Real Wedding: Julia & Spiro
It was just two days before Christmas when Julia came home one evening to find a cozy fire crackling away in the fireplace, a wrapped present set out on the coffee table, and her boyfriend Spiro waiting patiently, eager for her to open her Christmas present a little early. Thinking that it was a bit strange to be opening gifts on December 23rd, Julia peeled away the wrappingpaper to find a beautiful leather journal and planner. Inside the front cover, Spiro had written: Julia, I love you and want to spend my life laughing and crying with you, will you marry me? P.S. We can use this planner to plan our perfect wedding, or just elope? Hardly able to believe what was happening, Julia looked up to find Spiro holding a ring. "He had to ask me to answer," she says. "I think I was just stunned, but then I said yes!" The couple celebrated with champagne before meeting some friends for dinner, eager to share the exciting news.
Julia and Spiro Koulouris met five years before through a mutual friend at an Irish pub that Spiro manages in Hartford, Connecticut. They liked each other right away - Spiro even surprised Julia with a trip to Greece just a few months into the relationship. Both felt they had found the person they would spend the rest of their lives with - the couple had purchased a home together and adopted two dogs over the course of a few years. They had truly become best friends. Julia and Spiro live in Connecticut, but knew Vermont was the perfect place for their wedding celebration when they discovered
the Honora Winery and Vineyard while visiting Julia's mother. The winery reminded them of California's wine country and was the ideal place to incorporate their shared love for good food and wine. The location was great, too, because lots of out-of-town guests were planning on staying at nearby Mount Snow for the weekend. "We wanted a weekend of family and fun and celebration - not just a single day," says Julia.
Much of Julia and Spiro's wedding planning just seemed to fall into place. They drew inspiration from Julia's engagement ring, designed by Alex Sepkis, in choosing their color palette. Spiro had originally chosen the ring because it reminded him of a Klimt painting - a wonderfully intricate blend of green, gold, and amber. The colors were simple and classic while remaining vibrant - the perfect combination for their wedding day and the beginning of the fall season. Though they originally wanted to have their ceremony in a Greek church, the couple instead decided to have Julia's stepfather perform the ceremony, which had a lot of meaning to Julia and Spiro. "He talked about how a good marriage is like making good wine, starting with selecting the right grapes," says Julia. Spiro's father then read a Greek prayer. More than anything, they wanted their wedding to be a celebration with all of their family and friends - and that is exactly what they ended up getting. Guests danced and laughed as they enjoyed wonderful food and wine - and Julia and Spiro couldn't have asked for a better outcome.
Although the weather was less than cooperative, the bride and groom were happily surprised that evening when the heavy rain stopped unexpectedly. Standing together on the back patio, they enjoyed a quiet moment as husband and wife. "There was this amazing mist and fog. It was magical," says Julia. Before they knew it, the evening was winding down. As the couple surveyed the beautiful winery, looking forward to their honeymoon in California's wine country, they knew Julia's stepfather had been right. Sometimes it does start with choosing just the right grapes.