Perhaps one of the greatest virtues of Greece as a wedding destination is that its variety of landscapes permits the couple to really be in control of the aesthetics and tone of their wedding.

With that in mind, we’ve put together some of the most popular Greek wedding destinations and themes to inspire you.

Destinations

Santorini

Santorini is one of the most beautiful islands in the Mediterranean and is justifiably one of the most popular wedding destinations in Greece. The island features the famous blue and white villas and churches, excellent beaches, and fantastic views stretching out over the blue water. The laid back and clean aesthetic of the island lends itself to small and personal weddings, though that’s not to say there isn’t plenty of scope to invite hundreds of your friends and turn it into a big wedding – there is. Whichever one you decide on, it’s hard to go wrong in an area as beautiful as this.

Kefalonia

The island of Kefalonia may only be 50km long and 25km wide, but it manages to pack a lot of romantic views into its small space. With beautiful beaches, stunning water, and an untouched atmosphere that is seldom replicated elsewhere, the island is the ideal place for a small beach ceremony with an intimate audience of family and friends.

Themes

Cruise Weddings

A great way to have a Greek wedding and begin your honeymoon is by taking a cruise wedding, in which you get to share the build-up to the ceremony, the ceremony, and week-long after party with your friends and family. A cruise wedding isn’t a Vegas wedding, however – you’ll still enjoy as much control over the day as you would if it were taking place on land. With so many beautiful Greek islands worth visiting, a cruise wedding is a great way to see them all and make your wedding especially unforgettable – it is also convenient for those couples who can’t decide which picturesque landscape they want in the background of their wedding photos.

Greek Group Weddings

With overseas weddings growing in popularity each year, couples are thinking of ever more creative ways to keep the costs down and turn their dream wedding into a reality. One of the most fun ways to do this is to double, triple, or even quadruple or more up with other engaged couples and have a group wedding, thus slashing costs. Sixteen couples recently wed in one massive ceremony on the island of Crete, taking the idea of “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” to a whole new level! While it’s unlikely to save you big money on flights or accommodation, you can save on rentals, food packages, and just about everything else connected to a wedding (though feel free to splurge on your own dress!).

Greek Style

Most people who get married in Greece do so because of the beauty of the landscape, but those who delve a little deeper will find that adding a healthy dose of Greek culture to the ceremony adds plenty of potential to make it unique, stylish, and memorable. The beauty of this approach is that it is so simple – just think about Greek culture while planning! This means adding plenty of fish and local fruit in your meals, serving Greek olives, and making sure all the wine comes from within the country. You can even find plenty of wedding dresses inspired by Ancient Greece and include local music, dances, and customs into your ceremony and after party. If you really want to be Greek, follow the age-old custom and turn your wedding into a three day celebration – it’ll be worth it!

Final Advice

The hospitality and beauty of Greece makes it an unforgettable wedding location. And the beauty of a Greek wedding is that there are no rules to follow – you can have an intimate or extravagant ceremony, choose a romantic island or the bustling city of Athens; the choice is yours. Whichever you decide, take the time to really think about what your perfect wedding would look like – because in Greece, it’s probably achievable.

By Jemma Bond

Photo: iefimerida.gr

Department of Defense is seeking shooters, counter intelligence agents and qualified fighter jet pilots, while the government has already issued a visa for 135 people who will work for the country’s elite units. The military recruitment from abroad has increased since 2012, while the appointment of some 36 foreign employees on the defense sector is currently pending.

The Australian Defense Ministry has already given funds to attract the elite military personnel. “In fact, this is not a waste of time, on the opposite, we save money as we do not spend time for staff training.

To read more, please visit greekreporter.com

By Aggelos Skordas

The Sporades - A taste of real Greece

The Sporades — an archipelago of 11 islands, four of which are uninhabited — are what real Greece is all about, CNN mentions. “They’re offbeat, hard to reach and untamed by nature.” The Sporades one-week cruise suggested by CNN begins with Skiathos as the departure port and of course includes a stop at Skopelos, the filming location for the movie “Mamma Mia!”.

The Northern Dodecanese - A world of unspoiled atolls

The one-week cruise for 12 people to the Northern Dodecanese that CNN suggests starts from Kos and explores the Greek islands “of unspoiled atolls dotted with blue and white houses”: Pserimos and Leros (both recommended for bicycle tourism), Patmos (get ready for a monastery with a breathtaking view), Lipsi (ideal for food enthusiasts) and Kalymnos (offers opportunities for free climbing).

CNN’s list includes peaceful cruises to Corsica’s Cap Corse (France), Egadi Islands & Zingaro Reserve/Marsala (Italy), Pontine Archipelago (Italy), Bodrum to Didim (Turkey), Alternative Amalfi Coast (Italy), Kornati Islands (Croatia) and Aeolian Islands & eastern Sicily (Italy).

To read more, please visit gtp.gr

The ranking focuses on six tangible activities that contribute to innovation: research and development, manufacturing, existence of high-tech companies, post-secondary education, research personnel and patents.

Interestingly, Greece ranks first in the post-secondary education as a percentage of college-age population (a sub-category in education in which South Korea tops the list again), which shows that while education may be necessary for innovation, it’s clearly not sufficient.

To read more, please visit greekreporter.com

By A. Makris

More than 6 out of 10 men were using the internet and the ratio was almost the same among women. There was a strong variation, however, between different age groups. More than 9 out of 10 Greeks aged between 16 and 24 were using the internet, compared to 1 out of 10 Greeks aged between 65 and 74.

The variation between groups of different educational levels was also considerable. The internet was used by 9 out of 10 Greeks of high educational level, by 7 out of 10 Greeks of moderate educational level and by about 2 out of 10 Greeks of low educational level.

Moreover, in the first quarter of 2013, 93.3% of Greeks used the internet at least once a week, showing a 2.7% increase in use, compared to 2012 (91.7%).

By Evgenia Adamantopoulou

Greek Reporter