With crystal-clear waters, breathtaking landscapes and year-round sunshine, Greece takes some beating when it comes to the perfect setting for a destination wedding. Boasting some of the best views on Santorini, Le Ciel is the most magical venue for a truly unforgettable wedding. As well as its idyllic setting, surrounded by the spectacular natural beauty of the Aegean Sea and Caldera cliffs, and the kind of sunsets you can only dream of, Le Ciel also wows with its picturesque, white-washed Santorini architecture. With our exceptionally talented chefs serving up a menu of world-class cuisine, and our experienced wedding events team on hand to help you every step of the way, Le Ciel really is the ultimate destination wedding venue in Santorini. Feeling inspired? To make the process easy, here’s our essential guide to planning a destination wedding in Greece.
Make it easy for your guests
Whether you’re planning an intimate wedding or large celebration, if you want to get married aboard you need to give guests as much notice as possible. Aim to send your save the dates out around a year in advance, so friends and family can start making arrangements. Official invites for a destination wedding should go out no later than 12 weeks before the big day – earlier if you can manage. Along with the general date, time and location info on your invitations, try and include more details on how long you intend to be out there, how to get there and accommodation available. Think about creating your own wedding website to provide more details for your guests, too.
When planning a destination wedding in Greece, you need to think about accommodation for your guests well in advance. You want to make the whole experience as stress-free as possible for people travelling to celebrate your big day, so try and block book hotel rooms or apartments together for your guests. On an island like Santorini, group accommodation can get booked up early, so plan as far ahead as possible.
Of course it’s great to have all your family in friends in one place for the social aspect, but it also makes the logistics so much easier. While most guests won’t necessarily expect you to arrange the accommodation, you should sort out the travel arrangements to and from your venue for them. Having these practical things in place means your guests can relax and enjoy themselves, instead of worrying about arranging taxis or car hire.
Arrive in plenty of time
When planning a destination wedding in Greece, make sure you factor in the time you’ll need to be there before the big day. If you’re planning to legally marry in Greece there’s generally an 8-day residency requirement, so don’t leave it to the last minute to get to your destination. The length of time you need to be in the country before you legally marry is dependent on the area you choose. Be sure to check with whoever is planning your ceremony or helping with the paperwork before you book flights.
Even if you don’t plan to legally wed in Greece, it’s worth giving yourself some time before the big day. You want to feel fully refreshed after the flight and soak up the atmosphere with your loved ones before your wedding. Most venues, like Le Ciel, will ask for a pre-wedding meeting, 2 to 3 days before you get married, to talk through everything and make sure you are happy with the plans.
The legal part
Getting married in Greece, when you’re not a resident, comes with its own set of rules and steps to navigate. Before you decide on a wedding venue you need to decide whether you want to legally marry in Greece or marry at home and have a symbolic wedding abroad.
If you don’t mind the legal marriage taking place at home, a symbolic ceremony or blessing in Greece could be a hassle-free option. It’s also a good choice for LGBTQ+ couples who currently can’t legally marry in Greece. To get your official paperwork, you can choose to have your formal ceremony at a registry office when you return home or before you fly out to Greece.
If you prefer to have the official marriage ceremony in Greece there are a number of documents you’ll need to provide. These vary depending on whereabouts in Greece you are marrying, but all will need to be ‘legalised’ – this means having your documents verified as originals by the government of the issuing country – and translated into Greek. The basic documents you’ll need for the process are your passport, birth or adoption certificate and a certificate of no impediment (from your local registry office). Additional documents will be required if you are divorced, your ex-partner has passed away or if you’ve changed your name by deed poll.
To find out which ones you need, ask your wedding planner or the local Town Hall (Dimos) who can advise. Also, it’s worth bearing in mind that collating all the right documents, having them verified, issued and translated takes time. It’s not a quick job, so make sure you work this into your dates.
Choosing your vendors
If you’re planning a destination wedding, you really do need a wedding planner. Hiring someone who knows the area, the legalities and the best wedding vendors will make life much easier for you. It will make the planning process a lot more enjoyable, too! The best wedding planners can turn your thoughts, ideas and Pinterest boards into a reality. Plus, they are also likely to get you the best deals. At Le Ciel, you have the option to use the services of ESME events. These incredible wedding planners can help arrange everything from stylish décor to the legal paperwork for your big day.
While it’s best to use local vendors, especially for things like your cake and flowers, if you’ve got your heart set on a certain wedding photographer that’s usually no problem. Before you book, check that they have the legal right to work in Greece. It’s also important to ask if they have shot destination weddings before – you want them to be used to the logistics of transporting their equipment, for example. Even better if they are familiar with your wedding venue or location. As a general rule, when hiring a wedding photographer that’s not based in Greece, you’ll need to factor in the cost of the photographer’s services, plus flights, 2 nights’ accommodation, meals and their transport.
Booking your destination wedding at Le Ciel
Santorini is a showstopping island for a romantic wedding day, and nowhere shows it off quite like Le Ciel. Are you interested in planning a destination wedding in Greece? We’d love to hear from you. If we can help answer any questions or if you’d like to find out more about Le Ciel, just click here and we’ll get straight back to you.