Some moments deserve more than a celebration. They deserve to become memories that last forever. Tessa’s birthday at Mandarin Oriental, Costa Navarino was a celebration of life, friendship and the joy of being surrounded by the people who matter most, with friends from around the world gathered for the days ahead. This event film brings it together in one cinematic story.

A Birthday at Mandarin Oriental, Costa Navarino

Costa Navarino sits on the coast of Messinia, in the southwest Peloponnese, and the film opens above its green peninsula and deep blue sea. Tessa’s place card set the tone: “Welcome gods, goddesses and believers … With love, Tessa.” Her guests answered with a gods-and-goddesses theme inspired by ancient Greece: togas, metallic dresses, leaf wreaths, capes and tridents, and one guest arrived dressed as the sun god. Event planning was by The Twelve Events, and my brother, George Liopetas, photographed the occasion.

Elegance, Beautiful Details and Unforgettable Moments

The details were part of the story. A long wooden table stretched beneath a white canopy hung with crystal chandeliers, dressed with herbs, grapes, wheat sheaves, candles and classical busts, and amphorae stood by the welcome sign. I filmed it the same way I film a wedding: close to the people, unhurried, and always looking for the honest moments. There were heartfelt speeches about friends being family, an outdoor DJ and, at night, a cake lit with sparklers and dancing. One line in the film says it all: “For we shall enjoy every sunrise and sunset as if it were our last.”

Event Films for Life’s Big Celebrations

Most of my films are destination weddings, but I also create event productions, and the same story-first approach works for any occasion that deserves to be remembered, from a milestone birthday to an anniversary. If you’re flying in from abroad to celebrate in Greece, whether at a resort like Costa Navarino, on an island or in Athens, I’d love to hear your plans. Drone footage is always included in my films, flown where permitted.

Planning a wedding instead? See every destination I film on my Greece wedding videographer page, browse all my films, or tell me about your celebration.

Planning a milestone celebration in Greece like Tessa’s? Check your date.