Romantic Wedding in Athens with a Giant Floral Wreath

Infinity was the name of the game for Diane and Andreas’ circular wedding ceremony at an authentic Byzantine style museum in Athens, Greece. A planner herself for Lily of the Valley, the bride had no trouble dreaming up a romantic celebration amidst olives, cypresses and towering pines.

We’re bookmarking the lush hoop floral installation from Secret Garden forever, and perhaps the three-tiered mint confection with sugar laurels from Pavlov’s Lab as well! Details abound in everything from the calligraphed bouquet ribbon from Lena Septemvri, bold marquee letters from Letter and Co spelling a Nat King Cole song and mini olive oil take home treats with a custom crest from Love Me Do. These images from Anna Roussos will have your reeling in no time!

A moment of silence for the hearts that burst out of our chests when we laid eyes on this intricate ball gown from Nathalie Karam.

From the bride and planner, Diane of Lily of the Valley: Put yourself in the shoes of a wedding planner. Imagine the exhilarating feeling of helping couples get married every year, and picture sharing their vision of the day, from precious moments with their loved ones to the tears of joy that trickle down their cheeks on the big day. Now imagine how words fail to express the euphoria of being the highlight of my own wedding celebration! Vivid images of elated happiness come to mind for this very special occasion. Andreas and I were drunk in love for each other and engulfed in a wave of affection by family and friends. As a Lebanese denizen of Greece who was to tie the knot with a native, I designed a wedding that reflected both of our cultures and traditions. We opted for an intimate celebration that included only our closest friends, family members and people we cared for.

As soon as we visited, my husband and I were immediately awestruck with The Nasioutzik Museum. Located in a 55 acres verdant land studded with olive, cypress and pine trees, this byzantine estate has a magical vintage setting rich with history and culture. It was without hesitation that we decided to celebrate our union at this unique venue.

I relished the one-time opportunity of styling my wedding day as a bride-to-be in lieu of a wedding planner hand in hand with my talented colleagues. I aimed for a rustic yet elegant wedding with some bohemian touches. Bouquets of wild and classical flowers were wrapped around a South African King Protea, the star of the show. Blooms also included garden roses, David Austin roses, baby proteas, wax flowers, pepper berries, veronicas, brunias and succulents. Pastel peachy colors were mixed with bursts of vibrant raspberry and highlighted by long eucalyptus leaves for an added organic character. Gold bronze antique vases collected at the Athenian flea market were used for the floral ornaments and complemented with vintage brass candle holders.

Our classic tableware consisted of original bronze charger plates paired with matching cutlery and bread plates. “Bombonieres” were placed on the dinner plate of each guest. According to Greek tradition, Bombonieres are given as wedding favors and filled with “Koufetas”, saccharine almonds. They are considered tokens of good fortune and happiness, with the bitter almonds and the sweet sugar respectively symbolizing the bitterness of life and sweetness of love.

Green, the main wedding color, was chosen to reign supreme over everything from the stationery, the jewelry and the favors to the dessert buffet. Green has always been our favorite color and so infused our personalities into all the wedding details.

The wedding ring, an emerald heirloom that once belonged to my grandmother was my “something old” a precious and sentimental element to honor my family. The bridal bouquet by Secret Garden was adorned with a silk green ribbon hand-calligraphed with Andreas’ favorite quote from Paulo Coelho’s Alchemist “So I love you because the entire universe conspired to help me find you”.

The ceremony setting looked marvelous in its simplicity with a circular arch at the epicenter as well as a semi-lunar seating configuration; a hint to Ancient Greeks who believed the circle to be a symbol of divine symmetry, unity and harmony.

To top off the cozy ambiance of our big day, we elected a family friend of my husband’s to officiate our ceremony. In unison, we first pledged eternal love for one another. I then read my vows in French while Andreas read his in his mother tongue. Epitomizing ancient Greek traditions, we incorporated the Stefana ritual; a crowning ceremony using eucalyptus crowns.

The generous buffet was a succulent mix of Mediterranean food with Lebanese and Greek influences from Intercatering. A beautiful organic antipasti station was set-up for the cocktail hour full with mouthwatering local bites, such as village style foccacia, herb bread, bruschetta, stuffed red bell peppers and delicate varieties of olives, cold cuts and cheeses decorated with an array of fruits.

Our Big Day wrapped up with an epic dance party! The DJ created a perfect blend of French, Arabic, Greek and international music that brought everyone to their feet, and dancing the night away. One to remember until the end of our lives.