When it turns out the wedding of your dreams isn’t in the country you had in mind
La dolce vita in Italy
Exploring the world to land in Italy
Oftentimes couples come to Surfweddings with a wedding plan already in mind. In this case, Laurent and Sylvana came to us after seeing the #bestkeptwedding we did in Portugal (You can read that story here) on Instagram. So their question was clear: ‘We want that!’
But we didn’t just start planning, in true Surf wedding style we sat down to ask and listen to what really makes their heart jump.
Turns out that what they loved about the wedding in Portugal were the outdoor setting, the treehouses, and the vibes of the woods. Why? Because it reminded them of Scandinavia. Especially Laurent had always loved the idea of getting married in Sweden, but they also wanted the certainty that it would be sunny on their happy day. In conclusion, what they actually wanted was the best of all worlds, and not one specific country.
So we started looking for the right vibes without knowing where exactly we would find them. Until Jan spoke to one of his friends whose family lives in Italy. After describing the scenery, his friend immediately thought of the village his dad grew up in. It was a small village in Italy, with an old city center near the sea in the middle of the mountains with fields of olive trees. The setting was absolutely perfect and Laurent and Sylvana agreed right away.
Making up for lost time
Weddings are about more than just two people. They are about families being brought together, friends being there for this special moment among their loved ones. The gathering of a wedding can be a time to escape the rush of everyday life and carelessly enjoy time together. For Sylvana and Laurent this was a huge part of their wedding. Since they both work in London, quality time with their friends and family in Belgium is very rare. For their wedding, they wanted to escape together. So they ended up saying their I do’s in an old, authentic Italian village, had a gathering party with family and friends on the beach, and dined and partied among the olive trees in a valley.
La Dolce Vita can be hard to get
There’s a reason they call it wedding planning. It takes a lot of preparation and figuring out stuff as you go. For this wedding, we went to Italy three times to plan the perfect combination of events and scenery (you don’t hear us complaining though, we love pizza). The first time planning a wedding in a new country is always a challenge because we want to work with local caterers for food and other services. On top of that, the mountain area where we were planning to have this wedding was mainly occupied by agriculture, which is not the easiest for transportation of guests, finding venues that are available and caterers nearby. As a result, the plane tickets were booked, the program was decided, the sleeping arrangements for the guests were made, … Everything was taken care of except for one thing: the wedding venue. In fact, we only found it three weeks before the wedding. And to this day I am grateful to Sylvana and Laurent for trusting Surf weddings fully to pull it off.
Laurent & Sylvana - Behind the scenes
Check out the image gallery
Pictures: Elien Jansen
Behind the scenes video & pictures : Bram Laenen
Location : Crovatico (Italy)
Organization & Styling : Team Surf weddings
Flowers : Surf weddings ft Dorien Bergmans
Catering : Fara del Falco
A wedding planner takes the stress away. Even on a rainy day.
We work together to create your day, your way
We work together to create your day, your way
Being a wedding planner is about a lot more than just execution, decoration, and well… planning. It’s about putting the couple’s mind at ease, about making sure they get to look forward to their day worry-free. That’s why even wedding planners need wedding planners.
This was the case when Mieke & Arne asked Surf weddings to help out with the planning and creative execution of their wedding. Mieke and I met when we were both following the same training for wedding planning, so it’s safe to say she was just as qualified to do it herself. However, this time she was the bride and all brides deserve a workfree wedding day. Most of the preparations she ended up doing herself and we agreed that Surf weddings would step in in the last three months to take over the workload. Before that, we worked together as a team and we played a supportive role in the journey towards their dream wedding.
Le pays de l'amour
After three months of preparation for us, and many more months of excitement for Mieke & Arne, the time had finally come to gather their family and closest friends on a bus to France. For three days they could finally escape the world to celebrate their love in a romantic Château they had all to themselves. Three days filled with love, dancing, great food and even better company.
On Thursday we started off the long weekend with a pizza party for the happy few. Because no matter the question, pizza is always the answer. On friday the group expanded with even more loved ones for an amazing pool party, so everyone was excited and ready for the big day on Saturday.
You can’t control the weather
They say rain on your wedding day brings good luck for the marriage, but on the actual day it just means rushing around to make sure the ceremony isn’t interrupted by a cold shower. Looking back on the day, and especially the weather, it’s a good thing Mieke was able to hand over that stressful situation to Surf weddings. Since the ceremony had to take place outdoors no matter what, we started planning and rearranging schedules asap. Eventually we ended up gambling on one hour of sun to build the entire setup and have the ceremony. It’s safe to say that the chill vibes were gone for a little while.
Why it’s a Surf wedding
There was no sun, no beach and no surfboards in sight. But that doesn’t mean this romantic castle wedding in France isn’t a Surf wedding. Why? Because, we create your day, your way. Whether that’s in a romantic castle in France or on a sunny beach in Spain. If you and your partner want to escape everyday life with friends and family to celebrate your wedding with a carefree mindset… then it’s a “Surf wedding” you want.
Check out the image gallery
Pictures: David Wagelmans
Location : Chateau de Lerse (France)
Organization & Styling : Team Surf weddings
Flowers : Mrs White Rose
Catering : Chateau de Lerse
You don’t have to cross borders to escape the world.
A midsummer nights dream in Buggenhout bos
A midsummer nights dream in Buggenhout bos
At Surfweddings there’s nothing we like more than traveling to other countries to escape everyday life, but Lies & Sander had already decided that Buggenhout bos was their place to be. So how did we create a destination wedding without ever leaving the country? Decoration, imagination and dedication.
In a theme wedding inspired by Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream the loved-up couple shared their vows and I do’s under the guise of “Better together” by Jack Johnson. We were able to turn a space that the bride knew by heart into a world she could’ve only imagined. Her father’s restaurant turned into a fairy-like forest, created out of natural decorations like moss and leaves. On top of that, there was the eye-catcher of the day, aside from the stunning bride of course: a swingset that seemed to come straight out of Shakespeares fantasy land for the ceremony.
Why it’s a Surfwedding
Eventhough our bags are always packed, we don’t have to cross the border to make your dream wedding come true. Turning an everyday location into a fairy-tale with the right styling, flowers and decorations is a passion of ours too. Even Belgium can be beautiful if you do it right, all we ask is the freedom to do exactly that. Because creating a new world in an existing one takes resources and trust. If you want to go all out for your big day, then it’s a Surfwedding you want.
Check out the image gallery
Pictures: By Elke van Ende
Location : Brasserie Foreest
Organization & Styling : Team Surf weddings
Flowers : Team Surf weddings
Catering : Atelier V
Be brave and ride the waves
Saying ‘I Do’ in a surf-resort in Portugal
Saying ‘I Do’ in a surf-resort in Portugal
Creating a dream wedding is much like marriage itself. It takes a lot of trust and courage to ask and listen to what the other party really wants, to what lives inside their heart. In this case, our happy couple needed the courage to go after their unspoken dream of having a wedding abroad. As a result, I also had to trust myself and the team to be able to convince the couple to go after their dream together. The story of Karolien and Sven’s wedding is everything Surfweddings stands for: “Celebrating life, love, family, and friends.”
It all began on a rainy November day. I met Karolien and Sven for the first time. They had already started planning a wedding in Belgium and wanted Surf weddings to help them with the creative and organizational side. At Surf weddings we believe that catching dreams starts with asking questions, really listening to the answers all while enjoying a nice glass of wine.
It was during this conversation that I learned that Karolien and Sven loved adventure and that they’ve both worked in several different places around the world. Naturally, their dream of marrying abroad came up. A dream they had buried a long time ago out of fear that it would be impossible to plan. On my way home it was clear to me that if I really wanted to make their dream wedding a reality, it would have to be abroad. I’m not going to lie, as a beginning wedding planner it made me insecure, could I really pull this off? Luckily my excitement overshadowed the fear and we made it happen.
A wedding festival
As a theme, Karolien and Sven wanted a “festival wedding”, where everyone could be themselves. Simple and small-scale with the focus being on having a good time with friends and family. As for the location, it had to be a sunny place filled with activities to do before and after the wedding. A place that’s always on chill mode and where great food is on the menu.
During my quest, a friend of mine introduced me to the Eco-surf resort ‘Bukubaki’ in Peniche, Portugal and everything fell into place. It was exactly what I had been looking for, an eco-friendly resort with luxurious tents and treehouses near a beach with legendary waves.
Let’s go surfing
Three weeks later the time had come for me to introduce the location to Karolien and Sven. It was amazing for me to hear that my gut feeling had been right from the start. Their hidden dream was brought to the surface, ready to come to life. Their eyes lit up when they saw it and on top of everything they just now shared with me that they both love to surf. A week later I got their permission to make this wedding happen.
Drowning the waves
8 intense months. Preparations, flights, packages, 4-day programs filled with activities,... it was a lot, and honestly, there were times where I felt like I was drowning a little bit. After all, I had only been in the business of wedding planning for half a year at this point and it was my first destination wedding ever. But it all led me to this point. This time it was my turn to dare to live my dream and take the next step with Surfweddings: Cherishing real-life moments in surreal settings.
Coming down the steps of a tree house
Location: check, daring to dream: check, the only thing left was the theme. The festival wedding. To make the festival experience come to life from start to finish the wedding needed an original name and invitations: #Bestkeptwedding brought everything together.
Beach parties, yoga mornings, walks on the beach, or simply enjoying the sun made this wedding much more than just a ceremony.
They said their I do’s amongst friends and family in a setting that had everything they loved. Everything about their wedding felt magical. Like when Karolien came down the stairs of her treehouse and none of us were left untouched; when Sven’s mother could still be part of their moment virtually, while she was sick at home or when they made their vows to one another bringing past, present and future together. Every moment was filled with love.
As a wedding planner, you’re busy keeping an eye on everything and preparing for what’s to come, but in these moments time stands still
Bestkeptfriends
The #bestkeptwedding will forever be the origin story of Surfweddings. Every part of the event was created with everything Surfweddings stands for. All ingrediënts and catering were locally sourced and our decorative materials were made for reuse. But the best part of it all was the memories and relationships that were created in just 4 days. A WhatsApp group called ‘Bestkeptfriends’ was created, filled with people who barely knew each other before the wedding, but now had a shared memory of these amazing moments.
It takes courage to listen to what someone really wants and to go for it fully. But it is always worth it.
Karolien & Sven - Behind the scenes
Pictures: Stories by light
Location : Bukubaki Eco Resort
Organization & Styling : Team Surf weddings
Flowers : Team Surf weddings
Catering : Bukubaki Eco Resort