Real Destination Wedding: Chloe and Stephen’s Ios Club Wedding

By Jo Winter, owner of Destination Wedding Directory, who planned three destination weddings of her own across three continents and runs a 110,000+ member Facebook community for couples planning weddings abroad.

Chloe and Stephen, a couple from Montreal, Canada, wanted their wedding to feel less rushed and give them more time with their guests. They planned an Ios Club wedding on Ios, Greece, kept it to 15 guests, and made a trip of it so the celebration could extend into a few days of pool time, beaches, and shared adventures on the island.

At a Glance

Location: Ios, Cyclades, Greece

Venue: Ios Club

Date: Wednesday, June 4, 2025

Guest Count: 15

Wedding Format: One-day ceremony and reception, with several days together on Ios

Ceremony Type: Symbolic

Where Guests Stayed: Yialos Hotel

Reception: Family-style seated dinner, DJ, venue closed at 1:00 a.m.

Why They Chose a Destination Wedding

Chloe and Stephen knew their wedding day would go by in a whirlwind, and they wanted more time to properly connect with their guests. Planning a destination wedding on Ios, Greece, gave them the chance to create a longer, shared experience with their closest people, where everyone could settle in, spend quality time together, and make lasting memories over several days.

Why They Chose the Location

Greece had been at the top of their list for years. They wanted a beautiful island setting that felt intimate rather than overcrowded, so they chose Ios, and then chose Ios Club for its views and open, modern design. For them, it meant the venue’s natural setting could lead, and the styling could stay simple and elegant.

If you’re looking at Greek island wedding venues beyond the best-known islands, Chloe and Stephen liked that Ios still felt iconic without the same intensity of crowds.

Their Love Story

Chloe and Stephen met through Tinder, both coming out of serious relationships and not looking for anything long-term, but it quickly turned into something real.

Stephen proposed on Christmas Eve at the house they had just finished building together in the Laurentians of Quebec. He cooked dinner, they lit a fire under the night sky, and he got down on one knee.

The Venue

Chloe and Stephen chose Ios Club for its spectacular views and open, modern design. Planning felt easier once they locked in the venue, and they credit Christie and the Ios Club team with guiding decisions and sharing trusted vendor recommendations. If you're starting to build your team, you can browse our wedding vendors in Greece by category and location.

From the venue side, Ios Club describes itself as a wedding setting “across the Chora of Ios” on a row of granite rocks, with sunset-facing views and a space designed for both ceremonies and receptions. 

If you’re researching Ios wedding venues or starting more broadly with wedding venues in Greece, it’s worth considering what makes a venue functional for your group, not just photogenic.

In Chloe and Stephen’s case, one of the advantages of Ios Club was how everything flowed in one place, which worked especially well for their 15-guest wedding: a ceremony setup with clear sight lines, followed by cocktails, dinner, and dancing, without guests needing to move venues or arrange transport mid-event.

Their Wedding Vision

They wanted the day to feel relaxed, calm, and elegant against the Mediterranean landscape. Most importantly, they wanted their family and friends to be at the center of it all, focusing on shared memories rather than material details.

The Wedding Day

Chloe and Stephen arrived on Ios three days before the wedding, and most of their guests did too. That gave them time for final details like hair and makeup trials and meetings with their photographer and celebrant, while still having plenty of low-key time together by the pool as everyone settled in.

The night before brought one of those moments that only happens when everyone is staying close by. Chloe had already done her hair and makeup trial and didn’t want Stephen to see it, so they planned separate dinners for the men and women. Then they spotted the guys coming up the donkey stairs, and Chloe had to jump behind a car to hide. It was a close call, everyone laughed, and the surprise stayed intact.

For the ceremony, Christie from Ios Club recommended a 6:00 p.m. start time, and Chloe said it was perfect. By then, the temperature had cooled down, and the timing set them up beautifully for sunset during dinner later that evening. Guests arrived, were welcomed with a refreshing drink, and took their seats on rattan chairs arranged in rows facing the view.

The ceremony took place at Ios Club overlooking the sea and surrounding islands and lasted about 20 minutes. Guests were seated on beautiful rattan chairs arranged in three rows across three levels, ensuring everyone had a clear, unobstructed view.

As Chloe recalled, “We stood in front of them with the ocean as our backdrop. Looking out at those three rows filled with the people we love is a memory that will stay with me forever. It was incredibly emotional and beautiful.”

Their ceremony was symbolic, as Chloe and Stephen preferred to complete the legal paperwork at home and avoid additional stress during the trip.

After the ceremony, Chloe and Stephen left for photos while guests moved into cocktails and appetizers at the bar. They also said the bar service was excellent, with drinks prepared with great attention to detail. On the way back, they took additional photos on the rooftop overlooking the sea before rejoining everyone for dinner.

In Chloe's words, “We then sat down for dinner, which was absolutely delicious. Sharing that meal surrounded by our loved ones, with the incredible sunset behind us, felt both surreal and deeply real at the same time. The whole day was emotional in the best way. We felt overwhelming gratitude, love, and happiness to be celebrating in such an amazing setting with such wonderful people.”

Dinner was seated and served family-style, with multiple dishes brought to the table to share. Because Stephen has celiac disease, the team also provided gluten-free options, which they appreciated. Speeches happened during dinner, then they had their first dance under the stars, and after that, the night felt lighter. Even with a small group, they danced until the venue closed at 1:00 a.m., and many guests walked back together down the donkey stairs to the hotel. 

As Chloe put it, "Even with a smaller group, we danced all night long, completely carefree.”

Planning Process

Planning a destination wedding in Greece felt stressful at first, especially because they couldn’t see the venue in person beforehand. Once they chose Ios Club, it became smoother. Chloe says Christie and the team guided them step by step, answered questions, and shared vendor recommendations, and the venue’s planning platform helped them stay organized and visualize the setup. Chloe also said Ios Club was always easy to reach and responsive to their questions, and that an initial phone call with the team was especially helpful and informative.

They booked the venue and photographer a little over a year in advance, and finalized hair, makeup, and DJ about 6 to 8 months out. Because their wedding was before peak season, they didn’t have issues with vendor availability.

They also chose a symbolic ceremony, completing the legal paperwork at home to avoid additional stress during the trip.

Favorite Moments

Chloe’s standout memory is exchanging vows while looking out at all their guests seated with an unobstructed view of the sea. Another highlight was sitting down to dinner as the sun set behind them, finally able to take it all in from the table.

Honeymoon

After the wedding, some of their guests continued island-hopping, while Chloe and Stephen headed to Crete for their honeymoon. They flew to Crete for a week, spending most of their time in Chania along the port. Chloe recommends a sunset dinner at Pallas overlooking the harbor and lighthouse, and renting a car to explore Elafonissi Beach.

Budget

Chloe and Stephen said the overall cost of their Ios wedding felt comparable to a wedding at home, but with the added value of spending over a week together in Greece.

If you’re trying to estimate what your destination wedding might cost and compare average costs across popular locations, read our guide on how much a destination wedding costs in 2026, and use our Cost Calculator to compare expenses in different currencies. 

What They Would Do Differently

They’d suggest guests stay longer after the wedding instead of before. The lead-up felt more stressful, but after the event, the pressure was off and everyone could truly relax and enjoy the island.

Tips for Other Couples

Their advice is to do your research, reach out early, and don’t be afraid to ask questions. Once you’ve hired professionals you trust, try not to stress over small details and focus on being present with your guests.

In terms of logistics, their guests routed through either Athens or Santorini, then continued to Ios by ferry, and they found booking straightforward. As Chloe explained, “Some guests flew into Santorini with us and then took the short ferry to Ios, while others landed in Athens, spent a night or two there, and then took a ferry to join us on the island.” Most of their guests stayed on Ios for about four to five nights, and many left two days after the wedding, which gave everyone a relaxed day together after the celebrations, without any wedding stress.

You can read more about how to get to Ioshow to get to Ios here. For couples coordinating a Santorini wedding week or a Santorini stopover, the Santorini to Ios ferry is often under an hour, depending on operator and conditions. 

Because their date was in early June, ceremony timing mattered for comfort. Summer in the Cyclades is warm and sunny and can also be windy, with the Meltemi more common through the summer months. Chloe’s 6:00 p.m. ceremony start is a useful reference point if you’rechoosing between venues with fully outdoor setups.