Insights · A guide for your wedding
Dimitris Stergiou Photography is a wedding photography studio based in Patras, in the north-west of the Peloponnese. Since 2013, Dimitris and his team have photographed weddings across the region, from Patras, Aigio and Corinth to the south, in a natural, unposed style. Photos are delivered in 6–8 weeks, and the wedding film in about six months.
From the rock of Monemvasia to the towers of Mani and from Nafplio to the hotels of Costa Navarino, the Peloponnese packs sea, mountains, castles and Byzantine towns into a few hours’ drive. For couples who want something different from the islands, it's one of the most varied wedding destinations in Greece.
We're based in Patras and have photographed weddings all over the Peloponnese. In this guide you'll find our favourite places, how to get there, which season to choose and what you need to get married in Greece.
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Our favourite destinations
Monemvasia
A medieval town on a huge rock, joined to the mainland by a narrow causeway; that's where its name comes from, “single entrance”. On the square of the Lower Town stands Christos Elkomenos, its cathedral, and in the Upper Town the 12th-century church of Agia Sofia.
Inside the castle town you can only get around on foot, along stone-paved lanes. It's beautiful for photographs, but it takes planning: allow time for walking in your wedding dress and let your guests know well in advance.
Mani
Stone towers, wild landscape and small harbours. Areopoli is known for its tower houses and as the place where the 1821 War of Independence began in Mani. A little further on lies Limeni, with the Mavromichalis tower, now a boutique hotel with steps down to the sea, and in the south the little harbour of Gerolimenas.
Mani's stone and light make for strong images with real character. The distances between villages are short, but the roads are narrow and winding, so the day's schedule needs some breathing room.
Costa Navarino, Messinia
For couples who want the whole celebration in one place. Costa Navarino has two chapels for religious ceremonies, St Samson and St Eleni, and reception spaces at The Romanos, W Costa Navarino and the Mandarin Oriental. Civil weddings can take place at the town hall or in an outdoor setting.
Nafplio
The first capital of modern Greece, from 1827 to 1834. The old town, with its stone-paved lanes and mansions, spreads out below two castles, while the Bourtzi fortress rises from an islet in the harbour. Above the town stands Palamidi, a Venetian fortress built between 1711 and 1714.
One of the most photogenic places in the Peloponnese for couple portraits, and just two hours from Athens airport.
Aigio
A port on the Gulf of Corinth and the second-largest town in Achaia. One of its most striking sights is Panagia Trypiti, a church built into a cliff almost 30 metres above the sea.
Near Aigio we photographed the wedding of Giorgos and Eirini, with a ceremony at a chapel surrounded by greenery and a garden reception.
Kalavryta
A mountain town at around 760 metres, for couples who love the mountains. It's the last stop of the Diakopto rack railway, and the monastery of Agia Lavra is a few kilometres away. Nearby you'll also find the Helmos ski centre and the Cave of the Lakes.
Tripoli
The capital of Arcadia, at around 650 metres, on the edge of the Mainalo mountains. The cathedral of Agios Vasileios, with its facade of Doliana marble, and Areos Square are its best-known landmarks. A good choice for a town wedding in the heart of the Peloponnese, with the mountains of Arcadia close by for photographs.
Gytheio
The ancient port of Sparta. The islet of Kranai, known as Marathonisi, is joined to the town by a narrow causeway and has a stone tower and a marble lighthouse. Legend has it that Paris and Helen of Troy spent their first night together here.
Elafonisos
Simos, with its almost white sand and shallow water, is one of the best-known beaches in Greece. Agios Spyridon, the island's main church, stands on a tiny islet linked to the shore by a small bridge. You reach Elafonisos by ferry from Pounta, so your guests' schedule needs careful planning.
More places worth knowing
- Patras and Achaia. The Achaia Clauss winery, founded in 1861 above the city, and the Rio–Antirrio bridge, one of the longest cable-stayed bridges in the world. See also our guide to wedding churches in Patras and Achaia.
- Kalamata. At the head of the Messinian Gulf, below Mount Taygetos, with a Frankish castle and an airport with direct flights from Europe.
- Lake Doxa. At 900 metres in the mountains of Corinthia, with the little chapel of Agios Fanourios on a small promontory in the lake.
Getting there
Most guests from abroad arrive through Athens airport. In summer there are also direct flights from many European cities to Kalamata and to Araxos, about 45 kilometres from Patras. From Italy, ferries connect Bari and Ancona with Patras.
| Destination | By road from Athens airport, approximately |
|---|---|
| Nafplio | 2 hours |
| Patras | 2 hours 30 minutes |
| Kalamata | 3 hours |
| Costa Navarino | 3 hours 20 minutes |
| Monemvasia | 3 hours 45 minutes |
| Areopoli (Mani) | 3 hours 50 minutes |
Times are approximate and depend on traffic and stops.
When to get married
The wedding season in the Peloponnese runs from May to October. In Kalamata, the average high reaches around 30°C in July and August, while in May and October it's around 22–23°C. October is the wettest of these months.
In late June the sun sets around 9 pm, so there's time for an afternoon ceremony and couple portraits in golden light before the reception.
If you're planning a religious wedding, bear in mind that the Orthodox Church doesn't usually hold weddings during certain periods: 1–15 August, 29 August, 14 September, 18–25 December, 5 and 6 January, from Clean Monday to Holy Saturday, at Pentecost and during the Apostles' Fast. Always confirm your date with the parish.
Civil or religious wedding?
In Greece, both civil and religious weddings are legally valid. A civil wedding takes place at the town hall, conducted by the mayor or the president of the local community, with two witnesses. In both cases the marriage must be registered at the registry office of the area where it took place; without registration it has no legal validity.
For couples from abroad, the key documents are usually a certificate of no impediment to marriage, a birth certificate translated into Greek and, for documents from countries that are party to the Hague Convention, an Apostille. A symbolic ceremony, without a civil or religious wedding, is not legally binding.
We're photographers, not legal advisers. Documents and procedures vary by country; confirm them with your embassy, the municipality or the parish, or with a wedding planner.
Why a photographer from the Peloponnese
A photographer who knows these places knows where the light falls at the time of your ceremony, how long the drives take between the house, the church and the reception, and where it's worth stopping for photos. Based in Patras, we cover every wedding with a double team of four photography and video professionals, and deliver your photos within 6 to 8 weeks.
To see what you're paying for with a photographer, read how much a wedding photographer costs and how to choose a wedding photographer.
Weddings we've photographed in the Peloponnese
- Andreas & Dimitra, Patras
- Andreas & Ioanna, Patras
- George & Nafsika, Aigio
- Giorgos & Eirini, Aigio
- Angelos & Katerina, Rododafni
- Panagiotis & Anna, Corinth
Where we photograph in the Peloponnese
- Achaia: Patras, Achaia Clauss, Aigio, Kalavryta, Strofylia
- Corinthia: Lake Doxa
- Argolida: Nafplio
- Laconia: Monemvasia, Mani, Gytheio, Cape Tainaro
- Messinia: Costa Navarino, Methoni
If you would also like a next day session in your wedding clothes, see our favourite places for a next day photo shoot.
Frequently asked questions about getting married in the Peloponnese
Which months are best for a wedding in the Peloponnese?
May, June and September combine good weather without the intense heat of July and August. For a religious wedding, remember that no weddings are held from 1 to 15 August.
Do you travel all over the Peloponnese?
Yes. We've photographed weddings all over the Peloponnese, from Achaia to Mani and Monemvasia, as well as across Greece and abroad.
Is a symbolic wedding legally valid?
No. Only a civil or religious wedding is legally valid, once it has been registered at the registry office. Many couples hold a civil wedding at home and a symbolic ceremony in Greece.
Getting married in the Peloponnese?
Tell us where and when. We'll suggest how to plan your day so you can enjoy every moment of it and come home with photographs worth the journey.
Photographs: Dimitris Stergiou and the studio team