Eloping to Greece - Advice needed

navidson

Hello all - My partner and I have decided to get married this summer and we have agreed to elope to Crete.

I have been in contact with a wedding agency (Sun and Snow weddings) and they offer a package for 2400 Euros that includes the venue, all legal documentation, witnesses, officiant etc.  

Do people think that this a good deal and the best option for us to get married in Greece?  We were disappointed to learn that we wouldn't be able to hold the service within the church (with neither of us being Greek Orthodox) - and we thought it sounded a bit pricey to essentially be married in the courtyard of a church?

Vitor

The OP seems to want the romance of Greece, the simplicity of a UK registry office, and the aesthetics of a church wedding, all at once. You usually get two of those at best, not all three.

IMHO the sensible approach is to do a minimal civil ceremony in the UK, then have a symbolic ceremony or blessing in Crete with far more flexibility and far less paperwork.

elsien

if you’re eloping, presumably of that means just the two of you with no friends and family.

If you want to get married in church,  that would  be for religious reasons otherwise it doesn’t  really matter, so having a private wedding in the UK where you can use a church here properly would seem to make more sense.
Otherwise, what  is most important to you in a wedding, and have you compared with other agencies providing similar? 

FrugaiMacDugal

navidson said:
I have been in contact with a wedding agency (Sun and Snow weddings) and they offer a package for 2400 Euros that includes the venue, all legal documentation, witnesses, officiant etc.  

What about flight and accommodation, how much in total?

Emmia

navidson said:

Hello all - My partner and I have decided to get married this summer and we have agreed to elope to Crete.

I have been in contact with a wedding agency (Sun and Snow weddings) and they offer a package for 2400 Euros that includes the venue, all legal documentation, witnesses, officiant etc.  

Do people think that this a good deal and the best option for us to get married in Greece?  We were disappointed to learn that we wouldn't be able to hold the service within the church (with neither of us being Greek Orthodox) - and we thought it sounded a bit pricey to essentially be married in the courtyard of a church?

What's your driver in this? Cost - a UK registry office on a Tuesday will be cheap? Location (why Crete?), or the religious aspect (are either of you religious, or is it just for the photos).

I'd also consider the cost of official translations of your wedding certificate if it's not in English, and you want to use it for name changes, proving you're married etc. It's easier to get married in the UK if you're UK domiciled for this reason.

Pollycat

Emmia said:

navidson said:

Hello all - My partner and I have decided to get married this summer and we have agreed to elope to Crete.

I have been in contact with a wedding agency (Sun and Snow weddings) and they offer a package for 2400 Euros that includes the venue, all legal documentation, witnesses, officiant etc.  

Do people think that this a good deal and the best option for us to get married in Greece?  We were disappointed to learn that we wouldn't be able to hold the service within the church (with neither of us being Greek Orthodox) - and we thought it sounded a bit pricey to essentially be married in the courtyard of a church?

What's your driver in this? Cost - a UK registry office on a Tuesday will be cheap? Location (why Crete?), or the religious aspect (are either of you religious, or is it just for the photos).

I'd also consider the cost of official translations of your wedding certificate if it's not in English, and you want to use it for name changes, proving you're married etc. It's easier to get married in the UK if you're UK domiciled for this reason.

Because the travel company the OP has been looking only do 'sun' wedding in Crete.
And 'snow' weddings in Lapland.

Emmia

Pollycat said:

Emmia said:

navidson said:

Hello all - My partner and I have decided to get married this summer and we have agreed to elope to Crete.

I have been in contact with a wedding agency (Sun and Snow weddings) and they offer a package for 2400 Euros that includes the venue, all legal documentation, witnesses, officiant etc.  

Do people think that this a good deal and the best option for us to get married in Greece?  We were disappointed to learn that we wouldn't be able to hold the service within the church (with neither of us being Greek Orthodox) - and we thought it sounded a bit pricey to essentially be married in the courtyard of a church?

What's your driver in this? Cost - a UK registry office on a Tuesday will be cheap? Location (why Crete?), or the religious aspect (are either of you religious, or is it just for the photos).

I'd also consider the cost of official translations of your wedding certificate if it's not in English, and you want to use it for name changes, proving you're married etc. It's easier to get married in the UK if you're UK domiciled for this reason.

Because the travel company the OP has been looking only do 'sun' wedding in Crete.
And 'snow' weddings in Lapland.

That's not the driver. 

Cost? Want to do it cheap
Location? Want to do it somewhere sunny e.g. Crete.

Must be a religious ceremony? Or want a nice building in the photos?

The fact they're thinking of using this company doesn't change the fact that the key goal is presumably to get married...

Pollycat

Emmia said:

Pollycat said:

Emmia said:

navidson said:

Hello all - My partner and I have decided to get married this summer and we have agreed to elope to Crete.

I have been in contact with a wedding agency (Sun and Snow weddings) and they offer a package for 2400 Euros that includes the venue, all legal documentation, witnesses, officiant etc.  

Do people think that this a good deal and the best option for us to get married in Greece?  We were disappointed to learn that we wouldn't be able to hold the service within the church (with neither of us being Greek Orthodox) - and we thought it sounded a bit pricey to essentially be married in the courtyard of a church?

What's your driver in this? Cost - a UK registry office on a Tuesday will be cheap? Location (why Crete?), or the religious aspect (are either of you religious, or is it just for the photos).

I'd also consider the cost of official translations of your wedding certificate if it's not in English, and you want to use it for name changes, proving you're married etc. It's easier to get married in the UK if you're UK domiciled for this reason.

Because the travel company the OP has been looking only do 'sun' wedding in Crete.
And 'snow' weddings in Lapland.

That's not the driver. 

Cost? Want to do it cheap
Location? Want to do it somewhere sunny e.g. Crete.

Must be a religious ceremony? Or want a nice building in the photos?

The fact they're thinking of using this company doesn't change the fact that the key goal is presumably to get married...

I simply explained 'why Crete'.

FrugaiMacDugal

Just get yourselves to Gretna Green then continue up through Scotland, enjoy the beauty, take a ferry to the Western Isles.

If the weather is a bit hit and miss well, so is marriage.

Good luck, be happy.

Savvy_Sue

Emmia said:

I'd also consider the cost of official translations of your wedding certificate if it's not in English, and you want to use it for name changes, proving you're married etc. It's easier to get married in the UK if you're UK domiciled for this reason.

Translation even more important if the certificate is not only in a foreign language but in a foreign script, including your names.

Rosa_Damascena

FrugaiMacDugal said:

Just get yourselves to Gretna Green then continue up through Scotland, enjoy the beauty, take a ferry to the Western Isles.

If the weather is a bit hit and miss well, so is marriage.

Good luck, be happy.

Or just book a summer holiday to Greece timed to commence directly after a simple registry service here? The exciting vibe will remain without the added hassle of formal attire in a baking hot Crete? No one (bar the registrar and two witnesses) needs to know meaning the "elopement" will retain any frission of expectation. 

I am guessing the elopement might be you not wanting the hassle of a public wedding and reception - who could blame you for that? But if you want to get married why bother waiting?