Arianthi and Eric tied the knot during their Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church of Greater Orlando in Maitland, Florida. The two envisioned a day filled with elegance and glamour, which truly came fruition from their awe-inspiring ceremony to their extravagantly beautiful reception.
Their story begins back on August 17th of 2010 at the House of Blues. Mutual friends brought them together on the dance floor during a casual meetup for everyone to grab drinks and enjoy the music. The two were instantly attracted to one another and decided to exchange numbers to meet again for a date. From that point on though they became inseparable and I must say, quite the perfect match!
Their hearts are truly, what the two fell in love with. As Eric explains it, “I love Arianthi’s big heart.” For Arianthi, Eric’s heart is filled with kindness, generosity, and good-heartedness that were the qualities that she fell so deeply in love with.
A few years after dating on December 6th of 2014, Eric took Arianthi for a date night at their favorite local restaurant, the Greek Flame. After a lovely meal, the servers brought out what they called a “special dessert” for Arianthi. Looking down at the beautiful dish, it took Arianthi all of 30 seconds to realize that a diamond ring was sweetly placed on top. Completely unexpected, Eric turned to Arianthi and asked for her hand in marriage. Of course, she said “yes” and the whole restaurant celebrated in true Greek fashion by breaking plates, popping champagne, and showering the couple with money.
Their wedding was just as sweet as their proposal and filled with traditional Greek aspects as well. Our day started off at the hotel to capture Arianthi and Eric getting ready with their wedding party. Arianthi was an absolute angel from the moment we arrived; truly just a sweetheart all around! While having her makeup and hair finished up, we grabbed the details to start capturing all of the little things that we take so much time to select for our big day. Once our bridesmaids were ready, we brought the girls out for a quick robe shot and after for Arianthi putting on her dress with her mom. I just love the intimate moments between a mom and daughter buttoning up a wedding gown. After the girls finished up, we headed downstairs to capture Eric and his groomsmen. I must say, I LOVE navy suits, and as soon as we saw Eric looking dapper as ever, we couldn’t wait to capture him and his guys “GQ’ing it up.” With getting ready photos wrapped up, it was finally time to head over to the Holy Trinity Church of Greater Orlando for their ceremony and reception.
From the ceiling to the wall, the church is adorned in Grecian paintings featuring different scenes out the bible. What I love so much about Arianthi and Eric’s church is that the church actually brings artists from Greece to the USA annually to add to the murals gracing every inch. It is a truly inspiring building for a lover of art.
Their ceremony was filled with many traditional aspects of a Greek Orthodox wedding including the lighting of candles, exchanging of rings, giving of the right hands, crowning and blessing by lifting crowns above the heads, drinking from a common cup, ceremonial walk around the table at the altar, and of course the first kiss.
Following their ceremony, we captured formal portraits of the families, wedding party, and of course my favorite – newlywed portraits! From indoor to outdoor, Arianthi and Eric were both graceful and stunning for every moment of their time alone together for portraits. I just love that special moment of finally being able to take a deep breath and realize you are now officially Mr. and Mrs.
Walking into the reception room, my jaw dropped and I could not contain my excitement. My sweethearts truly did not miss a single detail. Glamourous elements included a sweetheart table adorned with floral, glass letters, and king and queen chairs sitting atop a stage central to the dance floor, a guest seating area directly across from the stage, blue up lighting, the most beautiful floral centerpieces by Blue Grass Chic, and of course stunningly dressed guest tables as well. While I loved the décor, I just cannot forget to mention my favorite moment of the night – the dance performance by Hellenic Dance Troupe. Guests (and us!) could not help but dance on the sidelines while watching the performance take place. The night ended with sparkler send off and guests waving goodbye as the couple headed off into the night.
Wishing my darlings a beautiful life together, filled with continuing their Greek beloved traditions and finding new ones of their own as a family!
Venue: Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church of Greater Orlando
Videographer: Corner House Photography
Dress Designer: Allure Bridal
Dress Shop: Cherry Blossom Bridal in Washington DC
Rings: International Diamond Center, Jared’s, Jewlery by Design
Florist: Bluegrass Chic
Cake: It’s Tasty Too!
Rentals: Chic Furniture, A Chair Affair
Photobooth: Our Photobooth Rocks
DJ: DJ Raw with Arista Entertainment
Linens: W Draping
Caterer: Puff N Stuff Catering
Dancers: Hellenic Dance Troupe
Hair & Makeup: Michele Renee The Studio
Coordinator: Dandy Details Events
Shoes: Badgley Mischka
Groom’s Attire: Calvin Klein, Joseph Aboud, Men’s Wearhouse
