Everyone tells you your wedding will be the best day of your life. But nobody warns you about everything that can go wrong (and I’m not even talking about the weather). That’s what we’re here for. Consider this your honest wedding planning guide so you can make fewer mistakes than we did. You’ll find out how quickly you can plan a wedding like ours, roughly how much it costs, whether you need a wedding coordinator or a DJ, and how to keep your guests entertained.
The Day Before the Wedding, It Looked Like Our Guests Would Starve
Our wedding was supposed to be a fairy tale planned without stress, drama, or frayed nerves. And a fairy tale it turned out to be. Everything went exactly as it should have (no, it wasn’t a disaster — it was magical), but we were on edge the whole time. The day before the wedding, we were desperately searching for pizza delivery to our venue because it looked like half our guests were going to starve.
How Quickly Can You Plan a Wedding
Lukáš proposed in December 2017. We wanted a summer wedding, which meant we needed to find a venue as fast as possible. I suspected the most beautiful ones might already be fully booked. We managed to grab a Thursday slot (26 July 2018) — the rest of the summer at our dream venue was long gone. Once we’d secured the venue, I started sorting out the dress. The venue, dress, and invitations are really the only things you need to arrange well in advance. Everything else we sorted out just a month before the wedding.
Rings and Dress — All Bought Online
I had a crystal-clear vision of my wedding dress, which I’d found on Pinterest. A gorgeous two-piece number with a fairy-tale skirt and a loose lace top. I couldn’t find anything similar in local bridal shops. Then it hit me — why search for something similar when I could just order the exact dress I’d pinned? I tracked down the studio that made it, sent my measurements, and prayed that Lukáš had measured me correctly. When they arrived, they fit like a glove, and I smugly declared that our wedding was going to be completely stress-free.
The same approach worked for the rings. We visited several jewellery shops and nothing caught our eye. That evening, I picked a ring online in about five minutes, telling myself that the little band I’d be wearing was probably the most boring ring in the world, because it’s just a circle. Once again, I struck gold. The ring arrived looking even more beautiful than it had on the website, and I decided it wasn’t such a boring circle after all.
I thought I had this whole wedding thing figured out. But then the first real problems appeared.
No Hairdresser — I Did My Own Makeup
I couldn’t find anyone locally I’d trust with my look for the big day, so I decided to do my own hair and makeup. That morning, I lounged in bed with my maid of honour watching The Simpsons, and before lunch I hopped out, curled my hair, did my makeup in fifteen minutes, and went to eat. I couldn’t have asked for a more relaxed pre-wedding morning.
TIP: Want to look flawless but not confident enough to do your own makeup? Put yourself in the hands of a skilled makeup artist.
A Wedding in Reverse — Why You Should Get Married in the Evening
A long lie-in and plenty of time — that’s what an evening ceremony gave us. The wedding kicked off with a reception at five o’clock, meaning I had until at least two in the afternoon, when we’d scheduled photos with Lukáš and the bridesmaids. So why an evening wedding? Getting married at noon is the worst idea because if the sun is out, you’re guaranteed the harshest lighting conditions for photos. Hard light and harsh shadows are nobody’s friend. Plus, you actually get a decent night’s sleep beforehand.
Our “Dream Venue” — The Worst Choice We Made
While everyone admires our wedding venue in photos, I actively talk anyone out of choosing it. It was beautiful, sure, but if we hadn’t been in the middle of university exams before the wedding and had even a little time to search for somewhere new, I’d have changed it in a heartbeat. What would I pick today? Probably the gardens of Mitrowicz Castle, because the owner is brilliant.
When we visited the venue manager at Stodola Suška for our first meeting in December, we were thrilled. She came out with all the right phrases: “anything is possible,” “we can handle the catering, vegetarian is no problem,” and “we’ll decorate everything exactly how you want.” We drove away buzzing, paid the deposit, and didn’t think about it again.
The Manager Tried to Force Goulash and Schnitzel on Us
By the second meeting in February, the excitement had faded. The manager pushed a menu full of schnitzels, goulash, and a roast pig, because “that’s what guests enjoy.” I left feeling utterly defeated and miserable — the only consolation being that we could still change it. After carefully studying the menu she’d offered, though, we realised there was no way to piece together the light, healthy reception we’d envisioned.
After an extensive search for the right caterer, we contacted I Feel Good in Prague about two and a half months before the wedding. After a brief chat about our vision, they put together a perfect menu and even offered a tasting picnic. We excitedly told the venue we wouldn’t be needing their catering and looked forward to the picnic.
You’re Not Using Our Kitchen!
But the venue manager’s response was a flat-out no. We were stunned — there was nothing about this in the contract, and nobody had ever mentioned it. When we demanded an explanation, she suddenly said she’d try to convince the owner. She kept dodging and stalling until just 3 weeks before the wedding, when we finally got a clear answer: no outside catering allowed, because they wouldn’t let us into the kitchen. She offered to have their own chef cook our I Feel Good menu instead.
Your Guests Will Go Hungry, Declared the Manager in Charge of Catering
I’d love to tell you that was the end of the headaches, but it wasn’t. The day before the wedding, we arrived at the venue and the manager announced — in front of the bridesmaids and family — that the guests would go hungry. I stared at her in disbelief. How could roughly €1,800 worth of food for 30 people not be enough? “You worked out the portions with the chef yourself, so surely the maths adds up,” I protested. “Yes, but you said your guests don’t eat much.” “EXCUSE ME?” That was the last straw. Lukáš pulled me away, reassuring me it would be fine. For the record: half the food was left over. But we spent the entire day before the wedding figuring out where to order extra food.
I’d also love to tell you that was the only issue with this fairy-tale venue, but it wasn’t. Not a single promise they made was kept. They forgot to set up the sound system and the fairy lights on the wedding arch in advance. Thankfully, we hadn’t relied on the manager and brought everything ourselves just in case.
How We Handled the Music
We went with live music for the ceremony, but for the indoor reception we relied on Spotify. And honestly, it was one of the best decisions we made. We had two playlists — one calm and chilled for before the ceremony, and another for dancing afterwards.
What’s Worth Investing In
I always knew my big wedding splurge would be the photographer. And I’m so glad that, while the venue choice was terrible, the photographer was an absolute winner — Olda from Něco Modrého (Something Blue). I think his photos speak for themselves. But what they won’t tell you is that Olda isn’t just a brilliant photographer — he’s also a wonderful person you’re genuinely happy to have at your wedding. We liked him so much that we consider him a friend today (and we hope he feels the same).
Our other big investment was the team from DIB Production. We saw their work about six months before the wedding and instantly knew we needed them. We didn’t just want a wedding video — we wanted a DIB wedding video.
Your Guests Will Entertain Themselves — But Here Are Some Ideas
We worried about what our guests would do at the reception. Turns out, there was nothing to worry about. You don’t need anything. No games, no gimmicks. That said, a few touches can add a bit of extra fun.
1) Chocolate Fountain
Our biggest wedding hit. Who says food can’t be entertainment?
2) Polaroid Photos and a Guest Book
Signs reading “I want to get married too” and “I only came for the food” lured even our grandparents into posing. By the end of the evening, we had a full wedding guest book stuffed with Polaroids.
3) Where We Have to Travel Within a Year
We let our guests decide where we’d travel the following year. They dropped destination suggestions into a box, and in the early hours of the morning we drew three at random. How we’re getting to Antarctica, we still haven’t figured out.
4) A Message to Open in Ten Years
When I was little, I wrote a letter to my future eighteen-year-old self. This time, though, it wasn’t me writing to my 35-year-old self — it was our wedding guests. They had the chance to write us a message that we’ll open in 10 years.
TIP: If you do want to plan a few activities, check out these creative wedding game ideas.
Do You Need a Wedding Coordinator?
Our wedding was magical, despite all the planning headaches and all the stress caused by the venue. And yours will be too. You don’t need a coordinator or months of work to plan a beautiful wedding. All you need is a clear vision, a wedding planning checklist, a few phone calls and meetings. And nerves of steel.
How Much Does a Wedding Cost
We didn’t set a strict budget, but roughly planned for the wedding to cost around €8,000, expecting about 55 guests. In the end, only 30 of us attended, but it still cost more. The final bill came to approximately €8,900 — not counting our time, six months of driving back and forth to the venue, and various small expenses.
- Venue hire: €800
- Music, officiant, photographer, videographer: €2,480
- Hotel accommodation for all guests: €1,280
- Catering: €1,775
- Flowers: €480
- Guest transport after the wedding: €50
- Wedding invitations: €50
- Outfits for the bride, bridesmaids, and groom: €1,315
- Wedding rings: €520
- Chocolate for the fountain: €40
- Guest book: €36
- Instax film: €68
Tips and Tricks for Your Vacation
Don’t Overpay for Flights
Search for flights on Kayak. It’s our favorite search engine because it scans the websites of all airlines and always finds the cheapest connection.
Book Your Accommodation Smartly
The best experiences we’ve had when looking for accommodation (from Alaska to Morocco) are with Booking.com, where hotels, apartments, and entire houses are usually the cheapest and most widely available.
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Good travel insurance will protect you against illness, accidents, theft, or flight cancellations. We’ve had a few hospital visits abroad, so we know how important it is to have proper insurance arranged.
Where we insure ourselves: SafetyWing (best for everyone) and TrueTraveller (for extra-long trips).
Why don’t we recommend any Czech insurance company? Because they have too many restrictions. They set limits on the number of days abroad, travel insurance via a credit card often requires you to pay medical expenses only with that card, and they frequently limit the number of returns to the Czech Republic.
Find the Best Experiences
Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace where you can book guided walks, trips, skip-the-line tickets, tours, and much more. We always find some extra fun there!
