Crete destination wedding guide

Choosing your location

Crete is the large island, with airports at Heraklion and Chania. Couples look here for a beach, a vineyard, or an estate, and for a guest list that would not fit a Santorini terrace. Chania, Rethymno, and Elounda are the areas to compare. Pick one coast for the ceremony, the dinner, and where guests sleep. Crossing the island on the wedding day is a long drive, not a portrait stop. See Visit Greece for destination background.

What to ask your venue

Ask to see the ceremony setting, the dinner room, and the indoor backup together. If getting ready and the ceremony are on different parts of the coast, ask who drives guests and how long that takes at the hour you would leave.

Planning your wedding photographs

Build the first portraits on the property. A harbour in another town, or a second coast, needs its own block and a car plan. Ask who drives the photo team back in time for speeches.

Planning your wedding film

Wind on an open coast changes the sound plan. Agree where speeches happen if dinner moves inside, and how that room will be lit. Tell the film team which setup matters if the weather moves you.

Timing, light and weather

Ask which hours the terrace or beach is in direct sun, and which room is the rain plan. Check the light for your own date.

Bringing Bella Vita with you

Choosing a photo and film team before you travel gives you time to discuss style, priorities and the moments that matter. For combined coverage, ask for a proposal naming both team members, their roles, the hours on each day and the finished photographs and films you will receive. Flights and accommodation are part of the travel plan; they do not replace the creative fee. Ask for a written total covering travel, lodging, transfers, venue access costs, currency and taxes before committing.

Before you reserve

• Is the wedding on one coast?
• How long is the drive between getting ready and the ceremony?
• Can the indoor room hold the full guest list?
• Confirm whether you want a legal marriage abroad or a symbolic celebration, then obtain the current requirements directly from the relevant authority.
• Ask your suppliers to confirm any permissions needed to work at the destination and venue before booking travel.

Destination resources

Visit Greece

Destination background checked November 12, 2026. Photography and timeline suggestions are Bella Vita editorial planning advice. This guide is not a claim of a previous Bella Vita wedding at these locations. Confirm current access, venue policies and arrangements for your date.