A wedding abroad in Santorini – a dream come true for many bridal couples from the United Kingdom. We spoke to wedding planner Sandra Ebner from Bespoke Weddings Santorini about her work and what she can offer couples who want an impeccable destination wedding to suit their personal taste:
What’s your everyday life like as a wedding planner?
Sandra from Bespoke Weddings Santorini: “As an independent wedding planner, I have no fixed working hours, but my office hours are from Monday to Friday. The weekend is me-time, so I take time for myself and my loved ones, unless there is a wedding on a Saturday or Sunday.”
“I plan my day with a diary planner the evening before. I plan everything and create such a structure because I’m my own boss! You can never plan too much, which is why I really suit my job as a wedding planner! I have a weekly, monthly and yearly planner too, so I can set my own goals and organise the timings of everything, even down to each social media post.”
“In addition to the office work, which mainly takes place in front of the laptop, I create mood boards for my couples based on the meeting, wedding concepts, time schedules for the wedding day, make payments, create overview lists for my couples’ packages.”
“I skype with the couples, as many times as they feel necessary, I visit my partners in the industry to maintain contact, to exchange creative ideas. I also have regular meetings at venues, so that I can envision each and every destination wedding there.”
What do couples underestimate when planning?
Sandra from Bespoke Weddings Santorini:
“I think many people underestimate how much time I spend on planning each and every detail. For just an email, I need an hour or two, depending on what the issue is and how quickly the research takes. Even a small wedding takes time, because I attach great importance to quality. Everything has to be right for a special event to sit and run correctly.”
What are the challenges when planning a wedding in Santorini compared to planning a wedding at home?
Sandra from Bespoke Weddings Santorini:
“Here in Santorini it can be difficult without a planner: Which papers are needed and how do I get them? How do I contact the registrar? Which location suits me? Where’s the best place to eat? Which service providers are trustworthy?”
What packages do you offer to couples?
Sandra offers three affordable packages:
- Silver package for € 1’550 (5h coordination on the wedding day)
- Gold package for € 2,560 (8h coordination on the wedding day)
- Platinum package for € 3,790 (12h coordination on the wedding day)
These are all tailor-made packages, where the following services are included:
- Introductory meeting (in person or via Skype)
- Offer for 1-3 locations
- Offer for 1-3 service partners per (catering, decor, flowers etc)
- Planning the concept and running the ceremony
- Unlimited calls (Skype ect.)
- Support with sorting the necessary documents for the wedding ceremony
- Personal advice & complete coordination of the entire planning
- Organization and coordination of the service partners
- Personal meeting in Santorini shortly before the wedding
- Location/venue visit to Santorini shortly before the wedding
- 5h / 8h / 12h coordination on the wedding day
- Personal accompaniment to the registry office; Collection of the marriage certificate
- Additional service partners & location rental are not included
“I get to know couples in a personal conversation. A wedding is always personal and it has to involve harmonious cooperation between the couple and myself, so I really get to know their every desire. I want to be a friend and not just a service provider.”
“Each wedding is tailor-made for the couple and so very individual, with every package. I also offer additional services for a fee: food & cake tasting; a hair & makeup trial, venue visit and other meetings with various service providers.”
What do you like most about your job?
Sandra from Bespoke Weddings Santorini:
“I work with exciting people, I can organize and plan. I am a very organized person and love to make lists for everything! My clients are always happy and I love to help them have an unforgettable day. No wedding is like the other and I always enjoy letting my creative juices fuse with the wishes of each couple. I know exactly what makes Santorini so special, and strive to recreate that magic with every wedding. It’s always colourful, it’s always a celebration, and it always makes people incomparably happy.”
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