This beautiful couple had a vision – natural, simple and private – and their wedding in Greece was perfectly on point! Anjali and Julian decided to create a wedding fun for their families and closest friends, so they chose to take a vacation and get married in Samos, Greece. Their wedding was super simple and natural but beautiful and impressive at the same time. The simplicity of this wedding in combination with the gorgeous natural scene created a relaxed, comfortable atmosphere that everyone enjoyed! A pretty setting with a small deck on the cliff overlooking the ocean for the ceremony and a reception in the middle of a greenery scene with Grecian colors, Grecian elements and some candles were enough to make this wedding dreamy! Don’t miss a single image of this personal and gorgeous day captured by Lighthouse Photography!
Photography : Lighthouse Photography
Photography : Lighthouse Photography
“We met in graduate school in San Diego, California in fall of 2006. We started out as friends, classmates, and study partners. By summer 2007, our friendship grew into a relationship”, the bride shared with us.
Photography : Lighthouse Photography
Photography : Lighthouse Photography
“We were on vacation in Azores, Portugal and it was a beautiful day, so we went on a hike up Monte Brasil. We had hiked the mountain before, but this time Julian suggested going to the peak. We stopped to play on a swing set and took some pictures. Julian tried to act natural; but really, he was analyzing all the angles: was the best location here, or 30 feet up the trail? If we walk just a little bit faster, we can get away from the couple walking behind us. But not too fast, we don’t want to catch up to the couple ahead of us. Should I put the ring in my hand yet? Not yet, keep it hidden in pocket. Finally, he found the perfect spot at the perfect time, pretended to look at something on the ground, got on one knee and stammered out his carefully worded proposal. Julian was so nervous he forgot all his lines and kept saying my whole name “Anjali Dharan,” like some sort of formal job interview. I had no idea what was happening and thought he had tripped to the ground and kept interrupting him telling him to get up. When he pulled out the ring, I was surprised – but of course I said yes!”
Photography : Lighthouse Photography
Photography : Lighthouse Photography
Photography : Lighthouse Photography
Photography : Lighthouse Photography
Photography : Lighthouse Photography
“I loved my wedding dress – and it was fate that I found it! I had basically given up looking when I casually went to a sample sale at a boutique in Washington D.C. I was trying on a few dresses when the sales lady mentioned they had a brand-new Rue de Seine dress that another woman was trying on. Luckily the other woman didn’t buy it, and I ended up taking it home that day! I didn’t expect to wear white, but the bohemian style of this dress seemed perfect for our relaxed wedding. Moreover, the detail of the dress and its long flowy sleeves were perfect for an oceanside ceremony in the Mediterranean!”
Photography : Lighthouse Photography
Photography : Lighthouse Photography
Photography : Lighthouse Photography
“The ceremony took place in our own private villa, Villa Marea, on the island of Samos, Greece.”
Photography : Lighthouse Photography
Photography : Lighthouse Photography
Photography : Lighthouse Photography
“When we got engaged, we knew we did not want a big formal or traditional event. We had been together 10 years and we wanted something small, intimate, private, and fun for our families and closest friends. So why not take a vacation and get married? Or as we called it: a “wedding-cation”! We threw around some ideas of destinations – Morocco, Bermuda, Chile – but in the end, we picked Greece. We wanted to get married in a place that had meaning to us. During a year living apart, we met in Greece and traveled around the islands of Mykonos and Santorini. Greece was familiar, and we knew we already loved the food and the culture. Next it was just a matter of finding a new island that we hadn’t explored – thus, we found our villa on Samos!”
Photography : Lighthouse Photography
Photography : Lighthouse Photography
Photography : Lighthouse Photography
“The ceremony itself was the most memorable, and exchanging our own written vows. But the moments we got to spend together, just the two of us, enjoying the beauty and serenity of Samos were the best. We had many private moments at the villa and before the ceremony that we will never forget.”
Photography : Lighthouse Photography
Photography : Lighthouse Photography
“We really didn’t have a concept or color scheme for our wedding. We wanted a more natural approach and style to the ceremony with the focus on the beautiful setting. Given the relaxed and non-traditional nature of the ceremony, we wanted our guests and wedding party to be comfortable and wear what they like.”
Photography : Lighthouse Photography
Photography : Lighthouse Photography
Photography : Lighthouse Photography
Photography : Lighthouse Photography
“Again, the non-traditional nature of our ceremony meant that we could do what we like! I decided not to have a bouquet to keep my hands free. We got boutineers for our officiant and my little nephew who was ring bearer. Instead of a veil, I wore an Indian bridal jewelry piece called maang tikka, a gift from a friend!”
Photography : Lighthouse Photography
Photography : Lighthouse Photography
“We were focused on a more natural approach and wanted a gorgeous set up in a beautiful setting. Once we arrived at the villa, we found the perfect spot – a small deck on the cliff overlooking the ocean. Given the environment and surroundings, especially with Grecian colors and elements, we decided decorations were not needed. The villa owner asked us if we wanted any decorations and we said no, except for some candles for our al fresco dinner. When I arrived at the wedding reception area, I was surprised at what a beautiful job the staff at the villa did at decorating and setting the table. It was better than anything I could imagine or come up with myself!”
Photography : Lighthouse Photography
Photography : Lighthouse Photography
“I am not really into wedding blogs and never use Pinterest, but I did talk to a friend who also had a small destination wedding in Europe to get her input on planning. With limited time, once we decided on Greece for our destination, I googled private villa rentals and found White Key Villas which had beautiful, luxury villas that would accommodate our entire group. Once we finalized the villa, the rest came into place!”
Photography : Lighthouse Photography
Photography : Lighthouse Photography
“If a bride needs to know how to plan a destination wedding in 3 months, talk to us! We would advise her to keep it simple and relaxed so as not to create too much extra burden or stress on the planning and more focus on the event itself and the time with family and friends. I loved that once we found our venue, everything fell into place so by the time we arrived we were ready to relax and have a true vacation with minimal pre-wedding stress!”
Photography : Lighthouse Photography
Photography : Lighthouse Photography
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