STEPHANIE ECONOMIDES & BRANDON FAY
STEPHANIE ECONOMIDES & BRANDON FAY
September 15, 2018 Mykonos, Greece Photographed by Branco Prata
Though their romance didn’t start immediately after being introduced by a mutual friend at a local bar, Brandon Fay’s persistence to take stephanie Economides out certainly paid off. “Five months
June 11, 2016 Cincinnati, Ohio | later, we finally went on our first date at a Mediterranean restaurant in Georgetown,” he says. “The rest is history!” After five years of dating, living together, and buying their new home, Brandon knew he wanted to take the next step in their relationship. Though he planned to propose once their new condo was
complete construction delay forced him to go with plan B: asking his beloved on a work
Photographed by Kortnee Kate Photography day. “He totally surprised me and caught me off guard at work on our amazing rooftop office building,” remembers Stephanie of the memorable proposal overlooking the capital.
Since Stephanie is a professional event planner for Evoke Design & Creative, Brandon left most of the decisions to her. “As a planner in Washington, DC, I knew I wanted a destination wedding and my dream was to have it overseas,” she shares. “We explored several options, but ultimately Mykonos felt right… and it was.” The couple worked with their families and their Greek design team to make their dream celebration come to life – even taking multiple trips to the island to ensure the day would be perfect. “Our philosophy was if we were going to ask hundreds of people to travel across the world to Mykonos for us, we must deliver beyond expectations for our guests,” confirms the groom.
Just before sunset, loved ones found their way to the little church behind the windmills in the Mykonos town of Chora for an open-air ceremony overlooking the Aegean Sea. “Walking up to the church was surreal,” the bride muses of her procession, which was led by bouzoukia musicians. “I couldn’t have imagined the scene in my wildest dreams – not to mention this was all to marry Brandon, who is the best thing to ever happen to me.” To honor the bride’s family, the couple had a traditional Greek Orthodox service entirely in Greek, save for the end remarks, which were recited in English by a translator. “While we might not have understood what was being said at each moment, we knew what was happening, and it was special,” affirms Stephanie.
Guests made their way to an oceanfront restaurant rented out for the reception, anxiously awaiting the arrival of the newlyweds who left the ceremony in a small boat to prepare for a magical grand entrance that left many attendees with tears in their eyes. “As soon as we stepped off the boat, the dock lit up with sparklers and the most ridiculous fireworks show began,” explains Brandon of one of his most memorable moments of the day. The bride adds, “Even though I knew the fireworks were going to happen, it literally took my breath away… That moment was priceless!”
“As soon as we stepped off the boat, the dock lit up with sparklers and the most ridiculous fireworks show began.”
Since both Stephanie and Brandon have modern taste and wanted to blend their style with the feel of the Greek islands, the décor showcased a similar color palette to that of their new city loft condo: shades of black, blue, grey, white, and gold. Contemporary gilt tables with mirrored tops were surrounded by obsidian chairs and topped with taper candles and low arrangements of white flowers in ebony vases. Place settings showcased bullion-hued flatware, colored goblets in indigo and onyx shades, and geometric black-and-white dishware as well as blue-and-white china inspired by the streets of Mykonos. An impeccable floral installation of cascading blooms and woven light fixtures wowed guests.
“As a couple, we are oftentimes the life of the party. We are the hosts; we are the entertainers,” shares the bride. “We wanted to reflect that in our wedding – a party… with fresh Mediterranean cuisine, lots of booze, and dancing!” After dinner, guests were escorted to the alfresco dance floor with Champagne sparklers and once they arrived, fire dancers began to perform on the beach. Friends and family enjoyed a variety of Greek desserts including truffles, loukoumades, and baklava, as well as espresso to keep the energy up. “The music didn’t stop until 3:30 a.m.,” notes Brandon. “From Champagne showers, to the limbo, to all the folks still standing and jumping into the ocean; it all happened… The entertainment was out of this world!”
Not wanting the celebration to end, the newlyweds stayed up and watched the sunrise together – a beautiful cap on the most memorable day of their lives. Stephanie and Brandon agree that if they could do it all over again, they wouldn’t change a single thing. “It was magical from start to finish!” smiles the bride.