Getting Married on Santorini

“I will” you said. To be continued on Santorini…

After you’ve said “I will”, preparations for the wedding ceremony can begin. What’s the first thing that springs to mind? A dreamy wedding hideaway. Santorini in the Cyclades has always been an absolute favourite for overseas couples who want to celebrate in a wonderful setting. The island offers its own comprehensive wedding industry directory: exquisite beach sites, luxurious hotels, boutique guest houses, rural churches and breathtaking views over a volcano make Santorini one of the most sought after wedding and honeymoon locations in Greece. A Travel Channel “Wedding Special” will help you discover the reason why.

Start dreaming about your nuptials, chose your bridal gown and costume, and don’t worry about a thing. Here you will find detailed answers to your questions.


Who can help me with the arrangements?

Local wedding coordinators can work with you to offer comprehensive, tailor-made wedding packages to fit any budget. These on-site experienced planners can help you with: all legal arrangements for your wedding, booking for the officiant/venue/priest/church, recommendations about locations, live Internet video broadcasting so relatives and friends can watch the event as it happens, videoconferencing, flowers and decorations, wedding dinner, reception, cakes, menus, catering, live music, professional dancers, fireworks, professional photographer and videographer, beauty care, accommodation arrangements for you and your guests, ground transportation, excursions and tours; they can even arrange for the bride to travel to the church on the back of a donkey. So, all you have to worry about is booking your wedding date as soon as possible!

What kind of wedding ceremonies take place on Santorini?

Civil ceremonies are held in almost any location you choose. Greek Orthodox ceremonies take place in Cathedrals and chapels; Catholic ones at the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist in the town of Firá, and Jewish weddings can be conducted as well as a rabbi is also available. If you are already married but want to relive the romantic atmosphere of your marriage ceremony, wedding planners can also create the perfect setting for you to renew your wedding vows. Due to the fact that couples come from all over the world, civil weddings are bilingual, in Greek and English. When necessary, interpreters for other languages as well as sign language interpreters are available.

So, which are these locations we have been talking about?

The island of Santorini loves weddings and many sites are geared up to ensuring that all that is required of you is to arrive and enjoy the big day. Restaurants and hotels with sprawling patios, and beachside tavernas host fabulous weddings, wedding meals, and receptions, which you can ride to on one of the island’s resident donkeys. For a smaller, more intimate affair, there’s no better place to celebrate than at one of the small hotels set along the rim of the Caldera. Here, couples can marry on one of the several terraces or inside a vaulted cave with the sunset, the volcano, the sea and the surrounding islets as a backdrop. On Santorini you can even choose to tie the knot at remote locations, away from the confines of a banqueting hall: volcanic beaches, vineyards, or even boats provide the ideal scenery for those who wish to put their own, distinctive signature on their nuptial ceremony. If you want to carry on celebrating after the event you can dance the night away at one of the island’s clubs.

But “excellence is in the details”, as the saying goes.

For your wedding bouquet and the groom's buttonhole choose from a selection of local flowers. (Some tips: try an exuberantly colourful floral arrangement of stargazer lilies and red roses; colourful Euphorbia flowers, yellow roses, lilium pink and blue liatris, etc.). The wedding coordinators will cater for the reception menu, as well as the cake (the Serrano mousse flavour covered with white whipped cream and adorned with flowers that are made of edible wafers is a pure delight). The ring: purchase it from one of the island’s jewellery stores. For your reception ceremony, if you have specific music in mind, you can bring in your own musicians.

How can I please my guests and family?

Use hotels to house all of your guests. People here will go out of their way to help you with wedding preparations and offer a warm hospitable welcome to guests. Days will be filled with seaside activities, exploring the island, or just lazing on a sun lounger. If you are more interested in exploring Santorini’s archaeological sites, you will find our itinerary extremely helpful.

Legal information: There are a number of legal requirements and any couples intending to marry on Santorini must have the right documents before leaving their own country. Due to the fact that the documents required vary significantly according to the country of origin, contact the on-site wedding planners, who will help you throughout the whole process of preparing for the event.