Sun, Sea, Sand and I Do
Craig Hough travelled to the luxurious five-star King Evelthon Beach Hotel and Resort in Paphos, Cyprus for a romantic wedding by the beach
In the past two years alone, more than 400,000 couples (1 in 4) were married overseas with Cyprus boasting sandy beaches, ancient sights and lively nightlife being one of the most popular destinations. I was lucky enough to be invited to the wedding of Andrew and Zoe Fletcher at the stunning King Evelthon Beach Hotel and Resort in Pathos. This five-star luxurious holiday complex is on the southwest coast of Cyprus, with a beachfront location and gorgeous panoramic views an ideal location to say "I do".
As my taxi pulled up to the hotel the sheer size of the resort was the first thing noted. The hotel is situated on the beachfront of Chlorakas Bay and surrounded by extensive landscaped gardens of 100,000 square meters. Check-in was swift, which is always appreciated after a flight and I was shown to my room. I had booked a Suite and it offered everything you expect from a luxury hotel and more. After opening my door I found a bottle of Champagne on ice alongside fresh fruit on the table, a nice touch. My room featured a double balcony and patio with 2 large comfy sun loungers (with carousel) where I was happy to take a siesta each afternoon to escape the August summer heat. I had a king-size bed which I sunk into each night next to a partition wall, separating the bedroom from a seating and dining area. Other suites had a private pool to relax in.
The King Evelthon had a range of facilities to appeal to every age range. These included 2 large outdoor pools and one indoor pool with a children’s section which several guests took advantage of due to the blistering heat. As a big kid myself, I took full advantage of the Aqua Park on site which had a range of slides, a lazy river, kamikaze and halfpipe. For the grown-ups and active type, there was also an air-conditioned gym with cardio fitness training equipment, free weights area, stretching zone, fixed strength equipment and sauna. Outside, the hotel also offered aqua aerobics to help burn off that bottle of wine with dinner as well as tennis and volleyball courts. For those less active like myself, a snooker and table tennis table were also readily available alongside a wellness centre that hosted a whole host of treatments.
The main restaurant was vast and staff waited on tables serving drinks while guests chose from the varied options. Each night was themed and often local dishes were much more popular than mainstream choices. As a man with a sweet tooth, the desserts were the highlight; an array of delicious treats ranging from cheesecakes and pannacotta to fruit tarts and baklava. The fairly informal setting allowed for several families to dine together on one of the larger tables so was a perfect setting for those who have a wedding booked at the hotel, with lots of guests. The hotel has 4 restaurants including 1 buffet restaurant and 3 à la carte restaurants, serving a range of Greek, Italian and Mexican cuisine. One evening I dined at the Mexican restaurant situated at the Rooftop Bar on the 5th floor. The experience was outstanding with the flavoursome food, the friendly and attentive service from the staff all topped off with an amazing sunset. It really set the scene for the wedding ahead.
This was my first wedding abroad during the summer months, so I wasn’t sure what to expect when I (happily) received the invitation. Luckily, Channel 4 were on hand to help and were showing a programme called Sun, Sea and Brides To Be that featured the King Evelthon hotel. The programme featured countless couples who married in Cyprus and really gave a taste of what to expect on the day.
On the day of the wedding guests were invited up to the Rooftop Bar to enjoy a drink and socialise whilst the bride-to-be Zoe was in her room with the bridal party. It during this time I had the opportunity to speak to the groom-to-be Andrew and in a very British manner, complained about the heat over an ice-cold beverage. The magic of a wedding abroad is that you have all the excitement of a normal wedding, mixed with the thrill of being on holiday. The guests, who had flown from all across the world to see the couple unite, all stood around, told stories and got to know each other before it was time to make our way to the ceremony.
Around 3:30 PM Anita, who was the Wedding Planner asked the guests to move downstairs. As we walked down she told me she had organised 7 different weddings that week. Incredible. We walked towards the seafront where a bright white marquee was set up beside the palm trees, next to the beach. Each chair was carefully dressed in white, with a hand-held fan (thoughtfully shaped in a heart) on each chair. As soon as guests sat down the fans were out as the sun beat down on us, glistening against the ocean. As the ceremony began children from the family, including the couple’s own Zac and Ivy, walked down the aisle as guests looked on with huge smiles on their faces. The gorgeous Bridesmaids soon followed.
Then it was time. Zoe, linked with her Father Wayne, turned the corner onto the aisle. She looked stunning. As I felt water running down my cheek I wasn't sure if it was due to melting from the intense heat, or if the occasion had brought about some human emotion. The couple said their vows at the waves crashed against each other in the background and family and friends looked on in delight.
Zoe commented, “moments before walking down the aisle I was really emotional, as I heard our song, James Vincent Mc Morrow’s Higher Love and then seeing my son and daughter walk down the aisle before me, I was a moment I won’t forget.”
After the ceremony and short photoshoot looking out into the ocean, all guests made their way back to the Rooftop Bar for dinner. In the ultimate thoughtful wedding gift to their guests, the couple had an artist draw a portrait of each guest to illustrate where they sat. The hotel put on an incredible hot and cold buffet which guests enjoyed with panoramic views of Paphos.
Zoe remarks “The hotel staff were fantastic on the wedding day. Anita, the wedding planner, had everything under control and was a very calming presence. She kept the day running smoothly and ensured all the small details we had requested were completed. We had a personal waiter, Kiri, who served us our champagne at the ceremony and looked after us during our reception; serving our food and drinks”
After some hilarious speeches from the Best Men and the Groom himself (which included a pair of goalkeeper gloves and the line- “she’s a keeper” guests made their way to the other side of the hotel where the views were equally as stunning. It was here we were treated to the first dance of the newlyweds. The music hit, the sun set, the couple gazed lovingly into each other eyes as the family and friends gathered around to cheer them on. To add a little sparkle, some pyrotechnics were set off around the side of the hotel. It was a moment to cherish forever.
When asked about her overall experience getting married abroad Zoe said “It was somewhat stressful having over 40 guests staying in the same place as us; worrying about the hotel an if it lived up to everyone’s expectations; if everyone was having a good time. But my nerves soon settled as the atmosphere around the pool during the day was very relaxed. The hotel is so large and spacious that guests were able to spend some time away from the larger party and spend some quality family time together. What was really lovely was that we had a good balance of time with friends and family; a busy first week with lots of guests, then as they began to fly home in our second week we had time on our own with our children.”
If you’re looking for a well organised wedding with guaranteed sun, amazing sunsets and a seafront setting for a ceremony, The King Evelthon Resort and Spa in Paphos will tick every romantic box.
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