Danae Barka marries Fanis Botsis in Messinia, sings to her husband and wears the wedding dress to the beach the next day
Greek actress and presenter Danae Barka married Fanis Botsis on Saturday evening in Avia, Messinia, in a celebration that combined a sunset chapel ceremony, an all-night reception, and a bride so attached to her lace gown she wore it the following morning straight to the beach.
The ceremony
On 13 June 2026, Danae Barka and Fanis Botsis exchanged vows at the chapel of Saint George in Avia, a seaside village in the Messinian Mani. The bride wore a classic lace gown with off-the-shoulder detail and a long, full veil, designed by MiRo. The location sat close to the luxury hotel owned by the bride's mother, actress Vicky Stavropoulou, where many guests stayed. Actor Christos Chatzipanagiotis, a long-time family friend, escorted the bride to the church alongside her parents and grandmother before handing her to the groom.
The most beautiful promise. The messages are countless. Thank you and we thank you from our hearts. I return every beautiful thought to you! Life, when you share moments, is so much more beautiful.
An emotional reception
After the religious ceremony, the couple hosted a reception in the church courtyard. Despite the evening chill, the mood stayed high with music, singing and dance that ran until the early hours of Sunday. One of the most moving moments came when the bride picked up the microphone and dedicated the Vicky Moscholiou song "Δεν ξέρω πόσο σ' αγαπώ" (I don't know how much I love you) to her husband. Later, Chatzipanagiotis also took the microphone, and the bride invited him to sing together, drawing applause. The couple performed a Cretan dance and cut an elaborate wedding cake in a festive atmosphere.
At sunset at a hilltop chapel yesterday evening, the most precious creature of my life lived the most precious moment of her life! For Danae and Fanis, a new life dawns which I wish to be full of love and light like their souls.
Morning after in the wedding dress
By Sunday afternoon, the bride had still not parted with her gown. MiRo designers shared a photo of Danae seated on a balcony, visibly happy and still in the lace dress. Beneath the hem, what appeared to be a swimsuit was visible, hinting she intended to join her guests at the beach. Later, a friend's Instagram story showed Danae lying on a sun lounger by the water, eyes closed, still clad in the white dress. Guests including Aris Kavatzikis, Theocharis Ioannidis, Andreas Georgiou and Simoni Christodoulou had already taken a morning swim.
- Wedding ceremony at Saint George chapel in Avia, Messinia; bride escorted by Christos Chatzipanagiotis.
- Reception begins; Barka sings to husband; Cretan dance, cake cutting; party lasts until early morning.
- Designers post photo of Barka on the balcony still in lace gown; later she is seen at the beach in the dress while guests swim.
Guest list and details
The couple chose an olive tree sapling as their bomboniere, shared by Kavatzikis on Instagram. Among those who travelled to Messinia for the wedding were Maria Bekatorou, Maria Kavogianni, Annita Pania, Nikos Koklonis, Niki Kerameos and Maria Fragaki. Vicky Stavropoulou posted a sunset photo of the newlyweds with the caption expressing her pride and wishes. The event has become one of the most talked-about Greek celebrity gatherings of recent days.
When do you think she will take it off?
