Your wedding ceremony at Philosophia

Philosophia is a beachside restaurant in Pefkos on the island of Rhodes. But it’s soooo much more than just a restaurant. For one, it’s an amazing wedding location and I am delighted to be their recommended wedding celebrant. When I get to a wedding ceremony at Philosophia, my heart sings! What do I love about it? Here’s 10 things for starters…

THAT view

If you have imagined a vast expanse of blue sea and sky as a backdrop for your wedding ceremony and dinner in Greece, Philosophia is going to delight you! In ancient Greece, water was an important element when swearing an oath, As with any of the elements, it’s inclusion made the promises more binding. So it’s highly appropriate to be so near to such a massive body of water when making one of the most enduring promises you will ever make, am I wrong?!

You’re on the beach, but not ‘on’ the beach

Everyone wants a wedding on the beach, but there are many practicalities to consider and honestly, they can be a bit of a challenge! Do you know how noisy even gentle waves can be?! Chairs sink into sand, as do heels. Do ‘beach-beach’ if you are super chilled and want a really relaxed and informal wedding. If you want the feel and view of the beach, but with a bit more comfort and less sand between your toes, go to Philosophia! It’s located just above the beach, which you have direct access to for photos after, if that’s your bag.

The Sunset

One of the few places on the east coast where you can experience a sunset is right here! The slightly elevated position in a little nook of the east coast means you get the real deal. The sun sets just behind the low mountains and it’s sublime. Make sure you time your ceremony and dinner so you can enjoy it to the max!

Ceremony, food and knee’s up venue all-in-one

It’s just so easy! Your guests and you come to the ceremony, then you transition into the next bit of the celebration by taking a few steps into the next bit of the restaurant and enjoy a sumptuous, delicious Greek-based meal (whilst admiring the sunset). Then you plug in your DJ (I have one right here for you!) and get your groove on! It’s perfect. I have a bit of video footage on my Instagram highlights here. There’s another couple of venues on there too, but it’s clear which ones show a wedding ceremony at Philosophia – it will give you are a really good idea of the layout. And THAT view!

The style

Shabby-chic, bit boho style, but the food and drink are top quality. It’s relaxed, but it’s not too relaxed, informal, but structured. The sort of place where you’d get your glad rags on for, but still be relaxed.

Working with great people who love what they do

It’s family-owned and local. Philip (Phillipos) and Barbara are your perfect hosts – always there, but unobtrusively so. Their staff are super polite and friendly and combined they make a great team. If you are looking for an uncomplicated wedding ceremony of from 20 to 70 guests and are looking to plan it yourself, Barbara will give you the contacts of any wedding suppliers you need. With numbers on the bigger side you might want to get an ‘on the day co-ordinator’ to help you out, but they will let you know if they think it’s necessary. If you have a bigger vision, then any of the local wedding planners will be able to work with you too.

The name

‘Philosophia’ is Greek for ‘Philosophy’. But it’s also a clever combination of ‘Phillipos’ (the owner) and their daughter ‘Sophia’. How beautiful is that?!

It’s my home!

Not the restaurant exactly, but I have lived on Rhodes for over 25 years so it’s great to have such a ‘wow’ location right on my doorstep! Having a wedding ceremony at Philosophia for means hopping in my car and driving down the road. Bliss!

What else should I know?

If you want to have music for the evening or private use, you will need to book the venue for exclusive use. If you are having a smaller ‘do’ you can use the gazebo and restaurant area around it, but the other part of the restaurant will remain open to the public.

It’s a great venue to work with – communication is easy as Barbara is British so nothing get’s lost in translation and answers are promptly given.

If the whole issue of separating the legal part with the ceremony freaks you out, it’s nice to know you have the option of combining the legal bit into the wedding ceremony here. This counts as a civil ceremony and is legally binding. Otherwise, you can do what most couples choose: do the legal bit in your country of residence and enjoy the ceremony here in Greece with no paperwork necessary!

How do I book my wedding ceremony at Philosophia?

You can book directly with Barbara, the owner through email: barblindos@yahoo.co.uk

And you can talk to me about your ceremony by dropping me an email weddingcelebrantgreece@gmail.com or by filling in the contact form right here.

And I’m just going to leave you with this gorgeous photo…#couplesgoals

Photos without a credit are from the Philosophia website. Other photos as per credits: ARJ Photography and Photo Studio Gianellis