A 7-Day Athens Elopement Across Meteora, Central Greece and Zakynthos
An Athens elopement designed as a full Greece adventure
Nicole is a doctor. Alexis is a traveling artist. Between the two of them, they had almost no time to plan a wedding and absolutely no interest in a conventional one. What they wanted was Greece, adventure, and something they would still be talking about twenty years from now.
Their Greece elopement started in Athens and turned into a 7-day journey across three of the country’s most spectacular landscapes: the towering monasteries of the Meteora, the wild lakes and forests of central Greece, and the cliffside beaches of Zakynthos. They brought 14 guests, a celebrant, and a very strong appetite for moussaka.
Every logistical detail was handled before they landed. Hotels, transportation, dinner reservations, ceremony permits, hair and makeup timing, ferry tickets. They showed up and experienced it. That is the whole point.
Athens elopement ceremony at Meteora
After a relaxed morning and a getting-ready session at the hotel, Nicole and Alexis did their first look in the backyard before their guests arrived. The ceremony happened at sunset, on a ledge overlooking the rock formations, with the monasteries as the backdrop.
Meteora is one of the very few places in Greece where a ceremony feels genuinely otherworldly. The light at 6:30pm in summer is unlike anything else in Europe. That is not an accident in the planning; it is a choice.
Athens elopement adventure through lakes, forests, and an almost-empty gas tank
The day after the ceremony, they drove out to a lake at 8am for a sunrise shoot, hiked through pine forests in the afternoon, and ended up picnicking in the rain when the views disappeared behind cloud. It was, by all accounts, one of the best days of the trip.
Late that night, with the tank nearly empty and midnight approaching, they coasted into the last open gas station in the area with two miles to spare. Adventures leave room for this kind of thing.
Athens elopement finale in Zakynthos: cliffs, blue water, and a family dinner
The ferry from Patras to Zakynthos takes just over an hour. By 3pm they were dropping bags at the Contessina and heading straight to the cliffs for an afternoon shoot. The light on Zakynthos at dusk is something the camera barely contains.
That evening they found a restaurant that appeared to be closed. The owner’s family was inside. Within twenty minutes there were plates of gyros and Greek salad on the table and a celebration no one had planned. Those are the moments that do not appear in any itinerary.
The full 7-day Athens elopement itinerary across Greece
Every Athens elopement I plan is built around your pace, your group size, and what you actually want out of Greece. This is Nicole and Alexis’s itinerary, shared with their permission. Due to Leave No Trace policy, exact location names for the ceremony site remain undisclosed.
D1
Athens elopement arrival in Athens
Athens
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Airport transfer pre-booked and waiting. Check-in at The Athens Gate Hotel (included).
Dinner at a rooftop restaurant with Acropolis views. Try the Tomatokeftedes and the Moussaka.
Share your flight details in advance so the taxi is confirmed before you land.
D2
Athens elopement road trip to Meteora
Athens + Meteora
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Free morning in Athens. Explore the Plaka, the Acropolis Museum, or just have a long breakfast.
1:00pm Return to hotel, transfer to the car rental company.
2:00pm – 6:00pm Drive to Kalambaka and meet your guests.
Dinner at Skaros Tavern for traditional Greek food (the lamb and Tzatziki are excellent).
Night at Tsikeli Hotel Meteora (included).
D3
Athens elopement ceremony day at Meteora
Meteora
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Free morning to relax before the day.
11:00am – 2:00pm Hair and makeup in your room. Room service available.
1:00pm I arrive for atmospheric getting-ready portraits.
3:30pm First look in the hotel’s backyard.
4:00 – 6:15pm Photoshoot in and around the Meteora monasteries.
6:30 – 7:00pm Sunset ceremony with your celebrant and guests.
7:15 – 7:40pm Couple portraits while guests head to dinner.
7:40 – 8:20pm Sunset and blue hour photoshoot (sunset: 8:10pm).
8:45pm Dinner in Kalambaka.
Night at Tsikeli Hotel Meteora (included).
D4
Athens elopement adventure through central Greece
Central Greece
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8:00 – 9:45am Drive to the lake, sunrise photoshoot at the viewpoint.
9:45am – 11:45am Extended photoshoot at the viewpoint and by the water.
Lunch by the lake.
1:30pm Drive to the mountain forest.
4:00 – 6:00pm Hiking and photoshoot in the forest.
6:15 – 7:45pm Drive to the chapel for a sunset picnic and final portraits.
8:15pm Drive to Patras. Night at Bold Type Hotel (5-star, included).
D5
Athens elopement ferry to Zakynthos island
Patras + Zakynthos
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1:00pm Ferry from Patras to Zakynthos. Lunch on the sun deck (weather permitting).
3:15 – 8:30pm Photoshoot around the island, multiple cliff and beach locations at sunset.
Dinner at Nintri restaurant in Anafonitria.
Night at Contessina Hotel (5-star, included).
D6
Athens elopement day on Zakynthos
Zakynthos
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Morning spa: 45-minute foot massage for each of you at the hotel.
Adventure day around the island by private car and boat.
Private minivan pickup from your hotel.
Dinner at the hotel’s restaurant.
Night at Contessina Hotel (5-star, included).
D7
Athens elopement departure via Zakynthos and Athens
Zakynthos + Athens
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Hotel checkout and shuttle to Zakynthos airport.
Direct flight Zakynthos to Athens (connections available at 12:20pm or 7:15pm).
Catch your international flight home from Athens.
Departures are coordinated around your return flight. Share your itinerary early so nothing is rushed at the end.
What their Athens elopement felt like, in their own words
Planning an Athens elopement with a demanding schedule and a guest list spread across two continents could have been a logistical nightmare. Nicole shared this after they returned home:
This is what a fully-integrated photography and planning service looks like in practice. One contact, one contract, zero coordination headaches on your end.
Athens elopement photography awards and recognition
The images from Nicole and Alexis’s elopement were recognised twice on the international stage, competing against thousands of entries from photographers across the world.
Athens elopement gallery: Meteora, Central Greece and Zakynthos
156 images arranged chronologically from getting ready through the ceremony at Meteora, the adventure day in central Greece, and the final sunset portraits on Zakynthos island. Click any image to open the full view.
Showing 16 of 156 photos
Plan your Athens elopement without the logistics headache
Every Greece elopement I plan is built around your specific locations, your guest count, and the kind of day you actually want. Get in touch to start talking about yours.
