THE MARRIAGE of SUMIT and CARRIE SEPTEMBER 13th 2023 at 5pm CAVO VENTUS LUXURY VILLA
Akrotiri, Greece
THE CEREMONY
Cavo Ventus Luxury Villa, Upper Terrace
Five O'Clock in the Afternoon
Please Join Us as We Say 'I Do'
Guest Arrival and Cocktails at Five
Ceremony to Begin at Five Thirty
Formal attire
THE RECEPTION
Cavo Ventus Luxury Villa, Lower Terrace & Bar Area
Six O'Clock to Midnight
Immediately Following the Ceremony
Cocktails, Dinner and Dancing Overlooking the Caldera
After Party at the Villa, Midnight til Two in the Morning
PLEASE JOIN US for KICK-OFF COCKTAILS and a DAY-AFTER BEACH DAY TO KEEP THE PARTY GOING all WEEK LONG!
WELCOME COCKTAILS
Tuesday, September 12th, 2023
Capri Restaurant | 8:00 - 11:00 pm
Please join us for cocktails to kick off the festivities!
This event is on us. Light desserts, wine & beer will be served. Please eat dinner beforehand.
Attire: Cocktail casual
RECOVERY BEACH DAY
Thursday, September 14th, 2023
Theros Wave Bar & Beach Club | 12:00 pm - 2:30 pm
We plan to spend the afternoon having brunch on Eros beach in beautiful Vlyhada and would love for you to join us!
Attire: Beach casual
HERE ARE SOME TRAVEL TIPS but GET HERE HOWEVER YOU'D LIKE — JUST COME!
FLIGHTS & AIRPORT TRANSFER
We are so excited you're considering joining us! After much research and working with our planners, here are the two best ways to get to Santorini:
FLYING INTO ATHENS:
From Athens, we suggest hopping a 40 min flight directly to Santorini (Aegean Airlines)
Alternatively, you can reach Santorini by ferry from Piraeus Port in Athens (4.5 hours travel time).
For our US-based guests, direct flights to Athens are available from:
Chicago (ORD), Boston (BOS), New York (JFK), Newark (EWR), Atlanta (ATL), and Washington, D.C. (IAD)
via Delta, American Airlines, Emirates, and United Airlines
FLYING DIRECT TO SANTORINI VIA EUROPE:
Another way to reach us in Santorini (JTR) is via layover in a European city including: Dublin (DUB), London (LHW) Manchester (MAN), Paris (CGD), Amsterdam, Munich (MUC), Madrid (MAD), Barcelona (BCN), Milan (MXP + BGY), Rome (FCO), Naples (NAP) or Venice (VCE)
Tip: According to data from Skyscanner, Tuesday. It seems most airlines launch their discounts on Monday nights, so you can pick up the best prices on Tuesday mornings.
AIRPORT TRANSFER & ACCOMODATIONS
We will be arranging shuttle transfer for our guests joining us in Santorini! Additionally, here are some recommendations for lodging:
SANTORINI (JTR) AIRPORT TRANSFER:
We will be arranging shuttle transfer from the Santorini Airport and Athinios Ferry Port (Santorini) for all of our guests whose accommodation does not include already airport transfer, as well as a shuttle to and from our wedding venue.
Once you've booked your accommodations, please let us know as we'll be selecting a few pickup points along the way to our venue, close to your hotel or lodging.
ACCOMODATION RECOMMENDATIONS:
Airbnb and VRBO have great options for all budgets. If you plan to use public transportation for sightseeing, we recommend staying in Oia, Fira or Imerovigli. If you plan to stay outside of the main areas, you will likely need a rental car or ATV. Please check back here, as we are exploring a hotel block and working with a local travel agent to find accessible accommodation for all budgets. For those with Marriott points, there are two properties on the island:
CHECK OUT THESE FUN THINGS to do WHEN YOU'RE NOT BUSY CELEBRATING with US!
HIKE FROM FIRA TO OIA
This two and a half hour hike features beautiful views of the ocean. If a long trek isn’t in your plans, visit Skaros Rock instead and stroll towards Oia or explore the small paths leading downhill – you never know what you’ll find!
VISIT SANTORINI'S WINERIES & VINEYARDS
There are over 20 Santorini wineries! Known for the grape Assyrtiko, grown in the island's volcanic soil, Santorini's wine is considered one of the most exquisite in the world - wine tasting is an absolute must! Santorini is renowned for its excellent Vinsanto wines — made from late-harvest, sun-dried white grapes and aged for at least two years in oak, which include rich flavors of rum, sultanas, plums and menthol.
PERISSA BLACK SAND BEACH
Perissa Beach, located on the eastern coastline of Santorini, is a small stretch of soft, black sand and is one of the most beautiful beaches in Santorini. Wedged against the towering Mesa Vouno hill, this wide stretch of sand drops gently into the calm Aegean Sea. It’s perfect for swimming, snorkeling, or simply relaxing on one of the many sun beds or straw umbrellas.
BYZANTINE CASTLE RUINS
Enjoy one of the best panoramic views of Santorini from The Castle of St Nicholas, the remains of a 15th-century castle between Oia and Ormos Ammoudia.
AMMOUNDI BAY
Head down to Ammoudi for a leisurely afternoon starting with lunch. Around the corner is Agios Nikolaos rock, which is a great spot for cliff diving and sunbathing. Facing the water, head left down the path past the restaurants until you see it!
SKAROS ROCK
The climb should take you roughly 10 minutes down and 10 minutes up (20-30 in total one way). It’s a bit tricky towards the end, so bring good shoes and plenty of water. If you have the option to bring sun loungers, bring them and stay awhile! The view on the top opens up to see all of Santorini and a real getaway from a tourist-y madness.
THE MOST HIDDEN CHURCH ON SANTORINI
You can find it behind the Skaros rock. It will take you additional 15-20 minutes, depending on the pace, just follow the path down and you’ll find your own private heaven. There’s literally no one here and you can have the best views all to yourself, including seeing Oia and other Santorini islands.
BOOK A PRIVATE DAY BOAT TOUR OR SUNSET CRUISE
Book a private day boat tour or sunset cruise! See and experience the island from an entire different perspective— the views are incredible! We recommend Santorini Yacht Cruises or Caldera Yachting.
RENT AN ATV (OR CAR)
If you’re staying in Oia you don’t need a car because the entire town is walkable— no cars can even enter the main village— it’s all pedestrian walkways. However you might want to look into getting some type of transportation if you pick a hotel in another town, even just to explore for the day! You can drive from the northern part of the island to the southern part in just 45 minutes. If you plan to rent a car, our best tip is to reserve via the Santorini Airport in advance - especially, if you'd prefer to drive a car with automatic transmission as most vehicles in Europe are manual.
Please note: If you plan to book a car, you will need an international driving license.
SANTORINI BEACH CLUBS
Spend the day relaxing on the shores of Santorini, preferably with an alcoholic beverage in hand. Here are a few of our favorites: Theros Wave Bar, LAZE, Yalos and Wet Stories
OPEN AIR CINEMA KAMARI
Watch films under the stars at one of the best open air cinemas in Europe! Films are in English with Greek subtitles. Doors open 8:30 pm and the movie starts 9:30 pm nightly, but we've heard it's best to arrive by 8:00. It’s located in Kamari – which is a 12-minute drive from Fira and about 20 to 25 minutes from Oia. Even on a hot day, it can get chilly at night. Plan to bring a sweater or light jacket, but the staff will provide blankets if you ask.
GET YOUR SHOP ON IN OIA OR FIRA
Known for its small boutiques on the cliff, the first thing you will notice when visiting Oia or Fira is the diversity of shops. There's plenty of shopping in both Fira and Oia, but Fira has more shops and more variety in the winding streets inland from the caldera.
PHOTOGRAPHY SPOTS + TIPS!
Generally the best times of day for photography is early in the morning as the sun is rising (before 8-9AM) and in evening before and during sunset. If a goal on your trip is to get some beautiful photos, I highly recommend getting up early one morning to explore, and to avoid photobombers - the main town of Oia can get very crowded especially around sunset! Here are a few iconic photo spots on the island:
+ Caldera views from Oia & Imerovigli
+ Cave hotels along the Oia cliffside
+ Sunset viewed from Oia Castle or anywhere in Imerovigli
+ The 3 blue domes in Oia
+ Oia windmill
+ The famous “Pink House” in Oia (Google Kastro Oia Houses for exact location)
+ Ammoudi Bay
+ The hike from Imerovigli to Oia
+ White Beach
+ Red Beach
YOU'VE got QUESTIONS? WE'VE GOT Answers
WHY GREECE?
Call us romantics, Greece just so happens to be halfway between our two home countries. For two people who grew up half a world apart, the fact that we were able to find each other in this lifetime is nothing short of a miracle. In honor of this, we've decided to celebrate our once-in-a-lifetime love the only way we know how - in one of the most beautiful places on earth. We consider ourselves lucky to have friends and family all over the world, between the USA, India, New Zealand and Canada - we look forward celebrating with all of our closest people in the Cyclades!
WHICH OF YOUR WEDDING EVENTS SHOULD WE PLAN TO ATTEND?
In addition to celebrating with us at our wedding, we plan to host a welcome party on Tuesday, September 12th and a post-wedding beach day on Thursday, September 14th - please RSVP to these events here on our website so we know how many folks to expect. We recognize this is your vacation, so no pressure to attend all events if they don't align with your travel schedule although, we'd obviously love to have you there! As we make plans over the next few months, we may be adding a few other events to attend if you wish - right now, we're looking at a wine tour or boat day!
HOW DO WE GIVE YOU A GIFT?
Your presence is the best present - and you're traveling to Greece to celebrate with us! Leave some room in that suitcase for souvenirs! If you still insist, please feel free to contribute to our honeymoon fund or help us tip our caterers and bartenders at the wedding!
HOW DO WE GET TO OUR HOTEL?
Most hotels on the island offer airport transfer directly to your accommodation. Please let us know when you've booked your accommodation as we will be coordinating private transfer for our guests whose accommodations do not already include airport transfer.
WHERE SHOULD WE STAY?
Popular villages include Oia, Imerovigli and Firostefani in northwest Santorini. Oia will be the busiest part of the island in terms of tourism and crowds. The island is small so staying in a nearby village such as Imerovigli will be less busy (and less expensive) but still a quick cab to Oia. The village of Akrotiri is in the southern part of the island which is about a 30 minute drive from Oia. Akrotiri is more private and quiet (our wedding villa is located in Akrotiri). Regardless of where you stay, we will be arranging transport from pick up spots in the northern island to our venue. Many lodging offerings on the island are small and locally owned. We highly suggest exploring AirBnb or VRBO for accommodations!
WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO GET AROUND THE ISLAND?
We will be providing a shuttle service from the venue. Cheers! We also suggest renting a car or ATV for exploring the island or taking advantage of the local transportation service. Please note, if you choose to rent a car, an international driving license is required!
DOES GREECE HAVE COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS FOR ENTRY?
Entry Restrictions to Greece Relaxed: As of May 1, 2022, travelers entering Greece are no longer required to display a certificate of vaccination or recovery from COVID-19, or evidence of a negative test result from SARS-CoV-2 infection.