After nearly a decade of relationship and three children—4-year-old Liam, 3-year-old Maverick, and 11-month-old Eva—Giannis Antetokounmpo and Mariah Riddlesprigger will exchange vows of eternal faith and love on Sunday, September 1, at the luxurious “Costa Navarino” in Messinia, Greece.
According to reliable information from THEMA, the ceremony won’t be a religious one—Giannis is Orthodox and Mariah is Catholic—nor a civil one, but a hybrid ceremony where the couple will commit to spending the rest of their lives together. This will take place on the afternoon of August 31 at the beach of the “W” hotel in Costa Navarino, a location chosen carefully to ensure that the wedding remains private and away from the media and social networks, unless they choose otherwise.
The celebrations kick off tonight, Friday, with a pre-wedding party at the hotel, where guests will dress in white. Tomorrow, a Nigerian ceremony will follow, honoring Giannis’s heritage. The wedding ceremony will take place on Sunday, with preparations already in full swing.
Activity at Kalamata airport has increased since yesterday, as the couple’s approximately 200 guests, primarily arriving from abroad, are flying in by private jets and helicopters. Among the guests are the four owners of the Milwaukee Bucks. Most guests, coming from Greece and the U.S., will arrive at Kalamata airport via private flights and will also have access to the resort’s helicopter transfer service. There are also 30 VVIPs among the guests.
Details of the Wedding
The three-day celebration will unfold starting this afternoon with a welcome party at the “Between” bar—where the dress code is strictly white—located within the safe confines of the “W” hotel, continuing the next day with a Nigerian-themed party. The highlight will, of course, be the wedding ceremony on the third day. The couple has put great emphasis on the hospitality of their guests and attention to detail, evidenced by the fact that they spent five days at Costa Navarino, tirelessly tasting over 200 dishes to choose the perfect ones for the wedding dinner and the two pre-wedding parties.
The menu selected by the couple will feature a wide range of offerings, from refined versions of the traditional American burger to sophisticated modern Greek cuisine. It’s also certain that Giannis Antetokounmpo will introduce at the wedding the first wine from his collaboration, through his investment company Ante Inc., with Greek Wineries, in which he holds a 10% stake since 2022. This rosé label will bear the name of Mariah Riddlesprigger and will be available in both the standard 750 ml bottle and a magnum edition. The wedding guests will have the privilege of being the first to taste the Greek Freak’s inaugural vintage.
One cannot help but notice the imaginative way Giannis Antetokounmpo has chosen to once again express his love for the woman who seems to embody the ideal partner for him. Although neither has spoken publicly about how they first met, the prevailing story suggests they first crossed paths in 2014. At that time, Giannis was in his rookie season with the Milwaukee Bucks, while Mariah, a graduate of Rice University’s Sports Management program, was interning in the NBA.
Coming from an athletic family—her father, Pat, was a basketball player—Riddlesprigger herself excelled in sports, particularly in volleyball, where she became a standout player, even being named MVP of the College Championship in her graduation year.
