Madli and Peter’s timeless and luxurious city wedding took place in our very own capital, Tallinn. The stunning visual concept for the wedding was based on the keywords: modern, white, and slightly luxurious. The city wedding ceremony was held in the courtyard of the Dominican Monastery, and the following celebration took place at the Von Stackelberg Carriage House. The wedding was international, with guests coming from various countries around the world: Germany, Switzerland, the USA, Denmark, Australia, and Estonia.

The couple’s feedback: “We wouldn’t change a thing. We truly had the best wedding team and organization. We are very grateful for all the help and for being able to fully trust everyone involved, allowing us to focus solely on each other and enjoying the moments with our guests. We are extremely happy that we found Merily, as she is a true wedding fairy. Without her expertise and help, we couldn’t have imagined organizing everything. Her experience, knowledge, extensive network, and excellent coordination skills made our wedding day and the entire process amazing!”

We asked the couple to give an overview of their experience at the wedding and the preparations leading up to it.

Why and how did you decide to get married?

Marriage is a solid foundation for our shared journey through life. We share the same values and goals, and we grow together by supporting one another. We are incredibly happy about the growth of our love and our shared future, so we wanted to celebrate and share it with our loved ones. It was a unique, beautiful, and emotional event. Our families and friends live in different countries and even on different continents, so we were deeply touched that everyone came to Tallinn to celebrate this extraordinary occasion and our wedding weekend with us. From a creative Old Town tour and a pre-wedding welcome evening to the wedding day and the post-wedding brunch, it was truly a wonderful time, and we are extremely grateful to our amazing wedding planning team, who helped bring our dream moments to life.

How long was the wedding planning process?

In total, about nine months, from the moment we started thinking about the style, location, and scale of our wedding celebration.

What was the vision/theme of your wedding? How did you bring the idea to life?

We clarified what was important to us. We wanted to spend as much time as possible with our loved ones, so we organized everything related to the wedding accordingly. Our approach to the theme or style was “less is more.” We love clean tones and classic, elegant beauty. Therefore, we decided that the wedding style would be timeless, white, clean, and slightly Scandinavian and modern. Our fantastic wedding planning team helped bring the idea to life. From the overall design to the flowers and smaller decorations, the collaboration was very smooth and professional. Honestly, Merily and Janne are a dream team, and we can’t imagine organizing everything without them. We were truly able to enjoy every step, every plan, and every decision. They helped us anticipate things and situations we wouldn’t have thought of on our own. We even miss the planning a little and would recommend future couples to savor every little moment related to preparations—it’s part of the process and a unique experience.

Did you have to make any significant compromises in your plans?

The end result was perfect. Our vision and the most important aspects were executed exactly as we had planned, and honestly, even better than we could have imagined.

What were your wishes regarding gifts and flowers from guests? Why did you approach it this way?

Since we don’t live in Estonia, where the wedding took place, and were traveling immediately after the wedding, we didn’t want any gifts or flowers. For us, the greatest gift was that our international group of friends and family could come to Estonia. For those who still wished to bring something, they could contribute to our honeymoon fund.

Tell us about your choice of wedding venue. What were the main criteria for your decision?

When choosing the wedding venue, we had two main preferences: first, a church ceremony in the fresh air but still in a sacred environment, and second, a wedding party in a place where all guests could dine, celebrate, dance, and stay overnight together, so we could enjoy this special time with our loved ones for as long as possible. Since many guests were visiting Estonia for the first time, and some came all the way from Australia, we preferred to have the wedding in Tallinn to make the journey easier for those traveling from afar and to introduce them to Tallinn’s UNESCO World Heritage-listed Old Town. We also have to mention our amazing Old Town tour guide and host—Koit! The guests were truly impressed by him, and so were we. He is such a lovely and sunny person who helped make our special moments come true.

What would you do differently if you were planning your wedding today?

We wouldn’t change anything. We truly had the best wedding team and organization. We are very grateful for all the help and the fact that we could fully trust everyone involved, allowing us to focus solely on each other and enjoying the moments with our guests. Thanks to our excellent wedding team, we didn’t have to ask our loved ones for help with the organization, so they could also fully enjoy the celebration with us.

What was the most touching moment of the wedding?

The entire wedding day was incredibly moving, starting with our loved ones who came from so far away to be with us. It was truly wonderful to stand in a historic and magical place beside each other at the altar, solemnly committing to our marriage in the presence of our dearest ones. We can’t forget to mention the heartwarming speeches at the wedding dinner, the shared family waltz, and the joyful wedding guests.

Which moments were most memorable for the guests?

When asked, our guests were genuinely impressed by the entire wedding. The romantic wedding ceremony in the Old Town was particularly memorable and left a deep emotional impact. It was like a fairytale: walking through candle-lit, rose-decorated corridors of one of Tallinn’s oldest buildings to the ceremony site, accompanied by live music. The sun was shimmering on the ancient monastery walls. Additionally, they praised the floral arrangements and decorations, which were thoughtfully detailed, the romantic candles at the manor house by the fountain and on the stairs, the wedding cake, shared activities, and, of course, the best host.

What were you willing to spend the most on, and where were you willing to save?

Given our desire to spend as much time as possible with our loved ones, we were ready to invest in accommodation, catering, welcome drinks, and a memorable Old Town tour experience. We decided to save on flowers and decorations, and while good live dance music was important to us, we didn’t aim to invest in the most expensive band.

What surprises did you encounter on your wedding day? Did everything go as planned?

Everything went according to plan. As a positive unplanned activity, our witnesses, along with the wedding planner, organized a heartfelt surprise. It was very special, moving, personal, and will certainly remain in our memories for a lifetime.

What advice would you give to future couples planning their wedding?

– Set your priorities and budget, and together with your partner, figure out what is most important to you. This will help you make informed decisions throughout the planning process.

– Allow as much time as possible for planning and unexpected situations to avoid stress and enjoy the planning. We recommend investing in a wedding planner.

– Open communication with all parties is key—between each other, with family members, friends, the wedding team, and service providers. This way, you can avoid confusion and ensure everything runs smoothly.

– We recommend choosing a good photographer and, if possible, a videographer who can help capture these special moments and priceless memories.

Why hire a wedding planner?

For us, hiring a wedding planner was crucial because we don’t live in Estonia and needed a reliable partner to help organize things on-site. We are extremely happy that we found Merily because she is a true wedding fairy. Without her expertise and assistance, we couldn’t have imagined organizing everything. Her experience, knowledge, extensive network, and excellent coordination skills made our wedding day and the entire organization perfect!

If you’re drawn to city weddings and you think we could organize a special and memorable city wedding for you as well, you can also get inspiration from Kaisa and Markus’ wedding, which was held at Fotografiska!