A Santorini Destination Wedding that’s Pink Perfection

What’s a Santorini destination wedding without the azure seas, whitewashed cliffs, and pops of pink? Santorini isn’t just a destination; it’s a love affair waiting to happen, and what better way to celebrate than with a splash of pink? This rosy celebration is meticulously orchestrated by SBS Weddings & Events, adorned with blooms by Tom Trovato Event Floral & Design, and immortalized through the lens of La Vie En Rose Photographers.

We’re serving up all things pink and fabulous, from venue picks that’ll make your heart skip a beat to décor ideas that’ll have your guests swooning. So, buckle up, lovebirds, because Santorini’s blushing beauty is about to steal your heart in more ways than one! Let’s paint the town – and the blog – pink!

After Hurricane Ian totally destroyed their original plans and venue, this couple along with the fantastic team at SBS Weddings pivoted to host the most magical ocean-front celebration using Santorini, Greece as their inspiration.

Greece destination wedding with bougainvillea

HOW THEY MET AND PROPOSAL

From Bride: Jake and I met in his hometown of Bigfork, Montana. I had moved to Bigfork from Minneapolis for a new business opportunity and was wrapped up in my job and long hours. Thankfully, Jake was very persistent in asking me out! For our first date we went out for pizza (an excellent choice in my opinion) and we were so caught up in conversation that we didn’t realize the restaurant had closed until our waitress said she was locking up, but we could sit on the patio for as long as we wished! On our date I remember feeling a strong connection to Jake and thinking to myself that I might marry this man.

Fast forward to July 2, 2022, Jake and I were in Steamboat Springs, CO for the Fourth of July weekend. Since moving to Denver, Steamboat became a special place for Jake and me where we could escape city life and enjoy endless outdoor activities and an amazing mountain community. That July 2nd morning, we got up early and ate breakfast at our favorite restaurant, Yampa Valley Kitchen, and decided to go on a hike we had been wanting to do for a while, but always seemed to run out of time. We began our hike up to Hahns Peak Fire Tower, grateful that the trail wasn’t busy, and the weather was beautiful. As we approached the fire tower there were maybe 15 people there. As we took some pictures from the fire tower people started to leave below us and Jake suggested we have someone take a picture of the two of us, so he ran down to the base of the tower and asked a couple to take a picture of us. When Jake got back up to the fire tower deck the couple kindly took a photo of us and then set Jake’s phone down on some rocks below and started down the mountain, which I thought was awkward of them, but little did I know that Jake had told the couple he was going to propose to me. Jake got down on one knee and said sweet things that I had to ask him to repeat later because I was in total shock, but what I do remember is him nervously pulling a ring out of his pocket and asking, “Will you marry me?”

YES! We made our way down the mountain back to the trailhead parking lot where Jake had some celebratory drinks waiting for us. To top the best day off, we grabbed some wood fired pizzas from a nearby mercantile and watched fireworks over Steamboat Lake.

DESIGN AND INSPIRATION

From SBS: Santorini, Greece was the inspiration behind this entire design, from the bougainvillea to the bold color palette and all the intricate details in between — the white and cobalt linens, rattan and wicker tabletop décor, the oyster shell escort display, and hand-painted tile table numbers. Alexandra and Jake’s family friend, Kelcie Leines, designed their wedding monogram and the custom watercolor map as part of the invitation suite. We translated the monogram to many different areas throughout the design, including the menu cards, the escort wall, and the bar panels.

From Bride: For the monogram, I wanted the palm tree trunks to be bamboo to tie in with our theme. All the colors are reminiscent of the landscape in Florida and the Greek islands. I also love the fish because it is such a big part of the Greek islands with all the colorfully painted fishing boats bobbing along the shore and fresh seafood being shared with family and friends. The two fish also symbolize Christianity and mine and Jake’s shared love of fishing.

From Bride and Mother of Bride: “Santorini was truly our most memorable family trip, returning to our ancestry of Greece itself and all its natural beauty. The fuchsia bougainvillea is a trademark of the Greek islands, and Alexandra had a strong vision of incorporating fuchsia in all of the floral bouquets and shades of hot pinks and fuchsias popping throughout the reception space. From the abundance of bougainvillea to the tent grande entrance, and all of the florals, Tom Trovato brought Alexandra’s vision to life in an explosion of creativity. The initial photos that Alexandra shared with Tom truly gave him the inspiration needed and he excelled beyond anything anyone else could have created!”

From SBS: Designing this wedding was truly a fun and completely collaborative effort between our fashion-forward bride, her mother who has an Interior Design background, ourselves, and the florist, Tom Trovato. Five creative heads is always better than one! Alexandra and her mother had very strong ideas from the onset and fully trusted our teams to run with and execute their vision. Having their complete trust and support made the day possible and that’s where the magic lives. The end result exceeded everyone’s expectations! Alexandra wanted to have a grand entrance in front of the tent to welcome her guests as they walked through the tent to enjoy cocktail hour on the beach overlooking the Gulf of Mexico. Tom Trovato created the most spectacular bougainvillea archway and each side of the entrance was flanked with large Santorini vases overflowing with florals. The bougainvillea was carried through to the ceiling installation over the dance floor and to the ceiling inside the chickee hut, which was transformed to create a statement bar area complete with a large 360-degree bar. The bride’s mother hand-selected and purchased three large shell-embellished chandeliers that hung over the dance floor with a mixture of bamboo and wicker lanterns. Once the sun set below the horizon, the chandeliers, bistro lighting and candlelight created the most beautiful ambience inside the tent.

A FEW SPECIAL DETAILS

From Mother of Bride: After Alexandra and Jake became engaged, our family began the process of importing olive oil from Sparta, Greece (hometown of Alexandra’s grandmother aka “Yiayia”). The olive oil was all bottled in Sparta and shipped to Florida in miniature bottles adorned with a special label and personal message for the guests. This was a sentimental labor of love in special remembrance of the Alexandra’s late grandmother.

From SBS: Guests savored 2010 and 2011 vintage wines throughout the evening. The bride’s parents collected Domaine Serene Twelve Barns wine over the last decade to be served at the wedding, this being a very special occasion, as Alexandra is the only daughter amongst three brothers. Baklava and Greek honey cookies were served after dinner for guests to enjoy, both of which were also homemade by the bride’s mother.