A lebanese orthodox wedding in Athens, Greece, Eleni Dona

When I first chatted with Maria and Gaby about their wedding photos, words like emotional, fun, spontaneous and authentic popped up. When their special day finally came, these words couldn’t have been more apt.

You see, Lebanese weddings are always jovially celebratory without tons of posed portraits, and filled to the brim with truly heartwarming moments, vibrant music and non-stop dancing.

Maria and Gaby live in Qatar but chose to say “yes” to a stunning destination wedding and seal their lives together in the most famous city of Greece, Athens. The lovely couple got prepared in the elegant ambience of a luxurious hotel in the heart of the historical center of the capital city. So there I was, ready to take the necessary shots of the little but important details of the bridal preparation.

It goes without saying that impressive wedding gowns of ethereal beauty and dreamy heels that will carry a girl down the aisle are made for photographing. Well, some radiant smiles deserved to be in the spotlight too!

And then it was time to go, aka time for the in-between shots. Whether it's the groom waiting for his loved one, or the bride and her dad walking towards the church, the small moments between the big ones can sometimes make the best photos.

Maria and Gaby decided to tie the knot with a religious, Orthodox wedding, full of profound symbolism, emotional moments and alluring adornments. An elegant color palette of pure white with touches of silver and gold, flickering candles which warmed up the atmosphere, and alluring ribbon-tied bunches of long stalk flowers offered me a great backdrop for the ceremony shots.

I have always loved the words of Annie Leibovitz “The camera makes you forget you’re there. It’s not like you are hiding but you forget, you are just looking so much.”

So that’s what happened in the traditional, picturesque Athenian church where Maria and Gaby shared unforgettable moments of nuptial bliss;

I just got lost in the beauty of the ritual, looking through my lens at the elated couple, the deeply moved relatives and the happy friends, and capturing a unique range of emotions, tears of joy and happiness, and eyes sparkling with sweet nervousness and anticipation.

And… off to the lavish reception venue, the famous Titania Hotel, which was specially decorated to combine classic Greek elements with a more contemporary Middle Eastern style.

Well, this luxurious wedding reception was a heck of a party! When the just-married couple arrived, things got heated really fast. The escort table had a sign that said: “You can find your seat here, but your place is on the dance floor” and all guests seemed ready to follow the example of some amazing professional Greek dancers who gave an impressive performance.

The vivid riot of colors on the dance floor gave the reception pictures an extraordinary punch. In true Lebanese style, the party was filled with traditions, mouthwatering dishes, and laughter that lasted until the break of dawn – and isn’t that what we all want at the end of the day when we attend a wedding reception?

Dear Maria and Gaby, I really enjoyed being part of your wedding celebration!

Each and every moment of your wedding photography session in Greece was beyond awesome for me. May the years ahead be filled with lasting joy and may your life story be as charming as your wedding day photographs!

Wedding planning by Wedding in Greece company