Photography by: Nicoletta and Benjamin (we are a husband and wife photography team)
Makeup and Hair by: Nicoletta
Alyssa and Simon had a true modern fairytale romance. They grew up in the same neighbourhood as kids back in Durban, South Africa and even worked together in the same restaurant at the age of 19. Alyssa often smiles and says how she used to change her shift days to when Simon was working because she thought he was really cute. Nothing much happened back then as they were both in other relationships and eventually both moved abroad to different countries. It wasn’t until 10 years later whilst Alyssa was on holiday in Malaysia and Simon working in Portugal that he found her on face book and said hi. The rest is history……
Alyssa’s family live on the island of Crete in Greece and it was her dream wedding to have a mama mia style wedding on the beach. The destination for the wedding was a remote idyllic fishing village right on the water called Loutro with no cars or huge resorts to spoil the setting. They got married in the month of August and it was the most beautiful warm perfect day with not a breath of wind and vivid blue skies with not a single cloud.
The theme of the wedding was a beach theme with shell shaped wedding favors filled with chocolate covered stones to the shell wrapped cup cakes and stone place settings. The color of the wedding was inspired by the beautiful magenta bougainvillea flower which can be seen all over the island contrasting against the typical blue and white Grecian buildings. The bridesmaids wore brightly colored magenta dresses and there were hints of the magenta color throughout the décor and even on the bride’s nails.
It was the most special wedding as most of the guests had flown in from America, Australia, South Africa and London and were in awe of the breathtaking surroundings and incredible couple. The night was a huge celebration of delectable greek food, an endless flow of greek wine and most importantly a mass circle of all the guests dancing to Zorba the Greek!
The wedding photos were truly magical and unique with the sun setting over the Libyan sea capturing the true essence of this idyllic setting and the newly blissfully wed couple’s love.
As Alyssa so touchingly said in her personal vows to Simon – I love you today, I will love you more tomorrow and I would have loved you endlessly when we are both old and grey at the end of our lives together……
So where is Crete and Loutro you might wonder! Crete is the largest island in Greece (which has many islands) and its one of the most southern islands of Greece. The coastal village of Loutro is on the bottom of the island…
The trip down to Loutro is windy and treacherous! Lot’s of hairpin turns, not for the faint of heart. But the views are incredible and the area has some of the best hiking trails in Europe. Imagine steep rugged cliffs falling into a deep blue sea. The blue is like nowhere else in the world. You might also meet some friends along the way…
The theme of this idyllic wedding was the bougainvillea and the simplicity of Greek beach life. Bright whites, purples, scarlet, and of course the all against the blues, whites and greens of the sea and village. The word “Loutro” translates to bath to greek, and come the changing of the evening tides the water turns into a glassy expanse. Balmy sea breezes die down and this little spot becomes a gentle oasis of serenity.
Time to get ready! The bride and groom readied themselves in two of the towns boutique hotels, only a radio call away (did we mention that the village has very limited cell phone coverage!). The lovely ladies and gents had a lot of fun radioing each other about being stuck in traffic and getting lost. The boys had plenty of time for drinks and cigars, relishing the last moments of bachelorhood. The ladies all scrambled in front of the rooms single mirror, laughing and joking. Everyone had an absolute blast.
The wedding started with the same fun as the days beginning. Everyone waited in eager anticipation for the arrival of the stunning bride Alyssa! When he first saw her beauty Simon was struck with emotion. The ceremony was filled with words of love and blessings. It was such a lovely ceremony.
The arrival of the bride and groom! Time for succulent food, earthy wines and plenty of socializing. A few tears were shed during heartfelt speeches and the celebration of life and love continues. One of the most beautiful things about weddings is how they are reunions of sorts, bringing together family that haven’t seen each other for too long and uniting friends who have been apart for too long…
Time to photograph the bride and groom! Sometimes photo sessions feel like a culmination of a love story. We love emotions, from happy and fun to romantic and passionate. Sometimes a couple has been through so much leading to this moment and their relief of finally being together is palpable. What a lovely couple!
And the party begins! Young and and youthful adults both hit the dance floor with wreckless abandon. It was a time filled with so much joy and innocent fun. We relish these times as a photographer and feel blessed to get a dose of this happiness on a regular basis. The evening unfolded with plenty of boy schoolyard antics, romance and hugs, lots of “I love yous” (even between people who had only met on the day) long into the night…
And we finish with the groom just gearing up for the night! We will leave the rest to the imagination…a special thank you to Alyssa and Simon for the privilege and opportunity to share in their beautiful day and experience the love they share.
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