Paros, Greece Destination Wedding

When I had the opportunity to return to my old home for this Paros, Greece Destination Wedding I nearly jumped out of my chair!

Paros, Greece is a place that’s more deeply special to me than any other Greek island. For a period of time, I lived on Paros. I spent my days photographing luxury hotels, small vacation villas, restaurants, and product & fashion for local shops on the island.

There are so many reasons why Paros makes my top pick for one of the best Greek islands to plan your destination wedding. Other than just my own sentimental reasons for loving this place! Unlike the overwhelming popularity of the islands of Mykonos and Santorini, Paros is not only larger in size but also far less crowded. There’s still plenty of nightlife and restaurants to keep yourself busy, but overall the pace of the island has a far more relaxed, beachcomber vibe. It’s one of the largest Greek islands with an ample shoreline which makes it easy to slip away from the hustle & bustle and head to a secluded beach pretty quickly!

Upon my return, I was in the lovely village of Naoussa. Naoussa is is located in the northeastern corner of the island of Paros. It’s a tiny picturesque port with colorful fishing boats and the remains of a Venetian castle. It’s enchanting, unique, and surrounded by countryside and the serene blue shores eponymous with Greece!

When wedding day arrived, the bride & groom each got ready at Saint Andrea Seaside Resort. Then they were off to their ceremony at Monastery of St. John’s of Deti. In the tradition of The Cyclades, the Monastery has an iconic blue dome known across the Greek islands. Naturally, the bride made quite an entrance when she arrived at the ceremony via boat!

Witnessing a traditional Greek orthodox ceremony is a particularly special occasion

The highlight of the sacrament during a Greek Orthodox wedding is “The Crowning.” During the crowing a single ribbon attaches two crowns (called Stefana) together. When the priest places the crowns atop the heads of the bride and groom, they are crowned by God as king and queen of their home and founders of a new generation. The crowns are exchanged on their heads three times by the Koumbaro or Koumbara.

Holding up the book of the Holy Gospel, the priest then leads the couple in a ceremonial walk called the Dance of Isaiah. This “dance” celebrates the couples first steps as husband and wife.

The white sugar-coated Jordan Almonds depicted bested the Stefana are called Koufeta. The white of the almonds symbolizes purity and the egg shape represents fertility and new life. The hard almond is a symbol of the endurance of marriage and the sugar coating is a promise of a sweet life together.

The reception was held at Orbis Seaside Cafe-Restaurant which is located just on the outskirts of the town center. Its location makes for a quiet yet fantastic views of the sea and Kolympethres Beach. The day wound down after a gorgeous pastel sunset over the bay, endless souvlaki and wine, and dancing at Orbis!