“Bohemia is a state of mind: a threadbare but vibrant Utopia in which one can prioritise the tenets of creativity, love, merriment, experimentation and arousal of the senses.” – Robert Wringham
During a recent wedding celebration at Apokryfo, a little hidden gem of a resort nestled in the ancient town of Lofou, I was reminded that the beauty of love is often best seen not in the garb of great luxury or the noise of fanfare, but rather in the simple joys provided by tradition, companionship, and the age-old pleasure of sharing good food and hearty laughter.
This wedding—which belonged to a lovely couple named Helena and Jonathan, seen in the photographs below—called to mind strongly the old Bohemian ideals held by many of Europe’s wandering peoples: The pursuit of truth, beauty, and love in humble yet enchanting settings. The location of the celebration was a perfect fit for such themes; the Apokryfo (the name for which comes from the Greek word for “hidden away…..kept secret” ) is not just any hotel; it is a collection of old stone houses which have been lovingly restoredby the owners of the venue: local architect Vakis Hadjikyriacou and his interior designer wife, Diana. Into these houses they have put many hours of their own creative spirit, their own love.
Between the Apokryfo’s timeless beauty and the presence of the ancient settlement, safely ensconced by the surrounding hills, it was easy to slip back to another time, one guided by a simpler rhythm—that which moves through us all like a heartbeat, ever-present if we just stop to listen—the song of marriages and births, of families coming together and embracing each change brought by the turning wheel of the seasons. As Bohemianism realises, love is the wellspring of all creation, the force that motivates us to bring new things into the world and to carefully restore and preserve the old. It is the fountain of all that is positive and productive—and so, as the famous saying goes, all we need is love.
Idealistic? Perhaps. But we are all in search of an ideal, something higher than ourselves which will elevate us; love allows us to find it, not only in another person, but in the world and in ourselves.
