I want to show you real Greek weddings. Not styled shoots, not vendor brochures, real couples with real budgets who planned from abroad and lived to tell the honest version. This is the first in our Real Weddings series, and I could not have asked for a better one to start with.
Kendall found her venue on a Pinterest board years before she even met Taylor. She saved a photo of a whitewashed venue above the Aegean, went digging back through her old pins when it was finally time to plan, and realized it was on a small island called Sifnos. Taylor is Greek, so Greece was always the plan. Sifnos became the place.
What I love about Kendall’s story is that she tells you the hard parts too. The laid-back vendors and the months it took to finalize plans. The Orthodox paperwork that nearly did not come together in time. The budget that slipped a little over goal on the exchange rate. We went through our own version of all of it in Crete, so reading hers felt like hearing from a friend who gets it.
Everything below is in Kendall’s own words.
Why Sifnos
We chose Sifnos, Greece, for a few reasons. My husband is Greek and we knew we would want to get married somewhere in Greece. I remembered a photo of a beautiful venue I had pinned on Pinterest several years before I met Taylor. I went way back in saved Pinterest posts and found it and realized it was on a small island called Sifnos. I did some research and could not find one bad thing written about the island. It was exactly what I had been looking for, the classic whitewashed houses without all of the tourists and chaos.
Two ceremonies, one unforgettable feeling
We technically had 2 ceremonies: one at the Chrysopigi Monastery before our welcome party to honor my husband and his Orthodox background, and one ceremony at the Lazarou Beach venue followed by our reception. Both were very simple, overlooking the Aegean Sea, so we let the beautiful backdrop do most of the talking in terms of decor. Sharing such a meaningful place with just 50 of our closest family and friends made the entire experience feel incredibly intimate and intentional.
Every part of the ceremonies reflected not only our love for each other but also the importance of family, tradition, and the relationships that have shaped our lives. It’s hard to describe one exact moment because what I remember most are the emotions. I was overwhelmed in the best way. Looking around and seeing 50 of our closest family and friends, many of whom I’ve known since childhood and am still incredibly close with, sharing so much joy and emotion for us was something I’ll never forget.
In those moments, I felt unbelievably lucky to be surrounded by people who have loved and supported us through so many seasons of life. It was one of those rare moments where you wish time could stand still.
Kendall
What surprised us in the planning
There are a couple of things that stand out in terms of what surprised me the most. First was simply how laid back the vendors were, specifically the venue coordinators. In America, people communicate daily with vendors until a contract is signed and all questions are answered. It took several months to get plans finalized with the venue, although they never made me feel like I was behind. This was where having a planner to help communicate with them was almost essential.
Second was the difficulty of working with the priests in Sifnos. I had been warned by my husband’s family about needing a baptism certificate (as this is the only thing needed at their Orthodox Church in America to get married in the church). However, it was so much more than just a simple baptism certificate. It took months of organizing paperwork to have everything ready for the Orthodox wedding, and even when I felt like we were on track, something such as a language barrier turning into miscommunication between the priest, my planner, and myself would result in me having to start all over again from scratch.
We ended up having to be put into contact with a local who helped handle the paperwork and acted as a go-between for me and the priest. We did not have everything approved until 3 days before our Orthodox ceremony. And even on the day that we took the papers in to be approved, they decided that the original amount of money we were required to pay for the ceremony should be more than originally stated.
It was a very frustrating experience, but I would do it all over again if I had to. To say we had a true Orthodox wedding in Greece was so special for my husband.
The real budget: around €35,000
In Kendall’s words: “€35,000 roughly. My goal was to maintain a $35,000 budget, so with currency exchange we ended up slightly over budget. My planner reached out to several decorators and florists that were way out of my budget predominantly due to the travel fees. She was amazing at finding local vendors on such a small island that could work with our vision and budget.”
A note from Christina: this is exactly why a good local planner earns their fee on an island. Travel fees from off-island vendors are one of the quiet budget-killers of a Greek island wedding.
The vendors who made it happen
Kendall wanted every one of these people credited, and so do we. Here is who she loved working with.
- Photographer: Moments to Keep, Anastasia (@momentstokeepphotography). “Such a creative and kind soul. I knew I could trust her and not worry about a thing from the moment I met her.”
- Videographer: Aenaon Films (@aenaonfilms). “They were such a fun, electric, vibrant couple. They did an amazing job of directing when needed but also just allowing the natural events of the night to work with their vision.”
- Planner: My Blossom Wedding, Adeline (@my_blossomwedding). “She was my lifeline through the whole process. She is extremely talented at what she does.”
- Venue and catering: Lazarou Beach (@lazarou_beach). “A beautiful and fun venue to collaborate with.” On the food: “Amazing food. Not a single thing served was anything less than exceptional.”
- Florist: Eleanthos Sifnos (@eleanthos_sifnos). “I sent her a mood board and she essentially delivered my exact vision without ever even meeting me.”
- Content creator: Soul on Grey, Jo (@soulongrey). “A true visionary artist, and so kind and fun to work with.”
- Pergola and table draping: I Love Sifnos (@ilovesifnos).
- Dress: Fleurish LA (@fleurishla).
- Tux: Hive and Colony (@hiveandcolony).
- The couple: Kendall and Taylor (@kendallcheros).
Kendall’s advice for couples planning a Greek island wedding
Expect things to not move as quickly as you’d like them to, hire a planner that you trust, and try to relax and enjoy the journey.
Thank you, Kendall, for trusting us with your story and your photos, and for being so honest about the parts that were hard. That honesty is the whole point.
If you are planning your own Greek island wedding, start with a realistic number. Our free Budget Calculator uses real vendor quotes so you can see where a wedding like Kendall’s actually lands before you fall in love with a venue on Pinterest.
I built a free calculator using real vendor quotes from across Greece. Enter your guest count and preferences and it builds a full estimate, VAT included.
And if you have already had your Greek wedding, we would love to feature it in this series. Reach out and tell us your story.
Γεια μας, and here’s to Kendall and Taylor. Christina.
