Every wedding is unique, but this one broke all the rules. A dog bringing the rings, a reception in a marquee in the parents’ garden, a crisps-and-gummy-bears zone, a techno shack… And much more.
Getting ready with her best friends
At this wedding we only photographed the bride getting ready. Remember, that’s an option too! If you, dear bride, want photos of getting ready with the people closest to you, and your future spouse isn’t so keen, we can capture just one side of the preparations. Aniela and the girls endured rain, mosquitoes and even some power problems at the reception venue with angelic calm (and one cigarette after another). But the support of good friends can work miracles! There was even time for a moment of meditation (with a glass of prosecco in hand).
A wedding your way – an alternative wedding
Aniela and Jacek planned a wedding “their way”. They rented a party marquee, which was set up in Jacek’s parents’ garden. They hired a professional caterer (Kręgliccy) and decorators from Floriculture, who created a gorgeous setting, and the reception was full of lovely touches. There was a crunch zone – a chill-out area with a sofa and bowls of crisps and gummy bears. There was a special basket and candles – the anti-mosquito zone. And there was also… a Techno Shack and a rave zone in the woods!
Hero of the Day – Strucel the dog
The main theme of Aniela and Jacek’s wedding was their beloved dog Strucel. The backdrop behind the couple read “Woof”, a Strucel figurine “bit” a piece out of the cake, and the real dog even got the honour of bringing the rings to the couple.
A beautiful standing ceremony in the garden
When Aniela arrived at the ceremony in a vintage car, the guests were already lined up along eclectic rugs. There were no chairs – just the closest family and friends standing in two rows, holding umbrellas (handed out earlier by the maid of honour) in case of bad weather. Strucel the dog brought the rings at just the right moment, and the couple read their own vows, which brought both tears and… fits of laughter 🙂
A wedding day session – 10 minutes
Whenever the weather allows, we always encourage you to have a short session on the wedding day. With Aniela and Jacek we had literally 10 minutes for it, in a window between the rain and the sunset. We managed to take a few portraits, including with the Hero of the Day, Strucel 🙂
Wedding speeches in the marquee
Aniela and Jacek live in Berlin, and there was a very international crowd at their wedding. As is often the case at weddings with guests from abroad (though this is becoming more and more common at Polish weddings too), there were plenty of speeches.
A wedding without a first dance? Party games at 9 pm?
As you can probably guess, many parts of this day broke away from the typical wedding mould. The couple opened the party with a first dance danced together with all the guests, and the bouquet and bow-tie toss took place just after dark rather than traditionally at midnight. And then… well, what more can we say, the dance floor was on fire, and the madness was interwoven with a photo slideshow for the couple, the cake and conversations in the corners and the chill zone. The techno shack was probably fired up too, but that was in the early hours, when the photographers were already fast asleep 😉
To sum up: don’t be afraid to organise a wedding your own way if you feel that wedding traditions “aren’t you”. There are a few things worth remembering whatever kind of wedding it is (like a grounded power socket, so there are no surprises with the electricity), but you’ll definitely manage! An alternative wedding is something that lets you fully express yourselves. And if you decide on a photo and/or video team, you’ll always have professionals up your sleeve who have seen lots of weddings and will be happy to advise you whenever you need it 😉
Venue/vendors:
Ceremony and reception: Jacek’s parents’ garden, marquee rented from rajt.pl
Music: Dj Sebastian Tokarski
Flowers, decorations, ceremony setup: Floriculture Ania Nowakowska
Bride
Dress: bought in Berlin at Hochzeitshaus
Shoes: Zign
Make-up/Hair: Aleksandra Szczepanek / Sadowska Maluje
Groom
Suit: Boggi Milano
Like what you see? See more of the weddings we’ve photographed!