Thursday 29 March 2012

When should you plan your wedding in Halkidiki?

Personally I love late spring in Greece. May and June are the perfect months as everywhere is fresh green with masses of flowers. The smell of the air is so wonderful then.

It is always best to avoid the school holiday period, unless you like scorching heat coupled with inflated prices, packed streets and beaches. August is particularly busy because Greeks, along with other continentals, have the whole month off.

Kriopigi Beach - halkidiki.com
September is an excellent month for your wedding, with hot weather (but not sizzling!) and no crowds. October is the end of the season and so the weather starts to cool a little but is still likely to be delightful. If you have a hankering for a winter wedding then get married in the northern snows of Greece.


Copyright M. Christara
The main season in Greece runs from April to October. Hotels, restaurants, shops and other tourist attractions are usually closed outside of these months. Easter usually kicks off the season, although if this falls very early in March there may be few facilities open. This is mainly connected to weather conditions. Charter flights do not run to many Greek destinations in the winter, except to Athens and Thessaloniki. Many apartments do not have heating, so you can see why Greece has traditionally been a summer destination. Hotels, especially luxury properties, conference/event venues and ski hotels will of course have heating as well as air conditioning but not all find it financially viable to stay open for the winter season.
Courtesy of Danai Beach Resort & Spa
But times are changing. For marriages with style, you can now hold your wedding at any time of year in Halkidiki. Many 5 star hotels are now opening throughout the winter, targeting the spa break and events market. The region is easily reached from Thessaloniki airport, which is served by scheduled airlines as well as easyJet. Of course you could always take a helicopter or boat to your venue instead of going by road.
From halkidikihomes.co.uk
Being in close proximity to a large city, Halkidiki has the advantage over the islands. Suppliers of every kind are available all year round to create your dream occasion. So the answer to the question "what is the best time to get married in Halkidiki" is "anytime". The only decision you have to make is whether you want the heat and the bustle of summer, the beauty of the spring flowers or a winter wonderland wedding with snowy scenes and roaring fires.

Thursday 22 March 2012

Greece inspires wedding themes


The theme for your wedding should be something very personal to the bride and groom (although usually chosen by the bride!). The most successful themes are those which draw on the surroundings of the bridal couple, as well as things they like, or that are meaningful to them. Greece offers plenty of inspiration. Fitting right in with the latest trend for green and pink themes, Halkidiki is a paradise of verdant vegetation and splashes of pink from bougainvillea, geraniums and the ever present oleanders.



 
Copyright: Sarah Hirst, http://www.crescentmoonmoods.com/

Drawing inspiration from the plentiful olive groves and vines in northern Greece, you could always opt for this as your green theme. This opens up a host of possibilities. How about decorating your venue with olive branches? They can even look great on a wedding cake!   



Deck your bridesmaids out in olive green and they will look great with beautiful pink posies.

Give wedding favours of bottles of olive oil, labelled with the bride and groom's names and wedding date.

Or for the more traditional amongst you, hand out Greek boubouniera (bonbonnieres) filled with sugared almonds (koufeta). 
Whatever wedding theme you choose, you can rest assured that Crescent Moon's suppliers and hand picked venues in Greece will bring it to life.