Come Closer, Chania, Crete

It was a birthday Calliope would remember for the rest of her life. What started off as a four-day surprise getaway to the Greek island of Crete, a gift by her darling boyfriend Harry, ended up in heartwarming engagement.

It could be no other way for Harry, who surprised his Calliope when he proposed… on the side of the road pretending to check the tyres of the car.

“Asking Calliope to be my wife was one of the simplest decisions I have ever had to make; I could not and cannot see my life without her,” says Harry describing his feelings about popping the big question.

For Harry, who is half-Belgian, Crete was the ideal place to ask his beloved Calliope if she would join him in a life of love together. Calliope’s family is from Crete.

“Greece is our motherland and Crete our home. When you want to share a happy moment, an important milestone in life, you have a party at home and mark the occasion with loved ones. That’s exactly what we did by getting engaged on Crete, we celebrated at home,” the enamoured pair explain.

Once the big question was out of the way and Calliope’s resounding ‘yes’ soothed Harry’s heart, the couple decided to stay at Casa Delfino boutique hotel in the mystique old town of Chania, where Bond Events put together an elegant engagement event and a romantic table for two… complete with sweet-smelling flowers, dazzling crystal, shining gold and all the good things in life.

In the meantime, the picturesque town of Chania was just waiting to be discovered. What better way to experience fresh love to its fullest? Calliope and Harry spent their days strolling through the old town’s cobblestone backstreets under the fragrant jasmine trees and bright pink bougainvillaeas; they visited the Venetian harbor and lighthouse, the traditional houses, the stately churches and tiny chapels, in this historic city by the Mediterranean Sea.

And once night fell… the countdown to the Big Day began.