Former Miss Great Britain Zara Holland is married to fiancé Elliott Love, MailOnline can exclusively reveal.
The 27-year-old 2016 Love Island contestant married Elliott, 33, last week in an idyllic three-day Greek wedding after seven years together and the couple say it was hands down the happiest day of their lives.
Zara and Elliott, who popped the question in Dubai last January, said their vows at Island Art & Taste in Athens in front of 140 guests with the serene backdrop of the ocean calming nerves at the last minute.
Such a breathtaking setting on the Athenian Riviera called for an equally spectacular dress and Zara sparkled in her white gown complete with floral embellishment and decorative off-shoulder sleeves as she posed for a series of stunning photos.
The newlyweds met on vacation shortly after Zara rose to fame on Love Island season two and now, having taken husband Elliott’s surname, she will be known as Mrs. Love.
Former Miss Great Britain Zara Holland is married to fiancé Elliott Love, MailOnline can exclusively reveal
The 2016 Love Island contestant married Elliott last week in an idyllic three-day Greek wedding after seven years together and the couple say it was hands down the happiest day of their lives
Zara stunned in her white dress complete with floral embellishment and decorative off-shoulder sleeves as she posed for a series of stunning photos
The newlyweds met on vacation shortly after Zara rose to fame on Love Island season two and now, having taken husband Elliott’s surname, she will be known as Mrs. Love
In an exclusive interview, Zara said, “It was the best day of our lives… it was perfect. I can’t put it into words.
“It was a three day wedding, the first day we did a welcome dinner at a family run Greek restaurant called Louizidis Tavern, it was a real traditional Greek night, and we had a Greek band, and it was family sharing style food.”
‘The second day was the wedding and the third day we had a pool party, all about white.
‘We flew out of Heathrow Airport with about 14 suitcases, it looked like we were immigrating!’
Zara revealed she was 15 minutes late to her own wedding, but that didn’t detract from her grand entrance as she walked down the aisle on her proud dad’s arm to the music of a harp and violin.
She said, “It was such a special moment when my dad walked me down the aisle. I wanted to keep it as traditional as possible, even the night before we spent apart.
“When everyone arrived, we played a harp and violin duo, which was epic. I walked down the aisle to them while they were playing.
“We got married at half past five in the evening. I was a little late… It sounds so stupid, but I couldn’t find any scissors to cut the straps out of my dress!’
Zara and Elliott, who popped the question in Dubai in January, said their vows at Island Art & Taste in Athens in front of 140 guests with the serene backdrop of the ocean calming nerves at the last minute
The couple got married on the Athenian Riviera, where the sun was shining, and the guests enjoyed their dinner on beautifully decorated white tables adorned with flowers
Zara’s mum Cheryl Hakeney, who has been an expert on the ITV show Dickinson’s Real Deal for 14 years, watched her daughter in awe ahead of her special day
Zara was accompanied by her mother and glamorous grandmother as the three generations of women smiled together ahead of her wedding
The bride and groom were joined by their closest friends and family, including Zara’s mother, Cheryl Hakeney, who has been an expert on the ITV show Dickinson’s Real Deal for the past 14 years.
And Zara couldn’t pass up the opportunity to publicly thank her mother, who looked stunning in a baby blue dress, and everyone involved in organizing the big day by breaking tradition and giving her own speech.
She said, “We had two good men, eight ushers, five bridesmaids, three flower girls, and a page boy.
“Elliott is one of three brothers, so his brothers were there, their wives and girlfriends. It was a beautiful family wedding, but we also had a large group of friends, it was just perfect.
“I said in my speech because it was the happiest and most special day of my life, how could I not utter words?
“There were too many people in my life that I had to talk about and thank, because without them this week would not have been possible. Plus… I like to chat!”
As a tribute to their new shared surname, Zara and Elliott’s first dance was to the Nat King Cole classic LOVE and guests were treated to cocktails specially made by the bride and groom.
Once the formalities were over, the couple partied the night away, until 5am in Elliott’s case, with The Function Band, who recently performed at Olivia Attwood and Bradley Dack’s wedding.
As a tribute to their new shared surname, Zara and Elliott’s first dance was to the Nat King Cole classic LOVE and guests were treated to cocktails specially made by the bride and groom.
Wedding guests who flew to Greece were treated to a menu of cocktails and alcoholic beverages, including Expresso Martinis and Margaritas
Zara rose to prominence in 2016 after being cast for season two of Love Island alongside the likes of Scott Thomas, who she was paired with
She starred alongside Kady McDermott, who has returned to the series this year, and winners Cara De La Horde and Nathan Massey
Zara said, ‘We had dinner, there was so much food, the drinks were flowing.
“We flew out The Function Band, it was all I wanted at our wedding…they are incredible and worth every penny.
“Now my name is Mrs. Love… so we did our first dance to Nat King Cole LOVE and The Function Band sang it, which was even more amazing.”
She added, “We had a bride and groom cocktail, so I had a Mojito and Elliott’s was a Tommy’s Margarita…we wanted everyone who came to have the best time. We did late night margaritas…pizzas, no drinks. The wedding diet went completely out the window at this point!”
For Zara and Elliott, it was all the detail after the former Miss Great Britain thought of everything possible for her wedding guests, including bespoke fans to keep them cool in hot weather.
She said, “I had fans in everyone’s seats. We had mini tambourines for everyone that we painted with Mr. and Mrs. Love.
“All the girls were given make-up bags with the Greek evil eye with a lock of hair in case it was windy and slippers, a pashmina in case it was too cold.”
To cap off their nuptials, the happy couple threw an epic pool party, reminiscent of Zara’s time on Love Island, with giant love heart-shaped floats and an all-white theme.
It was on the ITV2 show that Zara rose to prominence after winning Miss Great Britain in September 2015.
She starred alongside Kady McDermott, who has returned to the series this year, and winners Cara De La Horde and Nathan Massey.