Wild, crazy, fun and unpredictable – this wedding held at SVCC Banquet Hall was one heck of a ride! We think we had a slight idea of what we were getting ourselves into when we first met Rob and Marija last year and they told us what to expect on their wedding day. But even with the most detailed of plans and itineraries, we couldn’t dream of all the excitement that this wedding would produce! Flying flags, Croatian flasks, live chickens, live bands, and even a set of power wheels…those were just a few of the things to make for unique wedding videography. Croatian pride was also out in full force, and we could see this tight-knit community coming together to make this day even more special for Rob and Marija. Such a great day filled with so much to talk about!
HOW THEY MET: What an adorable story of two best friends who met way back in Croatian school and found each other again in University. It’s fate when you can reconnect after such a long time! Unfortunately we couldn’t get our hands on some old footage that they had during their confirmation, but we were very happy that Marija relayed the story to us in the morning so we could interlace it into the wedding video. Apparently they always sat next to each other because their last names begin with a PER and a PET – how cute would these two be back in the day?
BUYING OF THE BRIDE: This is where the chicken enters the story. ‘Buying of the Bride’ is a Croatian tradition that involves the groom bartering for the bride with his groomsmen by his side and a bunch of musicians adding to the atmosphere! The bride’s family usually offers up a few fake brides while the groom continues to barter and begs for the true bride to come out. Things like chickens were offered, money, drink, until the sale is finally agreed upon. Out comes the bride and off to the church she goes with the groom! What a fun-filled tradition that was perfect for wedding cinematography.
PHOTOGRAPHER: We had so much fun working with Daniela and her hubby Adam from Majical Weddings. We just got on straight off the bat and clicked! Not only were they super sweet and lovely to work with, they are super talented as well. Daniela actually started in fashion photography and does amazing editorial shots! I’m always whisked away by the ethereal and whimsical images she posts of her models on her Daniela Majic Photography Facebook page. The great thing is that she decided to share her creative talents with the wedding industry (luckily enough for brides and grooms out there) so check her out! I want to also say a big congrats once again to Daniela and Adam on their recent wedding – they got married a week after Rob and Marija!
WEDDING DRESS: I loved the bride’s wedding dress! It was purchased at Amandalina’s Bridal Boutique and was designed by Maggie Sottero. I gushed at the beautiful lace back adorned with buttons, sweet cap sleeves with just the right amount of sparkle, and a little opening below the neckline to add mystery and sexiness! Marija didn’t stop there though…she surprised Rob with another jaw-dropping dress at the end of the night! Let’s just say she wowed the crowd and completely stunned the groom into being speechless!
MUSIC: We LOVE Coldplay so it wasn’t a surprise that we fell in love with their song, Sky Full of Stars, the second it was released! The different highs and lows of the song allowed us to showcase the range of emotions involved in this wedding. From tears and reflection to joy and celebration! It was a bonus to know that Rob and Marija loved the song as well – it just suited their big day to a tee. As for the song at the beginning, the bride and groom had sent us a list of Croatian songs that we could use and this Slavonac se Hercegovkom Zeni by Sima Jovanovac certainly stood out. It gave us the upbeat tune we needed to kick off the video and to compliment the buying of the bride tradition!
Thanks so much to the lovely couple for letting us in on the shenanigans of the day – we had a blast filming some of the most animated characters we’ve seen! Those flag bearers should get a medal for waving those heavy flags proudly all day LOL! All the best to Marija and Rob – we want to wish you the best in this coming year of ‘firsts’ as a married couple! Have an amazing holiday season and a very happy new year!
Until the next post,
Henjo x
ADDITIONAL VENDOR DETAILS:
Make up: Meaghan at MakeupWorx
Hair: Adrianna at Park Avenue Hair Salon
Shoes: Michael Kors
Bridesmaids’ dresses: Alfred Angelo
Groom Suit: Hugo Boss
Groomsmens’ suits: Moores (Vera Wang)
Jewellery: Gifted to each another
Florist: Mimi’s House of Flowers
Favours: Monetary Donation
Centerpieces: Mimi’s House of Flowers
DJ/Band: Nocni Ra