My Big Fat Greek Petrol Station Wedding

My Big Fat Greek Petrol Station Wedding

Posted by FES on 31st Mar 2013

Greek Wedding Celebrations in a Petrol Station

Greece and now Cyprus is yet another country feeling the weight of the Europeon financial crisis. Whatever the outcome, which inevitable will be settled at the highest levels of government, the average person on the street continues to cope with everyday life as best they can. Life goes on.

It is often said, countries that experience times of hardship unite stronger to celebrate moments of happiness. What better time to unite than a wedding. Recently Belgian photographer Nick Hannes had been traveling through the many countries that surround the Mediterranean Sea as part of a photographic vigil. While photographing petrol stations in Greece that have been abandoned in the wake of the European financial crisis, Hannes came upon a Shell station that had been set up for the owner’s wedding party. The owner invited him to return that evening to take photos. Hannes intended to spend half an hour. “But you know how good parties evolve,” he says. “It was 3 am when I left.”

He recounts, “A family member said to me, ‘This is how we respond to a crisis. Please show these pictures to [German chancellor Angela] Merkel. A Greek keeps on laughing and celebrating, even when his money is being taken away.’ ”

We Salute You.......

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© Nick Hannes

You can get a full image gallery of the evening from  Nick Hannes' blog.