A Dazzling Destination Wedding in Santorini Overlooking the Aegean Sea

Michael and Alexandra celebrated a beautiful wedding in Greece with some heartfelt nods to New York City.

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Published on August 19, 2024

Michael and Alexandra — Photo:
Sophie Kaye

Micheal Linneman and Alexandra ("Ally") Settelmayer met during their second year at Columbia Law School in January 2016 and have been carving out a life together ever since. Their engagement was complete with New York City staples: a proposal in Madison Square Park with their dog Ruby in tow, a special dinner at Bowery Meat Company (a restaurant where the couple celebrated birthdays, career accomplishments, and "just good days in [their] relationship)" and an after-party at one of their favorite dive bars in the city, the Half Pint.

Their choice to wed in Greece acted as a catch-all of good things in their relationship and a nod to the bride's Greek heritage and "[her] incredible grandparents Yiayia and Papou," but the couple's friends just might have predicted this destination years ago.

Read on to learn more about this special Santorini wedding with some New York spice.

A Wedding in Greece Foretold Years Ago

Santorini, Greece, was an inevitable choice for the couple's wedding. As well as acting as an homage to Ally's Greek heritage, the groom says: "Six years prior, we had been in Mykonos with our closest friends after graduating from Columbia Law School. We were teased by our friends that we should get married in Greece. It was so early on in our relationship that Ally shyly batted the idea down, not realizing that the suggestion would later become a reality."

An Intimate Experience

Ally and Micheal began their wedding preparation by carefully crafting their guest list. Ally remembers: "We were most excited about having all of our favorite people in one place. We knew that we wanted to have a fairly intimate celebration—one where we knew everyone in attendance."

With 65 of the couple's closest family and friends in attendance, the celebration was not one to miss.

Custom and Curated Invitations

The couple wanted the sentiments of their Big Apple love story to permeate through their wedding planning process and chose to create a custom invitation suite with local business Greenwich Letterpress on Christopher Street. The invitation was adorned with gold leaf foil and used a custom ink mix for the perfect shade of French blue, a nod to the airy European color palette of the weekend.

A Dazzling Dress

In searching for an ethereal, romantic and whimsical dress, Ally instantly gravitated to Liz Martinez's designs. The very first time she tried on her dress, Ally was certain that it was the one. "It was everything that I was looking for and exactly how I wanted Mike to see me on our wedding day," the bride shares.

A First Look Over the Aegean

Perched on a bluff overlooking the Aegean Sea, Ally approached Micheal for their first look. "Our first look was probably one of my favorite memories from our wedding day. I don’t think anything will compare to the sheer happiness of finally getting to see his face," says the bride.

A Private Vow Exchange

With a sea view, the couple wanted to savor this special and intimate moment and exchanged vows privately after their first look.

A Groom to 'Watch' Out For

Micheal sported a custom black tuxedo with a black bowtie. He also toted velvet loafers and a watch Ally gifted him as a wedding present.

Something Old, Something New, Something Bridesmaid, Something Blue!

Ally's bridal party donned beautiful assorted blue dresses. "I loved the idea of my bridesmaids choosing their own dresses and finding something that suited their personalities," she says.

Aegean Aesthetics

The groomsmen elevated the Grecian blue theme; while they wore tuxedos of their own choosing, Micheal gave them "each a light blue pocket square to match the Aegean aesthetic."

A Serendipitous Ceremony

As aligned with Greek tradition, Ally's bridal party accompanied her to the cathedral. "Seven incredible women who had been there for all life’s highs and lows," she says.

After Micheal emotionally presented her a pastel bouquet, the couple entered the glistening, gold Greek cathedral, serenaded by the string trio's orchestral version of Taylor Swift's "Invisible String."

Unexpected Bliss

"One of the most incredible details of the day was actually entirely unexpected: my Aunt Connie surprised me by affixing a pin with a photo of my Yiayia and Papou to my bridal bouquet—a reminder that they were always with me," remembers the bride.

Curated Cocktails

At cocktail hour, the couple had two signature cocktails for guests: a watermelon margarita and an Aperol spritz. These light and refreshing drinks helped capture the "European garden-party aesthetic."

Music and Munching

A traditional Greek band set the mood for guests while they nibbled on classic Grecian appetizers, such as sea bass ceviche, mini kebabs with pita bread and tzatziki, and grilled halloumi cheese bites with mushroom jam. The couple also had acoustic guitarist Irwan Easty charm guests during the cocktail hour. "His set continued into dinner, adding to the ambiance of the evening," the bride notes.

A Banquet-Style Bash

In keeping with the intimate nature of the wedding, the couple loved having everyone sit together at a long banquet table with a gorgeous view of the sea and dressed in pastel flowers. With the guests' names written on macarons, this wedding was definitely a "sweet escape."

A Personal Touch

Ally and Micheal hand-wrote cards, addressed to each guest, placing them at their seat at the dinner table. "In the weeks leading up to the wedding, we would sit down in the evenings to discuss each person attending our wedding, their role in our lives, and what we wanted to say to them. This made our wedding day feel all the more intentional," reflects Ally.

A Magical Sunset

The reception decor continued to reflect the pastel Grecian color scheme of the weekend. The table was adorned with white and gold chargers, gold silverware, pale lilac napkins, and a mix of pink, blue, and gold-rimmed glassware.

The dinner table overlooked the sea and by some stroke of luck, guests were treated to the most unbelievable sunset that somehow perfectly matched the florals of their table.

A Grecian Meal, With a New York Twist

To honor the brides' Greek heritage, their dinner featured traditional dishes such as tzatziki, dolmades, spanakopita, tiropita, lamb chops, moussaka, sea bass, and chicken with lemon sauce. For dessert, guests noshed on baklava with vanilla ice cream in addition to their cake—a delicious three-tiered chocolate cake with white icing adorned with a flowing light blue organza bow. Late-night bites included gyros, loukamades, and coffee in Anthora coffee cups—a nod to their New York love story.

The First Dance

The couple's first dance was to "Everywhere" by Fleetwood Mac. The groom says, "I love 80s music, and both of us loved the sentiment of being with each other everywhere—this song also felt particularly appropriate for a destination wedding."

Starting the Party Off With a Bang

At the close of the first dance, "Lover" by Taylor Swift charmed the guests as fireworks kicked off the night. "I love fireworks more than I can possibly express. So the feeling of wrapping my arms around Mike, surrounded by all of my favorite people in the world, while watching fireworks is certainly a top moment in my life," Says Ally.

Dance the Night Away

After the dazzling fireworks, Brightlights Band kicked off the party with live music with the perfect mix of music from the 1980s and 1990s, as well as current songs. "We will never forget dancing to '500 Miles' by The Proclaimers and ending the night with 'All the Small Things' by Blink 182. When the live music ended, we finished dancing into the night with a DJ playing," says the bride.

Words of Wisdom

Upon reminiscing, the couple says "There is something so magical about being surrounded by all of your loved ones in one place, so try your best to take in that profoundly special moment in time."