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.
