Did you know that Croatia is one of the few countries where photographers (and the band / DJ) have the luxury to enjoy the same food as the guests? This is truly amazing and of course a very nice gesture.

Of course we need to eat as well, and although we love dining, we come to your wedding to work, to photograph, to film. So yes, some food would be nice, but we can keep it all very modest. More important is where we will be seated.

We prefer to sit in the same room as you keep the party, in most restaurants this is the case. The reason for this is that we can see whatever is happening and react quickly.

I noticed that people do care how their tables look like in the restaurant. They want it to look nice, and it often does, until the restaurant comes with the idea to put Coca-Cola and Fanta on the table.

Now I have nothing against those drinks, but I do not like those huge ugly plastic two-litre bottles standing on the table… Why oh why are restaurants doing this?

Some people tell me, it is easier for the guests. They don't have to wait for the waiter but can take the drinks themselves… sounds logic, but…

a) most of the guests drink wine…
b) furthermore, guests would like to drink cold cola. Not cola which is standing half the evening on the table…
c) that's why restaurants have waiters, to serve you the drinks. That's why you pay them!

So, if you discuss details with your restaurant, ask them not to put these ugly bottles on the table… and if they do insist, then insist that they use glass bottles of one litre only!

Why? Because your pictures of the evening will look much nicer when the table pictures are without the huge ugly Coca-Cola bottles… afterall, they are not sponsoring you, aren't they?

And believe, taking the bottles out with photoshop is possible of course, but far more expensive. It is your party, tell the restaurant what you want and what you don’t want!

Although probably not your first dance in your life, the first dance is your first dance as man and wife. Personally I love this dance. There is always tension, there is always love to be seen.

In order to make even more stunning images we use ‘roomlights’ to create a special atmosphere. However, we need some time to set this up and to measure the light; normally this is not a problem: while you are waiting until the guests are seated we set up our lights.

But, if for any reason your wedding has a different schedule, know that we would like to have about 15 minutes before you start with the dance. Of course you should coordinate this with the band / DJ and the restaurant.

It is a Croatian habit to give, at the end of the wedding, a thank you card to the guests, the zahvalnica.

Although the gesture itself is nice (and despite the fact that it is a great promotion for us) I am not very fond of using a thank you card with a photo. Personally I enjoy the small presents like rakija, olive oil etc. much more.

However, if you would, we can arrange the photos for your zahvalnice. Some of our couples use an image from the engagement session, some of the wedding day itself.

If you would like to have zahvalnice, please take notice of the following: we prefer real photo paper, printed by our own lab. In other words, we only provide zahvalnice in Zagreb. Furthermore, since the lab closes at 21 o’clock, we will leave your wedding around 20 o’clock and this means that preferable at that time you should have your first dance where after we can leave to get the images printed.

These are the only limitations, besides that, everything else is possible. Since every wedding is unique, we want every zahvalnice to be unique as well.

We had an engagement session the other day on Sljeme, probably the last opportunity this winter to make some photos in the snow. Ines and Vedran are a great couple and I am really looking forward to photograph their wedding.

Below some images and their slideshow can be found on our wedding site [select menu – photos – Ines & Vedran]; be patient since the images are rather big. Enjoy.

Group pictures: for some people a must, others don’t care. Normally we make some photos at the altar in the church. This last around 15 minutes and we will get shots of the couple together with the closest family and kumovi.

Additional we can make one picture of the whole wedding party together. Depending on the place this can be done in front of the church or the restaurant. Although we can light out a whole group when it is dark, we prefer to make the picture when there is still enough daylight.

If you want to make many group pictures (as is done in Slavonia for example), please know that this is not that enjoyable for your guests: they have to wait without anything to drink :)

So the more efficient we are, the better it goes. Therefore it is wise to make a list of the groups you want and to appoint someone who knows the people to collect them during the group session. While we set up the photo, the next group can be collected. As an alternative, we can also make table shots during the evening. However, count for every group picture about 5 minutes time.

People often ask us, what is the best time for the portrait session? Well, there is no standard answer, sorry. It depends if you would like to see each other before the ceremony or not, if you have video, if you want to have a night session… many if’s…

However, this is what we advise our couples:

1) borrow somewhere a nice white umbrella (for the sun of course, although you never know…)
2) try to plan this session when there is still enough light, a night session can always be done
3) keep in mind that we do not like to have many people around during the ‘formals’, but kum i kuma are of course very welcome
4) some of our sessions last long, simply because we enjoy it; therefore it can be nice to arrange a cosy picnic, some champagne to drink and so on
5) since it is your wedding, it is of course up to you, where and how long you’re going to make pictures. It is our task to make any place look great, and we can do that. Don’t be fooled with photographers who can only make pictures in their favourite park. It is your day!

But may be most important: let’s have fun! Making photos is part of your day which you should enjoy a lot. So what we try to do is to have fun. Simply like that.

If you plan your day well, you have enough time for a bridal session. A bridal session is a portrait session of the bride.

Some photographers prefer to keep the formal- and bridal session before the wedding day (I don’t know why) but we always do them on the wedding day itself. For me it is much more interesting cause although we will be relaxed, there is often a moment of reflection, tension, in which we can catch wonderful portraits.

The bridal session can kept anywhere, in your house, the garden, whatever and normally it last about 45 minutes. It is nice if the bridesmaids (kuma) join us, so we can make some wonderful images of here as well.

Bridal session:

Moment of reflection:

Bridesmaid / kuma:

In Karlovac is a small firm who makes lovely invitations (and other stuff like that). Instead of mass production, theirs are handmade, meaning every item is unigue.

Their customerservice is great as well and they ship – as far as I know – all around the world. Below are some images, for more information take a look here.