We love the romance of a destination wedding – jetting off to another country with your closest friends and family to celebrate your big day in utterly unforgettable style. When it comes to the perfect country for a destination wedding, it has to be Greece – and there’s nowhere more spectacular than Santorini. With dramatic coastlines of rugged cliffs, black sand beaches and sweeping views out across the Aegean Sea, this island dazzles with its natural beauty. Picture-perfect villages of white-washed buildings and blue domed churches, tucked along winding streets bring all the charm. And we haven’t even started on the incredible local food. OK, so we may be a little bias at Le Ciel, but we truly believe Santorini is the perfect choice for a destination wedding. But how do you choose the right Santorini wedding venue for your celebration? Here’s our guide to help you find your dream Santorini venue.
What’s the wedding venue capacity?
While it’s easy to get swept up by the excitement of planning a destination wedding, when it comes to picking the right venue, you need to start with the practicalities. The first thing to look at is a venue’s capacity. If this doesn’t align with your guest list, it’s never going to be a good fit. At Le Ciel, our Santorini wedding venue, we like to make this as clear as possible when it comes to numbers. We have space for 80 seated ceremony guests and 40 standing guests, as well as capacity for 120 dinner and evening reception guests.
How easy is the venue to find?
Another important consideration is how easy your Santorini wedding venue is to get to. If guests are flying over from other countries, you want to make it as easy as possible for them to actually get from wherever they are staying to your ceremony. Take a look at location as well as transport options. One of the great things about Le Ciel is that even though you’ll feel a million miles away from everything as you look out across the sea from our alfresco terrace, we’re actually very easy for your guests to find.
What’s important to you?
Every couple is different, and that’s reflected in what they value most in a wedding venue. Think about what’s really important to you – what are your big day non-negotiables? Perhaps that’s excellent cuisine, a luxurious reception space, the option for an outdoor ceremony or beautiful surroundings for your wedding photos? Look for your ‘must haves’ on each venue’s website and talk to the wedding events team for clarification. We don’t want to boast, but at Le Ciel we tick all the boxes for world-class food, incredible spaces – including a breathtaking outdoor terrace for your ceremony – and knockout views.
Credit: Ben Wyatt
What’s included in your Santorini venue hire?
You shouldn’t have to go searching through the website small print to find out what each destination wedding venue includes in standard hire. If you’re planning a wedding in another country, you want the venue to provide as much as possible, so you don’t have to worry about coordinating that yourself. At Le Ciel we include all the essentials in our standard hire, like elegant white wooden Chiavari chairs and cushions, a ceremony table, sound system and four decorative candle lanterns for the aisle. We’ve also got a stylish list of add-ons, including a chic white wooden gazebo, available to hire at an additional cost.
Does it have an events team?
When you’re planning a destination wedding you need a venue team you can trust and rely on. Look for Santorini venues with a dedicated events team to help take care of all the wedding logistics. Even better if they also have a list of the best local wedding planners to bring the little details of your dream day to life. Our friendly events team love working with couples to make sure their Santorini destination wedding is perfect.
How much does it cost?
There’s no getting around this one – similar to capacity, if a wedding venue isn’t within budget, it’s not the right fit. A destination wedding comes with the added expense of flights, so it’s important to work within your budget when searching for the right venue. At Le Ciel we are fully transparent about costs, to help you decide whether we are right for you. You can find a full breakdown of our prices and packages right here.
What’s the venue vibe?
Ultimately, choosing your perfect Santorini wedding venue comes down to the venue vibe. If you can visit the venue in person that’s ideal, however we know it’s not always an option, especially in the early stages of planning. Venues with virtual tours and hands-on teams help give a feel of what kind of big day you can expect. Check out other real weddings on the venue’s blog and make sure you follow all of their socials to get a genuine taste of the venue style.
Where should I get married in Santorini?
Taking all of these factors into consideration, it’s a lot easier to narrow down your perfect venue search. Le Ciel is a magical Santorini wedding venue, with awe-inspiring panoramic views of the island and sparkling Aegean Sea. Authentic and enchanting, it’s a luxury venue that blends style and traditional Greek hospitality in one seriously cool package. If you’d like to find out more about our venue our friendly team at Le Ciel would love to hear from you. We can arrange virtual or in-person tours to give you a sense of what you could expect from a wedding at Le Ciel. We’re also on hand to answer any questions you might have about the venue or the wedding packages we offer. Just click here to get in touch and one of our team will get back to you straight away.