christina’s cousins, who turned the wedding party into the most memorable part of the day… Everything was so lovely!

However, the main reason this post is written is my desire to express my gratitude to a person who has helped me and is still helping me change. I don’t know how many of you have happened to experience some deeply upsetting and undesirable situation which you have felt reluctant or unable to do something about… When I first met Yiannis Alephantou, I never imagined this acquaintance would evolve into such a strong and fulfilling friendship. As a matter of fact, I never expected such friendships existed! Anyone who knows him is lucky. Yiannis is a great wedding photographer with a unique ability to capture through his lens all the shades of human emotions in the most realistic and revealing way. He is gifted with the talent of a true storyteller. What has touched me most of all, though, is his honest and straightforward character and his generous and loving heart… I’ve never met anyone like him before: a man bold enough to express himself openly and freely, saying exactly what he thinks, while still remaining pleasant and appealing. The time I have spent with him lately, both as a photographer and a friend, is a blessing to me. I don’t know if I deserve it, but I am thankful for it. Yiannis, you’re giving me courage… strength… and hope… And this is the least I can say to describe my feelings. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!