“We will miss those late night chats and calls, you have become very dear to us” the bride and groom said to us on the wedding day. We feel exactly the same – our Elerin and Lauri – you are deep in our hearts!

Why and how did you decide to get married?
That kind of commitment and decision between two people is something special. Marriage is not only a sign of love, the love between two people can be unbroken in other forms of cohabitation as well. For us, it was a common desire and a right path to follow.

Elerin: I had really decided in my head during our relationship that Lauri is the man I would like to marry. I felt that he also wanted the same, but at that moment I absolutely could not expect for him to get down on one knee and ask for my hand. It was undoubtedly one of the happiest days of my life. Probably one of the most anxious for Lauri. ☺

How long was your wedding planning process?
Lauri: The anniversary of our relationship, the engagement and the wedding fell on the same date. After proposing in the summer of 2020, we knew that the wedding had to take place in a year.

Elerin: It was really important for me that the wedding day was the same as the beginning of our journey together. Now it will also be easier in the future, because you only have to remember one date.

What was your wedding vision/theme? How did you implement the idea?
Lauri: We didn’t want a very traditional wedding, but rather a summer party in a free atmosphere, where everyone could feel good. So we ditched the wedding trains and proposal breaks and focused on music, good food and company.

Elerin: Some of the more classic games were still planned, but in general we left the fun and organizational side of them to the wedding father. We also wanted to experience some unexpected surprises, and Meelis Kubo, the host of the wedding, did a great job with that. In addition, from the very beginning we had a wish that a close friend of ours should match us. So we proposed to one of Lauri’s closest friends, who also played an important role in Lauri and I getting to know each other. He accepted our proposal with honor, although later he admitted that such a role made him extremely nervous and he prepared for it for a very, very long time. We are extremely grateful!

Did you also have to make significant concessions in your plans?
No significant changes or compromises had to be made – everything that was planned was, for the most part, implemented.

What was your wish for gifts and flowers from your guests? Why did you solve the question that way?
Elerin: “I Must Have Flowers, Always And Always” Claude Monet.

That’s right. You could say that when it came to flowers, I was absolutely certain that we had to have peonies in our wedding. I love all flowers, but peonies have somehow become especially dear since childhood. And since my birthday and other anniversaries do not coincide with peonies’ blooming time, now I had the opportunity – I ordered peonies! The information was forwarded to the guests in a simple way – we had set the contact of our florist on the invitation information sheet, from whom the guests could order our wedding-themed arrangements if they wished. He also had an overview of the size of the vases of the party venue, etc. technical information, so he was able to plan very well, taking into account the guests’ orders, taking into account the possibilities of the party venue and also our wishes. The flowers given by the guests decorated our party place and everything harmonized perfectly. I still remember how, after the wedding, I dealt with all my bouquets at home, talked with them, arranged flowers in different rooms, and the house was full of happiness. ☺

Talk about choosing your wedding venue. What was the main criteria when making the choice?
When choosing a wedding venue, we considered several options and went through them one after the other. Since we wanted to accommodate guests on site, this narrowed down the selection significantly. The recognition came at Villa Müllerbeck in Otepää. Since we both have our roots in South Estonia, it was also a good fit.

Even though we visited the place for the first time in winter, we still saw the summer idyll that the surroundings of Villa Müllerbeck offers. The decision was made quickly and at the same moment we already made the reservation. Once the place was decided, the planning of the rest of the party started to flow very well, because all the details and our wishes could already be visualized in a certain place.

What would you do differently when planning your wedding today?
Elerin: We have discussed it and so far we can’t come up with anything. We really enjoyed our day to the fullest, every moment of it. For us, this party was exactly our “face”, and I don’t even remember if there was a moment when my mouth wasn’t up to my ears. This feeling of happiness is hard to describe in words.

We have also received a lot of feedback that the guests also noticed how much we enjoyed everything and how we did not exude any anxiety or fuss. The wedding organizers also gave such feedback that the wedding party will be shaped according to the emotions of the bride and groom. That’s how it is. ☺

Most touching moment at the wedding?
Elerin: There were many of those moments for me – starting already during the ceremony, when I laughed with tears in my eyes and sniffed at the speech prepared by our friend. So humorous, sincere and sweet. I will never forget the emotion when my dear husband grabbed the bass guitar and gave a surprise performance on stage with Taukar! I was so proud. Also, I have a warm memory in my heart of my sweet cousin performing Elvis Presley’s “Love me Tender” with her father. 

What moments did you and your guests remember the most?
The whole day was a series of memorable moments. Also in conversations with friends and loved ones, various nice memories have been brought up. Since the bride and groom are busier than average that day, it turned out later that a lot happened that we didn’t notice at all.

Lauri: At 4-5 in the morning, when the party was over, my friends and I sat outside. The sun rose and it was unusually warm. A circle of sofas and armchairs had been formed on the lawn by the lake. The music stopped playing and we just chatted and impressed. It will be remembered in a special way. Everything we prepared for a long time was done and we were very happy.

What were you willing to spend the most on at the wedding and what were you willing to save on if necessary?
Looking back on that day, there isn’t a single expense we regret or think we shouldn’t have made. We don’t really think about the costs involved, it was all worth it. Our common life path had to start with a great opening. ☺ 

What surprises hit you on your wedding day? Did everything go exactly as planned?
When Elerin injured her previously operated leg two days before the wedding day, things seemed crazy. One thing is that the shoe doesn’t fit, but if you can’t walk either. So right before registration we went to Tartu University Clinic to get an anesthetic injection. The bride wore orthotics for most of the wedding party. Since Elerin didn’t want to draw too much attention to it, some guests probably don’t know anything about what happened to this day. Everything was done, including the opening waltz with its jumps and spins.

Elerin: Yes, there was. Even this little thing didn’t spoil my mood, and most of the time I didn’t even notice that one foot was missing a shoe. Fortunately, the wedding dress was so long that the orthosis could not be seen underneath. I was dancing until the end and to this day it’s just a funny thing to remember.

In other aspects, everything went as planned, credit goes to the wedding organizers, who took care of absolutely every last detail on the wedding day. This gave the opportunity to enjoy the party and be PRESENT at your own party!

What do you recommend future brides and grooms to keep in mind when planning their wedding?
The main factor that comes into play unfortunately is time. At one point, the places for the wedding celebration run out and it turns out that the best bands are already booked, Tõnis Niinemets probably has a show, etc. On this day, you don’t want to settle for the second or third choice, so you have to act in time.

The craziness of emotions can also be taken into account. That’s okay, these are soothed by the wedding planner!

Why hire a wedding planner?
Those who are not getting married for the third time or are not involved in organizing events themselves, do not know all the bottlenecks, but more importantly, all the possibilities. It’s like decorating a home – although my husband has great taste, I’d like to hear an interior designer’s opinion as well. Believe us, even with a wedding planner, the bride and groom have a lot to do. And we certainly wouldn’t have been able to organize half as awesome a party ourselves. Merily and Taago took us through this process and we felt very safe under their care. We are still very grateful to them.