Budapest Weddings is for those who love opulent ballrooms and ancient cathedrals. They also like princess ballgowns and traditions.
Felicia & Fredrik, both from Sweden, did not doubt where they wanted their wedding to be held. The couple, who had spent several summers in Hungary and were aware of the city’s beautiful grand venues, chose Budapest from the moment they got engaged.
In my dreams, I imagined a classic and beautiful wedding with lots of elements. “I have always dreamed of being a princess when I get married. We can finally make that dream come true.” says bride Felicia.
Our Love Story
We met during a summer concert in Sweden. We had a lot of mutual friends, but we’d never met before. Our eyes suddenly met at the sounds of Avicii, and we both felt a “click.”
The proposal: Over the weekend, we went to Budapest to take a break from Stockholm and look at apartments for sale. Fredrik booked a table at The Fisherman’s Bastion restaurant (Halaszbastya Etterem) for two on the 24th of February. The “official” plan was to eat at the restaurant to determine if it would be a good place for Felicia and her dad’s colleagues at a conference.
Fredrik then tricked Felicia and got down on one knee with a beautiful view of Donau as a backdrop. After the location had been decided, planning began.
Wedding Dresses & Style
Using many neutral colors and taking inspiration from Kate Middleton and Grace Kelly was essential.
The bouquet comprised lily-of-the-valley and other white flowers in season. The bridesmaids and grooms received white flowers with green leaves to give a classic look. The bridesmaids chose dresses in taupe and powder pink to add some color. Table setting: silver cutlery with gold details on white tablecloths, beautiful crystal glasses, and white tablecloths.
Destination
Our wedding would reflect our love of beautiful and unique locations. We had been to Budapest during the summers and were impressed by its uniqueness and beauty. This is something that isn’t as common in Sweden or Stockholm. We wanted to share some of Hungary’s rich cultural heritage with our guests.
The Venues
The search for the perfect venue began when the Mattias Church pastor gave us the go-ahead. We found the beautiful palace rooms of the Ervin Szabo Library, also called the Wenckheim Palace, while researching on the Internet. We thought it was perfect. Budapest City Library was originally a palace built by Count Frigyes in 1887. It has been completely reconstructed and now boasts a fantastic amount of luxury. The ballrooms are decorated with Neo-Baroque, Neo-Renaissance, and Neo-Baroque features. They add class to any event.
The Photographer
After much research, we found Julian, who we needed. He captured all the details of the wedding, including the venues. We have now enlarged some photos. The dramatic themes in many pictures make them seem like they were taken from an old film.
We were searching for a videographer to create a movie or “trailer,” not just the usual wedding slideshow. Marcus SENERS, a cinematographer/filmmaker who made the exact 3-minute film we wanted, was introduced to us by a friend. The way he filmed and cut the movie had just the right “drama” and felt compared to what was needed. We were extremely pleased with the results! Below, you can see for yourself!
Favorite moments
We love small details and enjoy seeing our family and friends have fun. The saxophonist who surprised everyone with a surprise performance during dinner, accompanied by the DJ and confetti, was an element of fun that is “us.”
Aside from the speeches and the wedding itself, our favorite moment was the surprise our guests gave us. We will never forget it, except for the wedding (watch the last seconds of the video).
Couples Advice
We enjoyed every detail of our wedding, but overseas planning is more work than domestic weddings. And above all, it requires supplier coordination to ensure everything runs smoothly.
We think that, in retrospect, it would have made things easier if we had a coordinator who took on all the responsibility. This was especially true when we could not relax as much as we wanted. It’s also a question of personality. We prefer to do things ourselves, in our style and are reluctant to let someone else handle it. But if your budget allows, you should hire a professional if possible.
Honeymoon
We chose to combine adventure with relaxation because we enjoy experiences and want to relax after a lengthy planning process and a fun wedding celebration. We highly recommend combining travel style and traveling directly after your wedding. After the wedding, you can still be adventurous and have the energy to do so. Then, you can relax and reflect on the day.
We first went to Kenya and spent ten days in Samburu, northern Kenya. There, we stayed at the Sasaab Lodge. Then we headed to Masai Mara, south of Kenya, where we stayed at the excellent Sand River Masai Mara. This lodge was in the middle, so you were as close to nature as possible.
The last stop on our Kenya trip was Nairobi, where we stayed at the stunning Giraffe Manor. If you haven’t heard about this place, it is an old English colonial house where a reserve of giraffes are kept that have been injured or rescued from nature. The animals are treated in addition to helping them slowly re-acclimate to heart again.
Breakfast was served every morning in a lovely hall with windows open, and curious giraffes would come to try the pellets. Those who stayed in the villa were able to interact with the animals. What a wonderful experience!
The tenth and final day of the trip was spent in complete relaxation at beautiful Canuhura, Maldives. The Maldives will always be the Maldives. Blue water, white sand beaches, and unique…you won’t be disappointed.
