Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty, is said to have emerged fro the waves to Petra tou Romiou and lived and loved in the Akamas area northwest of Paphos.
Certainly the legends about her life live on and visitors to the island can still be seen splashing their faces with water at Fontana Amorosa in the hope of recapturing the ardour of youthful love. Others head for the Baths of Aphrodite near Poli’s, to sprinkle themselves with water from this shady pool I where the goddess once bathed, in the belief they will fall in love and stay in Cyprus forever.
In the last few years, the island’s reputation for love and romance has increased as it has become one of the most popular wedding destination in Europe .
Many young couples dream of having a fairytale wedding but these can literally cost a fortune and when also faced with the increasing expense of getting on the `first rung of the property market` they are prohibitive. Older couples , some marrying for the second or third time, are often keen to do something different ` away from home`. Whatever their reasons for marrying in Cyprus, almost all couples like the idea of sharing such an important moment in their lives with close family and friends-not just for a a few hours, but sometimes for a whole holiday!
Wedding parties vary in size with groups of 25-60 people being the most common. Some couples prefer to come to Cyprus on their own, and others with maybe just a couple of close friends as witnesses.
Cyprus is very popular with European, not only because it’s an exotic location with beautiful weather but also because getting here is cheaper than long-haul destinations. It’s also faster and easier for family members who want to attend the wedding but can only take a few days leave from work. Another big plus factor is that holiday packages are available in different price ranges- it’s quite common for the wedding couple to be staying in one hotel and the families and friends to be staying in a variety of hotels and hotel apartments in the same resort.
Every year thousands of couples now come to Cyprus and can marry in any of the main towns. They can choose between a traditional Anglican or Roman Catholic church service in such beautiful settings as the Byzantine church of Chrysopolitissa (St Paul’s pillar) in Paphos or the Monastery in Agia Napa. Also several of the island’s prestigious hotels and resorts have their own private chapels, which are perfect for such occasions. Couples can also opt for a civil ceremony in one of the Town Halls or in a novel setting such as Limassol Castle where it is believed King Richard of England (The Lionheart) married Berengaria of Navarre in 1191, the Cyprus Wine Museum or aboard a sizeable yacht or catamaran at sea. Each year more options are added to the list and importantly, all are open to couples who are getting remarried.
The tour operators are keen for the happy couple to enjoy their holiday too! Their special Wedding Coordinators take care of all the legal paperwork and the arrangements for the wedding service, the reception, flowers, photographs, cars and honeymoon, leaving the couple free to enjoy their stay on the island. The couple usually meets with the Coordinator the day after they arrive in Cyprus and spend a few hours discussing the type of wedding they would like and passing on their ideas for the wedding reception-which can range from a beautiful sit-down meal in the hotel to a traditional tavern meal with colourful music and dancing-Cypriot style.
The coordinator will also suggest locations for the wedding photographs to be taken, for example, one of the most popular is of the couple standing by one of the archaeological sites or on the beaches watching the sunset. The couple can either spend their honeymoon in Cyprus, or on one of the popular minicruises. The prices for all aspects of the wedding are very reasonable and couples really are delighted that they can have a stylish wedding without breaking the bank!
All the wedding Coordinators thoroughly enjoy their work and often, if the couple are marrying without family or friends present, the Coordinator will be one of the witnesses and the confetti thrower! Everyone loves a wedding and those involved in the business work hard to make it a day to remember.
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