planning a destination wedding, advice from a bride & wedding stationery designer

Hello! 

Planning a destination wedding is both exciting and overwhelming. Having been a bride myself in 2024, I understand just how much there is to consider. As both a recent bride and a luxury wedding stationery designer, I wanted to share my experience with you. Throughout this blog post, you’ll find practical advice, insider tips, and personal reflections to help guide you through your own destination wedding planning journey.

Whether you’re just starting to dream about your wedding abroad, or in all your crazy wedding plans, this post has something for you. Plus, I’ll be highlighting some incredible suppliers who brought our wedding vision to life and discussing the importance of booking your dream team early (if you do anything, please book your wedding suppliers as quickly as you can!). If you’re looking for honest, first-hand insights on planning a destination wedding that’s both beautiful and stress-free, keep reading.  

our wedding

We hosted our destination wedding in Kefalonia, Greece, in June 2024. It was a truly unforgettable weekend. Every time I reminisce back to our wedding, I’m just in awe of how amazing everything was. Our wedding celebrations started with a pre-party, followed by our wedding day, and ended with a relaxed farewell dinner where we said our goodbyes to guests. 

Friends and family travelled from all over the world, including including London, the rest of the UK and Cyprus, with many making the journey from the UK to celebrate with us. For us, our guest experience, food and styling were at the heart of everything. Most importantly, we wanted everyone to have the best time possible. Being food lovers, the dining experience was a top priority too.

We exchanged vows in a breathtakingly beautiful Orthodox Church in Greek tradition, surrounded by loved ones before the big celebrations. Music, entertainment, and creating the perfect atmosphere were also key to our vision. We truly had the best time, and hearing how much our friends and family adored every moment was worth it all. 

guest arrival & pre-wedding party

One of our favourite details from our destination wedding weekend? A bespoke wedding newspaper that welcomed our guests as they arrived. Whether staying in hotels, Air Bnbs, or private villas, each guest received a beautifully designed piece that outlined everything to expect for the weekend. This included all key details including our wedding day timeline to the pre-wedding party details, plus a heartfelt note thanking them for travelling to celebrate with us.  

To start our wedding celebrations in the most relaxed, fun, and stylish way possible, we hosted a pre-wedding party at Tartarooga, located on Kaminia Beach. It’s a stylish and modern bar that’s also authentic with beachside sunset vibes, incredible food, and laid-back music. As self-proclaimed foodies, having a great menu was a must, and we wanted the atmosphere to be effortlessly chic yet informal, letting everyone settle in and enjoy the island.  

why kefalonia in greece?

As a couple, we love to travel. Back in 2022, we spent time exploring different Greek islands, but Kefalonia always stood out. The lush greenery, the wildflowers and the breathtaking views of mountains and the sea, completely stole our hearts.

We would always say, “If we ever get married, it has to be here.” So, when Chris proposed back in 2023 there was no question about where our wedding would be. A destination wedding on our favourite island in the Greek Islands. 

top tips for planning your destination wedding

start early & prioritise your budget

The best wedding suppliers are often booked up months (or even years) in advance, especially in popular wedding locations. Start researching as soon as you’ve chosen your wedding destination and set a realistic budget that prioritises what matters most to you. For us, we wanted a venue that embraced the natural beauty of Greece, an amazing team of wedding suppliers and ultimately the best experience for our guests. 

working with a wedding planner & our dream team

From the start, we knew we wanted to work with a wedding planner. Mainly for the logistics of planning a destination wedding from the UK but we also knew we needed some expert help to bring our vision to life effortlessly. Having worked alongside wedding planners as a wedding stationer, I truly understand the value they bring, not just on the day but in curating an experience from start to finish. Our incredible wedding planners helped us source our dream team and created the best wedding day for us and our guests. 

For photography, I had a very specific style in mind and knew we needed someone international to achieve it. I had admired our wedding photographer's work for so long, and again, there was no doubt that he and his team were the perfect choice. 

When it came to music, we worked with a music agency, which I’d highly recommend for any destination wedding. They handled all the logistics, flying in artists from mainland Greece, and ensuring everything was seamless for the reception, and party. 

find suppliers you trust

Planning from afar can be daunting and we found that trust is everything. The key is to research thoroughly, ask for recommendations, and connect with suppliers who align with your vision. For us, we wanted our wedding suppliers, especially the caterers to have experience working at our chosen wedding venue. We’ll be highlighting all our talented wedding suppliers at the end of this post, because finding the right team truly makes all the difference. 

personalising your wedding stationery for a destination celebration

When it came to our wedding stationery, I wanted to incorporate all aspects of Kefalonia into our design. Plus, reflecting on our love story and adding all of my favourite stationery elements. 

Our design drew inspiration from the beautiful surroundings of Kefalonia. The invitation featured a delicate debossed floral design inspired by the iconic flowers found on the island, the florals were also incorporated into the shape-cut bellyband and our details card reflected the stunning mountains surrounding our wedding venue. 

We opted for traditional printing techniques including gold hot foiling, debossing and embossing. We also introduced a stunning baby blue oval card, inspired by the smooth shape of a pebble, as an invitation to our welcome party. All stationery items included our wedding logo, debossed with luxurious hot gold foil to add a touch of glamour. Everything was tied together in hand-dyed ribbon, adding a pretty and romantic touch.

For a destination wedding, your stationery isn’t just an invitation, it’s your guests’ first glimpse into your celebration and a way to communicate all the important travel details.

enhancing the guest experience

One of the joys of a destination wedding is creating a full experience for your guests. From Greek wedding favours to our wedding newspaper, we wanted every detail to reflect how much we appreciated our friends and family travelling to be with us. Make sure to communicate all key travel and accommodation details early and often. It makes the journey so much smoother and stress-free for your guests. 

final thoughts

Looking back, planning our destination wedding was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life! I hope these wedding planning insights help you create a celebration as magical as ours was. Discover more of our favourite moments from our Greek destination wedding in Kefalonia. 

Stay tuned for more wedding stationery tips, real wedding features, and more wedding inspiration! If you’re planning your own destination wedding and searching for luxury and elegant wedding stationery I’d love to hear from you. Let’s work together to create something completely bespoke, or explore my Semi-Custom Collection to find the perfect stationery suite for your wedding day. 

Discover our dream team of wedding suppliers below:

Photographer: Louis Gabriel Photography - https://www.louisgabriel.gr/

Wedding Venue: Piedra Villas Kefalonia - https://piedravillas.gr/

Wedding Planner & Wedding Caterer: Mythos Weddings - https://kefaloniawedding.com/

Florals: Bosonis Art & Flowers - https://bosoni.gr/en/

Bridal Dress: Suzanne Neville - https://www.suzanneneville.com/

Makeup: Christiane Makeup - https://www.instagram.com/christiane_makeup/

Hair: Kefalonia Bridal, Ellie Hair Kefalonia - https://www.kefaloniabridal.com/ 

DJ: DJ Chris Theoharous Hrs - https://www.instagram.com/djchris_hrs/reels/

Music: MusicNow Greece - https://www.musicnowevents.gr/

Drummer: Drumatic Official - https://www.instagram.com/drumatic_official/

Stationery: Oh So - https://www.oh-so.co.uk/ 

Shoes: Bella Belle - https://www.bellabelleshoes.com/

Pre-Party Venue: Tartarooga Beach Bar - https://www.tartaroogabar.com/