An Old World–Inspired Greek Wedding in Nashville

At Nashville’s iconic Parthenon, a full-scale echo of its ancient Greek counterpart, Julia and Stephen created a wedding that felt both deeply personal and transportive. The celebration blended Mediterranean romance with an Old World sensibility – ornate yet effortlessly undone. Sculptural drapery softened the monument’s lines, transforming the space into something intimate and atmospheric as golden light filtered through the columns. Every detail was considered as part of a larger world they built together, where texture, history, and emotion intertwined. The atmosphere carried seamlessly from ceremony to reception, where tradition and spontaneity met in a joyful blur of music, movement, and Greek rituals. Captured by THE WED member Anastasia Photography, the day lives on in images that feel as timeless and evocative as the setting itself.

Our Love Story

^{The Day We Met}

We met working together on set, and we were friendly acquaintances for many years before we started spending more time with each other. When we started dating, I felt like I had known Stephen all my life.

^{The Proposal}

I woke up on New Year’s Day to notes Stephen had scattered all around the house, marking our most special moments, like: “This is where I told you I loved you for the first time.” The final note led to Stephen on one knee, reading, “This is where I ask you if you’ll marry me.” So much of our love story is centered around our home and the memories we have shared there, so it was incredibly meaningful.

^{The Engagement Ring}

The engagement ring is really special to the family. It belonged to my grandmother, whom I love and adore, and who is a Holocaust survivor. My late Poppop gave it to me on a family vacation—he pulled me aside one day when Julia stepped away. It’s a moment I’ll never forget. He passed away a couple of months later. My Poppop and Mommom’s love was one of several beautiful examples of love I was truly blessed to witness growing up.

Our Wedding

^{The Vision}

Stephen is a second-generation Greek American, so we really wanted to bring in a Mediterranean feel. We had a vision of Old World Europe that was romantic and ornate, while still earthy and intentionally undone. Designing the wedding felt like we were building a world and an experience together.

^{Our Team of Vendors}

We are so thankful to our wedding planner, Grey, for guiding us in connecting with vendors that aligned with our vision. Everyone we worked with was incredibly kind throughout the planning process. Specifically, fabric sculptor Mia Sylvia and her team were so gracious to accommodate Zoom meetings with a six-hour time difference between London and Nashville. We were in awe watching Mia work. She is incredibly gifted at her craft, and she completely brought the drapery we envisioned to life.

^{The Location}

We knew almost immediately that it had to be the Parthenon in Nashville. It’s a full-scale, full-detail replica of the original Parthenon in Greece. I grew up in Nashville and spent so much of my childhood in Centennial Park, where the Parthenon sits, and Stephen spent his life walking along the original ruins while visiting family in Greece. It felt incredibly symbolic—like a reflection of our stories and a celebration of the things that truly stand the test of time.

^{The Ceremony}

I’ll never forget how powerful it was seeing Stephen as I walked down the aisle and sharing vows with each other. Being witnessed by everyone we love as we made our promises is a beautiful memory I will always cherish.

^{The Cocktail Hour}

During cocktail hour, it was so romantic watching the sun set through the columns of the Parthenon. We tried to time our ceremony just right so our guests could experience that moment.

^{The Reception}

We’re Greek, so of course the plates were coming out by the dozens to be smashed. Opa!! We truly had the time of our lives.

^{The Special Touches}

We served koufeta, a traditional Greek wedding favor—five sugared almonds for each guest to eat, symbolizing that life is both bitter and sweet. The five almonds represent wishes for the couple: health, wealth, happiness, family, and a long life. Koufeta is served in odd numbers to symbolize the indivisibility of the couple.

^{Our Favorite Moment}

All of the dancing felt completely magical. I shared a dance with my two sisters, and it meant the world to me to dedicate a moment to honor my love for them. The Greek dancing was also one of the most joyful moments of our lives. It felt euphoric to bring both of our families and loved ones together for one dance. We will never forget it.

Our Style

^{The Bridal Looks}

Spending years modeling in the bridal world gave me a deep appreciation for how silhouette, shape, and texture can create feeling and mood. I really wanted to capture the timelessness and reverence I felt when pulling inspiration from old family photographs. I knew my dress by Dana Harel would be the one before even trying it on. Jill Andrews, who also created the most magnificent mantilla veil that cascaded like water, molded the dress to my body as if she was a sculptor.

^{The Groom Looks}

I wanted something classic. A white suit jacket had been on my mind, and I realized my Poppop wore one to his wedding when looking back through photo albums, so it felt perfect.

^{Our Bridesmaids’ & Groomsmen’s Looks}

So many of our loved ones are in the arts, so it was important to us that everyone could fully express themselves through their looks. We provided a color palette and gave everyone full rein on everything else.

Our Advice

^{For the Planning Process}

Don’t be afraid to take inspiration from unconventional places—anything meaningful to you and your love story. Pull a color palette from your grandmother’s quilt, recreate family photos, and weave in traditions and nods to your favorite memories and places. Keep the little things little. The things you stress about while planning won’t matter on the day of. On your day, you’re only thinking about how excited you are to marry your best friend.

^{For On The Day}

Soak everything in as much as you can, and slow down to look around and take mental snapshots of the moments. We are so happy we took bride and groom portraits the day before so we could spend as much time as possible with each other and our loved ones.

^{For Post-Wedding}

Give yourself at least a full day to do absolutely nothing!