Monika and Toni are from Croatia. They decided to host their wedding of 450 guests in the heart of the old city of Dubrovnik. First, a ceremony in the basilica, then a champagne reception inside of Dubrovnik's iconic fort with a breathtaking view of the sea, and finally a wedding reception in a medieval fortress that turned into a club once the sun went down. We talked to Monika about all the wedding details as well as her love story with Toni.
How did you meet?
We have mutual friends who introduced us. Also, my brother bought a bike from Toni and I was curious when I saw how handsome he was. From that first day, I felt that he was the one. He was very polite, friendly, always had a smile on his face, he's always ready to help others, and he is the warmest person I have ever met in my life. Almost straightaway, I called my mum and told her that I had met the man I would marry. We met again at a friend's birthday and the theme was 'white sensation’. We were having fun and pretending that we are a couple. We even had a first dance and we cut the cake together too!
What do you do for a living?
I’m freelancer in marketing and social media. I work for myself, and my true passion is photography. So, the photographer was the first thing I booked for my wedding and I chose Marcijus Studio from Croatia.
What was the concept behind your wedding and how did you find your inspiration?
I love minimalism. I found some pictures at Instagram and collected ideas for the wedding. I knew I wanted roses in glass vases but I didn’t know how to do it without looking basic. A few days before wedding, I saw a Mihano Momosa event that had a lot of glasses with white roses and that was exactly what I wanted.
Where was your wedding? Why did you choose this venue?
We said ‘I do’ in the church of St. Blaise in the heart of the Old Town in Dubrovnik. Because St. Blaise is the patron of Dubrovnik, the church has great spiritual significance for us citizens. After the ceremony, we went to Fort Revelin better known as Culture Club Revelin. We had a welcome drink on the terrace above with a panoramic view of the Old Town. After that, we had dinner and a big party inside.
How many guests did you have?
We originally invited 450 people, but the wedding took place during the pandemic so our numbers were far lower.
Tell us about your outfits.
My first choice for a wedding dress was Alex Perry, but it was very complicated to arrange a fitting because I live in Dubrovnik. So, I was looking for something similar that was more accessible. I found the dress from a Croatian designer Envy Room and the shoes were Jimmy Choo. Toni found everything for his outfit at Pal Zileri.
What was your first dance song?
We didn’t have a first dance, because we couldn’t agree on the song. But I did ask the DJ to play the video of our 'first dance’ which I told you about and I asked Toni to dance along with me. So maybe we had a first dance after all!
What flowers did you choose for the bride’s bouquet and why?
Peonies. I always dreamed of having them in my bouquet.
What was your wedding cake like? And where did you order it?
We decided to go with little cakes for each person instead of one big wedding cake. I heard that there was a woman in Dubrovnik who makes delicious cakes but just as a hobby. I met up with her and, believe me, the cake was so delicious that the day after the wedding, I received the most calls about those little cakes. The baker was Alisa from Okusi Sunce.
Bride @moniiiiniiii
Venue @cultureclubrevelin
Photo @marcijus_studio
Gown @envyroom
Tux @palzileri
