Get married in Dubrovnik with Dubrovnik Event

Her surprise Dubrovnik Wedding & a Unique Honeymoon idea- Sail around the Adriatic

2012-03-05T06:08:00.001-08:00

I remember when I was planning my wedding, that took place up in northern Croatia, my hometown, which was in a way a destination wedding for us, being 800km away and planning everything via phone (they are not too friendly with email communication just yet over there : )), being a wedding away from where we lived, I completely forgot about booking our honeymoon. Oh how I wish we had my dear colleague Mary Anne there to help us arrange the most romantic honeymoon of them all, and at a reach of your hand just after your Dubrovnik wedding...

I would face this then such a difficult question asked by our clients so many times- Where do I recommend them to go for their honeymoon, before it dawned on me, with a great help of a dear colleague today- Mary Anne Pulizzi who has shown to be my partner in crime for creating some pretty amazing weddings whose couples then went to the most amazing honeymoon of all times- sailing around the Adriatic....

Just think about it- crystal clear blue seas, sunsets and sunrises, every second of it, just yours to enjoy. Freshly caught fish by yourselves even; or a differently located restaurant every day on one of beautiful Croatia islands.... The choice is all yours, to enjoy and indulge in what you are most certainly entitled to, after your beautiful Dubrovnik wedding.....

So, you know how I always like to share a little wedding story with you in my blog posts, so I will do the same, from a bridal perspective again, this time you are in for a very special treat indeed- an amazingly emotional story of Her Surprise Wedding, by Kisha Coleman..... (when my husband read this story, he said Kamau should get the movie rights on this : )))) Kamau, we hope there are more men like you are out there! Kisha, you lucky woman! : )))
ENJOY!!!

Surprise Italian Vacation!

My boyfriend, Kamau and I were on our way to the airport for a week-long vacation to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico that Kamau had planned. As we stood in the passenger check-in line, the ticketing attendant asked, “are you flying to London this evening?” It didn’t register in my mind that she had said “London” for a couple minutes, since as far as I knew we were going to Cabo. I turned to Kamau and said, “did she say London? I thought you had booked a direct flight!” Kamau smiled a strange smile and said, “Yes, we’re going to London tonight, because our vacation is in Italy, not Cabo!” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing; I was completely shocked and surprised because this was going to be my first trip to Italy and to Europe!

Once Kamau and I got in out seats, I had a million questions like, “How were you able to keep this a secret?? How did you plan this? Where are we going in Italy? Are we staying longer than a week?” Kamau was amused by my excitement and told me that we were going to Rome, Florence and Venice for the 1 week vacation…3 days in Rome, 3 days in Florence, and 2 days in Venice. I had just enough time to text friends and family that we were going to Italy and off we were off!!!

The Proposal

During the first two days in Rome, I had talked to my sister and girlfriends back home and hoped that maybe Kamau would finally propose on this Italian trip, but since this was day 5 and we were headed back home in just two days, all hopes that Kamau might propose had long since been extinguished.

After finishing a delicious Tuscan dinner in the hills overlooking Florence, we were on our way back to our hotel when we crossed a bridge. Kamau stopped half way accross and pointed out the next bridge over from us, the famous Ponte Vecchio. Kamau “popped the question” and asked me to marry him and said he had brought me to Florence so that we could buy our rings from the shops on Ponte Vecchio. I didn’t believe him first and thought that he was playing a joke, but he finally convinced me that he was serious and I accepted in a daze. He told me that we weren’t leaving Europe yet, because we were getting married in just 10 days in Croatia. Later, he explained that the whole wedding had been planned with the help of two ladies; one in Italy (Mary Ann - our travel consultant) and one in Croatia (Ines - our wedding planner), and that it would be just the two of us. I was in shock for the second time on this trip; completely blown away that Kamau had planned a surprise vacation, and a surprise wedding!!!

How was all this possible? As I began to ask him about everything, I discovered that Kamau had picked out my wedding dress, had it shipped to Italy and with the help of Mary Ann, had arranged for it to be waiting for me in our hotel room. Later, I found out that Mary Ann had arranged all of our travel, had advised Kamau on the purchase of the rings from Ponte Vecchio; and had planned our honeymoon!

Mary Ann had also connected Kamau with Ines to plan the wedding and to take care of the logistics of paper work, hair, nails, makeup, flowers and everything else. And it was all done without my knowledge Amazing!!

Next, we went to Venice and from there we took a high-speed ferry to Croatia and spent the next 10 days traveling from the coast city of Rovinj, to a small spa in Bartonigla, then to Zagreb (to get our marriage permits) and finally to Dubrovnik, where we would be married.

After we were engaged, each hotel knew that we were getting ready to marry and they all had champagne and chocolate waiting for us in our rooms. So romantic!!

Radisson Blu Resort and Spa Hotel, Orasac, Dubrovnik, Croatia, accommodation hotel of Kisha and Kamau during their stay in Dubrovnik.

The Wedding

Two days before the wedding we arrived in Dubrovnik, Croatia. Shortly after we arrived to our apartment, my hair stylist came over to give me a trial hair run, my make-up artist came over to give me my trial make-up run, and the tailor came over to do my final dressing fitting and adjustments. I felt like a princesses!! I didn’t have to lift a finger.

Kamau had already picked my flowers… Calla lilies with lavender…. Exactly the flowers I would have picked. There wasn’t anything for me to do, but relax.

On the warm summer day of June 24^th 2011, we were married on beautiful pier in the old walled part of the city of Dubrovnik. We had a perfect and intimate wedding, just Kamau and I, the ministers and our two witnesses (and now new friends), Mary Anne and Ines.

The Honeymoon

For our honeymoon, Kamau and Mary Ann had chartered a 55 foot yacht and we went sailing through the Dalmatian Coast for the next 5 days. The yacht was gorgeous and the Adriatic Sea was beautiful. Our honeymoon was incredible and relaxing, and each day we planned our excursions with our skipper Goran.

We would have breakfast and lunch on the yacht, and we explored the coast and towns as we headed up to Split. Goran taught me to sail and taught us more about Croatia, the coast and the sea. Each night, dinner was on a new island where we chose to anchor for the night. The best part? I had two men waiting on my every beck and call; and I kept thinking that the whole thing was a dream.

Our wedding and honeymoon truly was a fairy tale come true. With the help and expertise of Mary Anne and Ines, Kamau and I had the most amazing wedding, honeymoon and vacation.

We thank them sincerely and want them to know that they will always be a part of our life together.

Kamau & Kisha Coleman - Married 6/24/2011

** **

You must admit this was quite a special story right? And that Kamau is setting new standards for men worldwide - don't read this to your fiance unless you want him to do something similar : )

Next week we are bringing to you a whole new concept, in line with the sail boat ideas and romantic gullets we spoke about today- weddings in Dubrovnik on a boat, a yacht or an old timer gullet.... Stay tuned!

for your special wedding story ideas, please contact us at info@dubrovnikevent.com and for more info on us visit www.dubrovnikevent.com

HAPPY PLANNING!!!!

Love & Laughter- Dubrovnik wedding story of Ellie & Simon

2012-01-26T05:26:00.000-08:00

IMPORTANT NOTE: all photos in this website are copyrighted by Veronica Arevalo and any unauthorized use is striclty prohibited under law.

Even today, almost 6 months since their wedding, when I think of their special day, I smile, sometimes even laugh. It was such a happy wedding, full of love and laughter. Ellie & Simon came a year before the wedding to meet me and look at the venues; by then Ellie and I were in contact for months, thoroughly enjoying each other's emails and characters. It was a good match, and I always say this is crucial when you choose a wedding planner- as we will be best friends, at least during your wedding planning....
Hopefully we will, like Ellie, Simon and the two of us, stay friends long after the wedding bells were heard....

If you have been reading my blog posts, you know how much I am in love with wedding details, well this was one of the weddings where details were in abundance and so carefully chosen, so personal and so warm. So classy and chic.... If I were to re-do my wedding, I would steal Ellie's wedding style- color scheme, flowers and definitely her Jimmy Choos..... I would skip the Groom of course (not THAT wedding planner :)))!

Day before the wedding, while guys enjoyed a glass of cold Croatian beer in a local pub and teasing Sy about getting married tomorrow, Ellie and her Maid of honor indulged into a private massage session by two greatest massage experts in town who visited them in their luxury apartment in the heart of the Old Town (where they by the way threw a spontaneous party when wveryone arrived a couple of days before the wedding!- sorry no pictures were shared :))).

The next morning, THE DAY, as they were enjoying the bridal getting ready beauty treatments, they were served a catered champagne breakfast. Six ladies in the room and all the fun (it wasn't easy on Ellie's father when he came to get the girls- of course the ceremony was fashionably late : ))!

Sy was getting ready with his parents in their apartment, far from the crowds and champagne breakfast. It was his quiet time, that didn't last long, but long enough....

It was time to go to the ceremony venue. It was a bright, sunny and a very hot day. And everyone was in for a treat. Trust me, I was the wedding planner : ))

Bridal party was ready to leave too. Hair, makeup, nails, veil, flowers, all in place.... Ellie was ready for the most special moments in her life....

Sy was waiting patiently for his absolutely beautiful Bride, and finally, at the romantic tunes of Des'ree's Kissing you from the movie Romeo & Juliette, the Bridesmaids processional started, followed by Ellie, The Bride....

Ceremony was entirely personal, again, full of love, laughter and tears too... joyful and very emotional too...
Sy and Ellie read out their vows to each other just before Ellie's brother played a song for them on the piano and they had sand as their unity symbol instead of candles which they poured into a single unity vase after they were prounounced husband and wife....
Each guest had a personalized order of service and a fan at their chair waiting for them, and also a parasol if needed. Everything truly was attented to the very last detail....

By the time ceremony was done, sun came down a bit, and to a huge round of applause and cheers by their guests, ready for drinks and party....

Guests were ushered to the coaches which took them to the Old Town harbour where they were in for a surprise- a champagne boat cruise at sunset....
Everyone's favorite of the day- relaxed ambiance, breeze and chilled champers hit everyone's spot and were truly a spectacular experience for all guests.....

When we came back from the wedding panoramic boat cruise around Dubrovnik city walls and islands nearby, Ellie decided to toss the bouquet at the Old Town harbour pier. It was a perfect setting for this and we gathered an enviable selection of "single" ladies. To the common countdown, Ellie threw her bouquet (well technically she threw the "toss" bouquet, not her own, as she wanted her own as a keepsake and also it was veeeery heavy so didn't want to risk any injuries either - one of the first thing in the wedding planning I remember Ellie specifying for me was that she wanted her bridal bouquet for her Dubrovnik wedding to be huge. And trust me - it was. In style of course... :))

It was time for our newlyweds to go for a short photo sesison with Veronica, their photographer (www.veronicaarevalo.com ) and videographers around Old Town, while we slowly escorted guests to the reception venue for a welcome cocktail....

We arrived at their Dubrovnik wedding reception venue- the East West Beach Club, located just outside the Old Town gates, with incredible views and fabulous setting....

By the time newlyweds arrived, everyone was served a glass of champagne with strawberries and had a box of confetti at them. Seating plan was done in sync with the rest of the wedding style and tables were set up and decorated with abundance of baby breath flowers, candles in specially ordered candle holders and the most beautiful cake and guestbook table I have had the honor of presenting based on Ellie's idea and details and props....
Each guest's name was written on a small hand made lavender heart shaped sachets and each guest got a little passion flower seed bag. Very green, very natural and very personal favors if you ask me....

Guests were seated, wine was poured and lovely speeches took place. Simon's speech was personally one of my favorites of all I have heard and you could understand why he is such a popular history teacher with his great voice. Everyone enjoyed it, and even Ellie said a few words on her own!

Dinner was served, and was delicious indeed. Voices were louder and party mood fel more and more by the minute. Guests mingled, some of them heading for a cigarette down to the beach and enjoying the sound of waves and some of them leaving a message in the guest book or their colored fingerprints on the personalized fingerprint tree prepared for guests to paint and to be framed later on as a wedding memento in the newlyweds' house. Details, details, details..... Loved every single one of them....

And finally, it was time for the cake cutting and the first dance. Again, love and laughter all around us.... Ellie brought beautiful lace wrappers for the cupcakes and our pastry chef did a marvelous job on the looks and the taste. Cupcakes were served in 3 different flavors and every one of them was delicious!

For their first dance song Ellie and Simon chose Aloe Blacc's Green Lights, and it was a pure pleasure to watch them dance, relaxed, happy and in love....

A surprise wedding cake was served a bit later, a three tier Croatian and French cheeses cake, decorated with freshy picked grapes, to everyone's excitement. It was perfect timing for some crackers with cheese, which we served on platters to all tables.

Party went on into the night as the DJ released playlist created by Ellie and Simon. You must have read from my tone that this surely was one of my dearest weddings and I am so happy to be such great friends with Ellie and Simon today. I do wish them to be as happy as they were on the wedding day and to laugh away, every day of their lives.....

It was a true pleasure being part of your Dubrovnik Wedding Story.....

With love,

Ines & Marin

www.dubrovnikevent.com

As Beautiful as Them- Stunningly beautiful wedding story of Janelle & James

2011-12-17T05:06:00.000-08:00

I have known Alma, Janelle's mother for a few years now and when she contacted me about her daughter getting married it was all really very exciting, like a friend getting married. After I met Janelle, it got even more excited as her style and taste were right on the dot and everything I always imagined we'd do at a wedding. Her eye for detail and beauty were consistent and ever existing (and it was confirmed once I met her chosen Groom to be : )).
I truly did love everything about this wedding.

The day before the wedding guests gathered at Alma's (Bride's mother) villa at a village of Slano, close to Dubrovnik. Guests enjoyed local foods and drinks and partied till dawn, but it stopped nobody to be bright and early for the wedding.
The day was perfect- sunny, clear and hot, a dream come true for any Bride. Everything was ready.... The vows were finished, handwritten, laying softly on the night stand and waiting for its turn, next to the bridal bouquet, no less important....

The wedding party was staying at the hotel Dubrovnik Palace, where the reception was taking place. This is where James, the groom was getting ready with his family.

Janelle and her Mum, sister and maid of honor were getting ready at a luxury boutique hotel in the heart of the Dubrovnik's Old Town, the Pucic Palace, and the ceremony was to take place here too.

It was time to put on one of the day stars- the wedding gown. As I said before, all details at Janelle's and James' wedding were stunning and so was the dress. Janelle truly looked like a princess and bridesmaids suites the whole wedding theme perfectly in their chocolate color dresses with coral orange bouquets.

Guests were picked up by a coach at the hotel Palace and taken to the Old Town gates from where they strolled down the streets to the Pucic Palace hotel's roof terrace, where the ceremony was to take place in front of a small chapel.
James and the immediate families stood at the beginning of the aisle as the processional honored the whole families.
But everyone's breath was taken away as Janelle appeared at the end of the aisle, escorted by her mother and her Grandmother. Music went silent, the bell rang and the Bride walked in....

Ceremony was opened by a prayer held by James's mother and guests enjoyed a beautiful yet charming ceremony that took just the right amount of time, neither too short or too long! Guests were refreshed by water cocktails spiced with lime, mint and strawberry. It was a perfect combination on a hot summer's day.

Janelle & James exchanged their vows, there were tears and laughter, memories and glances. All down one road, their future together....

After the ceremony the Bride and Groom and bridal party went for a photo shoot while guests were taken to the hotel Dubrovnik Palace, where they were welcomed by signature cocktails, leading one being the Blushing Bride a fantastic combination of champagne and strawberry puree. A must try! Upon entrance of the beach club, baskets with pashminas were on disposal for the ladies to get cozy and a basket of beach flip flops for all to relieve of the formal wear and enjoy the sun, sea and beach wedding style.

By the time Janelle and James arrived to the reception location, a private VIP Beach Club of Hotel Dubrovnik Palace, guests were enjoying luxury canapes and signature cocktails, as the sun was setting over the sea view horizon. If you were there, you know you thought it was a bit unreal as beautiful as it was....

Janelle and James walked into the beach club at the tunes of Love is in the Air, with guests dancing and singing as they welcomed them.

Attention to detail was superb and I truly believe this venue was specially accentuated with the colors used in this wedding- coral orange and chocolate brown, perfectly complimenting the blue of the sea and the whiteness of the rocks in the background.

Just as everyone was seated, one of the greatest surprises were introduced by Mike, Janelle's uncle and a great person- authentic and traditional Dubrovnik area dance called Lindjo, performed by friends of the family, to everyone's amazement- welcomed by a loud round of applause and cheers!

Sun set over the bay and dinner was served, a perfect combination of local and international, formal and informal, all in style and perfectly tasteful.

The cake was brought in as waiters proceeded to it in a line holding champagne sparklers brought to each table as it was time to say an official toast, present the cake and dance the most romantic of all dances- the 1st dance....

Soon everyone followed and the DJ hit it right in the spot, the dance floor was full all night long... It was a great crowd and you could simply tell everyone had so much fun.

Full of details, beautiful touches and amazing people, the wedding was full of surprises too! Janelle wanted to offer her guests a unique way of finalizing the evening, and since the sky lanterns are not an option in Dubrovnik unfortunately due to the fire hazards, we performed a balloon ceremony- white, helium filled ballons, with small led lights inside were made for each of their guests who on the count of 3 all in the same time let go of their balloons while making a wish for the happy couple. This was definitely my favorite part of the wedding and it truly was very unique and memorable to all her guests.

For most guests this was the end of surprises, but one was left, a special one from Janelle to James- the Bride organized a whiskey and cigar lounge for her Groom, for what he was more than thrilled about! After the balloon ceremony, the ladies danced into the night and the guys moved to the chill out area enjoying highest quality whiskey and cigars.

It was a wedding to remember, I tell you that....

Thank you so much Janelle and James for honoring us and sharing your special moments with us. We wish you only the best in life....

Dubrovnik Event Team

www.dubrovnikevent.com

info@dubrovnikevent.com

Beautiful wedding story of Nicky & Steve, married in Dubrovnik, June 25th 2011

2011-12-07T04:45:00.000-08:00

You know how we sometimes meet people who have so much in common as we do? That happened with Nicky and Steve and the two of us at Dubrovnik Event. The way they were relaxed about the whole wedding, or at leats so it seemed and felt : ), the way they behaved and looked at the wedding, it all felt right and just as we did when we got married, back in 2008 (I have to tell you one day about that as well, I know...!).
It was an absolute pleasure being there for them and I am sure our paths will cross again.

So I just knew it will be a beautiful wedding. I feel honored to present you their story, in their own words....

THE WEDDING STORY OF NICKY AND STEVE, by Nicky & Steve : )

(photography by Sinisa Stambuk, www.sinisa-stambuk.com )

Not speaking a word of Croatian and having no knowledge of the legalities or practicalities of getting married in Croatia, we decided that the help of a wedding planner was essential and after lots of research on the Internet, we decided to contact Ines at Dubrovnik Event.

After the exchange of 1 or 2 e-mails, Ines and I were soon chatting on the telephone about our vision for the big day and I knew immediately that we were in safe hands. Ines’ replies to my e-mails were always prompt and detailed; professional yet always friendly and fun. I never felt that anything was a problem, even when I changed my mind (often!) about various aspects of our big day.

When we met Ines a few months later in Dubrovnik to visit a few venues, we felt like she was already a friend of ours. We could relate to her well as we too have our own company and we know what it is like to be part of a husband and wife team – she was amazing and we immediately felt relaxed about the wedding. After visiting the magnificent Sponza Palace and appreciating the dramatic setting of the Vala Beach Club, we knew we had picked the perfect destination and put our trust in the perfect people.

The next 8 months flew by and before long we were back in Dubrovnik, enjoying a cold beer with Ines and Marin in the Dubrovnik Palace going over a few details before the big day. Ines had arranged for us to sample a few of the dishes on the wedding menu, which was great. The restaurant was closed to the public and we were looked after by the staff so well – even the chef came over between each course to tell us about the dishes – we felt like royalty!

The big day finally arrived and with it a strong wind in Dubrovnik… Needless to say, I panicked, worrying that the boat trip would be cancelled and that it would be too windy for the outside venue of the Vala Beach Club. Ines replied promptly to my (numerous!) texts and reassured me that that they would make any necessary arrangements if the wind was too strong. She told me to concentrate on enjoying my day and that it was their job to sort out any problems, not mine. Just knowing that she was there on the end of the phone made me feel at ease and I began to enjoy my wedding day. The hairdresser and manicurist were the best I have ever experienced and the photographer was superb. Sinisa (the photographer) was with us all day until the early hours of the morning – he worked so hard to get great pictures and he certainly achieved that – our wedding album is amazing! Nobody can believe how great the photos are and how many great photos we have from the day – he is a talented man! Our flowers were beautiful too and were even nicer than I could have imagined.

Ines even popped over to the villa a few hours before the wedding to say hello and make sure everything was going smoothly, which I appreciated.

Walking into the Sponza Palace with my Mum and Dad is a memory I will cherish forever. The decorations were so simple, yet elegant and seeing all of our friends and family there was truly unforgettable. When I saw Steve smiling at me from the other side of the room, I couldn’t wait to be by his side and get married! I don’t think we stopped smiling all day! The ceremony and musicians were perfect – Ines had arranged everything as we had asked, from the songs played by the musicians, to the Champagne on chill for after the ceremony.

Luckily, the wind did not affect our plans for the boat trip and we will always remember the people clapping and throwing confetti as we made our way as husband and wife along the harbour to the boat. The boat trip was 60 minutes of great music, dancing, laughter and sunshine – nobody could believe that we had included it as part of the wedding – definitely a favourite part of the day for many of our guests.

The wind had made the water choppy and so we could not dock at the Dubrovnik Palace as planned, but had to dock further away. Ines and Marin had arranged for a coach to pick us up from the boat and to take us to the Dubrovnik Palace – nobody even noticed the change of plan and everyone said how much fun they had singing on the bus on the way to the reception! Needless to say, it is still a talking point with our friends! A flawless service from Ines and Marin.

Our guests were speechless when they saw the venue for our reception. The Vala certainly has a wow factor on a normal day, but when it is decorated beautifully, when the sun is setting and the band is playing, it is out of this world. We still look at the photos and can’t believe how beautiful the reception actually was. The staff were second to none and very attentive – even when some of our friends decided to dance in the pool in their evening dresses, the staff were there, topping up their glasses and offered them fluffy towels when they decided to get out! A brilliant memory for us!

Ines and Marin were with us throughout the day and made sure everything went smoothly. Our guests couldn’t compliment them enough and they still talk about the wedding every time we see them, insisting it was the best wedding they have ever been to!

It really was a fairy-tale day and we cannot thank Ines and Marin enough for their hard work, patience and passion. We’re planning to visit Dubrovnik next year for our anniversary and meet up with Ines and Marin, or hopefully they will come and see us in the mountains for a snowboarding holiday - either way, I know our paths will cross again in the not too distant future! X

Well, Nicky and Steve, it has been an honor, a pleasure and a privilege being on your side on this great road. I have enjoyed planning your wedding, sharing your special moments with you on the Day and I still really enjoy your wedding photos.

thank you so much for your trust....

Ines & Marin

www.dubrovnikevent.com

Their wedding in Cavtat- a new beginning of Kathy & Steve

2011-11-15T04:31:00.000-08:00

Marin (my better half and operations director in our little yet very enthusiastic company) and I met Kathy and Steve one spring morning in the enchanting village of Cavtat. We shared great couple of hours discussing their wedding plans , after what we continued with plum schnapps while Steve and Marin talked about Formula 1 and Kathy and I discussed flowers, great love she's got for her 3 sons (I never decided which one is more handsome than the other one heeheehee) and how to video project the wedding ceremony they planned for September 2011 to her 90 year old mother who couldn't attend but really wanted to witness their joining the ever lasting matrimony.

Kathy's mother sadly passed away a few months before the wedding and we are all certain she witnessed the wedding in her own way, and watches after the loving couple as their angel.
The planning was a pleasure and before we knew it we had coffee again in the enchanting Village of Cavtat discussing all the little details and wedding day plans about to happen 3 days from that morning!

And the morning of the wedding has arrived, bright and sunny, and warmer than typical for mid September. The excitement was full on, even more so in the guys room than in the Bridal Suite. I went to see Kathy and bring her the wedding dress from the steamers around 11am- she was happy, perky and happy as ever!

Hair and makeup stylists arrived sharp at noon to style the girls, up until then, they were all in the swimming pool catching last tan before the big moments! Talking about a relaxing day! : )
And the time has come. Boys were taken by a golf buggy to the beach venue for the ceremony to wait for the ladies. And Kathy and her Maid of Honor came from the Bridal suite only minutes before the ceremony was about to start. Everyone took their places and Kathy was taken down the aisle by her oldest son. It is difficult for me to express you the ambiance and feel of the day, but as Kathy walked down the aisle, her eyes shinier than the sparks of sun glistening over the water that surrounded them, there was no dry eye among the guests.

Ceremony was short and sweet and more emotional than words can say, and after Kathy and Steve were pronouned husband and wife, they all enjoyed a glass of champagne with canapes before the happy couple went for the photoshoot with the photographer (Veronica Arevalo, www.veronicaarevalo.com )

When they came back from the photo shoot around the streets of village of Cavtat, guests were cheering them and enjoyed good wine and nibbles, views and relaxed setting in the Spinaker restaurant and bar.

The terrace was set up exactly as Kathy imagined it and the sun was slowly setting over the bay. The dinner was amazing and the party continued long into the night.

It was a perfect new beginning and it was a true honor being part of it. Thank you Kathy and Steve for all the great moments, and we wish you only the best life can bring you.

Below read what Kathy and Steve wrote about their experience....

...

Steve and I decided that we wanted to get married in Cavtat, Croatia when we went on our second visit to this beautiful country

We fell in love with Cavtat and the Hotel Croatia seemed to offer just what we wanted - a wedding that overlooked the bay of Cavtat, close to the sea and all of the beautiful buildings and culture.

Searching the internet for weddings in Croatia, I soon realised that I would need some help. I contacted several wedding planners, but felt an immediate rapport with Ines.

She is calm without making you feel that you aren't the most important couple. Always responding quickly to emails and questions. What I wanted from a wedding planner was what I got - and more. I had lots of ideas and Ines turned them into reality.

Steve and I have both been married before and have grown up children, close families and very special friends that we wanted to share our special time with.

37 people joined us in Cavtat, everything was perfectly planned from the flights to the transfers. Some guests stayed in the hotel Croatia but the majority stayed at the wonderful Apartments Kralj, a lovely villa in the centre of the old town.

Apart from the wedding, my favourite part of the event was the boat trip that Ines organised for us the day before - I would really recommend this. The oldest boat in Dubrovnik picked us up in the lovely harbour at Cavtat and took us on a beautiful cruise over to Dubrovnik. We had music, laughter, dancing and refreshments highlighted by dropping the anchor and swimming in the open sea. It was a great opportunity for both families and friends to get to know each other ahead of the big day and Steve and I wanted to make sure that those just staying for the weekend were able to see Dubrovnik. What a day.

I cannot tell you how organised and creative Ines is..... I left some things to her choice - the beautiful fairy cakes that we had for our wedding cake, the table decorations - all were perfect and just what we wanted.

The day before the wedding we were faced with some disappointing news - the venue at the hotel Croatia had to be moved from our set location down to the sea front ....... we were disappointed. However, Ines sorted everything out perfectly - calm, organised and in fact it turned out to be better that we ever dreamed. Ines just instills that feeling of trust and reliability.

Our wedding was perfect. We had a beautiful duo of cello and violin playing our favourite music and Steve had spent weeks creating music play lists to play at the reception - a great mixture of oldies and modern kept everybody up dancing until late into the night.

All of our friends and family say it is the best wedding they have ever been to. We certainly think it was ......... made very special by all of the support from Ines. We can't stop looking at the photos and videos.

I want to do it all over again!!!!

Kathy & Steve, happily married in Cavtat, September 17th 2011
***************

for your personalized offer and ideas for your special day in Dubrovnik or Cavtat, please contact us at info@dubrovnikevent.com

HAPPY PLANNING!

Ines, Your true Dubrovnik wedding planner

Real Life Weddings in Dubrovnik- an enchantingly romantic story of Kellie & David

2011-10-11T02:58:00.000-07:00

7 years ago Kellie and David met on a street corner after a night out, very spontaneously and he walked her home. The rest is history....

I have to be honest and tell you that this is one of those couple that when you see together you feel like they truly are each other's other half they were so lucky to find in this world. He makes her genuinely laugh, and he is not a loud person so this tells something. And she makes him strive for the adventures in life, their honeymoon took quite a long time, much longer than the average (we wont be telling how long exactly :)) though they'll say it could never last long enough and they went to Bali, Singapore, Hong Kong and Bintan. Fantastic choices, fullfiling, energetic and interesting, warm and adventurous, just like the two of them....

I met them last year, about 1 year before the big day and I have to admit that I, in a way, fell in love with both of them. Their simplicity, warmth of the heart and sincere personalities completely amazed me. One simply doesn't meet a lot of people like the two of them today....
Often I get disappointed by couples and Brides of whom I had a grat feeling at start sometime during the wedding planning process. After all, we are all people. But with Kellie and David- not in a second. Planning, organizing and coordinating their wedding truly was a genuine pleasure and an honor.

It is with great pride I present you their story, told by the two of them. Enjoy! I truly did, it broughts loads of great wedding memories even for me (you dont hear this a lot from a wedding planner, trust me! :))

OUR DUBROVNIK WEDDING STORY: Kellie & David, married July 12th 2011

St Blaise church, Boat cruise with cocktail aboard, dinner and party at Villa Ruza on island of Kolocep

David and I had our hearts set on a wedding in Dubrovnik – we had visited before and fell in love with its beauty, and its sunshine! However we were nervous about the process of organising the wedding abroad and we contacted a number of planners to see what packages they offered. As soon as we heard from Ines, we knew we had found the one. From the beginning her emails were professional and prompt, but also so warm and with a real passion for weddings that came across in every line. We emailed daily (and still do after the event!) and every mail no matter how trivial was responded too quickly, and always with love and humour. Knowing that Ines and her husband Marin were looking after us gave us so much confidence in how the day would run.

We flew to Dubrovnik the year before our wedding to meet with Ines and all our earlier impressions were confirmed. As well as a truly outstanding wedding planner, who paid meticulous attention to every detail, in Ines and Marin we also found life long friends. She had a real understanding about my vision for the big day, and we exchanged lots of ideas, pictures and stories from our own lives. Nothing was too much trouble, and the planning process was a real joy.

When we finally arrived in Dubrovnik in preparation for the big day, we met with Ines and Marin to go over the practicalities. It remains one of my favourite memories of the week as we sat in the sunshine and set the wedding and the world to rights over a nice cold drink! We were so relaxed and confident about the day itself because we knew that Ines and Marin were in charge of every detail.

From start to finish the wedding day was the best day of our lives. The hair and make up artists were amazing, and getting ready with my two best friends was so much fun. My two nieces were gorgeous in their flowergirl dresses, and standing on the balcony looking out at the old town before we left for the church is a memory that will stay with me for a lifetime. The flowers were so beautiful, real vintage blooms that matched my vintage shabby chic theme. When I finally walked through the gates of the old town I felt like a princess! Nothing prepares you for the warmth of the Croatian people, who clapped me on my way too, and from, the church. It really made the whole day feel so special, and I as I walked towards the church arm in arm with my big brother it felt absolutely wonderful!

St Blaise was decorated beautifully, and was the perfect size for our small intimate wedding. The musicians were spectacular, and to this day when I hear ‘Song for Sienna’ I am transported back to that moment of standing at the church door, waiting to walk up the aisle. We had met Father Frano the day before and he was so kind, it really felt that we were being married by a friend, not a stranger. The ceremony was lovely and I felt so emotional seeing all our friends fill the church and reading for us.

Our guests then had an after ceremony drink overlooking the old port whilst we had our wedding photo shoot! We dreaded this part but our photographer Veronica was amazing and put us so at our ease! The album is stunning, so many people have complimented us on it since then. Afterwards our guests were delighted with our surprise boat trip – we had worked hard to reveal no details of the reception, and their faces when we sailed to Kolocep and arrived at the stunning Villa Ruza will remain with me for a lifetime.

Ines was waiting for us on the docks, and it was like seeing one of your best friends J I had brought some decorations with me from Ireland, but the credit goes to Ines who decorated the venue beautifully! The food and setting were amazing, and the wine was flowing! The Villa is easily the most beautiful reception venue I have ever seen, and the food was absolutely spectacular. Hearing the speeches as the sun set over the water was something that will stay with me for an absolute lifetime. All of our guests said it was the best wedding they had ever been to, and many of whom are already planning their own trips back to Dubrovnik in the future. Every single detail had been thought of, and it was all so much more romantic and perfect than we could have ever dreamed of.

The wedding was truly the happiest day of our lives, and I know the friendship we found with Ines and Marin will last a lifetime. We can never thank them enough for their love and support, and everything they did to make all our dreams come true.

By Kellie & David McAleese, happily married in Dubrovnik, July 12th 2011

****Photography by Veronica Arevalo, photographs under author rights and owned by Client and Dubrovnik Event. Any unauthorized use of them is strictly prohibited.

Real Weddings in Dubrovnik- Guest Bridal post by Lisa & David Everington, married June 22nd 2011

2011-09-21T03:14:00.000-07:00

Before I got married I loved reading through the "Real Weddings" section of any wedding magazine. Being a wedding planner I knew other Brides were best source of information. They still are!
It gave me ideas, inspirations and it was always a main point of trust- you will always trust other Brides more than any vendor selling their service.

I am more than honored to present you our first guest blog by not only our recent clients but 2 people who have become our friends and incredible ambassadors for weddings in Duborovnik. I proudly present you Lisa and David's wedding in Dubrovnik story, composed by the Bride and Groom themself :)
ENJOY!

Dubrovnik Wedding Story of Lisa and David

We first made contact with Dubrovnik Event in December 2009 for a June 2011 wedding, our vision was clear from day one; a romantic ceremony held in the medieval Sponza Palace, following by a reception close to the sea with spectacular views of the old town whilst listening to some classical music surrounded by our loved ones. Dubrovnik Event listened to our dreams for our special day and delivered us the most magical wedding and we all really enjoyed the planning!

Whilst David was getting ready at the villa with his two best men.......

Lisa was getting ready in the bridal suite at the Excelsior Hotel with her Mom and Bridesmaids, this was a very relaxed morning. After enjoying a scrumptious breakfast and spot of sunbathing by the sea with champagne it was time to get ready.... which was good fun and very relaxed. All ready in her bridal gown and shoes..... Lisa was met by her Father on the balcony overlooking the old town..... there were lots of tears! It was such an emotional moment.

The time soon came for the brides Father to walk Lisa to Sponza Palace, this was a lovely walk, greeted by well wishers along the way!

We shared our romantic ceremony with 40 of our closest family and friends. There were many happy tears shed by the groom as he waited for his bride to arrive and exchange their marriage vows.

Before the bride and her father entered Sponza Palace, the bride's brother walked his Mother down the aisle, shortly followed by the bridesmainds and the two pageboys, one of whom did a grand job carrying the rings!

After the ceremony, we went off for their photo shoot around the old town with Veronica whilst a drinks reception was held at bar Revelin for the guests, this was very well received considering the heat, and a beautiful location overlooking the habour.

Following the drinks, everyone then moved onto the Palm Terrace at the Excelsior Hotel, which was the perfect setting overlooking the sea and the old town of Dubrovnik. The service provided by the hotel staff was impeccable; they really looked after all of the guests. Everyone really enjoyed the classical music performed by Jazzy Classy band whilst enjoying a delicious meal on the Palm Terrace. It was a fun, romantic as well as emotional atmosphere.

Following the meal, we had our first dance – ‘Endless Love’ performed by Jazzy Clasy and under the stars of Dubrovnik.

Guests were then entertained by Taliri band – the dance floor was full all evening. Everyone had so much fun and commented how it was the best wedding they had ever been to.

It was the best decision to get married in the romantic city of Dubrovnik – a day that we shall never forget. We cannot wait to return to celebrate our first anniversary!

Thanks again Ines, Marin and the rest of the team!

Dubrovnik Wedding story of Anne and Thorbjorn

2011-08-26T03:40:00.000-07:00

I have a confession to make - nothing makes me happier in my work than a well organized Bride- every wedding planner will tell you that and Anne truly was a wedding planner's dream come true. Besides being amazing people, Anne and Thorbjorn were a fantastic couple to work with and a usually complex 3 day event we planned with ease and enjoyment.

The day before the wedding day we organized a rehearsal dinner at a most exclusive restaurant in Croatia- Gil's Cuisine and Pop Lounge (www.gilsdubrovnik.com ) for family where everyone got off to a great start and enjoyed Dubrovnik city walls with a French twist. I can definitely say it was a perfect start of the wedding celebrations.

The morning of the wedding you could feel that special sort of adrenaline that you feel in all weddings- all guests were staying at the Hilton Imperial Dubrovnik (http://www1.hilton.com/en_US/hi/hotel/DBVHIHI-Hilton-Imperial-Dubrovnik/index.do ) and so were both Bride and Groom get ready there.

Thorbjorn was the first one at a photo shoot of getting ready while Anne was being pampered by our team of beauticians early in the morning- ceremony was scheduled at 11am as by Filipino tradition and custom a couple is to get married before noon for good luck in their marriage.

So there was a lot to be done before noon that day! :)

After Thorbjorn left to the church with the guys and his family, it was time to wrap up the getting ready at the Bridal Suite and put on the dress! one of the most exciting moments of any Bride's life!

And of course, the shoes!

Flowers arrived shortly afterwards and just fresh in time to leave to the church. Anne was escorted by her closest family, her sister who was her maid of honor, and her parents whom I will always have in a very special memory as truly beautiful persons.

The wedding party waited anxiously at the most amazing of all Dubrovnik churches- St Ignatius church located at the top of the Old Town, standing tall and distinctive. Anne and her family arrived a bit late, as a Bride should be and by that time I think Thorbjorn was more than ready to exchange the vows- no matter how strong they are, it is never easy for the Grooms to wait for their loved ones at the altar, that definitely is a large burden!

Before Anne and her father entered, the processional was started by the entrance of her Mother and Thorbjorn's father which I really liked and wish I did something like that in my own wedding!
Mr Landry handed over his daughter to her soon husband to be and the ceremony was about to start.

It was a beautiful combination of a Croatian catholic service with traditions implemented from Philippines. Gifts were brought by both families to the altar and individual unity candles were lit by the witnesses- maid of honor and the best man.

After the ceremony and the group and formal shots Anne and Thorbjorn went for a photo session with Veronica (www.veronicaarevalo.com ) around Old Town while their guests were taken to a closeby viewpoint bar overlooking the Dubrovnik's Old Town harbour and shaded under hundreds of years old tree.

Our wedding couple soon joined their guests for an early day champagne cocktail, light yet luxurius canape snack and an official toast and wedding cake cutting.

Shortly after we enjoyed by far one of most delicious wedding cakes I have ever tasted (berry cheesecake- cant go wrong with that in Dubrovnik summer heats!) the wedding party was escorted for a boat ride around Dubrovnik's city walls and island of Lokrum for a couple of hours.

After the boat ride guests had just what their needed after a busy yet stunning morning itinerary- an afternoon break! they were collected later in the early evening to join for a cocktail and dinner to be held at the Grand Villa Argentina (www.gva.hr ) Victoria restaurant and lounge bar.

I am not sure if I told you that this is my husband's favorite wedding location and once again they have justified our and clients trust- food was spectacular and service impeccable. We changed set up a couple of times very last minute and the hotel staff was nothing but helpful- a true 5 star experience! This way we wish to extend our gratitude to the F/B staff on our as well as Client's behalf.

After a couple of drinks, and some seriously amazing apetizers wedding party slowly moved upstairs as we were welcomed by some drops of rain. Quite surprising for that time of the year (wedding took place on 02/07/2011) but it can happen. Both in Croatian and Filipino traditions rain means good luck for the couple and a long and wealthy life.

Dinner was set up outside , classy and elegant- each guest was treated with a small botlle of homemade Croatian virgin olive oil and a luggage tag.

The whole wedding day was magical indeed- it lasted all day long and all guests truly enjoyed it (even the little ones who had 2 child supervisors who played with them all night long), I can tell you surely, I have been on quite a few weddings myself :)

Dinner was superb and speeches just the right length.
Flowers reflected elegance, simplicity and class the couple had in themselves and the band made the perfect ambiance.

First dance was held under the stars as the rain stopped falling, can it get more romantic than that?

Just as Anne and Thorbjorn put it the next morning we met with them before they flew out of Dubrovnik for their honeymoon- they wouldn't change a thing. And that is all I ever want to hear...

Thank you Anne and Thorbjorn for all your trust you have put in me, thank you for your invaluable spreadsheets and most of all thank you for your friendship.
I look forward to meeting you again in Dubrovnik for your anniversaries to come and wish you all the very best life can bring you!

Happy planning!

For your personalized wedding offer please email me at info@dubrovnikevent.com , or call me at +385 91 4599 030 any time!
I look forward to making your dreams come true....

Real Weddings Bride Australia: Wedding of Rowena and Mowgli

2011-07-21T06:22:00.000-07:00

It is with great pride, joy and excitement I present you this week's blog post. Not only clients, but 2 people who became very dear friends to us over the 2 year wedding planning period, Rowena and Mowgli, who got married June 19th 2010 got their wedding featured in the Destination weddings section of the world known Brides magazine in Australia. Thank you so much guys, it reminds us of the beautiful times we had....
And here comes the story.... I hope you enjoy it :)

Destination Bride’s Diary / My Croatian Island Wedding / Bride, Beach, Beyond
My magical island wedding in Croatia, Europe’s newest holiday hotspot.

It might not seem like an obvious destination to tie the knot, but we knew the minute the idea of Croatia came up, that it was the right place for us.

Who? Mowgli Frere & Rowena Carr-Allinson
Where? 19 June 2010, Hotel Sipan, Sipan Island near Dubrovnik, Croatia

TWO YEARS BEFORE: JULY 2008
Mowgli and I had been together ten years when he proposed on a trip in Oman. With his being French, and me English, we’d been to a fair few weddings in England and in France, so we were on the lookout for something really different.

Why Croatia? Why not! We were visiting Zagreb and it seemed like a great idea over a glass of Ožujsko beer, so we set about organising it. We thought: they have lovely weather, nice wine and great food – what more could you want for the perfect wedding location?

For two years, we explored the Dalmatian coast, searching high and low for the right spot until we came across the island of Sipan, with its teeny, tiny beach and its perfectly sized hotel. We wanted something simple, beautiful and private. The rest was icing.

A YEAR BEFORE: JUNE 2009

A destination wedding challenge

I knew planning a destination wedding wasn’t going to be easy. As well as the language barrier, logistics and the sheer distance, there were other things to get to grips with, like the Croatian way of doing things. Sometimes when everything is ‘fine’ but nothing is actually tried out, it does get a little worrying!

Although we had a clear vision in our minds, we’d have to wait to see if it would all pan out according to plan.

First Things First…

My first step was to find help on the spot, in the shape of the lovely Ines Nanic who runs Dubrovnik Events (www.dubrovnikevent.com, tel +385 98 599 030). A wedding planner with years of experience, we met and instantly became friends.

Her and husband Marin, were our eyes and ears on the ground, and helped us with every little thing. They did everything from visiting locations, taking pictures and getting quotes to booking our suppliers. They introduced us to the fabulous Kristina Skvrce for our flowers, they organised sofa, cocktail tables and oil lamps hire and transport, and also advised us to book Ivan, the DJ who kept us dancing all night! They even arranged for thelegal paperwork to be done ahead of the wedding and sweet talked the registrar into performing the ceremony on the beach.

There is no way we could have done it without them. Although, on the day, we did because Ines had her baby son 24 hours before! Luckily for us, Marin was a total pro, coming to help with the final preparations!

SIX MONTHS BEFORE: DECEMBER 2009
E-Invites…

The complex logistics meant the idea of traditional invitations didn’t work for us, and we opted for a practical website about what became known as ‘Le Wedding.’ As Mowgli designs them, we were able to have a great looking site with all the necessary info from flights from Geneva, Paris and London to hotel options, activities and other useful details like wedding lists, dress codes etc! To keep everyone up to date, we also sent out regular email newsletters and we soon had most of our guests’ bookings confirmed, which really helped with organising!

The Essentials
We got Mowgli’s fantastic Hackett suit in Paris and my mother spoiled me with a beautiful Spose Di Gio dress in london. Because it’s made to measure I arranged to come back for final fittings a couple of months before Le Wedding. We also met our wonderful photographer, Sam Bowen (www.sambowenphoto.com/, Tel:

07855 794461)and started paperwork proceedings, ordering birth certificates etc.

Spreadsheet-tastic

I hate to admit it, but I learnt how to work a spreadsheet – something I really thought would never happen!

I ran one for the budget, including all the decorations and food & beverages. I ran one for flight times & arrivals for guest transport and with Ines and the staff at the Hotel Sipan, we had another for room bookings. Tanja on reception did a fantastic job of allocating rooms to singles, couples, families etc – it was mind boggling!

TWO MONTHS BEFORE: APRIL 2010

Long Distance Décor

Decorations on a budget are hard to come by in Croatia so Ines advised me to bring as much as possible with me.

We duly ordered everything ahead. My favourite items were bunting I had made (having found the fabric in the US), lovely ribbons, and hearts, one made from rosebuds, the other twigs, as well as a gorgeous personalised lime green heart from the brilliant Notonthehighstreet.com. I also got lovely white paper ‘lace’ bunting and cute heart print jam jar style candleholders from the Dotcomgiftshop.com too. And, of course we made as a few trips to Ikea!

My sister in law, Eve, and friend, Kim, who both travelled from America were great, packing bits and pieces in their suitcases, like glow-in-the-dark bracelets, pink fans, personalised coasters and fuchsia silk gerberas. My mother also brought my parasol, dried petals and the kids’ gift bags while bridesmaids also had stuff stashed away. A real joint effort.

We had to think of absolutely everything. Being on an island meant no last minute dash to the shops !

IN THE RUN UP TO THE BIG DAY

A week before…

We decided to head to Sipan, a week before D day, to finalise preparations. A good move.
Driving down through France and Italy with the car packed to the rafters was an adventure! We had all our wedding essentials in there, including a few cases of our favourite French Champagne.

D Day -1 …

Our guests were travelling a long way to come to Dubrovnik so we knew we had totreat them like royalty! We did as much as we could negotiating hotel rates, arranging taxis, babysitters and picked the majority of them up in person with a fleet of minivans.

Dubrovnik, a fortified city built by the Venitians is a must visit, so someguests made a long weekend of it, indulging in some luxury at the wonderful Excelsior hotel. It was totally surreal and wonderful to see our nearest and dearest in this exotic location.

From our rendez-vous restaurant, Revelin, in the Old City, we walked down to the beautiful boat we’d hired and set off for the Elaphiti islands. The cruise was the perfect way to unwind and relax while enjoying the scenic ride. The weather was looking a little threatening, but as soon as we turned into ‘our’ bay, the heavens cleared and we heard everyone on board say ‘aaaahhh’ as they discovered Sipan.

The Friday Night party…
We wanted an informal BBQ night in the hotel’s Palm Garden. As we arrived, however, I noticed they’d set up smart set tables and felt like a total Bridezilla when I asked them to dismantle it all. It looked really beautiful, but it was too similar to the formal wedding meal set up and we wanted to keep things cosy and informal so people could mingle.

A couple of hours later our guests were sipping cocktails, listening to Mowgli’s funny welcome speech, watching the ‘who’s who’ slideshow, and getting to know each other. The BBQ went by too fast, and it was soon time to call it a night, even though I would gladly have sat under the stars, chatting and drinking wine with my favourite people all night!

ON THE BIG DAY
A laid back morning

We decided to have the wedding late afternoon so everyone could enjoy the day doing their own thing. Some went hiking, some kayaking, some swimming, others had lazy lie ins… But with us all in the same hotel, we were constantly bumping into a friendly face which was lovely.

That morning Mowgli had organised a France vs England football match. Against the dreamy backdrop, the boys played, and bonded while the girls cheered on. Others were dispatched on various missions to do all the things we’d totally forgotten about – like putting the rice in baskets, writing out the seating plan, and a serious napkin folding factory also materialised.

Our only problem seemed to be the weather. The islanders were adamant that the brilliant weather we’d had all week was about to turn. We crossed our fingers and by 4pm with no sign of rain we stuck to Plan A.

All of a sudden it was time to get ready, and that is when it all hit me.

Getting ready…

The famous bridal flutter suddenly surfaced. It’s odd. I knew I was doing the right thing and hadn’t a doubt in my mind, but still, an hour before walking down the sandy aisle the significance of it all hits you like a ton of bricks.

I always cry at weddings so I just knew this time would be no different – probably worse. Trying to practice my vows I started to sob. Josephine, who was looking after my hair and makeup, scolded me while she applied the waterproof mascara, and soon we were off to my mother’s room where the dress awaited with my flower girls and boys.

I was nervous but also really impatient. Lucy, Claire and Tash were brilliant at fussing over me and we were bang on time getting into the boat with my father. I enjoyed every minute of it!

As we approached the beach I could hear the song we’d chosen – “Somewhere Over The Rainbow’ by Israel Kamakawiwo Ole. To see all my favourite people standing there cheering and smiling was amazing. I was hit by emotion again and struggled to hold it together as Dad and I walked down the aisle.

I found out later, that by this stage, the best men, Mowgli and most of the guest were in tears. There was something in the air.

The ceremony

The ceremony was in two parts: the official, legal part and the ‘emotional’ part. The formal ten minute ceremony in Croatian (with an interpreter!) was actually very sweet, and gave us a little time to pause diffusing some of the tension, though we still managed to shed a tear or two.

After we were legally married, my Dutch aunt Liesbeth (for whom I was a bridesmaid 25 years before) stepped in for the ‘spiritual’ part. She was brilliant, enthusiastic, warm, funny and bilingual!

We replaced traditional readings with the “Book of Love” which lightened the mood a bit, and exchanged vows, American style. That’s when the tears flowed freely! There really wasn’t a dry eye on the beach, including the Croatian waiters and Sam, the photographer, who swore he never cries at weddings!

I used to be skeptical about people saying it’s the best day of their lives, but it’s quite true. For us, it was a once in a lifetime opportunity to let all that emotion pour out, surrounded by those we care about.

Dinner & Speeches…

After the champagne toast with my father’s speech, we took half an hour out to take some photos while our guests ambled back to get ready for dinner, some even going for a quick dip.

The staff, still worried about the forecasted storm, warned us the party at the beach later might be impossible but, by then we were on such a high, we weren’t worried about anything!

Dinner was a Grilled Surf & Turf with everything from steak to lamb, squid, shrimps and seafood salads followed by Tiramisu and Profiteroles with localwines. I was quite surprised when oysters turned up, as I’m sure we never ordered them but perhaps they got lost in translation?

We loved the amazing speeches and skits from my Dutch family, the best men, my bridesmaid, the mums and siblings and the fantastic Jungle Book themed songfrom the British crowd.

A quick emotional thank you speech from us and it was midnight, time to head back to the beach for some dancing.

The Beach Party

Marin and his team had worked really hard to set up lanterns, sofas, glow-balls and the DJ’s kit. It looked amazing and very dramatic with the lightening on the horizon.

We did our first dance, a bit of mooching around to Robbie Williams ‘Feel’ interrupted by our take on ‘You’re the one that I want’ Grease routine which took everyone by surprise.

DJ Ivan kicked off the party with a little Black Eyed Peas which worked a treat. The dance-floor filled up and the atmosphere was electric. About half an hour later Marin came to see me with a big grin saying “The storm has passed. You can stay out as long as you like.” So, we did. Until sunrise! We couldn’t have asked for a better day – and not a drop of rain!

AFTER THE WEDDING
The day after…

With departures all day, we’d booked taxi boats from the harbour and waved everyone off. Instead of being an anti-climax, the goodbyes were wonderful too: plenty of hugs and kisses, followed by so much waving, my arms felt like they’d drop off!

That night we had dinner at Marko’s with the remaining guests. The family run seafood restaurant known as one of Croatia’s finest, was just anotherincredible bonus that made the wedding so special.

Ten days after arriving, we were the last on the island (but one!) still high on happiness, looking forward to our two month honeymoon!

A month after: July 2010
What we hadn’t realised is that the wedding high would keep on going…

We received the kindest cards, texts and emails. Obviously our friends and family are all very polite, and we expected them to say it was great, but we never expected so many of them to tell us it was the best wedding they’d ever been to, that they loved it and that it had been truly magical.

Everyone agrees that something happened out on that little Croatian beach that day. A unique atmosphere born of the location and our togetherness, all focused on one thing. No interruptions. No distractions.

If I were to do it all over again there are a few things I would have tried to plan better, but the simple truth is that you can’t do everything, so a lot gets left to luck and goodwill on the day. And to us, it was just as it was supposed to be – relaxed, happy and laid back yet beautiful.

A huge thank you everyone involved. You know who you are.

The wedding story of Clare & Adrian- their Dubrovnik Wedding

2011-07-10T15:17:00.000-07:00

Clare and Adrian first contacted me in December last year for an early June wedding, which is in the world of weddings abroad and destination weddings sort of a last minute booking. Their vision was clear and beautiful- wedding in the medieval Sponza Palace followed by a seaside reception venue. We added a bit more local touch by some of our bits and pieces but all in all it was their magical wedding story, and we too enjoyed every minute of it- planning, organizing and coordinating.

I loved a lot of things about their wedding and one of them surely was the feel of their families and some members in particular: Clare's father Kevin whom I absolutely loved talking to and who was there for his, as he called Clare- Daddy's little girl, every second of the wedding planning, even at our pre-wedding meeting :)) ; and Adrian's almost 90 years old Granpa who travelled all the way from Jamaica for the special day and thought I was kidnapping him when I took him to walk the easier path to the restaurant apart from all other guests. I had to menion them as they surely added a lot of emotional weight on this special day.

Adrian was getting ready at a hotel in Lapad bay where the whole wedding party was staying, and his best man was the above greatly mentioned Granpa. They were getting ready together and I thought this was amazing....

Clare was getting ready with the girls at the reception venue hotel and atmosphere was fabulous. Laid back, relaxed and beautiful. So relaxed that Clare was writing thank you cards to put in the Bridesmaids present boxes about an hour before ceremony in the hotel hallway so girls dont see her. I borrowed her my favorite fountain pen to write them and we laughed how people dont know how to write with fountain pens anymore. She had a perfect practice as next time she would use one was very soon from then- at her wedding ceremony....

Soon enough it was time for these two to bond their lives in marriage of unity. The ceremony took place in medieval Palace in the heart of the Old Town, Sponza Palace in front of 30 of their closest friends and family.

Adrian waiting for his Bride as she walks down the aisle with her Father.

And the first kiss of the newlyweds :)

After the ceremony the guests had a cocktail in Sponza Palace and then a panoramic boat cruise with a champagne and canapes reception aboard. Everyone absolutely loved it!

Upon return from the panoramic boat cruise around the islands and Old Town the coach took the wedding party to Grand Villa Argentina Hotel - one of Dubrovnik's, even Croatia's finest, Victoria restaurant and lounge bar where cocktail was first held with the sun setting over the city walls of Dubrovnik's Old town.

As it was getting darker we slowly moved to the top floor for dinner. Set up was beautiful, people were fantastic and ambiance was amazing. The jazz band played well known tunes and surprised the Jamaica crowd with a few jazzy performances of Bob Marley and Clare and Adrian truly were such a beautiful, relaxed and happy couple.

Thanks so much Clare and Adrian for your trust from the very beginning to today. It has been a priviledge and a true pleasure and I look forward to seeing you here for every anniversary, as agreed :)

Wishing you to be as happy every day as you were on this special day....

Happy Planning!!!

Totally in love- Wedding story of Joelle and Barry

2011-06-23T13:57:00.000-07:00

I never met Joelle and Barry before their wedding week, we never even spoke on the phone (which was funny as I spoke to most of their guests on the phone arranging their accommodation so they always say they knew that way I really excited :))- we were just so laid back with each other that it felt like we were friends all the way through the process of a 1-year long wedding planning what in the end was a true fairy tale and the two of them indeed like a Price and and Princess as you will witness yourselves in the pictures to come. The two of them are one of those couples that you see immediately they are endlessly in love so the amount of emotions and happiness that took place that day was enormous.

On the morning of their wedding the sun was shining and despite not so good weather forecast for that day we all had more than good faith. Joelle sent me a text message in the morning that said simply: "I am so excited!" and it made me smile. It still does :)
Her friends helped her with her hair and makeup and she truly did look like a Princess. The color scheme of the wedding was pink and it was present in each segment of the day.

Barry on the other hand had a beautifully calm spirit however you could tell he was a bit nervous which I found amazingy cute- it was only natural to be nervous on your wedding day! :)
He looked very smart and by the time he was ready, all of the guest were already on the coach from the hotel they were all staying in towards the Old Town.

Barry waited for Joelle a bit more than expected at the altar as the traffic jam made it impossible for her to arrive in time so she was traditionally fashionable late- to her own wedding. Well not a lot, but enough to say she was late :) . Barry will always say she was worthwile waiting for....
They got married in a barroque church of St Blaise in the Old Town, the church of St Blaise, Dubrovnik's Patron saint. Even more special, they were married by a family friend, a priest from Rome who married both of Barry's sisters. The ceremony and service were just so beautiful, inspiring and incredibly personal.

After the ceremony we took all guests to a closeby bar for drinks and then a surprise boat cruise to the reception venue which was such an amazing surprise and special experience for everyone!
Just before we hopped onto the boat, Joelle tossed her bouquet in medieval Old Town harbour.

Just as the sun started setting, the boat docked and the wedding party walked to the sea view Neptun terrace. Champagne was flowing and ambiance was truly fantastic while the DJ was playing popular tunes making everyone want to dance immediately. The party lasted until morning hours and the dinner was something to talk about too, I still believe guests were full till next day lunch :).

The next day we organized a casual BBQ lunch for the wedding party on the island of Lokrum. Car free, nature reserve island is more than a perfect gettaway for the after party mood. Just in time to continue the party too!

Thanks Joelle and Barry for sharing your special moments with us. It has been a beautiful journey and may you always stay so happily in love.
Oh and by the way, about that bad weather forecast calling for the thunderstorm all saturday long??? It was one of the sunniest and hottest days of the year! Now that is to be deserved in your life :))))

Happy planning Brides!

www.dubrovnikevent.com

Amazing wedding story of Rachel and Ortis on Dubrovnik's rocky beach

2011-06-15T07:07:00.000-07:00

I remember when I first met this funky couple, last year in spring and we clicked right away. I was even then so looking forward to their wedding as I knew it would be fabulous as it indeed was.
They fell in love with Vala VIP Beach Club, an exclusive part of hotel Dubrovnik Palace immediately and we booked it for 29th of May 2011, both for their ceremony, wedding dinner and party afterwards.

Rachel and Ortis at the Onofrio's fountain in Old Town, for luck :).
Photography and copyrights by Veronica Arevalo and Dubrovnik Event archive.

Day before the wedding there was Champion League (Manchester United vs Barcelona) finals so we organized a gathering on East West Beach Club in Dubrovnik with a large screen TV and cheering with cocktails flowing. The crowd that gathered for the wedding of Rachel and Ortis was fabulous and so much fun that you could hardly hear a minute without loud laughter.

The morning of the wedding ambiance was phenomenal, very relaxed and happy, ladies sipping champagne and getting ready and men taking a swim in the outdoor hotel pool and enjoying a lunch in the very last minute (ssssshhhh: the photographer had to look for the Groom for a while as they went for lunch and forgot about the photo session :)).
Rachel looked absolutely stunning and had good faith in sun sticking with us despite bad weather forecasts so we all decided to take a small chance and do it all outside as originally planned.

Rachel getting dressed.... one of my favorite moments of any wedding....

Photography and copyrights by Veronica Arevalo and Dubrovnik Event archive.

As guests slowly gathered on Vala Beach Club at the always same sound of "Aaaaaaah"s as they walked in, the anticipation rose as we all eagerly waited for the Bride to walk with sun on her face and breeze in her beautiful hair.

Happiest man on Earth in that moment....
Photography and copyrights by Veronica Arevalo and Dubrovnik Event archive.

The ceremony was so beautiful that I think there was no dry eye among all of us. It was all about the two of them as it is supposed to be and it was laid back, funny, emotional and funky. Their friend, Ezra, who funnily enough missed the flight day before made it to the wedding just a few hours before and honored us all with a capella singing of beautifully chosen songs by Ortis and Rachel.

Rachel and Ortis, married and happy walking up the aisle for the final Ghana blessing on the pool
Photography and copyrights by Veronica Arevalo and Dubrovnik Event archive.

After the ceremony, Ortis' father held a beautiful speech and a special traditional blessing where each of the guests treated themselves to a fabulous strong grappa shot before heading for cocktails on a separate terrace while Vala is being made up for the wedding dinner.

Traditional Ghana blessing held by Groom's Father
Photography and copyrights by Veronica Arevalo and Dubrovnik Event archive.

Champagne and canapes followed while Rachel and Ortis took a limousine for a few quiet moments of their own and a few shots in Dubrovnik's Old Town, they had to!

Rachel and Ortis in Old Town underneath Lovrijenac Fortress
Photography and copyrights by Veronica Arevalo and Dubrovnik Event archive.

You must admit they look amazingly handsome, and together, like a match made in heaven. I told you, I knew we were in for a treat of a wedding the minute we met! And I will never be able to thank Rachel and Ortis enough for their trust and the honor of sharing their special moments with us. what fabulous weekend it was!

Cocktail on sunny pool terrace before dinner
Photography and copyrights by Veronica Arevalo and Dubrovnik Event archive.

While they enjoyed Old Town, guests enjoyed cocktails before wedding dinner. Sun was shining and nothing could make the day go wrong. It was absolutely perfect.
After the wedding couple came back it was time for dinner. The set up was amazing, ambiance fabulus and music their friend DJ was playing just ideal for the whole atmosphere set by the day.

Vala Beach set up for Rachel and Ortis' wedding dinner during sunset
Photography and copyrights by Veronica Arevalo and Dubrovnik Event archive.

And how they danced, man, this was something I think none of us will ever forget. It was one beautiful event, thanks to the beautiful and relaxed wedding couple, God's will to leave the sun out for their Big Day and a bit of our organization too :)
Thanks guys, we loved every miute of it and hope you did too :)

Dancing mood- and this is how it was all night long!
photography and copyrights by Veronica Arevalo and Dubrovnik Event archive.

Happy planning all!
www.dubrovnikevent.com
info@dubrovnikevent.com

Emma & Alan's Wedding- a perfect wedding story in Dubrovnik

2011-05-16T07:06:00.000-07:00

Interestingly enough, Emma, our Bridal star of this story, first contacted me on my 30th birthday and just a bit less than a year before her big day. She said she wanted nice venues, with old style touch but modern approach, good food and wine and great time for their family and friends. Having said she read great reviews of Dubrovnik Event, the pressure was even greater to find perfectly suitable venues...

Almost a year later....
We met a few days before the wedding for the pre-wedding meeting and to finalize every detail. Emma was a bit nervous as the weather wasn't too good the day they arrived but Alan's calm spirit and our detailed wedding chit chat have made Emma her old self- positive, perky and cheerful person, very much looking forward to her wedding! It was great getting to know them after a whole year of wedding planning without ever meeting in person!

When I came up to her bridal suite in Hotel Excelsior a couple of hours before the ceremony time, Emma's hair and makeup were done and she was breezing though the suite like a fairy. She was beautifully calm and happy.
It was a perfect day.
Just when I expected her to start putting her dress on, room service knocked on the suite doors and the waiter came in with what looked like a dozen sandwiches!
I always stress out the importance of breakfast for the wedding day as due to excitement and adrenaline, lack of food can never be good, but this was a (positive) shock even for me. This meant the whole wedding party was laid back and in a very good mood. Champagne was flowing and the ambiance was fantastic, and I really look forward to seeing some cool photos from this part of the wedding!
Shortly afterwards, time has come to go to the Old town and meet her husband to be.

Meantime, Alan and his groomsmen party were already gathering at the Sponza Palace. Piano and cello were playing their selected tunes while the whole wedding party awaited for the Bride's entrance.

Emma and Alan got married in one of Dubrovnik's trademarks- the fabulous medieval Sponza Palace. This choise was only logical as it was everything you want from your wedding ceremony venue- it is celebratory, monumental, grand and absolutely stunning.

When we had everyone seated, right at the church's bell tower rang 15:30hrs, the Nessum Dorma started playing and we let it play for a few seconds before we opened the doors for Sarah, Emma's sister to walk down the aisle before Emma and Jack, her father who proudly took her down the aisle a couple of minutes later.
The ceremony was perfect- personalized with a couple of readings and marked by some laughter of Emma and Alan. It was amazing looking at them so laid back, being pronounced husband and wife- at last!

While enjoying a glass of fizzy and laughing out loud chilled and relaxed, they took formal shots of family, friends and colleagues and a group shot too- always a lot of fun, followed by some famous Dubrovnik ice cream in the Old town harbour after which a cocktail reception followed on the paniramic boat cruise. As Emma put it, the sea was a bit choppy but hey everyone is still raving about how much fun they had and they would never change a bit. Cocktail and canapes were served on the boat and then the wedding party strolled through the old town city walls to the restaurant terrace of Hotel Excelsior for yet another few drinks and wedding dinner.

Atmosphere was fantastic, and it didn't rain just until we reached the hotel which was a good sign as all plans of the big day were laying out perfectly. After everyone was seated, short but excellent speeches were held and it was time for dinner.

Chicken canelloni everyone is still talking about , followed by option of either fabulously cooked beefsteak or beautifully made John Dory fish fillet and nicely flowing Croatian wine told us it was time to cut the cake and serve it indorrs as it was getting dark and a bit chilly too.
The cake Emma chose was one of the most original I have ever seen and the hotel made a perfect replica of the picture sent.

We slowly moved indoors where the party started with Emma and Alan's first dance and some partying till morning hours... It truly was a perfect Dubrovnik wedding, set off by a perfect wedding couple, happy, laid back and married to live happily ever after....

Thank you Emma and Alan, for the trust you have put into Dubrovnik Event and our wedding planning skills without knowing us or meeting us before the wedding week. We are honored that we had the pleasure of taking part in your special day. Wishing you days full of joy....

To the rest of you- happy planning :)

http://www.dubrovnikevent.com/

our first 2011 wedding in Dubrovnik- Marie-Therese & James

2011-05-04T14:35:00.000-07:00

Last October Marie and James were traveling and read about us in an in-flight magazine, when they decided to contact us about planning their special day in April in Dubrovnik. after a few emails and a couple of phonecalls they informed us we will have the honor of being their chosen wedding planners. we were absolutely thrilled. and the story began....

It was an intimate gathering of their closest ones- they said it would be an either extremely large or extremely small wedding so decided to do a family affair in Dubrovnik with an after party in England.

Marie-Therese was getting ready in a beautiful apartment in Old Town, overlooking the church where should would say her wovs in a few hours time. Yes, you could tell she was a bit nervous, but hey, every Bride is and with her it was sort of cute as well as she really is an adorable lovely girl who stayed really kind every second of her big day, while being a Bride having every right to go a bit crazy :)

Flowers arrived just in time and Marie-Therese loved them, a perfect combination of whites, creams, and blues and a hint of a sweet peas as well. They suited her just ideally, same as her wedding dress and her incredibly stunning funky blue shoes.

Hair and makeup girls did their magic, though Marie Therese really didnt need much of it being truly naturally beautiful. Finally her Mother pinned her veil onto her amazingly styled hair and she was ready to meet her husband to be...

James was already with Veronica, the photographer at that time, with his brothers and parents and one of his brother's fiance who I am sure thought at least for a second how will she ever beat this Dubrovnik wedding magic :)

James is a graphic designer, a really cool guy who is genuinely nice, funny and calm in the same time. a fantastic combination, and they truly do match each other perfectly. James' mother prepared them a wedding cake she brought all the way from Ireland and when we took some pictures and placed cake at the restaurant's safe fridge it was time to slowly start gathering at the church, as the ceremony was scheduled to be at 1500hrs.

As the time passed, the anticipation rose as violin and piano played selected tunes of Marie-Therese and James, who had a very extensive and specific music requirements for the church music, carefully selected by their professional family friend who is a musician.

Just when Marie-Therese stepped in front of the church, greeted and cheered by dozens of tourists walking the streets of Dubrovnik, the moment was at its peak. James was ready, along with their guests to gaze at his Bride and marry her at last.

When first tunes of Pachebel's Canon in D played, I am sure I saw a tear in the eye of my First 2011 Bride, and I knew it is perfect time for her walk down the aisle, with her father giving her away.

If you ask me this is my very favorite part of every wedding and it never fails me , the emotions are at their peak and the wedding too, really starts her in its formal but such warm and personal way.

Marie-Therese & James exchanged their vows, rings, as well as silver coins and the priest read out the Pope's blessign they got a couple of weeks prior to the wedding. The ceremony was just perfect- intimate, emotional, funny at moments and entirely personal. It truly was one of the most memorable and beautiful ceremonies we had the honor of coordinating and attending.

After the church ceremony we took the guests for drinks at a nearby bar when the couple went with the photographer for a small photo session around Dubrovnik's Old Town after which they joined their guests for a few drinks and nibbles too. Look at the tractor Marie-Therese just fell in love with during her walk and out of pure joke they made it happen and captured for good- when is the last time you saw a Bride on a tractor? :)

The wedding party of Marie-Therese and James continued with a fabulous dinner at Gil's Cuisine and Pop Lounge (http://www.gilsdubrovnik.com/ ). They loved every second of the pampering at this very special place where truly all of your senses will be overwhelmed. in a positive way of course.

It has truly been a pleasure planning, organizing and coordinating their wedding, and we can only thank Marie-Therese and James for honoring us with having a part in their special day.

For your wedding offer please contact us at info@dubrovnikevent.com

Happy planning!

How to find your true wedding planner - stuff to keep in mind when looking for one

2011-04-16T15:09:00.000-07:00

This last couple of weeks I have witnesses a few occasions where a couple's wedding vision and the whole special day were compromized to a great extent due to the fact they had no reliable local contact to ensure all of their wedding vendor communication is indeed agreed upon and set in stone. I couldn't help but think: see, this is exactly why one needs to hire a wedding planner, especially for a wedding abroad.
the questions is- how to find a reliable one, that will indeed work in your best interests and ensure your dreamed of day truly goes as a day of your dreams?

We give you a few tips how to know the professional you hire is indeed an expert professional wedding planner:

1. RECOMMENDATION is the most obvious way to find out if your wedding planner is any good- look for testimonials from other couples and maybe even vendors. Other people's experiences with the person you are looking to hire to plan the most important day of your lives will help a lot in making this decision. Don't ask for reference letters only, but contact details of couples as well, especially those who have had similar wedding to what you have envisioned. It will also help get an idea of what they thought of these choices and how the planner contributed to the whole day.

Ines with Mairead and Neil in front of St Ignatius Church in Dubrovnik, after their wedding ceremony on 20/08/2009

Ines & Marin as witnesses at St Blaise church to Niall & Olivia, 20/10/2006

2. SAMPLES OF PREVIOUS WORK- we all know that any craft is crafted and perfected with practice, so is the wedding planning. Ask for a brief history of the planner's company, how many weddings they have done up to date and pictures of previous weddings. Ideally, if you are asking for references, your planner will supply you with a couple of contacts from each of the previous 3 years of business at least. Also, ask for photos and maybe even videos of weddings that have a similar concept to your own to see the closest picture possible.

Ines & Marin as witnesses to Jessica and Raoul, after their elopement ceremony on Dubrovnik viewpoint on 09/09/2009

3. PROFESSIONALISM, INVOICING AND CONTRACTING- your planner should clearly explain you how the payment and contracting procedure takes place for your wedding and draft you a contract proposal immediately after your date confirmation, outlining all agreed upon segments, cancellation policy, their fee structure and explanation of potential costs that are upcoming. You should also expect from your planner to issue you another annex to the contract closer to the wedding with every single detail agreed for your wedding with all prices and fees agreed upon, leaving no space for misunderstandings or unpleasant surprises. Make sure you check with your planner any potentially unexpected costs at the initial stages and if they would increase their fees if your guestlist goes up or the scope of their work goes wider. Finally you need to expect to receive a receipt for each deposit you make as well as final invoice for your wedding, outlining each and every item of your wedding.

Aine & Ines, who became very good friends during their wedding planning days, just minutes before Aine's wedding ceremony in Dubrovnik on 10/09/2010

4. THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING LOCAL can never be stressed out enough. Local people look after each other and will always have a better relationship with local vendors than a foreigner will, and as much as we say this shouldn't be true, this is an unwritten rule and there are rarely exceptions. By hiring a local wedding planner you will ensure there are no miscommunications either as you wouldn't appreciate the fact that your flowers came purple instead of pink due to the language barrier. Finally, a local will know and feel the region, venues, possibilities, capacities and "hidden" vendors better than anyone else.

5. THE FEELING OF TRUST that you won't miss when you meet your true bound wedding planner. Your personalities will match and compliment each other and you will simply feel like that's the right person to entrust this important role. Everything about Your wedding should have the right and good feel to it, as does your Wedding Planner. They will become your best friend over the coming period whom you will be in touch with more than with anyone else probably, so it has to be a person you feel comfortable with -sharing your thoughts, feelings and asking any questions that pop your mind.
Your true wedding planner will know exactly how to calm you down when needed or nudge you into being proactive if you are not.
Your true wedding planner will make you feel at ease at any step along the way and will indeed plan and make your dream wedding day your reality.

Ines with AnnMarie and Killian, after their wedding ceremony in St Ignatius church in Dubrovnik, 01/05/2010

Dubrovnik Event wishes you happy planning!

If you would like Ines & Marin of Dubrovnik Event to be your wedding planners, for your personalized wedding offer please contact us at info@dubrovnikevent.com
for more info about us and more pictures please visit www.dubrovnikevent.com

Top 10 reasons why get married in Dubrovnik

2011-03-24T10:53:00.000-07:00

1. Dubrovnik’s beauty has long been inspirationally known and world renowned, even the famous poet Bernard Shaw said it himself: “Those who seek Paradise on Earth, must come to Dubrovnik”. This says it all and surely you will know what he meant once you visit and experience the picturesque sites this amazing city has to offer. You will be enchanted by its clear blue sea, pristine beaches, hospitality of the locals and that familiar feeling like you are at home, at a first glance. You will always want to come back to it.

2. Dubrovnik is also known under its alias “Pearl of the Adriatic”, as it truly offers you and your wedding guests absolutely anything you may need and want while leaving you without breath with its natural beauties, rich history, culture and romantic alleys. It has been a vacation getaway location for many celebrities including Beyonce, Paris Hilton, Tom Cruise, Catherine Zeta Jones and Michael Douglas, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, Mickey Rourke, Nick Nolte, Steve Buschemi and Roger Moore, to name a few.

3. Today, you can directly fly to Dubrovnik for your wedding from most European and world cities, including New York from 2011! You can also fly to Dubrovnik’s local airport from England, Ireland, Germany, Russia, Italy, France, Spain, Turkey, Switzerland and Austria, to name a few. This definitely saves a lot of time and money for your guests, making it convenient, easy and even more desirable as a destination wedding location.

4. UNESCO has placed Dubrovnik and its famous city walls in 1979 as a city under their protection due to its incredibly rich cultural and historical heritage and the preservation of the mentioned. You will surely have lots to do around here- from learning about our rich history and culture, to, for some more fun stuff, such as paragliding, water sports, diving, kayaking, or simply sun bathing with an occasional swim in the clear blue sea. And you wont even have to look very closely to see the fish swimming around you- the sea is just that clear!

5. While walking through streets of Dubrovnik, you will be able to pick a lemon for your morning freshly squeezed lemonade, a tangerine to have for breakfast, some pomegranate for snacking fresh and healthy at the beach; and pretty much wherever you go- to a local tavern or your private accommodation Bed and Breakfast, you are most likely to be served mostly homemade and home grown produce. Croatians take pride in this so enjoy the organic fruit and vegetables at your hand’s reach.

6. Dubrovnik has 2554 sunny hours per year in average. looking for a sunny destination wedding location? You can't beat that!

7. Dubrovnik has been a host to Dubrovnik Summer Festival for over 60 years- concerts under the stary skies, theatrical plays in most amazing lcoations you can imagine and medieval costumed festival on each cobbed corner! Your guests will have loads of options to choose from on their list of "what to do while in Dubrovnik".

8. Dubrovnik's accommodation and restaurant/bar offer reached an enviable assortment of all different kinds and categories of the properties, so you can stay and offer your guests to indulge at a 5 star hotel overlooking the famous Dubrovnik's city walls while enjoying a relaxing massage with a glass of champagne, or enjoy the authenticity in one of the local B&Bs in the Old Town up in the cobbled streets. Or maybe a Villa with a pool for your guests, there are loads to choose from! Whatever their budget and preferences are, we assure you Dubrovnik has it all.

And when it comes to dining and wining in Dubrovnik, you are in for a treat! We will happily send you a list of must visit places to taste the very best of Dubrovnik.

9. Your guests will be happy to visit a place for your wedding week where they will be able to make a vacation out of it- there is a bit for everyone's tastes in this beautiful city. Also, Montenegro is half hour away and Medjugorje is only 2 hours away if your family wishes to do a pilgrimage trip.

10. After a couple of days walking through Dubrovnik streets and visiting local bars, you will feel like home, already getting exciting at the thought of coming back, and you will leave with so many beautiful memories and locals' contacts who will truly be in touch with you for years to come.

Indeed, Dubrovnik is a very special place for Your very special day.

***for your personalized wedding offer in Dubrovnik , please visit www.dubrovnikevent.com or email us at info@dubrovnikevent.com

we look forward to hearing from you and making your dreams come true!

Children at Weddings - your Wedding can be screaming free if you manage to keep them occupied...

2011-03-16T01:47:00.000-07:00

Some of you may not know this- I have a 9 month old son who is the greatest light of my life. Well, most of the time :)
I will start this blog post with this great picture of a wedding of Helen and Paschal a fantastic couple with 2 adorable sons, and the whole wedding was with lots of kids, a wedding that took place symbolically enough on the day I gave birth to my precious one...

My husband and I are invited to a wedding out of town (it is actually the very 1st wedding abroad I will attend that I didn't plan and won't be coordinating (well maybe just a little :)) in May and I started thinking about the "kids at weddings issue" from an entirely different perspective. So far I was looking at it from the Wedding Planner's perspective, but since recently, I have a Mother's perspective as well, putting things in a whole new point of view!
After a lot of thinking and discussion, we decided we will leave our little precious one at home with grandparents for those 2 days that we are leaving for. If it were for longer, I am not sure we would do so. And surely if we did take Luka with us, I would be looking into an option of babysitter for the evening. Not really sure any parent can relax and entirely enjoy a wedding event while their child is either running around a new unexplored area or while their baby is requesting their undivided attention.

The key is keeping children occupied at weddings. I am delighted to tell you that for most of our Dubrovnik weddings we either have babysitters (especially for smaller children and babies) or some sort of entertainment for kids. Special thanks to Kim Rix (http://www.yourlondonweddingplanner.co.uk/) for some of her ideas and suggestions in the words that follow!
Some recommendations follow:

1. Give kids a role at the wedding- if they are old enough (probably 5+) and feel comfortable enough, have them as flower girls and paige boys, they will feel so important, and almost adult and surely behave much more adult than you would ever anticipate them. Do make sure they know exactly what to do and their parent/guardian is closeby in case the child suddenly decides to change their mind, which often happens. When you put them in front of an aisle and 100 people look at them, smilingly, not all of them will feel comfortable, well - would you? So do hope for best scenario but also be prepared for the not so good one too. Worst that can happen is that they will walk down the aisle with someone adult or not walk at all. Surely your (Dubrovnik Event) wedding coordinator will adapt to that and make sure nobody noticed anything.

2. Garden Games
If you are having your reception in a venue which has an outside area, garden, or grounds, then you might want to consider hiring a few garden games. If you are not Croatian, bring games children at your wedding will be familiar with and will know how to play them without too much explanations.

3. Kids Fun corner
We can set up a small table for the children in a corner of the reception. Provide some colouring books, crayons and ‘dry’ art materials so they can colour, make and play. You might consider some ‘wedding’ themed crafts like decorating a lucky horseshoe or designing a wedding dress. There are plenty of ready-made sets out there so you don’t have to make activities up yourself!

4. Candid Camera

If they are old enough (5 or 6 years +) then you could consider buying a couple of disposable cameras to allow them to take a few pictures themselves. You could set them a checklist of images to shoot or things they have to find. They will feel really important and you will get lovely pictures from their view of the wedding.

5. Special Treats

Young people have great fun pretending to be adults. They will see your guests sipping on champagne, eating canapés and nibbling on decadent treats. Ask your venue or caterer to create some children friendly treats and cocktails. Ask them to make sure they are healthy and low in sugar (so they don’t get too hyper) and lay them out specially.

In the end I would like to say that you as Bride and Groom will need to address this issue, one way or another. Want to make an adult only wedding? A challenging task, I will tell you that, as not all parent will be understanding of this, but if this is your plan- make sure you personally speak to the parent and explain them easily, but also make sure that you tell them how happy it would make you that they attended the wedding.
If there will be children at your wedding, speak to your wedding planner to provide entertainment ie clowns (if budget allows), or make kids corners with art and crafts. Any parent will appreciate your efforts and you will not see children running around your wedding reception and stumbling upon your feet during your first dance. We assure you- Kids at weddings can actually be a lot of fun and absolutely great in pictures!

Happy planning!

Marry me in Dubrovnik this year! there is still time to marry abroad in 2011!

2011-03-07T04:31:00.000-08:00

Funnily enough when I spoke last time how I missed out on the new trend of last minute booking, sure I got some in the past couple of days. A couple for September for which basically we still have plenty of time to plan them. But one of them for May, which really is a last minute booking for a destination wedding, only 2,5 months from the wedding date.
Luckily enough, the couple is being really prompt on the paperwork side of things (some of you may not know this but the deadline for paperwork is 90 days from the wedding date, and in case of a civil ceremony, we as your Dubrovnik wedding planner have to submit the original paperwork along with translated copies to Croatian to the registry office no later than 30 days from the wedding day), and we managed to choose everything in just 2 days of emailing, so we give you a peak of their Dream Wedding Day in Dubrovnik, just a couple of months away:
The ceremony venue:

This is one of my favorite hidden gems of Dubrovnik's lcoations for small ceremonies. it is a small viewpoint in Lapad Bay just above the sea and the rocks, off which the waves hit with those fabulous sea cliff sounds as you get married. Astonishing indeed. After the short ceremony, the couple and their closest family (there is only a few of them) will enjoy a glass of champagne while being entertained by an authentic Croatian "klapa" band, a trio of musicians playing local tunes on mandolines and guitars dressed in traditional Dubrovnik costumes. you can see them here playing in the medieval Sponza Palace during one of our last year's ceremonies:

Back to our very last minute booking- after the champagne cocktail , the wedding party will head down to the terrace just to themselves for a fabulous 7 course dinner, enjoying the sun setting over the sea in May. Is this beautiful or what? Do you see yourself getting married here? contact us at info@dubrovnikevent.com

We hope you like their dream wedding scenario. We love it. One of our very first couples and dearest ones for sure (greetings to Sonia and Benoit and their two beautiful boys- Mikael & Dorian) a few years ago had their wedding with the same scenario- we thought it was original, breathtaking and stunning, but it didnt repeat till now! Looking forward to it!

We wish you a fantastic start of the week, many happy moments and for those of you engaged to get married- happy wedding planning (in Dubrovnik hopefully :) and with Dubrovnik Event of course! :))

2012 wedding booking start

2011-02-26T03:41:00.000-08:00

greetings from sunny Dubrovnik- again, and back to normal :)! amazingly enough, we had snow yesterday, all day long. none of it stayed, but it was falling which in these areas happens once in a decade, so it was interesting to witness to the white backyard when I woke up. This is a picture of Dubrovnik taken this morning, who would say we had a snowy day yesterday :)

Good news is that 2012 is starting to book up. We have some fabulous new locations in store for you and you can check photos at http://www.dubrovnikevent.com/
It is time to do our annual maintenance and revision of our website so I am really looking forward to it, adding more photos, more references and making a mobile version of it.
Another great news is that there are some fantastic villas being done these days and we look forward to incorporating them into our offer. check these photos out- wouldn't you want your special wedding day in Dubrovnik to have this sort of a setting? amazing, isnt' it?

I love the excitement of a pre-season time, when spring knocks on our doors and couples from all over the words fly in to Dubrovnik to look for that special place and that special venue that will capture their heart and so to start their very special day planning, be it this year, next year or even 2013 for which we already have a great interest! I read somewhere that new trend in wedding planning , especially for destination weddings, will be last minute bookings. I must admit I haven's noticed this happening, quite the contrary, and if anything, booking start earlier than ever! Reasons for that are numerous and surely we understand that you wish your most important day of your life to be safely locked while you enjoy the perks and steps of wedding abroad wedding planning, allowing yourself time to absorb each and every detail in making sure it is just the ONE, like The One you are marrying....

We look forward to hearing from you and assisting you in making your dream wedding come true. we can always be reached at info@dubrovnikevent.com and feel free to skype us at dubrovnikevents, or phone at 0038598599030.

Here is to great wedding planning, be it ultra early or last minute! We look forward to it!

Wedding planning boom in Dubrovnik!

2011-02-24T08:03:00.000-08:00

I always wanted to write, memoires, a book, a story of some kind. and now i have a chance to write about my passion, my greatest joy in life (well apart from my 8 month old son and my beloved husband)- wedding planning in Dubrovnik.
To shortly introduce myself, I have been in the wedding planning business in Dubrovnik, Croatia for almost 7 years (wow, time flies!), on and off wedding planning but always on to a certain extent. i have been dedicated solely to wedding planning for 5 years, doing my very best to make a dream come true for Brides and Grooms worldwide, coming to celebrate their special day in Dubrovnik, Croatia.

Dubrovnik Event company is owned and ran by our little family, so it indeed means a world to us and we take each and every inquiry very seriously and dedicate all our energy into making it exactly what the couple imagined. Sometimes it works sometimes it doesnt, but there is work for us as well as our fellow competitors wedding planners as each couple is special and different and matches a different personality of a planner too! :)
that said I would like to welcome you to my wedding planning Dubrovnik blog- I will try to give you as much insight as possible into all the little beautiful details of our weddings in our amazing city of Dubrovnik, truly a perfect backdrop for a wedding. And should you wish to get married yourself in Dubrovnik, or had a fabulous wedding celebration but wish to relive it all over and exchange your vows in Dubrovnik, please contact us at info@dubrovnikevent.com for a personalized offer and keep reading this blog- you are in for a treat!
I hope you look forward to it as much as I DO!