real bride ami and craig header image - D2988 by Essense of Australia

Real Bride Ami + Craig

We bring you to Santorini, Greece at the gorgeous Santorini GEM, where this couple said their “I Do’s” and celebrated with their nearest and dearest! With a neutral color palette and lush florals, Charlotte May Weddings tied it all together with organic accents and the prettiest of the pretty details!  

Ami, the beautiful bride, opted for a romantic and chic gown that perfectly complemented the Santorini aesthetic. Essense of Australia D2988 was her first choice to try on at Laura May Bridal and it ended up being the dress of her dreams — even two and a half years later! As Ami and Craig postponed their wedding due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the dress remained stored and was finally debuted at their marvelous destination celebration. 

Take a look below to see all of Phosart Photography’s perfect photos! 

ami and craig on the cliffs of santorini

Tell us about your proposal!  

Craig and I had gone to Dubai for a long weekend. Craig had said he had booked us dinner on a boat with 30 other people. Whilst going to the pier, I couldn’t see a boat big enough for 30 people, so I started thinking we had gone to the wrong place. At this point, I was already starving! It was then Craig pointed at the yacht he had booked for just us.  

The waiter on board asked me if I’d like some pictures at the front of the boat in front of the Burj Al Arab. The waiter and I went to the front, where Craig then joined us. The waiter was snapping away, and all I was saying to Craig was, “I am so hungry, where is the food?”— not knowing Craig was moments away from asking me to marry him! A few moments went by, and Craig got on one knee and proposed! It was the most amazing moment of our lives! Suddenly I wasn’t so hungry anymore. We could not stop smiling. 

black and white image of ami and craig holding hands

What was the most special memory from the day?  

The most special part of the day for me was definitely the speeches! They did not leave a dry eye. It was so beautiful to hear all of the kind words said about our family and us. They were funny, heartfelt, emotional and overall perfect. 

ami wearing her wedding dress before ceremony - D2988 by Essense of Australia

Describe your bridal style. How did you want to look on your wedding day? Tell us about your dress shopping experience.  

Back in 2019, I was very open-minded when it came to finding my dress. I had in my head an idea of what I wanted but didn’t want to rule anything else out. I went to the first bridal shop, which had stunning dresses, but I felt like I had seen similar gowns on other people.  

Next, we went to Laura May Bridal, and as soon as we walked in, Essense of Australia D2988 was on a mannequin right in front of me, and instantly, I said, “I need to try that dress on.” We selected a few more different styles, but when I tried on the first one I chose, I did not want to take it off. I loved the cuff detailing and the fit. I was surprised that I didn’t have an open back, but I loved the dress so much that it didn’t bother me at all.  

The wedding was supposed to be in 2021, but we had to postpone due to the COVID-19 pandemic until August of 2022. The dress was held in storage for two and a half years. I was very shocked I loved the dress as much as I did in 2019 — it was just perfect! 

back view of Ami's wedding dress - D2988 by Essense of Australia

Tell us more about your wedding. What were your theme and colors? How did you make your wedding personal to your love story?  

We were due to get married in 2021 in the United Kindgom in Wales. With COVID -19, we decided to cancel our original wedding venue due to the fact we couldn’t guarantee that family members abroad  could travel to be with us. In true Ami and Craig style, we completely changed our mind and decided we were getting married abroad.  

This to us was our dream, but we always thought that we’d have it at home so more family members could come, and it would be less expensive for everybody else. However, for us, this is a once-in-a-lifetime situation and we did what we wanted to do. To our surprise, all of our family and friends were so happy that we had chosen to go abroad to get married, and the majority of them were able to make it to our wedding. 

Craig and I are not the most colorful people in terms of our fashion sense, so I knew that we wouldn’t have any bold colors for our wedding— we decided to go for golds and neutrals. This went perfectly for Santorini as the venue, and the view itself, is so breathtaking that we didn’t want anything to distract our guests from that. Because it was a destination wedding, we limited how many people were invited and therefore, the whole day was so intimate. We can truly say that everybody that was in attendance truly loves us just as much as we love them. 

ami and craig walking throughout the cobblestone streets in Santorini

Cheers to Ami + Craig!  

Photos: Phosart Photography 

Venue: Santorini GEM 

Plannning: Charlotte May Weddings 

Bridal Salon: Laura May Bridal 

Hair and Makeup: Julia Popova 

Are you still searching for the perfect wedding dress? Take a look at our latest designer gown collections from Stella York, Essense of Australia, Martina Liana and All Who Wander.