Fotopoulos Wedding on 7/22/17 at St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church in Seattle, Wa
Music licensed from -
The Music Bed - themusicbed.com
Something we always like to mention is the massive amount of diverse, creative and meaningful weddings that our clients want us to film. For every massive family celebration that gathers everyone and their cousin under one roof there is a juxtaposing ceremony that is quiet and small, and for every gorgeous sunny day outside in the country there is an equally rainy and cold day spent inside. But the one thing we love the most is seeing other cultures celebrating in their traditional manner because it transcends the love of the bride and groom and represents their entire being.
The Fotopoulos wedding is just one of many examples of a traditional, cultural and religious wedding for Greeks. You may have seen this wedding before—it was referenced in our Favorite Venues article because the St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church is a beauty—but it's one of our favorites for many reasons other than the stunning church!
The day began a search—a search for toothpaste. It’s funny how of all trivial things you might be lacking on such a big day in your life that brushing your teeth would seem like one you’d have in the bag. But with fresh teeth—made even fresher with a swig from a flask—the smiles shone bright as the bride and groom met at the church for their swooning first look outside the church where groom Yanni teased us—anything to keep him smiling—until his bride tapped him on the shoulder.
As the entourage of bridesmaids and groomsmen slowly amassed in front of the church, one would think it’s the entire guest list with how many of them there are! But alas, there awaited more guests inside for the wedding itself! Even more beautiful than the weather that day—but perhaps not as much as the bride—is the church itself with its depictions of the stations of the cross, stained glass windows and the drooping chandeliers that add light to an already breathtaking venue.
With an entire army alongside the bride and groom, the two tied the knot and sealed it with a kiss as what felt like a thunder of applause greeted them from the audience. The official signing, taking place with a prayer inside the priest’s office, legitimized the ceremony. Arriving to dimmed lights and all of their family and friends, the bride and groom strolled into the ballroom for their first dance.
Our favorite part of the reception was the traditional greek dancing with everyone going around in a circle. You’ve surely seen this somewhere before, but being there to experience it firsthand is a wild ride. With a private photo booth and photographer, guests could snap the night away with cherished memories they could carry forever.
Yanni and Chelsea’s wedding day was such an honor to film! We hope the New Year is treating you well! Have a favorite moment from the video? Want us to write about something specific? We’d love to hear from you, so drop us a line below!
– Scott Johnson