A Polish woman and a Serbian guy, both of whom live in Canada, decide to get married in Dubrovnik, Croatia. Now if that is not a recipe for diversity, I don’t know what is. When I heard about the ingredients, my inner documentary photographer-slash-bartender recognized a cool cocktail, with all of the ingredients for a perfect summer wedding day.
Some wedding preparations and ceremonies have logistics complicated enough to confuse seasoned explorers. In addition, Dubrovnik wedding costs can easily burn a hole in your pocket if you are not careful with your plans. However, if you are considering a Dubrovnik destination wedding, do not be discouraged.
This particular matrimonial ceremony is proof that the entire show, including the photo session, can neatly be organized in a single location. Starting with bridal preparations, reception arrangements, the wedding ceremony and the party afterwards – everything was orchestrated in the same villa in the famous City of Dubrovnik, known across the globe as the Pearl of the Adriatic. This city has such charm that you do not even have to cash out for a huge or a particularly luxurious place. Some of the best and most comfortable sites are the small wedding venues in Dubrovnik, and there is no shortage of them.
The Old Town – inevitable location when shooting Wedding Photography in Dubrovnik.
There is one exception, though. It goes without saying that getting married in Dubrovnik without having a photo session in the Old Town is just about unacceptable.
No matter how many times I visit this enchanted Mediterranean attraction, it never ceases to amaze me. Whether I am there on a gig as a Dubrovnik wedding photographer, or as a loyal tourist, I always discover new details to photograph. I can hardly think of a place which is visited by such a large number of tourists, but which still has unexplored frames and backdrops for some gorgeous wedding photos. There is a good reason why this popular tourist destination is on the World Heritage Sites list of UNESCO.
“Those who seek paradise on earth should come to Dubrovnik” – George Bernard Shaw
Saturday afternoon is definitely not when this quote was written. To use a quote from quite a different bunch of poets, the Guns ‘n’ Roses, we were expecting “Paradise City”, but we soon realized that we were closer to “Welcome to the Jungle”.
The Old Town is crowded at this particular time, and if you want to enjoy it, I suggest you avoid this tourist-rush-hour. We went on a quick tour of the tiny streets, gazed at the famous walls of the Old Town and this part of the photo shoot was done. Regardless of the throng in the streets, since this was Kamila and Igor’s wedding day, neither them nor I were bothered by the crowd or the blazing sun. I took yet another very nice set of photos in one of my favorite Croatian wedding venues, ignoring the distractions. After the session, we sat down to have a well-deserved refreshment – a shot of Slivovitz – a plum brandy originating from these parts, and traditional for marital rites. It is a Family Thing.
The ceremony was held in the Villa, on a platform overlooking the Adriatic Sea, just about one of the best wedding venues in Dubrovnik I’ve had the privilege to visit. Igor’s brother held the ceremony – and it was excellent. I was expecting something typical and traditionally boring, but Igor’s brother knew what he was doing. He had everything under control, with unusual ease.
He showed up for the task not as a civil servant, but as a loving family member and he nailed the job. After a brief, but heartwarming ceremony, the bride and groom exchanged vows and kissed. As documentary wedding photographer, I get to be very close during this part of the wedding ceremony. I could see genuine excitement and tears of joy in the newlyweds’ eyes. For documentary style of photography this is crucial – because this cannot be staged or scripted.
Wedding Pool Party
Their guests were extremely nice and well behaved. Maybe too well behaved for my punk-loving taste. My assumption was that the cold Canadian weather managed to cool down the hot Slavic temper and unhinged party-going habits.
At first, the party was kind of slow, but it was the parents who shifted gears and broke the ice by hitting the dance floor. Since the party was taking place beside a pool, I was sort of hoping someone would accidentally slip and fall into the water to help the party going. Come on, a Dubrovnik wedding villa with a swimming pool – and nobody jumping in? No way!
My wish came true after the guests had a few cocktails and the charms of a gorgeous summer evening took over. Everybody got more comfortable and jumped into the pool! The party went on until early morning. Once again I had a great time working as a Dubrovnik wedding photographer. During the summertime, this town with its cozy villas is just about the coolest place to do this job.
Photos by Dubrovnik Wedding Photographer Damir Plavotić
Destination: Dubrovnik, Croatia
