ελληνικά
Every time you see Prespa lake you are
mesmerized by its beauty. The lake, the wetlands, the villages, the people and
most of all nature welcome you at every step. Saint Achilleos is one of the two
lake-dwelling islands we have in Greece. The other is on the lake of Ioannina.
Driving from Thessaloniki, the day before the
wedding, I traveled 300 kilometers through beautiful Macedonian land to our
final destination, Psarades, a small picturesque village by the lake. There I met with documentary wedding photographer Yannis Zioris and together we
found our small rented room, that would accommodate us for two days.
After we got off the long journey, we checked our photgraphic gear and met Katerina and Kiriakos, in Katerina's hometown of Vrontero. Vrontero is a mountainous village and is located almost on the Greek-Albanian border, above Little Prespa and at an altitude of 1,100 meters, with only 138 permanent residents.
So in Vrontero, a beautiful village exactly where the road ends, Katerina was born and raised. Early in the morning, the family had already started preparing for the big day . Kyriakos' family was in a guesthouse on the small island of Saint Achilles, getting ready for his preparation too.
So in Vrontero, a beautiful village exactly where the road ends, Katerina was born and raised. Early in the morning, the family had already started preparing for the big day . Kyriakos' family was in a guesthouse on the small island of Saint Achilles, getting ready for his preparation too.
For us, this wedding documentary had officially
started. Moving between Vrondero and St. Achilleos we began recording the story
through our cameras.
Katerina, slightly anxious about the
preparations but also enthusiastic, was happy as she was taken care of by her
make-up artist and hairdresser, accompanied by friends and relatives. As time
went by, more and more people were filling the rooms of the house, creating a
festive atmosphere. Beautiful people, true moments, music, dance
and good wine complemented the beautiful scene.
A special moment in Katerina's preparation was
when her mother and her aunts gathered around to sing traditional Vlach wedding
songs. The element of tradition is something that is
still preserved, in many parts of Greece during a wedding and this is always of
particular interest to a documentary wedding photographer.
Living in a time where symbols and deeper meanings are a rarity, elements like these act as a reminder of the value of honest expression among humans.
Kiriakos, on the other hand, was super relaxed
without any stress. From early on, friends, lots of jokes and teasing and
alcohol kept the energy high. Getting dressed, more teasing and alcohol and of
course dancing outside the guesthouse!
As the time for the ceremony was approaching,
Katerina started descending from Vrontero to the lake, accompanied by a queue of
cars. At the same time, Kiriakos started walking uphill from the guesthouse to
the chapel, at the top of the island, in the middle of the lake.
The scenery of the lake is simply breathtaking.
We were lucky enough to have the weather on our side and this created the ideal
conditions for beautiful images.
Reaching the shores of the lake, Katerina gave
her relatives the time to reach the small island of St. Achilles, through the
700-meter-long bridge that connects it with the mainland. She would board the
island herself using a traditional fishing boat! This was another particularly
beautiful scene. Without any wind, the lake's waters mirrored the incredible
scenery. Land and water, water and land. Really unique!
The ascenting process, towards the chapel with
the panoramic view, of both Kyriakos and Katerina, gave an extra weight and
symbolism to the moment, just before the wedding ceremony.
The "walk", the movement of the body towards a goal has something primordial. A symbol of the struggle, of a human's effort to move forward, into the future!
At the top, Kiriakos waited patiently and like
that the ceremony began.
The completion of the sacred sequence came
together with the sunset, creating once again a magnificent landscape above the
lake. In the hostel everything was ready for the celebration and so the crowd
started to gather in the main hall, which was decorated in a minimal style, with
the element of wood dominating. The entrance of the couple was discreet. Live
music and the party started!
The memories we have of this trip are recorded
in this short sample. Wedding photography and videography, full of bright
characters, and candid moments. A real wedding documentary. Until the next
story, best wishes to all!
