Famous Bollywood actor Shahid Kapoor is getting married to Mira Rajput in Delhi but due to his hectic schedule, the actor has cancelled his bachelor trip to Greece. Since then several websites have attributed his change of plans to the capital controls and turmoil in the area.

Kristy Louvros, a 31-year-old sales and marketing executive and her fiancé Jamie Agaliotis, 35, also a sales manager, have been planning their wedding in Greece for almost two years. Both Australian-born to Greek-born parents, and proud of their national heritage and culture, they chose to get married in Santorini for its majestic views.

“A journalist from The Age contacted me to interview me as they found out I was getting married in Greece,” Kristy Louvros tells Neos Kosmos.
“She was very disappointed with me for not having cancelled my trip.”

The journalist apologised, saying that she couldn’t use her interview as they were looking for a bride panicking over the Greek crisis.

“I asked her to print my story and promote Greece’s tourism positively to which she simply replied ‘no, we need a bride that is cancelling’ and went on to ask if I knew anyone cancelling their trip or wedding.

“I said that none of my 65 excited guests from Melbourne going to Greece is cancelling. She still refused to write anything I was saying and called me twice,” Louvros adds.

She feels that mainstream media is trying to put a negative impact on Greece and its tourism, as her story could easily put a nervous traveller’s mind at ease.

“I have Melbourne friends already there and they are telling me that cafés, restaurants and beaches are packed,” the bride-to-be says.

“Business owners do not anticipate any disruptions in visitors’ everyday holiday experience, neither in the islands nor in mainland Greece, as there are adequate fuel supplies, products and services.”

According to the American Express Travel destination experts’ announcement, the country’s cash flow problems have not deterred tourists who are there or decreased interest in the country. There are many weddings and baptisms taking place in Greece in this period and there haven’t been any cancellations.

“We were not discouraged as there were press releases that tourists were fine to withdraw funds,” Louvros adds.

“Our wedding planner informs us that Santorini in particular has broken records of most weddings booked on the island. If anything our hearts break for the citizens of Greece.”

Having worked in the wedding industry before, Kristy and Jamie were very aware of the costs involved to have a decent ceremony. Instead of investing that much money for just one day, it made sense to have a destination wedding in a country they love, combining it with a beautiful holiday for friends and family.

“Melbourne’s wedding industry is extremely overpriced,” says Louvros.

“We also wanted to feel closer to our country of origin and support Greece.”