Theo first saw Paige during a Halloween outing but missed his chance to talk to her. Just a couple months later, he saw her again at a New Year’s Eve Ball where he immediately asked a mutual friend introduce them. “One of Paige’s girlfriends put in a good word for me and became our Cupid,” he says. A few weeks later, they had their first date at the movies. “Theo brought me flowers,” she says. “We ended up missing the first half of the movie because of a blizzard sweeping through town. That didn’t stop us from picking a different movie and having the best time.”
After a year of dating, Theo finished his medical training and contemplated moving back to California or staying in Michigan.
“Paige always told me to take the best opportunities within my reach,” he says. “She never wanted to hold me back at anything. Though I was offered jobs closer to Paige, the best opportunity for me was going back to California.” It was a hard decision for Paige, as she was born and raised in Michigan. She was also in the middle of graduate school. “The move meant I would drop out of the MBA portion of my combined graduate degree, finish the Masters, fly back and forth every week, two planes one way, while working,” she says. “Love is blind!”
With that positive, hard-working attitude on display, it’s no surprise Theo knew almost immediately that he’d marry Paige. “She treated everyone so kindly and radiated kindness,” he says. “I told one of my good friends we would be married, and he didn’t believe me. When it’s the right person, you just know. Chemistry is a real thing, and I didn’t believe it until I met Paige.”
Theo proposed during a trip to Kythira, Greece, the Greek Island where Theo’s father’s side of the family is from.“He took me to the Venetian Castle of Chora overlooking three seas: Ionian, Aegean and Cretan,” she says. “After we got to the top of the castle, he dropped down on one [knee] and asked me to marry him in front of the church at the top of the castle. His parents were there to capture the moment!”
Paige started planning the next day, even before they returned to the states. And Theo knew to let his bride take the lead. “Paige is a phenomenal planner and organizer,” he says. “The broad strokes were in place six months before the wedding. We kept improving with fine details to about a week prior. Paige wanted to make sure we could enjoy the final days leading to the wedding and that we did!” Paige perfectly blended Theo’s vision of classic meets modern with her own elegant touch. “It all came out just right,” she says.
— Kourtney Jason
First Dance Song
“Thinking Out Loud” by Ed Sheeran mixed with “Party For Two” by Shania Twain
Father/Daughter Dance Song
“My Girl” by the Temptations
Mother/Son Dance Song
“My Wish” by Rascal Flatts
Money Dance Song
“Gold Digger” by Kayne West
Bouquet Toss Song
“Single Ladies” by Beyonce
Garter Toss Song
“Pony” by Ginuwine
Details about the cake
We only had a simple cutting cake, lemon with strawberry filling. Wedding guests these days do not want a piece of cake for dessert. So we opted for 7 mini desserts Chef Russ put together with us after a few dessert tastings. Some of which were Greek desserts made by his Greek Pastry Chef, Troi.
Other desserts included Gelato in Greek flavors (caramel almond Baklava, ouzo and honey, and lavender and honey), and Ice Cream from Cowtown Creamery’s ice cream truck.
Details about the flowers
We used a variety of pink and peach flowers. We did not use any flowers in the church as Father James shared some wisdom with us that brides always regret over-decorating the church. Most Greek Orthodox churches are already richly decorated with much detail; adding many flowers to the church would take away from its already beautiful décor.
At the reception we added some ostrich feathers, candles and pearl strings into our
centerpieces. We were shooting for a Great Gatsby theme. Little did we know substituting flowers with feathers, candles and pearl strings helped to cut the floral cost!
Anything else you’d like to share about your wedding?
Chef Russ from the Hidden Table worked with us for over a year to develop a Greek menu for our big day. He provided many tastings where he would cook items we were interested in serving at our wedding. We both went out of our comfort zones testing new cooking methods and dishes; then finally coming to an unforgettable menu for the big day, including imported Mediterranean branzino.
Lori from Loribella Gelato comes with high recommendation – she can cater to any palate. She provided tastings of gelato flavors you pick early on to adjust as needed! She also customized the gelato cups with our wedding logo. It was a huge hit at our wedding; the caramel almond baklava was to die for! The ouzo and honey had real ouzo and local honey in it.
Any tips you’d give brides and grooms planning their wedding today?
Paige: Start planning early so when the big day approaches, and your family and friends are in town, you can enjoy the time with them instead of running around. It was very difficult to get wedding work done once my family and friends came into town who I hadn’t seen in years. It is the one thing I regret when looking back. I wish I could have spent more time with them, just taking in the moment, rather than running around finalizing wedding plans.
Theo: Have everything in detail spelled out in your contracts. Don’t assume it will happen if it’s not written down on the contract. Luckily we learned this early on during the wedding plan process so it did not affect our big day.
What would you have done differently if you had the chance?
I cannot stress enough to start planning early. There is nothing worse than spending your last days before the Wedding running around and stressing. Time is a huge luxury when it comes to wedding planning. It gives you leverage to make decisions and negotiations you could not do without time on your side.