Annie & Vincent

Annie and Vincent really wanted a wedding that was small, personal, and beautiful. So, they decided to turn their dream day into a destination wedding and tie the knot on the beautiful island of Santorini in Greece! They planned a relaxed and romantic ceremony on a clifftop, where the spectacular scenery provided the perfect backdrop for an intimate celebration with their loved ones. Annie tells their story…  

Photography by Amour Weddings 

Our love story began when we were just six years old. We met in primary school and began dating during intermediate. Life took a turn when Vincent’s family moved away, but a few years later, when we were 17, fate brought us back together. That unexpected reunion led to our very first Valentine’s Day date in 2013, and we’ve been inseparable ever since.

We initially planned a big wedding on Waiheke but quickly realised it didn’t feel like us. We’re both private people, and a large wedding didn’t feel right. What we really wanted was something small, personal, and beautiful. So, we decided to turn our dream wedding into a destination celebration and get married in Greece. Plus, my dad is part Greek, so it felt very fitting to get married there, and we could also have our honeymoon in the most magical place!

The morning of our wedding was calm and peaceful, just the two of us, enjoying breakfast, coffee, and a sunrise in Santorini. It was pure magic. Later, while my sister and I were busy getting our makeup and hair done, the boys were swimming, snacking and sunbathing by the pool – it was such a relaxed vibe. I got ready wearing the “Rosie” set by New Zealand designer Caitlin Crisp. It was the comfiest, most stylish little set I could’ve asked for.

When we decided to get married abroad, I knew I didn’t want to travel through Europe with a huge dress. I picked my shoes before the dress – classic Christian Dior slingbacks. I built my whole look around them!

After trying on numerous dresses that didn’t quite feel right, I discovered a small London label called Rosie Etienne. When their “Isabelle” gown launched, I knew it was the one. Hand-stitched over three months with the most incredible beading and details, it was more than I ever dreamed of.

A special moment captured of our beloved friend Dave helping Vincent with his bow tie, because we had no idea what we were doing! 

Vincent looked great in his stylish tux. He surprised me with sparkly "A" cufflinks and I thought these were the most special detail, and along with the last-minute addition of sunglasses, added the coolest vibe to our wedding photos.

To ease our nerves, we decided to do a first look photo shoot, and say our vows to one another before the ceremony. It was a very romantic and meaningful moment.

Our winery venue has the most magnificent open-air clifftop setting. We opted for simple white flowers, candles and chairs as decorations – the view was the absolute star of the show!

By late morning, the wind had really picked up. My hair was wild, my veil flew off the second I stepped out of the car, and the wind was so strong we had to wrap my veil around our arms to walk up the aisle. It wasn’t the picture-perfect moment I imagined… but when I saw Vincent waiting for me, everything else faded away. I felt completely at peace. That moment, windswept and all, was everything.

Our closest family played a special part in our ceremony – my father walked me up the aisle, my mother handed us our rings, and our siblings signed the marriage certificate.

Photography, to us was the most important element of our day. Our photo shoot around the streets of Santorini felt so surreal and all my visions came to life perfectly with the whole buildings and the view. It was also so lovely to have photographers from NZ with the same banter – they really made us feel so comfortable.

A cake-cutting and a Champagne tower kicked off the festivities at the reception. The vibe we envisioned was timeless, elegant, and romantic, with lots of white florals and candles, with soft, modern details. The large chandeliers helped the simplicity of the table set-up shine – I’m a minimalistic girlie so kept it very simple and it turned out perfectly. 

The highlight of our reception was when our wedding party joining us for our first dance. We all held hands and sang and just were truly happy to have our closest people there with us celebrating our love, it was so magical. 

Our wedding was everything we dreamed of and more. We often find ourselves rewatching our wedding video, completely in love with the decision we made to marry in Greece. It was personal, beautiful, and such a day we’ll cherish forever. 

Annie’s Top Tips:

  1. A legal destination wedding requires a lot more legal documents than getting married at home in New Zealand. Make sure all the required documents are correct before you leave, and check exchange rates when paying. 

  2. Hire a wedding planner! Ours was amazing and without her we wouldn't have been able to pull the day off. 

  3. If you have been thinking about cancelling the big wedding and eloping / having a small intimate wedding… do it! We still talk about how it was the best decision we've ever made – we got a holiday and a wedding in one. 

  4. Relax... the day goes by so quickly – before we knew it we were on the plane home. 

Real WeddingsPolly WalkerComment