Evo gricka me savest sporadično kad pomislim na sva ta divna venčanja koja smo radili, a koja već dve godine čame u mom kompjuteru i vapiju da vide svet. Bilo je tu svega, od venčanja na krovovima Beograda, preko venčanja dvoje stranaca sa nijednim domaćim gostom, do venčanja preko grane, u Grčkoj, na obali mora. Ali jedno venčanje, naizgled obično i neupadljivo, izdvaja se svojim nepretencioznim stavom i time zauzima veliki deo u mom srcu.
Sećam se kao da je juče bilo. Samo što sam ostala u drugom stanju, počela sam da se dopisujem sa tadašnjom novopečenom mamom Katarinom Sharon. Bacila mi je kosku kako za par meseci treba da rade divno venčanje u jednom seocetu u zapadnoj Srbiji u kome je mladoženja rođen. Mlada je Kanađanka, prvi put dolazi u Srbiju, na selo. Venčaće se u seoskoj crkvi u maminoj haljini, bosa, sa venčićem na glavi. Da li bi frajerski tim organizovao i stilizovao jedno intimno venčanje? You can bet on it!
Paula&Milan, dvoje divnih ljudi već na prvi pogled na prvom Skype sastanku, suncokreti i žuti detalji (omiljena boja Milanove mame), seoski ambijent, mnogo prirode i prirodnosti, već obećavaju divnu wedding priču. Kanađanka koja nikada nije mazila krave i držala u rukama pile i Srbin rođen negde daleko od svojih korena, dolaze na Balkan da se venčaju i sa sobom ponesu deo energije naše zemlje.
Our Story
First, I’d like to tell a story of how Milan and I met, it was New Year’s Eve and our attraction for one another, chemistry and a sprinkle of fate brought us together. I knew he was the one almost immediately. The amount of care and respect that I received from Milan since that day is consistent with how we are today. He is like no one I’ve ever met and being with him just felt right. He was and still is a true gentleman and treats me like an equal (and sometimes like a princess too. 😉
I knew I was going to marry him, but when he proposed (and of course I said Yes!) I knew there were some decisions to be made. My family lives in Canada and the majority of Milan’s family lives in Serbia. I’m Catholic & he is Serbian Orthodox, what are the rules and how do we make sure that our families are both happy with our celebration? After thinking it over, we decided that the best approach would be to have two weddings! A reception in Toronto, Canada and another ceremony in rural Novaci, Serbia with an after-party in Belgrade, Serbia. It was the best decision and everyone was excited (especially the bride & groom who got to celebrate their nuptials twice). It was also the perfect time for my mom, dad & brother to learn about Serbia and meet Milan’s extended relatives. I had been to Serbia before and absolutely loved the culture, food, landscape and the wonderful, genuine people!
Why did you choose Jedan Frajer i Bidermajer?
My husband speaks Serbian very well, however, I certainly do not! Knowing that I had many details in mind for the wedding I knew from the beginning that I was going to need some help. I was able to find my photography / videography team via google, Danilo & Sharon, and I fell in love with their romantic, artsy film-style shots. Since I already knew they have good taste, I asked them who they recommended we work with to help us plan our wedding. They told us to check out Jedan Frajer I Bidermajer, an agency based on Belgrade. I looked through their website & Instagram feed and saw that their style was not only stunning, but also the perfect match for what I needed to throw an authentic Serbian wedding soirée. I reached out to Ivana and after one Skype video call, we knew that we had found our planner, Ivana could make our dreams a reality.
Did you feel safe and free to open your heart and share your ideas for your big day with this team?
With the help of Pinterest, I was able to pull together all the beautiful ideas Milan & I wanted to include on our special day, from the style of the decor, to the lighting, to the “Just Married” sign, to the flowers & beyond. From there, I shared my board with Ivana, Andrijana and Kristina and set up calls with the planning team often, which kept the line of communication strong to ensure we were all on the same page. The planning team shared many venue options for us that met our desired style and we found one that was perfect given the authentic Serbian & rustic vibe we were going for on the big day. The team provided continuous warmth, calm and support, every step of the way so I always felt I was in good hands. Every discussion got us closer to our dream decision, which kept wedding stress at bay. It was a pleasure to connect with the ladies.
Could you achieve your wedding concept without Jedan Frajer i Bidermajer?
There is no way! Jedan Frajer I Bidemajer were able to complete the negotiations, make all the arrangements and execute all the beautiful details in Serbia, so that I just had to show up and enjoy! You can see from the pictures how lovely everything came together. My flowers were more beautiful than I ever could have imagined. It was truly wonderful to soak it all in and see my dreams come to fruition.
How was that big day?
It was above and beyond my wildest dreams. Such a spectacular experience. Everything felt so joyous and full of love. Not only did I marry the most wonderful man, but I married into one of the most fun & loving families.
Milan’s family put so much thought & care into the day also, which allowed for an unbelievable start to the day in Novaci. Not only were we surrounded by farmland, it felt like I had been transported back in time. There was a lot of old-world Serbian charm & tradition woven into the day like rakija, throwing seeds, being carried over the threshold, being greeted by the village upon arrival and then by his mama (with preserves & more rakija) inside Milan’s family home after the wedding, which was all very new to me.
Later in the day when we made our grand entrance to the Kalemegdan Terasa, we were greeted by sparklers by all our friends and family. At this moment, my heart felt so full of joy. Afterwards, when we entered our elegantly decorated venue complete with traditional Serbain music playing, it felt magical and so surreal. I wish I could relive it all over again! Thankfully our photographers captured the day for us so it takes us back whenever we look at our pictures.
I am so truly grateful and thankful for all the love you poured into our day. It was such an amazing day and I couldn’t have done it without you!
Do you have any advice for future brides? Do they need wedding agency?
Take it from someone who planned her own wedding in Toronto and then hired an agency for Serbia…it is possible to plan your own wedding, but it adds a lot of stress to one of the most special & happy days of your life. If you have room in your budget, I truly recommend hiring an agency to take care of all the details leading up to the big day or at the very least having a point person on hand for the day of the wedding so that everything it set up correctly and the runs smoothly. I truly believe this allows for a more enjoyable wedding day for you and your guests.
Do you want to add anything else?
I’ll let you know the next time I am in Belgrade so we can catch up over coffee! If you are ever in Toronto, don’t hesitate to reach out.
And we sure will! There is no better feeling than making people happy on the biggest day of their lives. Weddings are the most cheerful and emotional events of them all, and we are happiest when we get to share the excitement and the beauty of the moment with our newlyweds. This is how magic happens when business is not only business. It’s much more than that, pure joy and gratefulness for being a part of somebody’s most special and emotional moments. We know that this kind of energy will last forever in the universe, and that the wedding magic is as special to the couples we meet, as to us who have the privilege to be part of its creation. ♥
U životu vam ne treba mnogo. Pokošena trava pod nogama. Haljina majke iskopana sa dna ormara. Čaroban zalazak jer mu se tako hoće, čisto da se istopite od miline. Toplota ruke onoga do vas. Sjaj u očima dok gledate svoju novu porodicu, kao svoju. Čarobni dekorativni detalji da doživljaju doprinesu.
I Jedan frajer i bidermajer da vam sve brige oko venčanja odnesu. 😉
Photography: Danilo&Sharon Wedding
Wedding planning, wedding decoration and stylization: Jedan frajer i bidermajer