A destination wedding in Crete is always a beautiful choice, especially when it carries such a meaningful story behind it. For Ben and Ellie, returning to Chania felt like the most natural way to begin their marriage, as it was here, during a holiday in 2022, that Ben surprised Ellie with a proposal aboard a private boat in the middle of the open sea, surrounded only by endless blue waters and complete serenity. Their fall wedding embraced the natural beauty of a stunning olive grove, where the ceremony took place along a simple aisle lined with white chairs adorned with ribbons and framed by romantic floral arrangements from Sea View by En Kipo featuring white roses, hydrangeas, lisianthus, baby’s breath, ranunculus and fresh eucalyptus. Designed to feel refined yet effortless, the decoration focused on soft white blooms and lush greenery, allowing the landscape itself to take centre stage. The same romantic style continued at the reception with white roses displayed in glass vases, glowing white candles and delicate glass accents creating a beautifully intimate atmosphere. Throughout the planning process, the bride turned to Chic and Stylish Weddings for inspiration, particularly destination and outdoor weddings that helped shape the natural and minimalist style they envisioned. Bringing every detail together flawlessly was Blossom Weddings, with the bride sharing: «We were also incredibly grateful to our wedding planner Blossom Weddings, who made the entire process feel easy and stress-free from the very beginning. Planning a wedding abroad could have been overwhelming, but she handled every detail with such calm professionalism and reassurance. On the day itself everything flowed seamlessly, allowing us to completely relax and enjoy the experience rather than worry about timings or logistics. She understood exactly the atmosphere we wanted to create and brought it to life perfectly. We honestly couldn’t have done it without her and it allowed us to just be present and enjoy every moment.» As the evening unfolded beneath the Cretan sky, with music by Aristotle Manoudakis setting the mood, every moment felt even more special. Discover all the beautiful details from this unforgettable celebration in Chania!
Captured by Wedding Stories Photography.
«We met at university almost ten years ago and quickly became inseparable. What started as a friendship turned into a relationship that grew, we went though different stages of life together, supporting each other through studies, careers and everyday routines. Ben is calm and steady, while I am more of the planner and organiser and we’ve always balanced each other perfectly. Ben proposed me during a holiday in Crete in 2022. He had secretly arranged to hire a private boat and took me out into the open sea, away from the shore and everything familiar. Surrounded only by the blue ocean and complete quiet, he asked me to marry him. It felt incredibly intimate, peaceful and completely took me by surprise. From that moment Crete became deeply special to us, so choosing to return there for our wedding felt like the most meaningful way to start our marriage.»
«I visited Chic and Stylish Weddings site and during the planning process I looked at wedding blogs for inspiration, particularly for destination weddings and styling ideas. Seeing real weddings helped me visualise how the day could feel rather than just how it would look, especially for an outdoor ceremony. iT was helpful when choosing a natural, minimal style and focusing on atmosphere rather than over-decorating. We didn’t book vendors directly through the website, but it was helpful for ideas and inspiration while planning.»
Our favorite moment from our wedding was walking down the aisle and seeing Ben waiting for me was the moment everything finally felt real. After all the planning, the nerves disappeared instantly and it just felt calm and natural. Later in the evening, sitting together during the reception and looking around at all our family and friends in a place that already meant so much to us was incredibly special. It felt less like an event and more like a memory we were living in at the time.
Ellie , Bride
«We wanted the wedding decoration to feel elegant but effortless and to complement the natural beauty of the olive grove rather than compete with it. Our flowers were soft and romantic in a palette of whites and fresh greenery, with roses, hydrangeas and delicate filler flowers paired with eucalyptus foliage. Instead of an elaborate structure, we framed the wedding ceremony aisle with low floral arrangements placed along the ground so the setting still felt organic and relaxed. The white chairs, natural earth tones and olive trees created a calm, Mediterranean atmosphere and allowed the surroundings to be part of the styling. We also added a simple welcome sign with florals to greet guests as they arrived, which became one of our favourite details and set the tone immediately. For the wedding reception, we continued the same soft aesthetic with long tables, neutral linens and candlelight. The table styling was clean and understated glassware, soft florals and warm evening light created an intimate dinner-party feel. The whole look felt timeless and personal rather than overly formal, which was exactly what we hoped for.»
«For my wedding dress I wanted something simple, modern and timeless rather than overly detailed. The dress had a clean silhouette with a low back and delicate buttons, which felt elegant but still relaxed enough for a destination wedding. I paired it with a long veil for the wedding ceremony to add a softer, romantic feel against the outdoor setting and kept the overall styling minimal so it didn’t distract from the natural surroundings. I wanted to feel comfortable and like myself, just a more polished version and the simplicity of the dress really suited the atmosphere of the day.»
«We were also incredibly grateful to our wedding planner Blossom Weddings, who made the entire process feel easy and stress-free from the very beginning. Planning a wedding abroad could have been overwhelming, but she handled every detail with such calm professionalism and reassurance. On the day itself everything flowed seamlessly, allowing us to completely relax and enjoy the experience rather than worry about timings or logistics. She understood exactly the atmosphere we wanted to create and brought it to life perfectly. We honestly couldn’t have done it without her and it allowed us to just be present and enjoy every moment.»
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