Tinder matches that end in marriage are like the unicorns of the dating world: We want to believe they are real, but we've never actually seen one up close. But for New Yorkers Rachel Lamel and Constantine Giavos, it only took a swipe-right and dinner at Blue Ribbon to realize it was true love.Last August, the couple made it official, gathering friends and family for a stunning destination wedding on the Greek island of Santorini. The pair enlisted celebrity event planner Sofia Crokos to make sure that every detail of their lavish day was on point, and that's precisely what she did. (There were three cakes, you guys. THREE.)
Take a look at the insane snaps from their big day, ahead, and brace yourself — these pics may cause serious FOMO.
The ceremony and reception were held at a private villa, Cavo Ventus. The couple's lucky guests got to spend the weekend enjoying the spectacular Santorini sunsets.
"We went to Santorini together the summer before [the wedding] and fell in love with the island," says Rachel. "We really wanted to share that experience with everyone. There are so many beautiful islands in the Aegean, but there’s just something incredibly majestic about Santorini. Also, Constantine is Greek."
The bride takes a moment to buckle up her gorgeous, glittery Miu Miu shoes. We love the beaded detailing on her Naeem Khan dress.
"I actually stressed out about dress shopping. Nothing could be less 'me' than a long, white gown," Rachel says. "After a few unsuccessful trips, I threw tradition out the window and decided to invite Constantine [to come shopping] with me. As soon as I tried the dress on and showed him, he loved it, and that made me happy. It just felt right. It was classic and timeless, but had an edge to it."
The groom and his pals pose for a pic before the festivities.
The gorgeous canopy where Constantine and Rachel said "I do!" was covered in florals by Studio 7.
The two wore regal, gold headpieces during the exchange of vows.
That dress! Oh, and the backdrop isn't too shabby, either.
Time to dine!
"We found a caterer by the name of Spicy Bites thanks to our amazing wedding planner, Sofia Crokos, who knows Santorini in and out," says Rachel.
"It was important that we found someone on the island who understood what we were trying to do with the food," she says. "Since we had a few meals for guests between the different events, we wanted to make sure that everyone got to sample a variety of Santorini cuisine, using local ingredients as much as possible. There’s amazing produce that’s grown on the island — tomatoes, fava, white eggplant, and, of course, the seafood! For the actual sit-down dinner we did a pikilia, which is a classic Greek sample of spreads, octopus ceviche, and feta-stuffed Peppadew, a couple different salads, local lobster pasta, a Greek roasted chicken with lemon, and artichoke moussaka."
A luxe-looking menu greeted guests as they took their seats. We love the gold and cobalt colors the couple chose.
An epic fireworks show (by Nanos Fireworks) helped kick the festivities into high gear.
"We thought it was the perfect way to kick off the party," says Rachel. "The wedding was on the caldera, so basically on a cliff overlooking the sea, and everyone was eating right at the edge. Once everyone finished their speeches, the fireworks started shooting off from a barge below in the sea. It was pitch-black out in the ocean, and all of a sudden you just see this tiny boat shooting off the fireworks — which were illuminating the ocean. It was something."
The newlyweds soaking in the love from friends and family.
Sometimes, one cake isn't enough. The couple had three, plus an array of other desserts.
"People love desserts! We had several traditional Greek pastries and cookies, like kourambiedes — Greek wedding cookies — which are little butterball cookies topped with a mound of powdered sugar," says Rachel. "Constantine’s grandmother Sophia, who lives in Greece, brought them from her hometown of Lamia."
Why do a boring old morning-after brunch when you could have a huge party on a boat instead?
"The morning after the wedding, we took everyone out on a big catamaran for a cruise around the island," says Rachel. "Our DJ, Blu Jemz, made an amazing mix of all 'boat songs' — literal ones, like 'Rock the Boat' by Aaliyah, and songs that just sound like they were made to be listened to on a boat, like 'Eyes Without a Face' by Billy Idol — and we set sail. People laid out and soaked up the sun and jumped off to swim. We drank and ate a delicious grilled lunch on the boat. Surprisingly, only three people out of 130 didn’t wake up for the boat trip!"
Everyone in! This is one destination wedding these guests won't forget anytime soon.
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