Cyprus Wedding Venue Review – Protaras
Grecian Park Hotel
The Grecian Park Hotel is another one of my favourite hotels in Cyprus. As you walk into the hotel, it opens out into a very large, naturally lit space which is filled with elegant and fashionable decoration. This includes lovely grand piano… This area is where the groom and his guests congregate before the wedding. There is a bar to keep everyone happy but from my perspective, it keeps them distracted from me while I try to capture them unaware. The windows which provide the light into this lovely space are at least two or three stories high. They have voile curtains which serve to diffuse the strong Cyprus sunlight and give a lovely natural, soft feel to the subject. No harsh shadows…perfect for wedding photography!
The rooms themselves, generally are a very good size and are bright and airy. Of course it all depends on how many people are getting ready in the room, but usually there is more than enough room for me to be able to maneuver and try to remain inconspicuous….as much as a 6ft 4ins man can be in a hotel room.
The Grecian Park Hotel are very much geared up towards weddings and I believe they have pitched it just right. The wedding gazebo is situated on the side of a cliff over looking Konnos Bay. This is an incredible view as I believe Konnos Bay to be one of the nicest beaches in Cyprus. Not too busy and stunningly beautiful! When Joanne & myself were married in 2004, this is where we spent our honeymoon.
Back to the point…. The wedding area, is kept completely separate from the rest of the hotel. There is nothing but you, your guests and the view. The wedding area is kept green and lush all year round which makes photography easy. It doesn’t matter which direction I am pointing my camera as the background is always beautiful. For the obligatory group photographs, the background, again, is superb and with the fact the wedding area is separate from the hotel, there are no distractions from the bars etc and I have captive audience. This makes the process of photographing the family run a lot smoother as everyone is lot more focused on what is happening. This means we can get through it quicker and get people out of the sun….and to the bar faster.
The hotel usually designate the cliff bar to the happy couple. this is situated just above the wedding area and still has the magnificent views over Konnos Bay. This area is also very private and extremely comfortable for the guests. The seats are arrange in such a way so it is a very sociable area aswell. The guest usually have a great time here which leaves me to be able to get some lovely natural photographs. There are plenty places where I can hide myself so as to gain the reportage photography I specialise in.
Occasionally, the bride and groom book out the Sushi Bar for the post wedding drinks and the cutting of the cake. When I first photographed in this area I found it a bit of a struggle to gain the shots I was looking for as it is a little dark towards the centre of the room. Once I worked out my technique for shooting in the Sushi Bar, it one of my favourite places to photograph wedding parties. The room itself is massive but the people congregate in one end of the room. As the table layout force people to interact with each other, I can move pretty much undetected through the guests happily snapping away, capturing all the faces deep in conversation or having outbursts of laughter.
Absolutely perfect!
For the evening dinner reception the Grecian Park have a few spots where you can enjoy your reception. They have an outdoor area which is very popular or you can either use the huge dining room at the end of the hotel, or they will allocate an annex on the other side of the hotel. Whichever way, they put on a lovely spread and I am sure you will enjoy the evening in any of the venues you choose for your dinner. Overall, I find this hotel a pleasure to photograph in and the staff are always very pleasant. You can’t go wrong with the Grecian Park Hotel.
Please see the photos below for a taste of what is on offer at the Grecian Park Hotel.
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