Cyprus is a rather legendary island, mentioned even by the poets of ancient Greece. You probably know that Aphrodite, the goddess of love, rose from the sea foam right off the coast of Cyprus. Pygmalion – the famous sculptor who created a beautiful statue and fell in love with his own creation – also lived here. Even Shakespeare chose Cyprus as the home of Othello. In short, the air here is filled with romance ;)

A wedding in Cyprus is more than just a beautiful ceremony. A marriage registered in this country is recognized in more than 100 countries around the world, including Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Israel. It all began with young couples from the United Kingdom, followed by lovers from Israel and Lebanon. Original traditions have even appeared – for example, this year around 90 couples from Israel were married at the same time near the city of Paphos.

Unlike many other destinations popular with newlyweds, Cyprus is wonderful because it works equally well for an intimate ceremony for two, a lively party with friends, or a luxurious celebration for family and loved ones. Alongside a civil ceremony, you can also have a church wedding here – Cyprus has Orthodox, Catholic, and Anglican churches – arrange a chuppah for Orthodox Jews, or choose one of the symbolic ceremonies that have become so popular lately.

A symbolic wedding in Cyprus is a ceremony for couples who officially married a few days before flying to the island. Here they get the chance to celebrate this important event beautifully and make it truly original and unforgettable. By the way, a symbolic wedding in Cyprus can also be a wonderful idea for an anniversary – silver or even golden. No wonder English has the phrase “renewing your vows.” A symbolic ceremony can be the perfect reason to remember the words of love you spoke to each other many years ago.

Just seven years ago, when we started working in Cyprus’s wedding market, ceremonies could only be held at the municipality or in a hotel. Today many beaches, scenic venues, and historic buildings are equipped for weddings. Truly unusual places keep appearing too. For example, in 2011 the ship EDRO III ran aground by the rocky shores of Paphos. It is still there, literally 15 meters from the shore, near the sea caves and grottos. Just imagine what an original photo shoot you could have there!

Personally, I really love the sculpture park – the creation of local artist Philippos Yiapanis, located not far from Limassol. And quite recently we attended the opening of the Ottoman baths in Paphos. To our compatriots, the phrase “a wedding in a bathhouse” may sound funny, but do not judge by the name alone. In reality it is a beautifully restored historic building with a small park around it. An ideal place for a ceremony followed by a banquet.

One of my favorite places for ceremonies is the lanes of Lefkara village. Its authentic, traditional scenery is, in my view, a perfect backdrop for a vintage wedding.

If you are planning not only the ceremony but also your honeymoon in Cyprus, we recommend exploring the island’s attraction map. Zoom in and you will see the most interesting places to visit during your holiday in Cyprus. Add them to your trip plan, spread them across several days, and then be sure to sync everything with the free Ever.Travel mobile app. That way you will have a personal guide to Cyprus that fits easily in your pocket and works even offline – something especially important when roaming.

You can also use the services of professional guides by booking excursions in Limassol, Paphos, or Larnaca.

By the way, just a few days ago, with our agency’s participation, a walk of fame opened in Limassol. What makes this place unique is that alongside celebrity stars, you can also place a star for the newlyweds. It can be a wonderful gift for a couple, whether on the day of their official wedding or while celebrating a symbolic ceremony.

There really are plenty of wedding venues in Cyprus. There are gorgeous restaurants, hotels with luxurious gardens and terraces, and cliffs with breathtaking sea views... Beaches deserve a separate mention. There are no private beaches in Cyprus. So if you are considering a wedding in the Ayia Napa or Protaras area, keep in mind that your ceremony will have plenty of sunbathing spectators. With a special arrangement with the municipality, you can fence off a certain area, but you will not be able to close the entire beach. Still, just this year places appeared by the lighthouse in Paphos where swimming is prohibited, and they make an excellent seaside ceremony spot.

Particularly popular are Aphrodite’s birthplace and the White Rocks in Limassol. Overall, much depends on the resort the couple chooses for their holiday. Ayia Napa has the unofficial status of a second Ibiza – it is lively and has excellent sandy beaches. In Protaras the beaches are even better, but it is a calmer, more refined resort. Limassol is Cyprus’s version of the city that never sleeps. Larnaca is peaceful and unhurried. Paphos is elegant and relaxed. The choice is yours!

It is not unusual for newlyweds to first choose where they would like to relax and only then look for an interesting nearby option for the wedding ceremony. Well then, let’s find you a great hotel in Cyprus!

The most popular months are June and September. If you want your wedding then, plan everything well in advance, because the venues, planners, and photographers you like may simply already be booked if you leave it too late.

It is best to start preparing 3–6 months before the wedding. That said, I remember one case when we organized a ceremony in just four days! The young man, already in Cyprus, proposed to his girlfriend and decided not to put it off :)

The wedding season in Cyprus begins in April and lasts until the end of November. In my view, the best periods are April and October. In April Cyprus is literally in bloom, though the water is still cool. In October, on the other hand, swimming is perfectly comfortable.

That said, we have even had New Year’s weddings. In December Cyprus is quite warm at +15–20°C, but only the bravest dip into the sea in that weather :) If you want, you can even arrange a truly “winter” version: for example, go skiing in the Troodos Mountains and have a snowy photo shoot.

Whenever you plan to come, we recommend buying your flights to Cyprus in advance, because the closer it gets to your travel dates, the higher the prices become – especially in summer. The cheapest airfares are most often found on Avaisales.ru. It gathers offers from hundreds of airlines and ticket agencies, letting you choose the best prices, dates, and flight conditions.

Also, please do not forget that you need a visa to travel to Cyprus. Luckily, this is easy to arrange without even leaving home. Thanks to the VisaToHome service, you can spend your time thinking about more pleasant things – like the location for your photo shoot or the design of the candy bar ;)

By the way, provisional visas for citizens of Russia and Ukraine were introduced not long ago. They are free and easy to arrange on your own. Simply download them using the links provided in the text.

Many couples do not consider getting married abroad because they assume it is expensive. Still, I have already heard from several newlyweds that their wedding in Cyprus cost less than it would have, say, in Moscow.

Of course, a lot depends on what the couple wants. For example, an intimate ceremony for two at our agency costs only about 1,000 euros. A more popular option – a symbolic ceremony in a gazebo in Protaras, a banquet for 20 guests, photo and video coverage, a host, and a singer – usually comes to around 8,000 euros. A wedding ceremony on a yacht, live music, a banquet, personalized venue decor, hosts, musicians, and waitstaff costs about 9,000 euros.

If you have already looked at prices in your city, you probably understand that for roughly the same budget you can have a truly exclusive wedding. It may be a modest option with a municipality registration, a photo shoot in scenic places, and dinner in a local restaurant. Or it may be an original ceremony on a yacht, in a golf club, on a pier, or on a beach, complete with an interesting show program and a luxurious banquet. Either way, both you and your guests are likely to remember such a wedding far more vividly than a celebration somewhere familiar.

Of course, you can plan the ceremony on your own. Search online, study the rules of local municipalities, find a photographer, florist, makeup artist... But if you choose that route, arm yourself with patience: life in Cyprus is measured and unhurried, so replies from local authorities can take quite a while.

You will also need to understand the paperwork. It is important to obtain a certificate of marital status from your local registry office or make a notarized statement – different municipalities follow different rules. You also need to remember the apostille – the internationally standardized form confirming a document’s legal validity. Fortunately, Russians do not need to worry about this, but citizens of countries that are part of the Hague Convention do. And then there are birth certificates, name-change documents, divorce papers if one of the couple has been married before... In short, there are truly many nuances, and it is better to entrust this to professionals at an agency.

But let us be honest: a wedding is not only about paperwork, it is a celebration too. That is why it is important to think through the decor of the venue, order the banquet, arrange guest transfers, make sure the hairstylist and makeup artist arrive on time, and that the photographer does not forget a tripod or flash... Should a bride really be worrying about all that on her wedding day, especially in an unfamiliar country? This day should be the brightest and happiest in the newlyweds’ lives, which is exactly why the organization is best left to specialists.

This article uses photos provided by Gimeney Agency.