A Wedding in Ancient Dubrovnik.
The ancient city of Dubrovnik rests on the coast of the Adriatic Sea at nearly the southernmost point of Croatia. The landscape is a wealth of contrast with the many bays, beaches, steep cliffs and densely wooded islands all evoking a relaxed romantic atmosphere. The ancient city harmonizes a showcase of Venetian art and civil, religious and military architecture from the Renaissance and Baroque periods.
From: Ireland
Nearest Airport: Dubrovnik
The Golden City
The old walled city of Dubrovnik is one of the most beautiful spots in the Mediterranean. Each year more tourists discover its hidden glory. Laura and Martin loved Dubrovnik from the first day there. On one of their many trips to the city, Martin realised that if they were to get married abroad he’d definitely want it to be in Dubrovnik.”Dubrovnik is such a beautiful city, we knew it would capture what we wanted from our wedding day,” Laura said.
Sunshine was their greatest motivator for having a wedding outside of Ireland but by choosing Dubrovnik, the couple had a more perfect and personalised day than they could have dreamed (or afforded) at home. When it came time to actually plan the wedding, Laura contacted Nina Bos from Dubrovnik Weddings. “We were so lucky to have Nina, her attention to detail was fantastic”. Laura was thrilled to find a wedding planner that made all of the arrangements so perfectly.
It Was a Dream Come True
The Catholic ceremony was conducted in English in St. Blaise Church in the Old Town. St. Blaise Church is one of the treasure’s of Croatian Baroque architecture and set an elegant stage for the wedding. Surrounded by precious sculptures and vivid stained glass windows, they exchanged their vows before their friends and family. “Fr. Miroslav made it very personal to us even though he had only met us a couple of days previous to the wedding day,” Laura said. The bride and groom wore traditional wedding attire and lost all of their nerves as soon as they saw each other in the church.
After the ceremony and the photographs in the charming Old Town, the couple took their 60 guests onto a boat for a luxurious champagne reception. While at sea, surrounded by fantastic views and a unique sense of privacy, they felt that this was the perfect way to start their new life together.
Fabulous Food
After their champagne cruise, the group then made a short walk from the dock up to the 5-star Excelsior Hotel’s Terrace of the Palms. Laura shared, “We may have gone a little overboard with our menu,” but the six-course gourmet meal certainly was fantastic. Guests were treated to bruscetta, followed by soup, then a hot sea food starter, then a choice of fillet steak or sea bream, followed by dessert and then wedding cake. The couple didn’t want a traditional wedding cake so instead featured a tiramisu baked by the wedding planner herself.
Every aspect of their evening sparkled with a unique touch Laura had only hoped for when planning her wedding. The Terrace of the Palms is on the water’s edge and was surrounded by lit torches and fairy lights wrapped around the palm trees. No one wanted to leave the idyllic spot and the wedding party danced the night away into the early hours. Laura reminisced, “There was a huge moon and the reflection of it across the sea set the tone for a perfect night”.
Something Extraordinary
Since her wedding, Laura has even been hearing how lovely a wedding in Dubrovnik is from friends and acquaintances unable to attend. When planning their wedding, Laura and Martin wanted sunshine and something extraordinary that they wouldn’t be able to find at home in Ireland. Getting married in Dubrovnik meant a little extra paperwork, but Laura knows, “It wouldn’t have been half as good if we did it at home”.
The Perfect Partners
Ceremony: St. Blaise’s Church // Reception: Hotel Excelsior Palm Terrace // Wedding Planner: Dubrovnik Weddings // Wedding Dress: Town Bride, Dublin // Bridal Shoes: Next // Groom’s Attire: Aston Formal, Dublin