Our couples : Havi & Kobi

October 21, 2022

Havi Klein Steinmetz & Kobi Steinmetz
Got married in Halkidiki, northern Greece

All our couples are special, but there are those who immediately capture our hearts. Havi and Kobi are no doubt, one of those couples. We want to share the ‘behind the scenes’ of their beautiful wedding, through their eyes, as well as ours.

Tell us about yourselves, and how did you meet?

Havi – a lawyer, and Kobi – an accountant, both from Tel Aviv. For both of us this is a second marriage, hoping it will be more successful this time around. We met in July 2016, through Havi’s sister, a client of Kobi’s office and works with him.

What was your dream wedding and why Greece?

We got married in our dream wedding! On June 16, 2022, in a private, magical beach, with our best friends and close family with delicious food and our own kind of fun. It was intimate and not too crowded, but the happiest wedding ever.

Tell us a little about The planning process the with Anat and Yonathan?

We contacted Anat and Yonathan via their website, and very soon set up a Zoom call where Havi explained and envisioned her dream wedding to Anat.
She immediately had a mission of locating a high-end hotel with a private beach and fine dining food. She promised to get back and update us as soon as she did, which happened very quickly with the perfect place for us. We were immediately impressed by her experience and her efforts to make an to arrange everything exactly according to our dreams.

Sirtaki:

From our point of view, the process of planning Havi & Kobi’s wedding started with the most important thing: finding the perfect location - where the guests will stay and that will be easily accessible to everyone.

When looking for a location, we had Havi & Kobi’s high standards in front of our eyes: a 5-star hotel, with an emphasis on high-end cuisine and a feeling of intimacy that we could create for their guests. We quickly settled on the Halkidiki area in northern Greece, area known for small boutique hotels, gorgeous beaches and an easy access from Thessaloniki airport.

What part of the planning did you enjoy the most?

All conversations with Anat were pleasant. But the fact that we didn’t need to stress and worry about anything, and the fact that she just organised everything was priceless!

Sirtaki:

With a couple like Havi & Kobi, who gave us a complete creative freedom to plan their dream wedding, we knew we had to make it amazing in every possible way! The hotel we chose was a boutique hotel with accommodation units equipped at the highest level available. Each unit had its own pool so that guests can relax in between the events that have been carefully planned for them.

Building the menu for the wedding days was the most satisfying task - we teamed up with the hotel chef who came from Michelin star kitchens in France and together we built an high-end Mediterranean menu that complimented the nature of the event.
The traditional moussaka got a molecular version, and the shrimp Saganaki was served fresh covered in a rich tomato sauce. We made sure that each meal had a different motif - on the first day the fish was at the centre, and on the second day - the well-known meat dishes of the area

What was important for you in the whole process? Was there anything you were not willing to compromise on?

We didn’t want to compromise on the hotel class (and it was indeed top range!!) and the food (Havi wanted a minimum of a Michelin star level – and we believe that they might get a Michelin star there) It was also very important to us to have a private beach within walking distance. And Anat found exactly that.

Sirtaki:

The wedding celebrations spread over 3 magical nights. We usually recommend having the reception on the first day, to break the ice between the guests and get everyone into the wedding vibe.

In Havi & Kobi’s case, there were several reasons beyond our control because of which the decision was made to have the wedding ceremony on the first day. But what started as a constraint turned out to be the best decision for the nature of their event. Having the ceremony on the first day allowed them to loosen up on the very first day and devote themselves to the rest of the wedding days and the events we planned for them.

On the second evening we held a Greek Friday dinner on the beach together with a lively and authentic Greek band, which kept the guests dancing until the wee hours of the night.

On the third evening we wanted to break the holiday routine for the guests and there is nothing more perfect to help them getting to know the area than sailing on a yacht between the stunning bays of Halkidiki. On the yacht, a welcome of nibbles, good wines and music played by the DJ from the wedding awaited the guests. The cruise definitely gave a perfect ending to a magical wedding weekend!

Tell us about the wedding day - the decor, the food, the atmosphere, the vibe?

Havi started the day with hair and make-up, by a charming, local hair stylist and make-up artist and she got ready leisurely, then the photographer and his assistant arrived and started the wedding photos shoot in the hotel and nearby location. Straight after the guests got ready on the beach and we left for the ceremony. It was perfect – fun fun fun. Everything was organised perfectly!!!

Sirtaki:

Havi & Kobi gave us complete freedom when it came to the production of the wedding. From our brief acquaintance with them we immediately felt their connection to quality simplicity, or what is called LESS IS MORE. Because the first two evenings the events were held at the same location, it was important for us to bring the difference in design between one event to the other. On the first evening - the wedding night - the white motif took centre stage, the Chuppah we sprinkled with white flowers and the path to it was lit with Moroccan lanterns which added warmth to the open sea.

Light garlands wrapped in bamboo stands decorated the long knight's table with warm yellowish light. The classic arrangement of white service and white flowers in transparent vases created a clean and luxurious vibe for an intimate meal with friends and family on the beach.

On the second evening, the Greek band decorated the dance floor together with the a drinks bar which we wrapped in Greek porcelain patterns, tables were decorated with ouzo bottles and spice pots which filled the dance floor with scents of nature.

We used wild bougainvillea, picked from the neighbour to wrap the bamboo poles - and the same location suddenly got a lighter and more relaxed atmosphere, which allowed the guests to immediately get on the dance floor dance and start dancing to the sounds of the bouzouki.

On the third day, There was not much to add to the large wooden boat which sailed through the landscapes of Halkidiki allowing the guests to enjoy, celebrate and dance in a different and special kind of atmosphere.

What tip would you give to couples who plan to get married overseas?

Let Anat plan. Don’t bother with anything, all you need to do is enjoy!

Sirtaki:

We are fascinated by couples like Havi & Kobi who put their absolute trust in us from day one.
But at the same time, we fully understand that not everyone can or wants to let go in such an absolute way and we are prepared for that scenario as well. We build the right path for each and every one of our couples, with complete transparency - when they can take part in the entire process, whether it's online or on site in one of the location tours we offer. Together we create the production portfolio that suits them: we give them the stage where they want to be a part of the process - and take over where they would like to let go.

Share with us an unforgettable moment from the wedding

The whole event was more than perfect. But probably an unforgettable moment was in the Chuppah that Anat designed – the music, the whole atmosphere! Everything is definitely the result of Anat’s super professional work. So really – thank you Anat and Yonathan. Just trust them. They know how to produce!

Sirtaki:

Anat is known to be a sucker for Chuppah’s! And Havi & Kobi's wedding conducted by a close friend of theirs moved us to tears, we felt that we have been a part of their lives for a long time – their relationship is simply magic and a model of modern family life. We enjoyed every moment of planning their wedding!