Elegant Greek Orthodox wedding // ©Sun & Sparrow Pasadena wedding photographers

Interview With The Bride

Describe your experience at your wedding, everything you remember.

The church ceremony was everything we could have asked for and more. We were blessed to have such an intimate ceremony, and standing by each others side was such an empowering feeling. We felt the support of our families behind us, the love of our friends around us, and God above us. However, we were not so fortunate with the weather. It was a scorcher.

But you know once you hit that dance floor, rain or shine, it’s a great feeling. That first dance with your parent is this defining moment of all the love involved in your life growing up and it’s this magical way of showcasing that love to the world. I’ve always felt that, and for us it certainly felt so.

When we did our couples dance we could somehow feel the love throughout the room, and for that we are forever humbled and thankful. We danced late into the night, and we both wish right now we could go back to that moment.

What was your favorite moment from your wedding day? Did you have any special moments/story with friends or family that stand out to you?

In the morning, my favorite part was when I was getting my hair done. It was quiet, I was surprisingly calm and relaxed, my mom and grandma came upstairs and sang Greek village songs to me. They also had another Greek relative on speaker that sang to me as well, while my aunt captured the moments. We all had tears of joy and it was so beautiful and special. That moment was unreal because days before, my grandmother had showed up (from Greece) in our driveway.

Later in the evening, I think we both agree that the dancing, especially the greek dancing, was our favorite part. We loved seeing people who didn’t know the steps still get out on the floor and live it up. At the end of the night when the crowd was a little more intimate, we had so much fun just being around loved ones.

What inspired you while planning your wedding & decor? Was there any special element that made your decor come together for you, personally?

I’ve always associated closely with the olive tree. The olive is for my ancestors our livelihood. Having that element sprinkled throughout the wedding – bouquets, wedding favors, we even had an olive tree that we used for guests to hang wishes which is now planted in our front yard! This made the wedding close to home.

Do you have any advice for brides/grooms who are currently planning their weddings?

The amount of wedding ideas out there are mind-boggling. Pinterest, magazines, expos…- it’s endless. The best advice I can give is to make it personal. Find inspiration from your parents weddings and families culture. Don’t be cookie cutter! Make something! We made signs that said “Welcome” and we’ll always have them as usable souvenirs.

We got these big goofy headshots of us for the photo booth, and now we have them around the house as a funny reminder of our wedding. Basically, at the end of the wedding all the decor and event items will be hauled off, so its nice to have something beyond the dress to remember your special day.

What advice do you have for brides planning their weddings?

Planning a wedding is hard; Harder than you can imagine until you actually do it. You will get scared, you will run out of time, you will cry, but at the end of the day it’s going to be ok, and you will be One.