June 19, 2022 - The Hvar wedding industry is booming - why wouldn't you get married (and honeymoon) in Paradise?

When I first moved to Hvar 20 years ago, having discovered it quite by accident, I realised what a wonderful and romantic island I had landed on. It truly was the most beautiful place I would ever live. 

I met lots of tourists in those initial years, who were also blown away by the island's beauty - it would be a wonderful place to get married, commented more than one loved-up couple. 

Back then, foreign weddings did take place, but they were the exception rather than the rule. Our old friend, Croatian bureaucracy, was always on hand to blunt Cupid's arrow when it came the idea of a happy 'I do.'

And things started to change slowly. Some enterprising locals started businesses as wedding planners, offering a bespoke service for foreign couples who had fallen in love with Croatia and wanted to celebrate their own love there in front of family and friends. 

Organising a wedding in a foreign country was not without its challenges, especially in the early years, but the bureaucratic obstacles were slowly overcome, stunning wedding videos appeared online, and it seemed that the concept of getting married in idyllic Croatia was a very realisable dream. 

Especially on Hvar, where leading hotel group Suncani Hvar have turned the opportunity into an occasional wedding into an impressive part of their already impressive portfolio. With so many outstanding in-house locations for weddings, the full hospitality facilities of a leading hotel group, and gorgeous Hvar as the perfect backdrop. 

Over the years, there has rarely been a summer Saturday when newlyweds cannot be found having their photos taken on the main square and in other Instagrammable spots. The Hvar wedding industry has been one of the quiet growth areas for tourism in recent years, helped perhaps by the high costs of weddings back home in the UK. And where better to continue the wedding than on honeymoon on a gorgeous island, with many of your friends and relatives enjoying a holiday to keep the party going.

It is almost 5 years since I interviewed the Suncani dedicated Hvar weddings coordinator, Nikolina Pijanovic, on the rise of Hvar weddings (you can read that interview here), and the options and popularity have only grown ever since. With capacity to cater for weddings up to 400 guests, as well as much smaller numbers, the Suncani team is able to cater to almost all wedding requests. 

And the locations are outstanding.

There are few places on the island that can match the elegance of Beach Club Hvar, a spectacular colonnade in front of Hotel Amfora which can seat 250 and house a reception for 350. And with the island's main family hotel just a few steps away, no need to worry about and drink-drive issues. The colonnade is one of the island's most iconic buildings and adds a touch of class and style to that special day. 

Gorgeous by night, gorgeous by day, as well as an essential part of your post-wedding detox, with luxury private cabanas with cabana service and massage on offer to kick start married life in style. 

More than 250 guests? Not a problem, and you can invite up to 400 guests who will trade being on the water for magnificent views of the Pakleni Islands on the terrace of Hotel Amfora. 

With space for 600 to the reception party, the walk home to the hotel room is even closer. Amfora's legendary cascade pools are just below the terrace, only adding to what is truly a magical setting. 

There are also other location options for smaller gatherings and lesser budgets, with the Splash Restaurant and Bar (by Hotel Amfora) offering a private and intimate setting on the water.  

Capacity is for 100 guests to sit, and a reception maximum of 150. The views to the Pakleni Islands are divine. 

Or perhaps you prefer the historic inside of the first 5-star heritage hotel on the island, Palace Elisabeth, hvar heritage hotel, which has quite a history. Did you know that organised tourism in Europe began on this very spot, with the founding of the Hvar Health Society back in 1868? Share your memorable day with up to 80 guests. 

Each wedding location comes with a range of packages, or you may of course devise your own. 

As any stressed bride will tell you, the big day is only part of the wedding planning, and the range of additional services that have been developed in recent years has really added a touch of class to the Hvar wedding offer.  

Get set for your big day stress-free, with style, class and glamour. Our team is ready to spoil your taste buds with a delicious rehearsal dinner combined with a world-class wine and services with soul and sunsational style. Our Sensori Spa will be your safe haven of relaxation and rejuvenation and treatments with locally produced plants and oils will make you glow inside and out.

With special discount codes for wedding attendees, what a great way to prepare for your big day in the company of your closest and dearest. 

Your special day may be over, but the fun is only just beginning. Whether or not you have chosen Hvar as your honeymoon destination (why would you choose anywhere else?!?), take a few days to enjoy your new-found status and relax with friends and family who have come to share in your special day. 

The post-wedding services are just one more reason to consider this amazing island, with your dedicated wedding coordinator and team of local partners on hand to continue delivering the magic:

The amazing smell from fields of blooming lavender; the sumptuous taste of spectacular wine that has been cultivated here for more than 2000 years; the stunning view of an ancient stone village surrounded by olive groves; the rush of wind as you race across the sea!

This is Hvar, not just the Mediterranean as it once was, but the essence of island life. An island of adventure and hedonism as well as intimacy and legend. The chosen destination of the rich and famous and commoners alike. From bottles of bubbly, to in-room spa treatments and picnics in the nature or surrounding islands, live it up with lots of luxury delivered right to your room.

And don't forget another essential part of your special day - the photos! There is no more beautiful island in the world in my opinion, and your expert hosts know exactly where to take you for those shots which will stay with you forever. Lavender fields, anyone?

Still need a little convincing? A little video overview perhaps?

For more information about getting married on Hvar, click here.  

To learn more about this gorgeous island, check out the Total Hvar in a Page guide.   

November 19, 2020 – The famous Croatian island receives another recognition as the wedding blog Boho Weddings lists Hvar among the top honeymoon destinations on the Mediterranean.

This year has taught us many lessons, and the most important of them is that life can sometimes be very unpredictable. The tourism sector and the event industry have been hit hardest by the coronavirus pandemic, which is why many trips and events have had to be either canceled or postponed for the next year. Among them, of course, were weddings and honeymoons, which should be the happiest and most exciting events for all couples in love. But this year, weddings and honeymoons are some of the biggest challenges faced by both couples and their organizers.

However, with the arrival of the coronavirus vaccine on the horizon, there is hope that from the next year, we can again organize wedding celebrations in the most desirable places in the world. There is also hope that popular honeymoon trips won't lag either.

Hvar town is a popular wedding and honeymoon destination / Copyright Romulić and Stojčić

The Croatian island of Hvar has often been characterized as one of the most romantic places in the world, where every summer (not counting the summer of 2020) many couples say their fateful "yes", or just choose it for their honeymoon destination after tying the knot. It seems like this sunniest island in Europe has it all – a romantic atmosphere, perfect sunsets, beautiful landscape, clear sea, rich cultural heritage, lavender fields, great wine, and delicious food.

The beauty and attractiveness of Hvar have been recognized by the wedding experts from the leading UK wedding blog named Boho Weddings, who listed Hvar among the top honeymoon destinations that we'll be looking forward to in 2021, in the company of other famous Mediterranean pearls – Greek Santorini, Spanish Ibiza, Italian Sardinia, and Malta.

Hvar town / Romulić and Stojčić

The Boho Weddings reports:

"Swarming with opulent hotels and expensive restaurants, the Croatian island of Hvar has a longstanding reputation for glitz and glamor. Here, well-heeled holidaymakers, posh partygoers, and A-list celebrities gather in classy beach bars for legendary nightlife. Remember, this is where Prince Harry earned his party boy notoriety.

But apart from the capital’s pizzaz, the island is host to countless wonders, from ancient villages to white cobblestone streets to picturesque squares to majestic cathedrals and hilltop fortresses. The northern coastal town of Stari Grad is home to a UNESCO Protected World Heritage Site, an agricultural landscape of sprawling lavender-clad fields, olive tree groves, and vineyards. If you venture down south, you will discover secluded pebble beaches fringed by sweet-smelling pine forests. Are you looking for the perfect private hideaway? Sail to the nearby Pakleni Islands to find sheltered sandy bays and remote coves that let you forget the rest of the world."

Lavender on Hvar / Romulić and Stojčić

No matter the situation with the pandemic, one can always dream about their perfect wedding destination and look forward to their honeymoon trip, whether it will happen next year or not. As Boho Weddings put it, "these honeymoon ideas are the perfect place to put 2020 behind you and crack on with the rest of your married life."

April 4, 2018 - It is a tourism island famous for many things, and weddings are a growing trend. Here's why you should get married in Paradise on Hvar.

Tourism in general is booming on Croatia's Adriatic coast, but there are also niche industries which are doing very well indeed. TCN takes a closer look at the rise in popularity of foreign weddings on the island of Hvar on August 3, 2017, with an interview with Suncani Hvar Hotels wedding coordinator, Nikolina Pijanovic.