Nataly and Rabih, the perfect match.

Introduction

Nataly and Rabih, the perfect match.

When I first met Nataly and Rabih it was clear they were the perfect match. Both of them kind, funny and genuine, with a passion for life. I knew from the outset that they wanted to celebrate their love and throw a party to be remembered. They wanted their fun personalities reflected in every element of the wedding day.

Nataly and Rabih are from Lebanon, and so we did a lot of the planning and organisation over email and whatsapp. They opted for the Platinum package with a few small tweaks, as they wanted a package to encompass everything and keep it straight forward for them. They also wanted a religious wedding which was arranged at Agios Nikolaos Chapel, with a drinks reception and the dinner party at the Golden Coast.

Nataly, Rabih and their guests arrived the day before the wedding and were collected from Larnaca airport by a limousine which brought them to the hotel. With Champagne on board, this truly is the definition of arriving in style. I met with them that morning to run through the details for the final time to make sure everything was ready for the next day.


The wedding day

Preparations

The ceremony was booked for 4pm at Agios Nikolaos, so it was a relaxed morning with preparations starting later in the day. Leo and Theo, the photographer and videographer arrived and started capturing all the details like Nataly’s dress, shoes, jewellery, etc. Nataly’s father is a hairstylist so he and our in-house hair stylist Martha worked together to create Nataly’s loose waves. Nataly applied her make-up herself with a very soft look, accentuating her natural beauty. Whilst this was going on, the chairs and florals were being set up at the Chapel. Nataly loves gypsophelia and wanted a really simple and clean look. Bunches of gypsophelia were tied to the aisle chairs with white ribbon. Agios Nikolaos is on a peninsular, surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea, the views from all sides are stunning. With a domed blue roof, white washed walls and a traditional Greek Orthodox interior with icons hand-painted on all the walls, it really is a unique and spectacular venue. Cecilia Berg Mouskovia, the wedding singer arrived early at the Church to set up and do her sound check.

Rabih and the guests began to congregate in our Hesperides Bar. Everyone was dressed to impress; sharp suits, glamorous dresses and some very high heels. Rabih and his best man mingled with the guests and took plenty of photos, looking dapper and only taking a short break to go outside and smoke cigars. I would say this was to calm the nerves, but I don’t believe Rabih had any!

As 4pm approached, Rabih and the guests left for the church and Nataly made her way down from her room. She had chosen a lightweight, lace fishtail dress, with a hint of blush pink. Teamed with high heels and some elegant jewels including a gorgeous hair clip, she looked effortlessly beautiful. Her sister was her bridesmaid and she wore a rose-gold, eye-catching dress. Both had gypsophelia bouquets and big smiles.


The ceremony

We made our way down to Agios Nikolaos, which is just 200m from the hotel, a short walk. Rabih was waiting at the top of the aisle and the guests had taken their seats. Cecelia began to sing Stand By Me, their chosen song, and the bridal party began to walk down the peninsula to the Chapel in twos. After the bridal party had walked down, Rabih ran (literally ran!), up to Nataly to take her arm and walk her down the aisle. They both had the biggest grins on their faces and their guests showered them with fresh petals (Lebanese weddings throw confetti on the way in).

They had a Maronite ceremony with an interlude of Cecilia singing Hallelujah, a perfect song choice for a church wedding. Once the ceremony concluded, Nataly and Rabih walked back up the aisle to big cheers and Rabih started to ring the church bells, much to everyone’s amusement! A few group shots with the sea view and then it was time for refreshments.


Reception

The guests walked along the beach front promenade to our Antamoma venue, they had privately hired the middle level for a cocktail reception, where fresh fruit punch and sparkling wine was served with nibbles. The venue is shaded by the trees with a wooden rustic theme, it has stunning views of the bay and the chapel so makes a great spot for a drinks reception.

Meanwhile the finishing touches were being made to the Sea View Deck which is where the dinner party would be. Sticking with the theme, Nataly wanted simple jars of gypsophelia on the tables and an archway of gypsophelia behind their sweetheart table. They opted for round tables with no fixed seating plan, they wanted to guests to mix and mingle and sit where they like. Once the final touches were complete and Nataly came to have a sneek peak and give her approval, we brought the guests to the venue to take their seats and placed the wedding cake in the centre of the dancefloor. They decided to have a naked cake with a band of gypsophelia on each tier. Each tier was flavoured differently: chocolate with chocolate cream filling, coconut with butter cream filling and vanilla with strawberry jam filling – delicious! Nataly and Rabih brought a cake topper with them which was personalised gold lettering. Once all the guests were in and seated they made their grand entrance and proceeded with cutting the cake. Rabih insisted on popping the Champagne himself, pouring them each a glass and then they cut the cake to great cheers. We removed the cake from the dance floor and then a spontaneous 30minutes of dancing ensued. After having worked up an appetite, dinner was served. The Golden Gold buffet, our richest and most impressive buffet, alongside a premium drinks package ensuring every guest was totally satisfied. Throughout dinner, Nataly and Rabih visited every table to cheers with their guests and the cheers got louder and louder as they went around the venue. After dinner it was time for the first dance, followed by some traditional Cypriot dancers to get everyone back on the dance floor. The party was one I’ll remember forever, Nataly and Rabih did not stop dancing all night long. It was a true celebration with a huge feel-good factor. It was all about having fun with the people they love, this was so important to them.


The future

Nataly and Rabih are now expecting their first baby, a boy, and hope to return to Cyprus for holidays one day soon.