​The occasion

A special 40^th birthday party for French twins, who now both live in the UK.

The details

We were asked by the brothers to pull together a special event to celebrate their 40^th birthday. They wanted to fly out 30 of their friends and family from both France and the UK for a special surprise,

and turned to us to arrange something really memorable.

The venue

The stunning beaches of Karpaz created a perfect setting to wow the guests arriving from overseas. To make the occasion special and make the most of the surroundings, we arranged luxury tents for a glamping experience in a private, remote location for all the guests, rather than hotels.

The food

Working with one of the 5* hotels in North Cyprus, we arranged all the catering for the party. It included luxury barbeque, a restaurant quality meal for 30 guests on the beach, and a delicious fresh breakfast

waiting for guests when they woke up in the morning.

The entertainment

As well as glamping, we arranged all of the entertainment and activities for the brothers and their guests. This included things like a private boat cruise, watersports, and luxurious massages and yoga sessions with local experts on the beach.

​The couple

Oliver and Darya Slevin married on 16^th September 2011.

The venue

The ceremony took place under the ancient, dramatic arches of Bellapais Abbey, overlooked by mountains and with views of the Mediterranean in the background. The wedding party then moved on to Merit Crystal Cove Hotel for a luxurious reception, with the sea creating a soundtrack of gentle waves as the sun set.

The big day

Having the wedding in North Cyprus meant there were no long haul flights or visa complications to worry about, so Oliver and Darya were able to share their big day with all their loved ones from the UK and Kazakhstan.  They used Angelic Events to coordinate all paperwork and bookings, and to source trusted local suppliers for personalised touches like food, hair and cakes.

Darya wore a beautiful, traditional white dress from San Patrick, complimented by a bouquet of crisp white roses. After the ceremony Darya changed into a new outfit for the evening, allowing her to stay cool and comfortable in the Cyprus sun, but keep the beauty and grandeur of a traditional wedding for the photographs.

The food added a local flavour to the reception as guests were treated to a feast of meze, roasted veal and delicious Turkish desserts.

“My favourite moment was walking through the arch towards my husband with a backdrop of hundreds of people, though not just guests but tourists too,” says Darya, “They were very respectful and all clapped my entrance, which made for great atmosphere and a stunning scene.”

The honeymoon

Having the wedding in such an ideal tourist destination allowed the couple to spend two weeks in the sun with their friends and family. Oliver and Darya had then planned a delayed honeymoon the year after the wedding, but within a month the couple were delighted to find out Darya was expecting their first baby.

Top tips

“If you are going to get married abroad it definitely helps to have someone local to sort out the paperwork, especially instances where people need to attend – without a wedding planner based in North Cyprus it wouldn’t have been achievable,” says Darya.

“Also,” adds Oliver, “Three-piece suit and tie

in September is not necessarily a good idea. While I think it looked great, the beads of sweat down the forehead, not so much!”

​The couple

Lauren and Stuart Jones married on 21^st October 2011.

The venue

After seeing pictures of some friends renewing their vows at Ballapais Abbey, there was no doubt in their mind where Lauren and Stuart wanted to get married. “We completely fell in love with the place,” says Lauren, “the whole wedding was within the grounds of the Abbey, surrounded by ruins and stone arches, over-looked by mountains and with views of the sea.”

“We had visited the North side of the island regularly and loved it, plus we knew that we would get a lot more for our money than on the South or within the UK.”

The big day

With such a breath taking backdrop already in place, Lauren and Stuart wanted a traditional theme with ivory, champagne and pearls as the main colours to compliment the venue. Lauren also wore a classic ivory silk dress by Maggie Sotero, with corset back and diamond and pearl details, accompanied by a bouquet of off-white roses.

“I know it sounds cheesy, but my favourite moment of the day was the first kiss. I could wait for her to say ‘you may now kiss the bride’ and we through our arms around each other.”

Guests were treated to a delicious spread of local dishes, including mese-style starters, grilled chicken and vegetables and Turkish style cheesecake, followed by their traditional 3-tier fruit cake.  “I honestly wouldn’t have done a thing differently” says Lauren.

“The best thing about getting married in Cyprus was that it felt completely unique, very relaxed and informal, which was exactly what we wanted. Plus of course you have guaranteed great weather, and the views were amazing!”

The honeymoon

Having the wedding in North Cyprus allowed the couple to spend two weeks around the big day with family at a hotel in Kyrenia. “We had planned a honeymoon the year after, but within 12 months we found out we were expecting a baby who is due in May.”

Top tips

“Definitely use an events company,” says Lauren, “it was the best thing we did. We had no idea where to go or who to enquire with, plus we had the language barrier dealing with Turkish suppliers, but we gave our ideas for decorations, flowers and cake to Angelic Events, and they were all exactly what we wanted. It was also great to have someone local you can trust when money transactions were needed.”

Lauren believes it also pays to shop around, “Don’t just go for the first nice hotel you see – Cyprus has so much more to offer, and there are some amazing, interesting places to get married.”