It’s the first Monday of the month… do you know what that means, lovelies? Time for another fabulously luxe travel column from Christina Matteucci of David Beahm Design , of course!
For those of you who’ve been following her column on Merci, Christina is Merci New York’s Destinations Expert. As Executive Director for david beahm destinations , Christina travels the world’s most beautiful locales – and lucky for us – she joins us each month to report upon her latest jaunts and inspirations…
So without further adieu, a warm welcome back to Christina, who recently returned to one of my personal favorite destinations, Mykonos…
For eight years, I’ve listened to David Beahm return from his annual vacation to Mykonos singing the praises of this little island jewel nestled in the middle of the Aegean Sea, and I must admit: I’ve been curious. Recently, he was absolutely adamant that we add several Myconian properties to our david beahm destinations collection; and I wholeheartedly agreed based upon his exuberant recommendation. But just what exactly was it that had captured David’s heart so fervently? I had to find out. Therefore, this July, I hopped the pond and spent 17 glorious days with David on Mykonos. No wonder Apollo, Artemis and an assemblage of Greek gods called this area home. It is, quite simply, heaven.
Yes, Mykonos is filled with picturesque landscapes framed by crystal clear waters {think iconic windmills and white stucco homes offset by blue domes}, but what makes this little island truly beautiful is the love of life and humanity that abounds there. And that, my dear readers, is what sets Mykonos apart as a bastion for weddings – straight or gay, large or small, formal or raucous. Every person and every celebration is welcome.
Of course, my stellar endorsement means nothing if you don’t know where to stay, let alone how to begin planning a wedding there! While exploring Mykonos you will notice a plethora of small churches, however, a wedding inside one is strictly limited to those of the Greek Orthodox faith. But don’t be discouraged! There are numerous locales for wedding celebrations, honeymoons or even just a simple romantic escape. 
A proud member of the david beahm destinations collection, Aqua Living is an assortment of the most dynamic luxury villas Mykonos has to offer. Situated at various locations throughout the island, each property is distinctive, with options for groups of any size. Several residences sit within spacious complexes where all of your guests can be housed in a series of villas in close proximity to one another. One compound is so large, in fact, that there are eighty-three beds for your invitees to rest after a day of basking in the sun.
While these properties feature most of the creature-comforts of a five-star boutique hotel, the team at Aqua Living is fully prepared to take your experience to a new level of luxury. A concierge service that includes a small army of private chefs, waiters and maids is available in addition to a litany of amenities that can be offered to both you and your guests.
For those who absolutely require a traditional hotel experience with room service, nightlife and such, Cavo Tagoo, in Mykonos town-proper, provides the perfect coddling atmosphere. So coddling in fact that we recently had a guest at a david beahm destinations event plan a trip to Cavo Tagoo that was to last only six days, the duration of the celebration plus a bit of recreational padding. Its three weeks later and she still hasn’t left the island!
To be fair, the real magic happens on Mykonos when you integrate some of the unique local activities, ones that Greeks have been relishing in for thousands of years, into your planned festivities. A serene afternoon on a chartered boat to a private beach on the island of Delos makes for a magical welcome to your celebration. When combined with a beach barbecque of lamb, tuna, horiatiki, sea urchin and flowing Mastica liquor, your guests will leave questioning what could possibly await them the following day. Answer their doubts with an intimate ceremony at your private villa, surrounded by exquisite indigenous flowers, followed by cocktails and dinner encircling an infinity pool overlooking the Aegean – I do believe a celebratory broken plate or two might be in order. As you and your guests rejoice early into the morning, hearty cries of “Opa!” will float down to the water’s edge.
And what better way to conclude your celebration than jetting off to a romantic honeymoon on nearby Santorini? Also part of the david beahm destinations collection, sister properties Vedema Resort and Mystique offer a perfect excuse for you to escape from your guests and begin your new life together. Only a twenty-minute plane-ride from Mykonos, you will feel worlds away in just a few moments – and let’s be honest – who wants to waste time traveling to their honeymoon when you can go from one paradise to another in less than a 1/2 hour? Once you are off to your private romantic escape, your friends and family can take advantage of their time on Mykonos by enjoying some sorely-needed R&R of their own.
Editor’s Note: david beahm destinations is a by-invitation resource of amazing destination wedding, honeymoon and celebration locales, all expertly curated by the renowned David Beahm team. Merci New York readers can gain instant access to all of the properties mentioned in Christina’s articles, by entering code “Merci2011″ on the log-in page. Pretty fabulous, no?
All photos courtesy of Christian Grattan Photography .
