Getting Married at Islet Santorini - My Big Fat Greek Wedding - REVIEW

Our Wedding in Santorini – A Day of Love, Sunset Views, and Greek Magic

On Tuesday, May 27th, 2025, Graham and I got married in Santorini, surrounded by 20 of our closest family and friends. We tied the knot at Islet Santorini, a brand-new wedding venue perched above the Caldera with views that quite literally take your breath away. Every part of the day felt like something from a dream, and I’m so excited to finally share all the details.

The Night Before – My Last Night as an Asbury

We kicked things off the night before the wedding with a private BBQ dinner at Madame Sousou on their brand-new wedding terrace. This place holds a special place in our hearts—we had eaten there during our venue scouting trip back in July 2024 and knew we wanted to return. The view over the island and the sunset was fabulous, even though the evening air turned a little chilly (bring layers!).

The food was amazing—live BBQ, heaps of meat, Greek salad, chips, and delicious sides to keep everyone full. We paid €250 for the live BBQ chef and €500 to hire the terrace privately for our 20 guests. This eliminated the need for a minimum food/drink spend, which worked perfectly for our plans. The staff were just as warm and welcoming as we remembered.

The Morning – From Suite to Bride

I woke up at Serra Exclusive Suites in Akrotiri, a peaceful, tucked-away corner of Santorini with Caldera views and close to the Akrotiri lighthouse. After breakfast, it was time to start the transformation.

Renia, my makeup artist, arrived at 11:30am and completely blew me away. I had never had my makeup done professionally before, and I truly felt like a princess. I chose the airbrush option, which was sprayed on rather than brushed—and it lasted all day and night, despite the sun and the happy tears. Renia was so calming and kind, and honestly, one of the highlights of the morning.

After my makeup, I moved into the suite at Islet Santorini—the very suite where we would later return as husband and wife. It was here I next saw Mary from Red Knot Weddings, our incredible wedding planner, who coordinated the entire day seamlessly. Mary worked directly with all of our handpicked suppliers and ensured everything went off without a hitch. If there were any problems—I never knew.

I also finally got to meet Dimitris Diamantis from DJ & Events Santorini, who I had been working with closely since late 2024. He was in charge of DJing, lighting (Big letter Mr & Mrs Carter lights and fairy lights), fireworks (both ground and sky), Greek dancing, and plate smashing—the full party experience. He made a huge part of our wedding wish list possible and was incredibly kind, upbeat, and professional. Weddings in Santorini aren’t cheap, but Dimitris made sure we got so much value without compromising on quality. And after months of emails, meeting him in person felt like meeting an old friend.

With things in full swing, I was handed a glass of zero-alcohol Prosecco—I was 13 weeks pregnant, after all! Islet Santorini made sure I had just as much to celebrate with as everyone else, with plenty of non-alcoholic options on hand.

The rest of the bridal party, including my mum and bridesmaids, began arriving. Marianna Mikou, my hair stylist, came to work her magic—and magic she did. Just like Renia, Marianna was a joy to be around. I showed her some inspiration photos and she knew exactly what to do. I had no trial for hair or makeup, but it didn’t matter at all. Both Marianna and Renia absolutely nailed it.

Moments Before "I Do"

As my hair was being finished, our photographers from Dreamodd arrived. They began capturing the morning details, and were discreet yet everywhere—our photos are absolutely beautiful and so full of emotion and colour. They didn’t miss a thing.

Through the window, I caught a glimpse of Anna Edelweiss doing a soundcheck with her violin. She would soon be playing the song that would take me down the aisle: Taylor Swift’s “Enchanted.” And truly, enchanted is the perfect word for how the whole moment felt.

Walking Into Forever

The time came to head downstairs. The sun was shining, the heat beating down, and Mary was ready to cue me in.

Now, I usually hate being the centre of attention. I had worried that the nerves would catch up with me—but somehow, they didn’t. There were no cold feet. No panic. Just peace.

As “Enchanted” began to play, Mary whispered that it was my turn. I took my dad’s arm, took a deep breath, and we walked.

Step by step, escorted by my Father, one Jimmy Choo in front of the other, I made my way down the steps of Islet Santorini and out into the light. Ahead of me stood Graham, wiping his eyes, surrounded by the most incredible pinks, blues, and whites from Amela Santorini Flowers and the dreamy aisle and podium set-up by Weddings & Whimsy.

And just like that, the world melted away.

It was just me, him, and forever.

Anna Edelweiss was absolutely fabulous, we had so many compliments on her performance, and she even stuck around a little bit longer so we could have our song Paper Rings by Taylor Swift when our colour bomb went off.

Sunshine, Vows & a Sparkling Send-Off

After the ceremony, emotions were running high and the joy was radiating from everyone. With the sun beaming down and the Caldera glowing behind us, it was time for group photos and some individual couple shots of the brand new Mr & Mrs Carter.

Just Us – A Caldera Escape

Soon after, Graham and I were whisked away from the venue in our wedding car, headed to one of our favourite spots on the island—Imerovigli. It was here, almost exactly a year earlier, that we had taken our engagement photos. Now, we were back—but this time in full wedding glory: me in my Madison James Gala ball gown, and Graham looking absolutely perfect in his wedding suit.

We ended up doing a bit of a hike (yes, a hike in a wedding dress!) down the cliff front to a tiny white church with a rooftop you can stand on. From there, we had full panoramic views of the Caldera, made even more stunning by the bright sunshine and the magic of the moment.

We were away from our wedding party for about an hour, and honestly? I wouldn’t change it for the world. That time was just for us. The day was always about us—and I didn’t want to be parted from Graham at all. We stayed side-by-side for every moment, and that little escape to soak it all in together, in the middle of the most beautiful place in the world, was one of my favourite parts of the entire day.

All the while, our incredible team at Dreamodd was capturing every moment on camera and video, including drone footage that we can’t wait to relive forever.

A Grand Entrance & The Perfect Meal

When we returned to Islet Santorini, it was time for our grand entrance as husband and wife. To no one’s surprise, we walked in to Taylor Swift’s “Love Story”—a full-circle moment of joy, hand in hand, beaming.

Before dinner, we had our speeches, which were full of laughter, emotion, and love. Graham's Dad had so many wonderful things to say about my new husband, and our relationship. My dad, as Father of the Bride, spoke beautifully too. and finally Graham himself, who brought it home with heartfelt words that had us all teary-eyed.

For food, we had chosen Mario Catering’s Volcano Buffet Menu, which was everything we hoped for and more. We weren’t keen on a formal 3-course meal—we wanted something authentically Greek, relaxed, and delicious. The buffet included:

Pork Souvlaki

Chicken Fillet

Lamb Chops

Salmon Fillets

Greek Salads

Delicious Greek-style sides

It was honestly my favourite meal of the week. The team at Mario Catering were phenomenal, and every single guest—from toddlers to grandparents—raved about the food.

Sunset Vows & Sparkling Nights

As the sun began to dip, Graham and I snuck away to the ceremony area, now quieter but still dressed in blooms, for a moment just between us. There, we read our private vows—just the two of us, golden light, and the Aegean behind us. I’ll never forget it.

Back at the reception, it was time to cut the cake—courtesy of Petranart, a local bakery that came highly recommended (and for good reason). We chose a vanilla layer and a chocolate layer, brought our own decorations, and Mary (our planner) styled it to perfection.

Then… the party began!

Our first dance—to none other than Taylor Swift’s “Enchanted”—was straight out of a fairy tale. As we danced, ground fireworks lit up around us, creating a scene that looked like something from Beauty and the Beast. We were totally swept away in it.

That was just the beginning. Dimitris, our incredible DJ and event magician, had planned:

Aerial fireworks

Traditional Greek dancing

Plate smashing

And a surprise belly dancer (who somehow got me up dancing too—which, if you know me, is absolutely unheard of!)

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The music kept going, the drinks kept flowing (though I was still sipping my zero-alcohol fizz), and the dance floor was full until midnight, just like Cinderella. Graham may have been slightly tipsy by the end of it all, but seeing him so carefree and full of joy was one of the best feelings of the entire day.

Just Us

As the clock struck twelve, our carriages arrived to take our guests back to their accommodation. The lights dimmed, the music faded, and we were left alone at Islet Santorini—just Mr. Carter and the new Mrs. Carter, finally still, finally alone, with hearts full to the brim.

Our Santorini wedding was more than we ever dreamed. It was elegant but relaxed, stunning but real, magical but deeply personal. Every detail had been thought out, but nothing ever felt forced.

And the best part? I got to marry the love of my life, pregnant with our baby, dancing under fireworks, surrounded by the people who love us most.

Santorini, you were everything.

Dress: Madison James Gala Ballgown

Shoes: Jimmy Choo Sacaria 120

Hair: Marianna Mikou

Make Up: Renia

Planner - Mary - Redknot Weddings

Photography/Videography: Dreamodd

Aisle/Podium: Weddings & Whimsy

Violinist: Anna Edelweiss

Flowers: Amela Santorini Flowers

DJ: Dimitris Diamantis - DJ & Events in Santorini

Lighting (Fairy Lights/Big Letter Lights): DJ & Events in Santorini

Ground/Aeriel Fireworks: DJ & Events in Santorini

Greek Dancing/Plate Smashing/Belly Dancing: DJ & Events in Santorini

Catering: Marios Catering