Seaside Baptism & Whimsical Picnic in Athens

Alexandra and Thanasi baptized their baby girl Matina, on the Athenian Riviera as the sunset into the crystal clear Aegean Sea. The setting at golden hour was perfect and felt much like being on a Greek island – all of this brought a wonderfully warm sense of romance and tranquility to this baptism in Greece. All of the guests relished in the beauty of the sunset and took photographs of their own as they waited for the ceremony to begin. This seaside baptism in Athens had a whimsical picnic theme, and this made the entire experience unique for the guests, as well as for our team!

As we say, it’s all about the details! Both Alexandra and Thanasi wanted to have baby Matina’s baptism on the waterfront, and yet they were reluctant as they did not want a typical seaside theme. Both wanted something simple, informal and carefree with plenty of romantic elements; and thus the whimsical picnic theme was born! We combined Alexandra’s desire for baby pink and mint green pastel shades together with floral designs, and these set the tone of femininity and romance.

We set the stage for an intimate picnic by personally delivering Matina’s baptism invitations in elegantly hand-decorated brown paper lunch bags. As the guests arrived on the day, they were welcomed by intricate centerpieces that were picnic baskets and floral boxes filled with fresh fruits, French baguettes and wine bottles. Each centerpiece was accompanied by wine glasses, cutlery in brown paper envelopes to match the invitations, and a beautiful bouquet of fresh pink roses for an added touch of color. The tables were lit up with mint green and baby pink candles in small marmalade jars which created a warm and glowing ambiance.
Before the ceremony began, guests mingled with each other and snacked on macarons from the candy bar while drinking fresh, homemade lemonade. As the ceremony began, guests faced the magical sunset across the bay and gathered around the traditional ‘kolibithra’ (or baptismal font) right at the water’s edge. The kolibithra was decorated with mint green and pink fabric strips which playfully hung as garlands, as was the authentic ‘lambada’ baptism candle. Baby Matina was baptized in Athens on a hot summer evening, and seemed very content to be dipped into the cool and refreshing water.

As a thank you gift, each guest was given their own brown paper envelope with a folded doily and an individually customized thank you card with traditional bonbonniere candies. The party favors were mini wicker picnic baskets tied with ribbons which contained colorful sugar-covered almonds.

When we began planning for Matina’s baptism, we set out to fulfill Alexandra and Thanasi’s every wish for their daughter’s seaside baptism in Greece. We met and surpassed their every expectation by perfectly combining creative accents, at a beautiful seaside location in Athens; this gave the family and each of their guests a wonderful and life-long memorable experience. It was exceptional for all of us who took part – it was a truly great joy!