greece

how to elope in

So you’re thinking of having a Greece destination wedding? First of all, congratulations! Greece is absolutely one of the most incredible and diverse places I’ve had the privilege of visiting, and you’ve made such an incredible choice for the best day of your life! It’s definitely one of the best wedding locations of Europe, and has so many beautiful locations. There’s so much that goes into planning an international elopement, so let me be the first to try to lighten that load for you. I’m McKenna, a full time destination wedding photographer passionate about not only capturing my couple’s loves stories but also helping them make all of their destination wedding dreams a reality. So let’s buckle up and get into everything you might need to know before tying the knot in this spectacular corner of the world.



so you want to

get married in greece

Your photographer is the person that will be there for you every step of the way in your destination wedding! I like to be so much more than a photographer for my couples, usually it's just the three of us planning the whole day together! I'll be there for you every step of the way in your planning process, choosing other vendors and just a call away if you need any help with anything! I want to be a friend celebrating with you on your big day, not just a "vendor". So if you're looking for someone who will laugh with you, cry with you and capture every special moment, I'm your girl!

why am i the right person to photograph your elopement?

We have to chat about it at some point… so what better time than now? I know things can get pricey, trust me - I’ve been there. When you put things into perspective, however, these photos are the only way to make your elopement day last forever. They’ll provide you with years worth of memories to enjoy together. Maybe one day, your favorite elopement shot will grace the wall of your future child’s home - or even grandchild! Now that’s something worth investing in, if you ask me. 

why invest in

destination wedding photos

hi, i'm mckennna!

let's chat!

first steps to planning your elopement

1. Choose which island fits your dreams!


2. Decide what time of year you want to plan your greek destination wedding for


3. Book your destination photographer & videographer



4. Together, we plan your perfect day!


5. Apply for a marriage license


6. Book your travel


7. Get a permit for your specific elopement location


8. Have the best day of your lives!

click here for a free consultation with me!

island

your day

choosing which               
                 is best for             

choosing which               
                 is best for             

choosing which               
                 is best for             

choosing which               
                 is best for             

choosing which               
                 is best for             

choosing which               
                 is best for             

Greece has endless possibilities for destination wedding locations. Whether you're planning and intimate elopement or a celebration with your closest friends and family this beautiful country has endless possibilities for your day!

choosing which
greek island is best
 for your day 





Santorini is one of the most popular locations, and for good reason. From the crystal blue waters to the iconic white buildings, there are so many locations here for an incredible wedding day! Santorini has the sweetest island culture and is the perfect mixture of calm island life and  fun tourist-y areas. Santorini is also an incredible place to plan an excursion surrounding your wedding day! There's so many fun things to do on this island and the possibilities for your wedding weekend are endless!




Looking for something a bit more secluded? Skopelos is on the Northern tip of Greece and is home to so many gorgeous landscapes. It has fields of wildflowers and tall grass, cliffs, beaches and just so much more open land than you’ll able to find in the busier islands. If you want to get a better idea of what this island has to offer, watch Mamma Mia. That’s right this is the island with the iconic cliff top church, and you’ll get to live out all of your Mamma Mia dreams with the love of your life!




Athens is rich culture and history. It’s the largest city in Greece and is very accommodating of travelers and tourists. Which can make your wedding day a lot easier if you’re bringing your friends and family. It also is gorgeous (I think we’ve covered that all of Greece is beautiful by now, right?) and has so many locations for a perfect wedding day





Zakynthos has some of the greatest beaches in the world, surrounded by grass topped cliffs. It’s a great place to explore and go on excursions, you can take boat tours to private islands and secluded beaches. It also has orchards and open fields, with a small but substantial city that would have everything you would need for your week of wedding things




Thessaly has some of the most unique scenery in Greece, and is perfect for outdoors-y couples who are looking for some adventure. It has great hiking and incredible backdrops for a remote or adventurous elopement. It honestly looks otherworldly, almost like a scene out of avatar, so if you’re looking for the perfect unique and adventurous spot for your wedding, Thessaly could just be it




Mykonos is perfect for a beach wedding, or a couple who wants to bring more people along and have more of a destination wedding vs. an elopement. There’s gorgeous spots for an elopement or a wedding, but with the restaurants and gorgeous landscapes along with large houses to rent it’s the perfect place for a destination wedding with your closest friends and family



Let's Connect

santorini

skopelos

athens

zakynthos

thessaly

mykonos


Obviously you can’t go wrong with any of these islands, but I hope this helped you be able to see some key differences between the islands and decide which might be best for your day! These spots just barely skim the surface of all the location possibilities in Greece, there's so many beautiful islands and locations in this country that there is no way I could cover all of them here! So let's hop on a call and chat over alllll of the possibilities and find the perfect place for your dream day!

This is huge!! On destination wedding days, your vendor team can become your witnesses for your marriage, your bridal party, and the people that you spend the biggest day of your life with!

As an destination wedding photographer I love being able to connect with my couples before any official booking even happens, which is why I offer a free consultation call with all of my couple’s before sending anything official over. I love being more than just a “vendor”, I want to be a friend celebrating with you on your day! Your photographer is usually the person that you’re planning your entire day with as well, most of the time elopements don’t have coordinators or planners, so it’s just you and your photographer planning your dream day! So whether that’s me or someone else, make sure that you’re hiring photographer’s and videographers that you love and are excited to spend the day with!

I also cannot stress enough hiring someone who's work you love! Photos and videos are the only thing that you’ll have left of your big day after the day is over, so make sure it’s coming from someone that you trust and who’s work and style you’ll love even 50 years from now!

Some other wedding vendors to consider are florals, hair and makeup, and your officiant! These things are also ones that we can work on and find together during your planning process!

choosing your
vendor team

still in the market for a photographer? let's chat!


As usual with any wedding day, step one is making sure you guys can legally tie the knot! Not the most fun part of wedding planning, but definitely necessary. So there’s a few things to consider when planning for this part of your big day!

The first thing I like to mention to all of couple’s is legally getting married in the states or in your home country. I know I know it’s not as fun as actually tying the knot in your wedding location, but it really does take away a lot of stress on the week of your wedding. You don’t have to worry about any legal aspects, running any errands for marriage certificates or any other official documents and you have the time surrounding your wedding to really dedicate to just enjoying your time!

But with that being said, I completely understand wanting to actually legally get married in the beautiful place you’ve been dreaming of. And good news is, you can! Let’s go over what you’ll need to do.

The first thing is a marriage license. You will most likely need a marriage license from your home state, so before you start your travels and up and leave the country, make sure you contact your local office to make sure you have everything you need before leaving! You’ll also want to make sure you have all the important documents you might need before heading to Greece. You’ll need your passport(you won’t get far without this anyway), birth certificate with official translation and Apostille stamp, and a $50 notarization fee. Lastly, after you’re officially married and enjoying your newlywed bliss, we have to register your marriage to make it official! You’ll have 40 days after your ceremony to go to the office in the city where you were married to register your marriage. I definitely recommend you do this within a day or two after your ceremony just to get it out of the way and be able to enjoy your honeymoon! It can take up to a week to receive your official greek marriage license, and after that you’re all good to go!

Again the process of getting married internationally can be tricky and time consuming, so if you want to officially get married in your home state and save your personal vows for your destination wedding day it can make your week of a lot easier and give you more time to enjoy your wedding location

the official stuff

LET'S CHAT

I don't know about you bit I'm ready to hop on a plane! I hope you found this guide helpful in the beginning stages of your destination wedding plans! I would be so excited to be along for the ride with you guys to get your your dream wedding photos in your dream destination wedding location!

So let's get to chatting and create the day of your dreams!

so are we ready?

let's chat!