This couple's romantic proposal happened one afternoon in Santorini, Greece, one of Ileana's favorite places. "Eric took me for a hike to a chapel overlooking Oia village during sunset. I was thinking of how lucky I was to be there with the love of my life," said Ileana. They started talking seriously about their relationship before Eric gave Ileana a surprise of a lifetime. "He suddenly said, 'It's time to replace the ring I gave you five years ago when we started dating.' Later on, Eric told me that he had kept the engagement ring for six months, waiting for the right moment," recalled Ileana.
Ileana had a clear idea of the kind of nuptials she wanted: a wedding with no flowers. She also wanted a monochromatic color palette that matched her own personal style. "I only wear black clothing 99% of the time with the other 1% being white or gray," she said. With these requests in mind, her wedding planner Kira from Hitch'd came up with a modern 'ghost' theme for the celebration.
The ceremony was white and bright while the reception had a completely different atmosphere. Black dominated the whole setting, making the reception look modern and moody while still remaining elegant. "We had ghost chairs, cathedral candles, no arch, no flowers, and loads of acrylic with a touch of greenery to tie everything together with the venue," explained Ileana. "Our favorite details were the acrylic signing table, the crushed Carrara marble and lava stones as centerpieces, as well as the lava stone charger plateand octagonal place cards which doubled as wedding favors for our guests to take home," Ileana said.
As stunning as the setting and decorations were, they were no match for the affection thatIleana and Eric received from their family and guests that day. Ileana reminisced, "We felt so loved. As we stood there, exchanging our vows, I glanced at our guests who were tearing up happily. What did I do to deserve a love this great from everyone?"
