Leon and Kirsty from the UK have never been to Crete before their wedding. The whole planning process was made on distance. However the couple was very precise from the very first contact. They found out that it was possible to get legally married in Greece, and were looking for a place for an intimate ceremony. Since it was about a spring wedding, I advised to consider the Fortezza venue in Rethymno, Crete as a possible option. It’s an outdoor public venue with a great sea view and historical value. In case of bad weather that can still occur in May, there’s also indoor option.
Leon and Kirsty were easy to cope with and followed my advices. We signed the contract. It was December 2019: a wedding was set for May, 2020… Well, long story short… we had to postpone this wedding 3 times: twice, because of Covid-19 restrictions and once, because of the joyful reason – Leon and Kirsty have got a baby!
On 19 of May, 2022, Leon and Kirsty got legally married in Crete! Yay! Their baby boy was the youngest guest on their wedding.
A few words about the Fortezza, the largest military fortification in Crete build in 15 century by the Venetians.
The castle is about 350 metres long and 230 metres wide. The thick wall around the Fortezza is more than 1 km long. Some of the buildings in the Fortezza have been rebuilt, others are ruins. There you will find warehouses, armouries and the house of the rector (ruler of the fortress of Rethymno). Civil wedding ceremonies usually take place at the mosque, which the Turks built in the fortress after the conquest of Crete in the middle of the 17th century. That’s one of the largest dome buildings in Greece.
The vice-mayor conducts ceremony in Greek or in English. A couple should provide 2 witnesses to sign papers. On the next working day we accompany a bride and a groom to the town hall secretary to pick up the marriage license. More information on civil weddings in Crete you can find here.
Let’s get back to Leon&Kirsty’s story. It happened that it was nasty weather that day. Strong wind and clouds, that added more drama to the landscape. Luckily, we were safe in Fortezza.
Our couple’s wedding concept was a creation of memorable day in Crete within the family. So we focused on the couple’s priorities – good quality dinner and music. Thus, we kept decoration simple as much as possible and a photographer was hired only for the ceremony time.
Remember, it’s your wedding day and only you will decide what services you would like to hire for your celebration. As a local wedding planner in Crete, I am always happy to share with you my ideas and to give you my feedback based on my experience. The choice is yours!
Here you may find Kirsty and Leon’s feedback on their wedding day. I wish them love, happiness and prosperity from the bottom of my heart.
photos by Irini Koronaki