The wedding is in the area of Logaras Beach on the east side of the island. The following hotels are located in Logaras Beach and are within ~3 min walk from the venue. Book using Booking.com
Magoo Suites
Cactus Beach Paros
Arkas Inn
Paros Inn Hotel
Akteon Hotel
Meltemi Studios
Deep Blue Studios
What is "semi-formal beach wedding" attire?
Here's a helpful, paraphrased description from theknot.com:
"Men's ties are optional, but welcome. If you're shopping for menswear, start with a classic long-sleeve button-down and dressy pants. Appropriate footwear includes nice loafers and on-theme boat shoes. Women can wear a semi-formal dress, like a maxi or midi, as well as a jumpsuit or dressy separates. A beach cocktail dress code gives you the flexibility to choose a vibrant color or bold print if you'd like to. Finish your outfit with a low heel, wedge or dressy flats."
Ladies, keep in mind that Paros is a very windy island. While we hope that our wedding day is not too windy, for your own comfort it is best to plan to avoid short and flowy dresses/skirts.
The ceremony will be in the sand, and the reception is at a restaurant on the beach.
How do I get to and from the wedding?
It would be best to stay at a hotel or Airbnb within walking distance to the hotel, or at least get a hotel for the night in Logaras/Piso Livadi. There is not reliable public transport or rideshares on the island, and we want everyone to have fun and be safe. If you plan to stay elsewhere on the island, please drive responsibly.
There is ample free parking directly next to the reception venue - in the even that lot is full, there is additional parking behind the after party venue (Remezzo Cafe).
What food and drinks will be served at the wedding?
After the ceremony, everyone will walk (~2 mins) to Fisilanis Restaurant for a cocktail hour at 7pm where light handheld appetizers will be available. At this time and until 12am, an open bar will be available on the beach in front of the restaurant. Around 8pm a buffet style dinner will be served and will include plenty of Greek specialties including grilled meats, salads, and moussaka. Vegetarian options will be available as well.
What should I pack?
Here are some must-haves for this trip and international travel in general:
-Light, loose fitting clothing including at least 1 bathing suit. It will be hot and sunny, and the best way to cool down is by swimming!
-Comfortable sandals/flip-flops, as well as tennis shoes for hiking if you'd like to do that.
-Sunglasses, as well as a back-up pair
-A LOT of sunscreen
-Beach towel
-EU or universal travel outlet converter, very cheap on Amazon
-Obviously, your travel documents (passport, ID, plane tickets, ferry tickets, hotel confirmations etc.) but also PICTURES of all of your travel documents that you can access online. I recommend taking pictures or screenshots of everything and emailing them to yourself and/or someone you are travelling with.
-A credit card or debit card with no foreign transaction fees. It's usually not necessary to tell your bank ahead of time, but it doesn't hurt.
-Any medications you need, as well as Advil, Tums, Pepto, Benadryl, melatonin etc.
How do I pay for things on the island?
Most vendors take credit cards - every single restaurant, beach chair rental, store, gas station, bar, or hospital will take credit cards. Tipping is not necessary or expected at all like it is in the US, but of course it is appreciated and it's best to do that in cash.
Visa is the most widely accepted carrier.
What beaches should I go to?
See the picture below for a comprehensive description of a lot of the beaches in Paros. One thing to note: only one of the beaches on the map states it is a "nude beach", but technically every beach on the island is clothing optional. If this makes you uncomfortable, stick to more popular and crowded beaches (think beaches attached to hotels and restaurants), and I would skip Lageri and Kalogeros beaches altogether.
How does renting beach chairs and umbrellas work?
A lot of the beaches you'll find will have awesome comfortable beach lounge chairs and umbrellas already set-up in the sand. These are placed there by restaurants/bars that are on the beach. You can simply go and claim the seats you'd like to use, and someone from the bar or restaurant will come to you and tell you the price to rent them (you can ask a worker beforehand if you're curious). Depending on the place, this will cost about 20-50 euros for two chairs, a little table for food/drinks, and one umbrella, you can stay as long as you'd like to, and they will serve you food and drinks at your chairs (at normal restaurant costs). The chairs in the front row, closest to the water, are usually 5-10 euros more expensive. The cost can add up but in our opinion it is 100% worth the splurge to rent chairs. It makes spending time on a hot beach significantly more enjoyable and comfortable, you'll constantly have a cold drink in your hand, and since you'll have shade you can spend more time enjoying the incredible views. If this is not something you'd like to pay for, you can chill out in the sand on a towel or purchase a chair at a shop to bring with you to the beaches, along with your own food and drinks.
I don't have a passport, how do I get one?
You'll want to start this process at least 3 months before the trip, ideally longer just in case there are any issues. Below is a link that should give you all the information you need, as well as information for applying for a passport for your children under 18 years old.
You can get away with not using data if you turn off data roaming on your phone. Your hotel or Airbnb will have WiFi, and most restaurants/bars will also have WiFi. You can save maps on Google maps so that you can use them when you don't have WiFi to get around. Although you can get away with not paying for data while you're there, someone in your group should have it for safety as well as communication with us so we can keep in touch about plans. The easiest way to do this is to buy an e-SIM card online. The cheapest ones only include data roaming and not calling/texting (besides iMessage) but that should be totally fine and you'll be easily reachable via other messaging apps (WhatsApp etc.). It will come with simple instructions for how to activate it. Another option is through your phone service provider. When you land in Greece, your phone service provider will text you and offer you a way to have data and texting/calling using your existing plan. This is more expensive, it varies but is usually about $10/day (the text will tell you exactly). This is an automatic thing, if you’d like to use this option you don't need to do anything besides make sure that data roaming is turned “ON” on your phone in your settings.
You probably won't run into any big problems with language beyond some confusion - Paros has pretty solid tourist infrastructure, therefore most Greek people you're likely to interact with will speak at least enough English for them to understand you and for you to understand them. As always when traveling to a country where you don't speak the language, it is common courtesy to learn some basic words and phrases at least.
What to do in case of medical emergency?
For medical emergencies, refer to the numbers below. Even if you do not have service these numbers should still work:
Emergency 112
Ambulance 166
Fire Department 199
Police 100
If it is something relatively minor but you still require a doctor, Google Aegean PolyClinic and drive there (or call us and we'll drive you/get someone to drive you). It is open 24/7. This medical center is approximately 25-30 minutes drive from Logaras/Piso Livadi.
Unfortunately Paros does not have a full hospital/emergency room so in the case of a true, urgent medical emergency please call the emergency numbers above for help.
Is there anything I should know about COVID regulations for this type of travel?
As of June 2022, all COVID restrictions and requirements for travel between the US and Greece have been lifted. Vaccinations and tests are no longer required for entry and exit. Check with your airline directly about mask requirements as you might be required to wear a mask on your flights. Masks and social distancing are not required anywhere in Paros, with the exception of hospitals.
