Cici & Antonis

CICI & ANTONIS || A HIDDEN GARDEN ATHENS RIVIERA WEDDINGThis hidden garden Athens Riviera wedding is definitely what every petal-power loving bride dreams of. Getting to know stunning bride Cici and her beloved Adonis was what I always dream of as a wedding photographer. The two of them graceful, fascinating and super in love had their wedding celebration on Island, one of my favorite Athenian venues, with perfect views of the bay and a sea of lights following their steps into their new life together. What really astonished me with this wedding was getting to witness two of the most ancient cultures in the world, the Chinese and the Greeks, unite, how each family, with reverence and affection, attended and embraced the other family's customs, the passage from the Orthodox church marriage to the Chinese wedding tea ceremony rituals. All tones of rosy blooms over clusters of buds, over tons of pretty flowerets, was the wedding theme, styled to perfection by the tireless team of DePlanV who created a magical atmosphere with paper and glass lanterns that danced in the breeze and lush greenery swings that hung from the trees. Cici wore two different gowns, a beautiful classic wedding gown for the church and then changed into a silk red embroidered Qi Pao with elaborate gold and silver designs. The rite of xǐ-jǐu, the tea offering wedding ceremony which actually means "joyful wine", was captivating to witness; how one family was welcomed with elegance and merged with the other, how the bride opened like a blossom and gracefully presented cups of tea to all parents, her husband, and their guests. I have photographed many weddings in Greece, all special in their ways, all unique, but this one surely touched a cord because it is always so grand to see that love runs beyond worlds and cultures.