How to Elope in Santorini, Greece

Aug 18

Deciding to Elope is one of the best decisions you can make and then to add Greece on top of that- you both are badasses!

If you are looking to have a “Small Fat Greek Wedding” then keep reading because we will go over all of the essentials.

Where to start

The first decision you will want to make is when. Greece’s weather is pretty warm year round with the main tourism season being late Spring to Early Fall. I usually like to recommend going just before or after tourist season to avoid crowds and save some money on travel.

Travel Logistics

Speaking of travel- using sites like Google Flights & Hopper will tell you when the best days to buy your flights. You will most likely fly into Athens and then take short flights or ferry’s to other islands.

Here are some of the flight times to popular islands to visit:

Santorini - 45min
Crete - 1 hour
Zakynthos - 1 hour
Milos - 40min

Flights range from $30-75 euros (one-way) to the other islands.

Lodging

Now that you have your flights placed, you can look into where to stay!

It’s no surprise that Greece, specifically Santorini, has some of the best views and sunsets.

For elopements I always recommend staying in an Airbnb. Why? They are bigger than hotel rooms so we have a lot more room to play with. At your Airbnb/lodging, I usually capture:

Getting ready shots
Writing your vows in your vow books
Getting into your wedding attire
First look
And even your ceremony

In this elopement- we had a beautiful overlook of the blue dome buildings and had their dinner on the patio at sunset. What a dream am I right?!

If you decide to stay in Santorini, here are some epic Airbnbs to stay in:

Greece is generally easy to get around in. We hired a driver to get around Santorini as Oia (main town) can get very busy.

Athens has Uber but some of the other islands may not. Athens has a lot of taxis and it costs around $45 from the airport to get to downtown Athens. You can also get around the islands by renting bikes (recommended for Athens).

Greece uses euros and most places accept Apple Pay/wireless payments. Although taxis require cash.

Where to go

Athens

There is so much to do in Athens. From one of the world’s most historic landmarks to the rich culture and decision food- you will have loads to see and do.

Your bucket list task is to go to Acropolis! Tickets are about $20 and it is a total must see. My recommendation is going at sunset to see the gorgeous light on the columns and architecture.
Dine at Zonar’s next door for gorgeous views of Acropolis at night.

Venture off in the city on an empty stomach and try out their food trucks. You can eat some of the most delicious and authentic foods this way.

Santorini

If you plan on visiting Santorini then I recommend staying in Oia or Thera. Oia has the iconic white buildings with blue domes that you will have to see.

Your bucket list task is to watch the sunset in Oia. The gorgeous sunset will be worth tolerating the crowds.

Crete

If you are coming from Santorini, I recommend taking the ferry (site) as it’s only a 2 hour commute to the island. Visit the Venetian Harbour, Potamida (white clay hills) or take a boat tour.

Things to do:

Boat excursions
ATV

What to bring

Wedding essentials:

Rings
Vow Books
Gifts for each other
Extra hair pins, safety pins, body tape, small mirror (or use your selfie mode on your phone), etc.

Other:

Comfortable walking shoes
Small backpack for your nice shoes, water, wedding essentials, bouquet

How to pack your wedding attire

Are you curious how to pack your wedding dress and suit? Depending on how big your dress is- you can either keep it in the dress bag from the shop or roll it up to put in your suitcase. Your bridal shop can probably recommend on the best way to transfer it.

If you have a beaded or glittery bodes then you can line parchment or wax paper around it to avoid it getting caught on other parts of your dress.

The same goes with packing your suit. You can buy an inexpensive steamer from Amazon (link here) to iron out any wrinkles that may occur in transit.

Don’t worry too much on looking perfect- you have decided to do an adventure wedding so have fun instead of worrying about looking perfect. Your photographer and videographer will make sure you look the best on camera!