Villa Mira Paros Destination Wedding in Paros, Greece: Rosie & Dustin

A ceremony overlooking the island of Paros, Greece at Villa Mira Paros

You never forget your first.

Your first paying client. Your first wedding. Your first feature. Your first international destination wedding.

This was my first big YES to shooting a wedding for US based clients in a dreamy European destination, and my heart skipped a beat when I learned we’d be headed to GREECE. A dreamy little island in Greece.

We were shooting a destination wedding in Paros, Greece!

Months later and I still don’t believe I was there. And the doors it’s opened for me since have been some of the happiest of my life. And it’s all because of Rosie & Dustin.

Their love inspires me. They are two people who found their way to one another after many moons of searching for that missing piece. They are so passionate about one another, and passionate about making the people around them feel like somebody special. That is such a gift to find in a person. They are both exuberant and joyful and playful and sweet. It’s just FUN to be around them, and I think that energy is so thoroughly displayed throughout their gallery.

The people that surrounded them on their wedding day made the journey from far, far away to be there and celebrate them. Some of them are people in each other’s lives that Rose & Dustin were meeting for the very first time. I absolutely loved that energy of newness about them. Some of their best friends couldn’t make it, but some of their favorite coworkers could. They had their amazing children in attendance, but not some of their family members. And that’s ok! It was a world of happy anticipation, and a world of EXPERIENCE. Of intense gratefulness for those that made the trip. And it was a truly humbling experience to be among them.

The positives of having a destination wedding cannot be overstated.

Your wedding becomes an immersive experience. It’s a core memory. Instead of being just another wedding in the fall roster of your many friends and coworkers, you truly get to take your people on a journey with you. You get to show them the things that inspire and delight you. You get to enjoy all of those things together in a way that will never happen in the same way again. Both Dustin and Rose LOVE traveling. They love exploring new worlds and experiencing the beauty of new places. They could have had a wedding at home and I know it would have been beautiful, but they dream too big for that. They fell in love with Paros, Greece and that’s where they decided to get married. It really was that simple for them. And their yes created once in a lifetime experiences for so many others. What a legacy and a tribute to your love to leave that imprint on your people forever!

Their wedding week was celebrated at Villa Mira Paros, a luxurious venue that overlooks the beauty of the island below. The sea wind blew strong, but the team at Wedding Paros was even stronger - making sure that all the table details and florals were securely in place throughout the ceremony and dinner. Dustin being an extremely talented chef himself, it was important that they had the most authentic Grecian food to share with guests. As they all enjoyed their dinner, I was delighted by the brilliant shades of blue that enveloped the table as the sun set over the land. It was a true tribute to the beauty of Greece. As the night went on, guests mingled by the pool, danced together on the stone patio, and soaked up the majesty of this place and experience together. Core memories were made. Villa cats were loved on. And many happy tears shed. I know I had tears in my eyes heading home for the night, in absolute disbelief that I was there and got to witness it all.

I think my biggest takeaways, other than the pure magic of a destination wedding experience, was that none of it has to be “extra” to be special. I think we so often think of destination weddings as huge, formal affairs in far off luxurious places. And they certainly can be. But sometimes it’s just about feeling the sand between your toes in your wedding gown. Sometimes it’s about showing your kids just how BIG the world is. Sometimes you just want to kiss your lover under a 300 year old fig tree to cement your vows. All of it is permissible on your wedding day, and you’ll never regret saying yes.

Sometimes you just want to LIVE. And a destination wedding breathes life into all that attend. I’ll never, ever forget it, and I’ll never forget them. Their wedding taught me that everything happens exactly as it’s meant to - no matter how long it takes, or where exactly it leads. You’ll always find yourself at the tables that are meant for you. I hope you enjoy taking a peek at their table and feel just as welcome as they made me.

Where to next? Check out my travel page to see where we’re headed, or take us somewhere brand new. Either way, it’s going to be an incredible experience and I can’t wait to dive in with you.