The Wedding Atlas · Greece · Crete
Getting Married in Crete
The largest Greek island: Venetian harbours, mountain gorges and a strong food tradition. Crete is the largest island in Greece, and it is varied. The White Mountains in the west, the Psiloritis massif in the centre and the Dikti range in the east divide it into distinct landscapes: the Venetian harbour of Chania in the north-west, the Lassithi plateau below the Dikti peaks, the resort coast around Elounda in the east and the Minoan sites around Heraklion in the centre.
Part of the Crete destination guide.
- Best months
- May to June and September to October
Where to marry
Where to Get Married in Crete
Chania and the west
A Venetian harbour town with a lighthouse, a covered market and an Ottoman mosque beside the water, set among olive groves, mountain villages and the White Mountains national park. The Samaria Gorge lies inland from the city. Venues range from villas to restored buildings in the old town.
Elounda and the east (Lassithi)
The resort coast of Crete. The Elounda peninsula and the island of Spinalonga, a former Venetian fortress, lie at the northern edge of the Lassithi province. Resort hotels here have their own event spaces and wedding teams, which suits a couple who want one venue to run the whole weekend.
Heraklion and the Minoan heartland
The island capital. Knossos, the Bronze Age Minoan palace, lies just outside the city, and the Archaeological Museum holds Minoan artefacts. The surrounding wine country, which includes the Peza and Dafnes appellations, produces much of Crete's wine. The zone suits couples interested in the island's history.
Rethymno and the central coast
Rethymno has a Venetian fortress and an old town with Ottoman minarets, a townscape that spans several centuries. The coast between Rethymno and Heraklion is quieter than the Elounda zone and has several villas and estate properties.
Find your area
Crete on the map
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A Wedding in Crete
The largest Greek island: Venetian harbours, mountain gorges and a strong food tradition
Weddings gather in two main zones. In the west, around Chania, venues sit in a Venetian harbour town and in a landscape of olive groves, mountain villages and the White Mountains national park. In the east, around Elounda and Agios Nikolaos, the venues are resort hotels with their own wedding teams and rooms for the party.
Cretan food rests on olive oil, wild herbs, local cheese and a wide range of vegetables. Wedding catering can draw on Cretan olive oil, graviera cheese, thyme honey and local Vidiano and Liatiko wines. The island is large, so the choice of zone decides the journey for guests.
Choosing a setting
Choosing a wedding setting in Crete
Resort hotel
Resort hotels on the east coast around Elounda have event spaces, wedding teams and rooms for the wedding party. The format suits couples who want one resort to provide the whole weekend.
Villa or estate
Private villas and estates, mostly in the Chania area and on the east coast above Elounda. Villas around Chania are typically built of Cretan stone and sit among olive groves with views of the mountains or the sea. Those on the east coast tend to be contemporary villas with pools.
Venetian townhouse
Private properties and restored historic buildings in the old towns of Chania and Rethymno, available for exclusive hire.
Photo: Andreas Markakis PhotographyThe season
When to get married
Crete has a long season, warm from April to November. In May and June the island is green, the sea is warm and the higher mountains can still carry snow. September and October bring the warmest sea and fewer summer visitors, and the olive harvest begins in October. July and August are the hottest months and the interior can be very hot, so coastal venues with a sea breeze are more comfortable than inland ones.
Getting there
How guests arrive
Crete has two main international airports, and they are at opposite ends of a large island. Heraklion serves the centre and the east, and Chania the west. Most wedding parties choose one gateway and arrange transfers from it.
Heraklion (HER). The larger airport, with direct flights from the UK and many European cities in season. It is the gateway for the Elounda resort zone, Heraklion and the centre of the island.
Chania (CHQ). The western gateway, with direct flights from the UK and Europe. It is the gateway for Chania old town, the Samaria Gorge area and the north-west coast.
Athens Venizelos (ATH). A year-round hub for arrivals outside the season, with domestic flights on to Heraklion or Chania.
Where guests stay
Under one roof, or nearby
Accommodation ranges from resort hotels on the north-east coast to small boutique properties in mountain villages and on the harbour front at Chania.
Elounda
A resort area on the Gulf of Mirabello in the east, where several resorts have private-island or cliff-top settings suited to hiring the whole property for a weekend.
Chania Old Town
Boutique hotels and restored mansions inside the old harbour area, close to restaurants.
Heraklion and Ammoudara
The island capital and its beach suburb have the widest range of hotels, and suit guests arriving at Heraklion Airport or visiting Knossos.
Rethymno
A town between Heraklion and Chania with its own Venetian fortress, an old town and a long beach east of the harbour.
Photo: Andreas Markakis PhotographyFood and drink
Eating and drinking in Crete
Cretan cooking is built on olive oil, fresh vegetables, pulses and locally reared meat, with a tradition of mezedes and wood-fired cooking.
Dakos
A barley rusk topped with crushed tomatoes, crumbled mizithra cheese, olives and olive oil. It is a common starter across the island.
Fresh lamb
Lamb is slow-roasted, or cooked in the wood-fired kleftiko style with herbs, garlic and lemon. A traditional wedding feast in Crete is often a whole-roast lamb for a large group.
Raki (Tsikoudia)
A clear grape spirit distilled across the island in autumn and offered as a welcome drink in tavernas through the year, usually as a small glass on arrival.
Good to know
Before you book
Knossos and the Archaeological Museum
The Minoan palace of Knossos lies just south of Heraklion and is an archaeological site of European importance. It suits guests with time before or after the wedding, together with the Heraklion Archaeological Museum.
Island distances
Crete is a long island, and travelling between Heraklion and Chania takes hours by road. Couples need to choose accommodation that keeps travel short on the wedding day, particularly for evening ceremonies, when mountain roads are slower after dark.
People who work in Greece
Planners, photographers and other wedding professionals based in Greece.
Alex SamoilisFounder and Executive Chef, Opus Events
Eleftheria PapagiannakiFounder and wedding planner, Eventuries Wedding Planning and Styling
Nena PapadopoulouFounder and wedding planner, STYLE CONCEPT Event Solutions
Aris PapachristouFounder and creative director, Belli Momenti
Michaela TheodorakakouFounder and creative director, Mitheo Events
Lydia Dafoti VolteraEvent planner, Mitheo Events
Christina KosmaSenior event designer, Mitheo Events
Vasia ChaniSenior event planner, Mitheo Events
Angeliki AvdikouSenior event planner, Mitheo Events
Joanna LoukakiDirector of events, Mitheo Events
George MarkoulisCo-founder and chief executive, Mitheo EventsQuestions couples ask
Before you decide
Which zone suits a wedding, Chania or Elounda?
They suit different plans. Chania offers a Venetian old town, olive groves and the mountains, with villas and restored buildings as venues. Elounda has resort hotels with their own event teams and a peninsula-and-island setting around Spinalonga. Couples who want a varied setting look to Chania, and those who want one resort to run the weekend look to Elounda.
What makes Cretan food distinctive?
Cretan cooking uses local olive oil, graviera cheese from the Psiloritis dairies, wild herbs such as thyme and dittany, and honey, and its wines include the local Vidiano and Liatiko grapes.
Can weddings be held on Spinalonga?
Spinalonga is a small island in the Gulf of Elounda with a Venetian fortress built in 1579. It was a leper colony until 1957 and is a protected archaeological site, so it is not available for private events. It can be seen from the Elounda peninsula and from hotels in the area.
How far apart are Chania and Elounda?
They lie at opposite ends of the island, a long drive apart. A wedding party needs to choose one base and tell guests clearly which airport to fly into.
When is the best time of year for a wedding in Crete?
Crete has a long season, warm from April to November. In May and June the island is green, the sea is warm and the higher mountains can still carry snow. September and October bring the warmest sea and fewer summer visitors, while July and August are the hottest months and coastal venues with a sea breeze are more comfortable than inland ones.
Meet Aura
A planner who has read every venue in Crete
Tell Aura the setting, the season and the size of your day. She shortlists the venues and professionals that fit, and explains why.
More Wedding Destinations
This guide draws on the venues' own published details, official sources and the knowledge of our editors. Entry and legal information can change, so confirm it with the authority that will marry you before you book.