In Kefalonia, Greek-American Aris Kourkoumelis married one day before becoming U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security

Greek-American Aris Kourkoumelis held his wedding in Kefalonia, marrying Marianna Pantelidis on the afternoon of Tuesday, August 19, 2025.

According to kefaloniamagazine.gr, the ceremony took place at the historic Chapel of Panagia Plakoulas in Assos, Kefalonia, widely known as the “chapel of lovers.” About 100 Greek-American and American friends of the couple and their families attended. The wedding sponsors were Evangelos Vandoros and Konstantina Mati, while the wedding dinner was held at a seaside venue in Fiskardo.

The day after the wedding, the appointment of Aris Kourkoumelis was announced. Although he and the families already knew, the news came as a surprise to the couple’s guests. In the past, the groom, who is a lawyer, had served as Senior Legal Counsel at the U.S. Department of Commerce, where he led the implementation of Section 232 tariffs in the field of security and trade.

Aris Kourkoumelis is the son of Tom and Cathy Kourkoumelis, while his wife is the daughter of James and Stella Pantelidis. Both families are among the donors and benefactors of communities, schools, associations, and charitable institutions.