A wedding in Naxos can satisfy even the highest expectations of a loving couple who wants to get married in Greece. And when the ceremony takes place at Villa Paradise, one of the top wedding venues in Naxos, the whole wedding experience can turn into an unforgettable celebration!
Naxos, the largest and greenest of the Cyclades, is famous for its rich history and culture, its exceptionally tasty Mediterranean cuisine and local products, picturesque little villages like Apeiranthos and Chalki, and wonderful endless sandy beaches. Although the island’s lifestyle is not the same with that of Mykonos or Santorini, there is a wide variety of venues for every taste. The imposing Castle of Naxos, which was built by the Venetian Marco Sanudo on a hill in Chora, the capital of the island, to offer protection from pirate attacks, is a unique sight, while tall mountains, fertile plains and an impressive cedar forest in the village of Pyrgaki create a unique landscape.
All this was taken into consideration by Alex, the bride an American citizen who grew up in Greece and deeply loves this country, when she chose Naxos to exchange vows with her beloved Ziad, the groom from the Middle East who also loved Naxos ! After a long search among the many wedding venues of the island, he discovered Villa Paradise, a seaside luxury villa located at Plaka Beach ideal for hosting a multi-cultural wedding with ethnic elements from all three countries. Traditional costumes, folk dances and a joyous atmosphere transformed the Paradise Villas into the dreamy place where Ziad and Alex’s love would be officially sealed forever. This was one of the reasons Paradise was chosen: it consists of many separate villas that the groom thought represented the different “villages” made up of their families and friends, who would be accommodated there.
Celestial Ethnic Wedding Party
When Ziad and Alex saw each other they couldn’t hide how ecstatically happy and how much in love they were. They did not have to pose for pictures as things were flowing so naturally… My camera was flooded with colors and emotion! Ziad and Alex are one of the loveliest and most stylish couples I have ever met, which is why their wedding photos were simply amazing!
The groom’s pre-wedding preparation took place in the room that Ziad shared with his brother and I had the chance to take some excellent photos. And then a big surprise awaited us: friends of the groom in traditional Middle Eastern outfits suddenly appeared out of nowhere holding drums. They were singing and dancing to the rhythm of zaffe, a Middle Eastern folk dance. I remembered Ziad telling me he wished to incorporate as much of his arabic heritage into the wedding as possible, including a zaffe drum procession, a dabke dance team and lots and lots of clapping! His friends and family had now come to pick him from his “parental’ home” (his villa, in this case) as was the custom. Then a long procession of people singing and clapping made their way to the bride’s “family home”, namely the villa where Alex was having her hair and makeup done. They picked the bride too and the entire wedding party headed for the seaside property where her father would meet her and walk her down the aisle.
At Plaka beach, Naxos
The credit for the exotic scenery created for Ziad and Alex’s beach wedding decoration belongs to Kallina Wedding & Event Designers , who organized the wedding perfectly down to the tiniest detail: DJ services, floral decorations, wedding cakes –everything was selected with great care so as to suit the couple’s needs and preferences. Diakosmos rentals, Anemona Flower Shop, Aktaion Pastry Shop, Melodima, Antamoma Catering Services and Ramatanis Bros Bar Catering made sure of it. It should also be noted that the wedding videographer was Jim Grillas who is so talented!
The Wedding Reception at Villa Paradise
Later on, there was a cocktail party at Villa Paradise hotel and a few hours later, a romantic dinner was held under a charming vine pergola, where everyone warmly wished the couple all the happiness in the world. After the emotional speeches and toasts to the bride and groom, there was more dancing. Surprises were not over, though. Alex was deeply moved when Ziad grabbed a guitar and started singing a very sentimental song to her!
Ziad and Alex, it was an honor and pleasure to meet you. I wholeheartedly thank you for selecting me to be your trusted photographer! I hope that my work will keep your wedding memories alive for years to come!
