Getting married in Dubrovnik’s Fortress Lovrijenac. Egyptian couple Nora & Hammad’s destination wedding
“Seeing our photos from DT Studio for the first time took us back to our wedding day. DT Studio was able to capture all of the magical moments – from the tears, to laughs, to epic dance moves. Every detail captured flawlessly, and with a very creative vision. We loved working with Tom and his team from day one. They were extremely accommodating, helpful, and easy to work with. The team went above and beyond, not only during the planning phase, but on the actual wedding day. Every single person from DT Studio was very kind, had a fun personality, and impressive vision/work ethic. For us, the photography and videography was very important, but I immediately felt confident that DT Studio would bring our wedding to life through all of the shots. The photos told a story of our wedding and our love in such a beautiful way. Looking through our album, we will always feel the utmost gratitude towards DT Studio.” Nora & Hammad
Nora & Hammad’s romantic destination wedding in Croatia
It’s no secret we often work with couples who choose Croatia and Dubrovnik for their wedding destination as well as our videography style, but today’s couple took this to a whole another level by providing a celebration we haven’t seen for a long time now. Nora and Hammad both fell in love with Dubrovnik at first sight, so it was no doubt that they will choose our favorite city in the whole world as their wedding destination. Today, we’ll show you that there’s no better place to celebrate love than an insanely romantic and historic Dubrovnik as well as the couple who likes having fun so much. A love story of two beautiful people who were stunned by the unique and breathtaking scenery of the Adriatic sea and city walls.
Why destination wedding? Why getting married in Dubrovnik / Croatia?
Nora said “We love traveling and exploring the world. For us, we wanted more than just one night in a ballroom, we wanted an experience for us to enjoy with our guests. It felt like a 10 day celebration, leading up to the finale (getting married). It was the best decision we made!
We chose Croatia, specifically Dubrovnik to get married, because we were in awe by the unique and breathtaking views the country/city has to offer.”
A favorite wedding photo by Dubrovnik wedding photographer
What was your favourite photo? How do we pick a favourite? All of them are amazing! Can I say all of them are my favourite?
What was it like working with your photographers on the day of the wedding? The DT Studio team is AMAZING! We had such a blast shooting with them and we are truly grateful for how comfortable they made us feel. The day of the wedding can be very stressful, but they were able to calm our nerves and help us enjoy every single moment. The team was extremely professional, worked really hard, and had such a creative eye. They did such a great job at directing us and finding the perfect locations for our photos. We really enjoyed all of their personalities which were so refreshing! DT Studio truly went above and beyond for us on our wedding day and we are so happy that we got the opportunity to work with them. Nora & Hammad.
Planning a wedding in Dubrovnik
The only challenge was the unknown. They had never been to Croatia and made no plans to visit prior to the wedding. They saw the venue and met their wedding planner Maja from Dubrovnik Luxury Weddings for the first time only one week before the wedding. It was a bit nerve-wracking for the couple to have no real grasp on what they’re getting themselves into. They had to put complete faith and trust in their wedding planner and other vendors. Although it wasn’t easy, this challenge also allowed for an epic surprise. Everything about Croatia and the wedding exceeded their (and our!) expectations. When we asked them what was the most important part of planning their wedding they said it was photography and videography! They knew the day would be special, regardless of the other details. “We really wanted a team that would capture the wedding with every emotion.” They looked through so many portfolios before finally stumbling across our DT studio Instagram page. “Your photos really felt special and we knew immediately that this was the team we wanted to work with.”
About any bits of advice for other couples out there with plans to getting married in Dubrovnik Nora said: HIGHLY RECOMMEND! Even if you have never been to Croatia, take a leap of faith. The country is SO magical and the views are unreal. My major advice would be – have fun with it! Your wedding should feel like an experience. Destination weddings are so much fun for you and your guests. We will always remember this as our favourite trip, filled with love, laughs, and the most fun we’ve had ever while travelling.
Advice for couples planning their day – what do you wish you could go back and tell yourselves? “Stop stressing! No one will focus on the details, so don’t overthink it. All of the hard work of planning is 100% worth it – it will truly be the happiest day of your life.”
Were you nervous? How did you squash the nerves? “Surprisingly we weren’t too nervous. Our friends, family, and everyone we worked with made the day so much fun which helped squash the nerves.”
(for the Groom) – What advice would you give to future grooms for their wedding day? “Just nod your head and smile. Don’t get involved with the details unless your wife wants you to. The bride most likely has a vision, let her run with it. Like they say, happy wife, happy life (lol)”
Fort Lovrijenac – perfect setting for castle weddings in Croatia
The major wedding detail that set the theme for the wedding was choosing the Lovrijenac Fortress as their venue. This really set the tone and helped inspire the decor. The venue was magical and made their wedding feel grand. The color scheme for the wedding was jewel tones, to keep it elegant. We loved seeing all of the details together in this beautiful location! How they chose their venue was also interesting as they fell in love with the place immediately – “We were researching photos of weddings in Croatia, and came across this beautiful photo of a wedding that took place at the Lovrijenac Fortress. The minute we saw that photo was when we knew that this would be where we would get married. We wanted an enchanting venue on the water, and the Lovrijenac Fortress was a dream come true!”
Wedding dress and suit
The groom chose an eggplant tuxedo, black pants, bow tie, and shoes. A custom-made suit designed by a very talented group of men – shayQ. Hammad chose to rock his Rayban sunglasses throughout the day to match his groomsmen who wore black suits with black ties.
“They chose to keep it simple so they don’t steal my shine (haha)”, Hammad said. While Nora wore a beautiful lace mermaid wedding dress with a stunning veil.
Getting married in Dubrovnik – the traditional Egyptian Ceremony
For the ceremony, they chose to keep it soft and elegant by hiring a violinist and cello player who performed John Legend’s “All of Me” song as they walked down the aisle. As it is prescribed in the Islamic tradition, any gathering should begin with the recitation of Holy Quran, bride’s cousin Zyad recite a few verses for the lovely couple. After the ceremony, their family and friends were offered by cocktails and broke the ice by dancing to some hit songs until it was time for the first dance.
The wedding dance under the sky
For their first dance, they chose Sam Smith’s Acoustic “Latch” which was performed live by their dear friend Dana, which made it extra special. This has always been their song, so it was the natural choice for the first dance. The DJ that entertained their family and friends is a close relative to Nora and it was basically a wedding gift to the lovely couple. It was perfect because they have love the same music genre and were able to curate their playlist with him.
The white three-tiered cake was catered by Hotel Excelsior and it was really delicious! The party continued until the early hours with the sound of summer hits and, of course, Despacito!
A few more words from the bride
How did you feel at the end of the day? ” Relieved, happy, exhausted, and on a high. It was definitely a mix of epic emotions.”
Are there any other stories, tips, memories, etc. that you’d like to share? “Too many to share. The trip and the wedding is one giant memory we will never forget.”
Croatia weddings vendors
Destination wedding photographer: studiodt.com
Croatian wedding videographer: studiodt.com
Croatian wedding venue: The Lovrijenac Fortress
Placed on a 37m high cliff, the Fortress Lovrijenac is one of the most popular places to get married in Dubrovnik. The majestic nature and stone surrounding will take your breath away. It is the oldest standing monument in Dubrovnik and even though it was restored numerous times, it always rises bigger and stronger. It is one of the most popular places to spend romantic moments in Dubrovnik.
Croatia wedding planner: Dubrovnik Luxury Weddings
Croatia wedding cake & catering: Hotel Excelsior Dubrovnik
The hotel has a newly opened Sensus Restaurant with a beautiful view of the sea and Dubrovnik. Piano bar Abakus experienced a complete transformation by returning the hotel Excelsior to nostalgic beauty and pleasant elegance. If you are planning a romantic summer dinner in Dubrovnik, you should definitely visit the restaurant on the beach called “Prora”, where a unique selection of cuisine with a special emphasis on seafood delicacies, with the sunset above Dubrovnik, will surely leave your loved ones breathless.