Wedding Blog - it’s a bride’s life - real brides blogging ’til “I do!”

A month after returning from our honeymoon, it was time to celebrate with family and friends who could not make it to Greece.

I had been planning a candy bar for over a year and am so excited with how it turned out!

(Please excuse the dark photos, the venue was a tad dark and I don’t like using flash!)

The jars are from thrift stores and Craigslist.

The baggies came from Fort and Field on Etsy.

I also had sugar-free candy for a diabetic in my family.

The prongs came from Party City (which actually now has a ‘candy buffet’ section!). I got the giant lollipops from Dollar Tree, though don’t recommend them. (1- can’t take off the stickers, 2 – easily break, 3 – don’t really taste that good!)

The levels are simply boxes in wrapping paper with a ribbon around the center. I think the different levels really helped with the look, though I wish I had made more of them!

Click here for more information on where I got the candy.

The name tags are simply that – my sister had left over place tags from her wedding.

For the lollipops to stand, instead of using boxes, I wrapped floral foam. I found it cheaper to get a package of four from Hobby Lobby than a single package from the Dollar Tree.

SO much candy!!

This was actually good enough to keep kids and adults away until dinner was over. But once I removed the sign – devoured!

Husband and I wanted to do something different from a unity candle or sand ceremony. Instead of two souls becoming one, we wanted to show two souls expanding. So, we did a candle ceremony.

The mothers start with two flames. From their flame, husband and I light our candles. From our candles, two others light theirs, and so on.

This candle ceremony signifies, not two souls becoming one, but two souls sharing a light, and everyone taking part in making sure that light continues to shine bright. Through everyone’s radiance, my husband’s and my light will stay strong, and our familial light will stay vibrant.

“Living in a committed relationship changes us. We become more than we were before. We do not cease to be individuals, leading individual lives; but something new is created. It is not that we become one thing and are no longer two people. Rather it is that a new life, a life between us, begins to exist and grow as our relationship grows. ”

The two of us next to our mothers, the flame being passed to the rest of our family and friends.

And then we lit sparklers!

I really enjoyed the candle ceremony! Not only does it signify how we feel, but we didn’t have to pack a large candle, nor did we need to worry about keeping any sand design safe in our suitcase. Plus, I love photos with candlelight!

I found the venue I wanted early on, we (husband and I) just fell in love with it. Antoniou Winery was THE place we wanted to get married. After some complications, we finally got it booked.

Fast forward to a couple months before the wedding and Antoniou Winery is no longer in business. IT HAPPENS! We were forced to choose a venue we weren’t thrilled about.

Fast forward to the day before the wedding. We FINALLY get to see the venue after two days of utter panic that it wouldn’t have a sunset view on the caldera, the restaurant was too close, and there may be that ugly polka-dot pebble look we hated.

Well, we were blown away, and it turned out to be the best place for us:

Contemplating his future, I suppose!

Yes, we certainly worried over nothing regarding the sunset view!

This is the photo we used for our thank you cards (oversize postcards from VistaPrint!)

I think my obsessive research on sunset time really paid off!

So, we cannot be happier with Santo Winery. It was beautiful. The staff was amazing. Free glass of wine after the event! And best of all, we didn’t need to worry about decorations. Who needs decor when you have a view like this! A relief for any destination bride!

All photos from the amazing Harris at Orasis Photography.

Since we wouldn’t be getting married until sunset, yet had the best photographer in Greece (!), we decided to do First Look photos in order to get as many photos as possible. We met at one of the many decorated, small churches on the island of Santorini and went from there!

As we both are film majors, we simply love this one!

Those are the three things I remember most about getting ready. The two wonderful Greek gals from Hair and Soul Salon, delicious ice cream, and lots, and lots of hairspray.

My mother and sister hung out in the ‘getting ready’ room with me, which is great, because I would have gone hungry if it weren’t for my Maid Of Honor! She made sure I ate, painted my toes, and when I asked for ice cream – SHE GOT IT!

What a fun part of the wedding day!

After some healthy lunch, I needed to get my chocolate to help keep me calm!

Awww, my mom looks like she could cry!

I almost forgot my wedding day note to my groom! My MOH whipped out a notepad and pen and I was free to write.

I don’t know what was said, but it was funny. Getting ready was far less stressful than I thought it would be!

The color turned out to be WAY too neon pink so she quickly pulled out her own color and gave me a mini pedi.

I have a problem with photobombing my own photos, so I told the photographer I was going to get out all my “ugly faces” now. He caught one!

You write the name of any single ladies on the bottom of your shoes, and whatever name stands out the most at the end of the evening will be the first to get married! I loved this alternative considering I wouldn’t be doing a bouquet toss.

And that’s my mom seeing my final look! I think it’s safe to say she was pretty excited!