Wedding abroad is something more and more couples are deciding to do in modern times. But abroad is a broad term. There are so many countries in the world and it can seem to you that any of them could be your dream wedding location.
Since we are Croats, this article will cover the topic of the wedding in Croatia. And it’s the only wedding guide you’ll ever need for Croatia. We’ll cover some of the peculiarities of our country but this guide will also give you a sense of things to think about when planning your wedding in any other country.
Croatia wedding photographer and videographer
Love and Ventures are Andrea and Mario, a wedding and elopement photographer and videographer, based in Croatia. With years of experience shooting elopements and intimate weddings in all kinds of landscapes, we decided to create this guide to serve you as a good starting point for planning your wedding in Croatia.
Here is our list of top Dubrovnik wedding venues
Let the adventure begin!
If you still have any questions after you’re done with reading this article, just contact us and we’ll do our best to help you any way we can.
‘I’ve had the pleasure to book Love and Ventures for my wedding in Croatia, September 2021. From the first contact, Mario and Andrea impressed me with their responsiveness and professionalism: their booklet of tips and suggestions alone is a great value! But really, the wedding pictures+video take the cake! Throughout a very long day, both photographers were tirelessly and inconspicuously documenting everything: from the preparation, the wedding venue, the guests, the ceremony as well as all the speeches and crazy dancing at the end of the night. As you can see even from the few photos I submitted, they perfectly captured all the emotions of that day. Love and Ventures will work tirelessly to get the photo, video and even drone footage to give you the best memories of your special day. Last but not least, here’s a pro-tip: definitely opt for photo+video package, the 5min video came out amazing and makes us so happy every time we (re)watch it!’
Ines and Sergei
Introduction to Croatia
First things first, we need to introduce you to Croatia, a potential place for your dream destination wedding. This might be the first time you ever heard the name Croatia and we don’t blame you for that. We learn and discover as long as we live.
Croatia is a small European country famous for many beautiful natural wonders, a clear Adriatic sea, and historic cities. Although it’s one of the smallest countries in Europe, Croatia has 8 national parks scattered across the country. That fact tells you all you need to know about how beautiful Croatia is.
Related: Top reasons why choose a videographer for your wedding in Croatia
Croatia is among the most popular holiday countries in Europe too. Crystal clear Adriatic sea and beautiful nature make an irresistible combination that drives so many people to visit Croatia each year. We also get more sunny hours than Sydney in Australia, an important fact for all of you coming from colder and rainy countries.
Because all of these things said, getting married in Croatia has never been more popular and Croatia is one of the top European countries couples choose for their I do’s.
Best time to visit Croatia
Now that you know a few facts about Croatia and we got your attention, it’s time to talk about the weather. Have you noticed how people always like to talk about it? Well, it’s because it’s important and it’s even more important when it comes to your wedding here. You just want to have the most beautiful day there is for that occasion.
Summer is the warmest of all seasons in Croatia and most weddings and visits are being made in the summer season. The weather is nice, the sea is warm and that’s enough for almost everyone. It can get pretty hot during July and August and these months have the sunniest days.
Spring and Autumn are our favorites when it comes to the weather in Croatia. The sea is not warm as in the middle of summer, but overall the weather is much more bearable. It’s still warm and all the open activities are best when organized in these periods. Both the spring and autumn have their own unique images that can make your wedding in Croatia stand out.
Finally, we would rule the winter out when it comes to wedding in Croatia. If you are interested in an adventure wedding, then winter might be a good choice if you would like to get married in the mountains. But organizing any other kind of wedding would be a pain in the ass so you better skip it.
If you ask us what period would we choose for our wedding in Croatia, we would say September. Summer is going toward its end. It’s warm, the sea is still warm and there are fewer tourists around which means the accommodation is much easier to find. On the other spectrum, we would choose May or the beginning of June. It’s similar to September with even fewer tourists.
Here is our detailed post about what can you expect from the weather in each month in Croatia.
Is Croatia a safe country?
Your own and safety of your guests is one of the most important things and you want to know how safe is the country you’re visiting. Worry not, because Croatia is one of the safest countries in Europe. If you don’t believe us, you can check the studies made by the European Union or simply read this post.
What you’ll see is that Croatia is among the countries with the lowest crime rates in the European Union.
Is Croatia expensive?
Shortly, it isn’t. Croatia is one of the cheapest countries in the European Union. If you compare Croatia with some other countries such as Iceland or Switzerland, the difference in prices of just about anything gets pretty large. That’s one of the reasons why so many people choose to have their wedding in Croatia. It costs less to organize it and bring all the guests to Croatia than having a wedding in their own country.
Since January 2023, the main currency in Croatia is euro.
Planning your wedding in Croatia
Things to think about
We know we have made you even more interested in Croatia and now you need to start to plan your wedding and we’re to blame. Glad to hear it. We have been with you through the introduction and we’ll stay with you through other parts of your wedding.
We have been in the wedding photography business for years now. We also happen to be outdoor enthusiasts that travel a lot. Combine these 2 and you know that we know a lot when it comes to wedding in Croatia and we can provide you with some really great tips. Like the one in which you choose September for your wedding.
Also, check our comprehensive guides to elope in Scotland, Malta, Slovenia, Ireland
When it comes to planning your wedding in Croatia, you first need to know what kind of wedding you would like to have. There are many options to choose from. Do you want an adventure elopement where only you and your partner will be present, or you want a larger wedding with more than 50 persons involved?
You need to know that every wedding has a different type of organization. If you are seeking to have an outdoor wedding, you might want to have an adventure guide to take you around. If you want 50 guests at your wedding, you need to think about the place they will stay. The best thing you can do in this first phase of your wedding planning is to sit with your partner and decide the direction you want to go with your wedding.
More resources for weddings in Croatia!
Taking care of legal stuff and the importance of wedding planner
If you are having a wedding in Croatia there’s a high chance that you want’ that marriage to be legalized in your country too. And this is where you want to step out and leave the boring bureaucracy to the people that deal with it swiftly and easily – the wedding planners.
You might be a super-organized person and the thing you can deal with everything by yourself and that might be the truth. But you’re dealing with other country laws and there are a lot of different papers and certificates involved. And you are in another country. Speaking a different language.
Trust us, you want to hire a wedding planner, a person who will help you in every step of your wedding preparation and be at the disposal on your wedding day. Finally, it’s the person you can blame if something gets wrong. And with such complicated evens like weddings, especially abroad, many things can get wrong. A good wedding planner is there to minimize that risk.
Here are our top 5 reasons to hire a wedding planner
Once you hire a wedding planner, you’ll be in touch very often. He/she will ask you about the details of your wedding and give you advice about each one. Respecting your wishes, a wedding planner will then suggest all other people you might need for your wedding in Croatia: photographers, catering, florists, makeup artists…
There is one important thing left for the end of this section. You need to know that wedding planners in Croatia are highly sought after and you need to hire them as early as possible. The same is with legal paperwork. The services for foreign citizen who want to have a wedding in Croatia need some time to process it and issue you all the needed permits. This usually lasts for around 1 month but we strongly suggest you do it much earlier.
Getting to Croatia and traveling across it
Getting to Croatia by plane
Getting to Croatia is rather easy. Since this country is part of the European Union and being so famous as vacation heaven, there are many airlines with flights to Croatia. Arriving by airplane is one of the most popular ways of reaching Croatia, especially for people living in farther countries.
Flying has never been cheaper and we recommend you come to Croatia by plane. It’s cool, convenient, and fast. There are many airports to choose from and even if you land in one not so close to your wedding venue, you’ll have no problems with reaching it. Main Croatian airports are Zagreb, Split, and Dubrovnik. Airports Zadar, Pula and Osijek are smaller but they serve low-cost companies such as Ryanair.
Traveling Croatia by car
Traveling across Croatia is easy. There are modern motorways for fast travels and scenic roads for slow-paced road trips. Either way, we suggest you rent a car when you come to Croatia and make the most out of your stay.
Choosing the right accommodation
Choosing the right accommodation is another very important step in the whole process of planning a wedding in Croatia. Let’s presume that you plan a wedding with 50 guests. You need to find proper accommodation for all of them. There are many different accommodation types in Croatia, ranging from luxurious hotels to outdoor camps. Think about what type of people your wedding guests are and it will give you an answer about what kind of accommodation to book.
Secondly, you need to find accommodation for you and your partner. That might be at the same place as the rest of the guests but you might want to travel across Croatia with your partner after your wedding. For that occasion, you need to choose the best accommodation there is. You can choose among many luxury hotels or simply rent a nice and cozy apartment, a villa with the pool or even a lighthouse.
Taking care of your guests
It’s your wedding in Croatia and you’re the most important part of it. But you’re already sharing it with a bunch of people which means that these persons are dear to you. And you want the people dear to you to have a good time. There are many options how can you make your guests feel even more special.
Having an excursion together before or after the wedding is only one of the ideas. If you have a group of younger guests then adventure activities such as kayaking or rafting are a good choice. If there are older people involved, a relaxing boat ride would be a better choice.
Best places for your wedding in Croatia
A city wedding in Croatia
Choosing the right place for your wedding in Croatia is very important. There are really many locations at your disposal and you’ll need to pick one that suits you best. Croatia is full of historic cities and these are often chosen by couples that want to have a romantic wedding with a touch of the past. Dubrovnik is one such city and one of the most popular places for a wedding in Croatia. Then there are Split, Hvar, Rovinj, Zadar, and many other cities with a rich history. We have to highlight the Istria region as one of our favorites in Croatia for intimate weddings. Read all about getting married in Istria in this article.
Planning a wedding in Dubrovnik? We have something for you!
A beach wedding in Croatia
Maybe you are not into cities and just want to have a relaxed beach wedding in Croatia. In that case, you are in a sort of trouble because in Croatia there are so many beautiful beaches that it is hard to choose one. That is the point where your wedding planner jumps in and helps you decide and narrow down possible places.
Related: The Ultimate Rovinj Wedding Guide
If you will have more than a few guests, you will want a beach with good transportation connections (either by land or by sea) and a nice nearby restaurant. Luckily many Croatian beaches have an amazing small restaurants (we call these ‘konoba‘) where you can have a delicious local meal. These kind of places are common on Croatian islands.
Related: Our Zadar Wedding Guide
Need more inspo for your beach wedding in Croatia?
Island wedding in Croatia
Croatia has more than 1000 islands and they too are often chosen for a wedding. The islands are a great place if you want to get married outdoors or somewhere by the sea. One of the main reasons couples often opt for an island wedding in Croatia is because of fewer crowds and the easy-going vibe that is especially visible in Croatian islands. Some of the most popular islands for a wedding in Croatia are Hvar, Korčula, Brač, Lokrum, Šolta, and Vis in the southern part of Croatia and Brijuni, Saint Andrija – a Red Island and Krk.
Related: Spanish Fortress Hvar Wedding
National Park wedding in Croatia
Croatia has 8 national parks and to be honest, we can’t tell which one would be our number one. They are located in different areas and feature completely different landscapes. It is possible to get married at any of them. We would highlight Plitvice Lakes National Park as one of our favorites, especially during the low season (so you can beat the crowds).
Best Croatia wedding venues
Once you have chosen a place for your wedding in Croatia, you still need to choose a proper wedding venue. Take Dubrovnik for example, you have chosen it for your wedding in Croatia, but there are still much more places on a smaller scale that can host your wedding. Park Orsula and Sponza Palace in Dubrovnik are some of the most popular wedding venues in Croatia.
Related: The ultimate Split Wedding Guide
The same is when you come to any other place, you still need to choose that one final venue for your wedding. And considering all the beautiful places in Croatia, to select the one perfect wedding venue can be a challenge. To make things a bit easier, we created a guide devoted to the most beautiful intimate wedding venues in Croatia.
Related: The Ultimate Opatija Wedding Guide
Croatia wedding packages cost
Hey, let’s not forget about cost. Maybe you know already that Croatia is among cheapest countries when it comest to having a wedding in Croatia. Of course, your wedding in this country can be absolutely cheap or expensive depending on so many factors. From the Croatia wedding venue rental, restaurant costs, accommodation costs, you can splurge your budget pretty fast. Decide about priorities and the number of guests on your wedding. If it is going to be a big wedding, then absolutely hire a wedding planner to help you with management of costs.
From the perspective of photography and videography, as this is what we do, we can estimate that for your wedding in Croatia you will want to spend between 2500 eur – 5500 eur, or even more if you want to have a longer video, drone filming, multi-day wedding and additional photo/video person.
Send us a message to get our full pricing for wedding photography and videography in Croatia.
Adventure wedding or elopement in Croatia
Through the years of our work as wedding photographers in Croatia, we choose to blend photography with the other thing we do – adventure guiding. We believe that Croatia is a perfect polygon for adventure weddings and we are making efforts in promoting Croatia as elopement heaven.
Elopement is a small wedding where only you and your partner are involved and it’s usually being organized somewhere in nature. Having in mind that we were in the adventure guiding business for a long time and that Croatia has such a diverse and beautiful nature, adventure weddings in Croatia were the only logical step for us to take.
We still do a regular weddings too, but we believe that we have much more to offer when combining the adventure and photography aspects of our lives.
We hope this guide helped you with the planning of your wedding in Croatia. In case you need further information or need more ideas on potential wedding venues in Croatia or you are considering us to be your wedding photographers, let’s catch up!
