Elopement conjures secrecy: a hastily-packed suitcase, a window left ajar, a midnight escape. But, by combining Old World elegance with modern inventiveness, American event planner Jaclyn Journey proves that an elopement can root itself in iconic tradition while embracing a couple’s individuality.
Featured in print in Ellwed magazine.
The setting for the ceremony was a white stone, family-owned, seventeenth-century Greek Orthodox church on the island of Mykonos. Orthodox Christianity is rich in traditions which stir the senses: the aromatic opulence of the incense, the mesmerizing light of fragrant beeswax candles flickering on the icons, and the radiance of the iconostasis were made complete by the traditional exchange of crowns, symbols of honour and glory.
Nikolas’s bow-tie, double-breasted blazer, and black Greek leather sandals proposed a stylishly mischievous twist to the dreamy sophistication of Sophia’s embroidered gown and tulle cape, designed by California designer Claire Pettibone. Sophia’s floral coronet, crafted by All About Romance, echoed her hand-foraged bouquet of juniper, bead-tree, and lilies. Wedding stationery exquisitely calligraphed by Rachel Fisher evoked poetic fragments and letters recovered from the sea.
Nikolas’ and Sophia’s crowns were distinctively fashioned from wild oat, foraged in the Greek countryside, while Family heirlooms make the perfect objets d’art, and black-and-white photographs, authentic postcards, local coins, wicker baskets, and a bouzouki offered a timeless counterpoint to the young couple.
After the ceremony, the couple were met at the chapel’s red doorway by local musicians and serenaded through the cobbled streets and white-washed alleys of ‘Little Venice’ before watching the sun set from the seafront.
Mykonos was a beautiful choice for this idyllic elopement, providing the ideal setting for a free-spirited, unrepentantly romantic couple looking to combine the traditional with the whimsical.
PHOTOGRAPHY : ANDREAS K. GEORGIOU | FILM LAB : CARMENCITA FILM LAB | DESIGN : JACLYN JOURNEY & TRACY BURCH | SHOES : BELLA BELLE | DRESS : CLAIRE PETTIBONE | STATIONERY : HIGH FANCY PAPER | CALLIGRAPHY : RACHEL FISCHER CALLIGRAPHY | HEADPIECE : ALL ABOUT ROMANCE
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I travel the globe photographing life’s important events, weddings, and editorial shoots. I care deeply for each couple's love story as a worthy and unique piece of art. My photography is intimate and fashion-forward, with a painterly old-world charm, and infused with meaning and a sense of purpose.
I serve discerning clients from over 20 countries, and also teach remarkable photographers all over the world, aiming to inspire a new generation of artists to build thriving brands and use their Art as a platform for positive change.
My work stems from an overwhelming desire to advocate for empathy, empowerment, and the spreading of kindness. I hope that by showing all the goodness that exists in the world, I might help make the world a bit better, ever so slightly, because I can imagine nothing more powerful than two humans in love!