My miracle wedding in Montenegro
The first time I visited Montenegro was in 2008. Even then, I fell in love with this wonderful country on the Adriatic coast. Unsurpassed green mountains, blue, azure sea, low whitewashed houses in the Mediterranean style, bright orange tiled ruins, ancient cities with narrow crooked streets, stone little churches among old olive trees and the most hospitable people, a little lazy, a little funny, but so sincere! Naturally, I fell in love with Montenegro!
Even then, a dream was born in me to get married there. I am not devout, I rarely go to church, but faith has always lived in my soul, so it was very important for me to take an oath before God, especially when I met my real betrothed, my soul mate!
Organizing a wedding in Montenegro was not difficult. In any case, I did not see anything complicated in this. Having searched several forums and portals, I realized that it is better to sign in Kyiv - less hassle with documents. But the stamp in the passport, as it seemed to me, is the main condition. However, it doesn't matter. I decided not to resort to the services of specialized agencies, but to organize the sacrament on my own from Kyiv. Facebook and VKontakte helped me with this. There are enough people from Montenegro whom I just asked to help. They suggested a nice church to me, and there I also found a photographer (many thanks to him! ). It was he who agreed with the priest in the church. Then the matter was small - buy a tour, sew a dress and collect a husband)
Literally a week after leaving, it turned out that my photographer Veri Veroz was invited to shoot the wedding of one of the aristocrats close to the royal house of England, and he could not be at my wedding. Given that the search for a photographer was the most difficult, I was terribly upset. Still would! Such a photographer, such a pro, at a good price! . . But then Veri wrote to me and told me not to be upset and offered a great option: at the wedding, his assistant and student Nikola would shoot us, and as soon as Veri returned to Montenegro, he would organizes a full photo shoot, will drive us around in his car (so we don't have to re-hire a car), and also provide us with a free makeup artist and hairdresser and another dress for me (but he was so impressed with mine that we abandoned this idea). In addition, we agreed that he would color all the good photos and give them all to us on disk (only 287 photos came out)! So, everything worked out and it was even better (savings on car, makeup and hairdresser)!
We arrived in Montenegro on the 28th. Departure from Kyiv was delayed for technical reasons for 2 hours, but we were not very upset. I hung my husband's dress and suit on a trempel and hid it in a case, taking it with me to the cabin of the plane. The steward hung it at my request in a special compartment - it did not wrinkle at all, for which many thanks to them! However, on the way to the villa, the dress still crumpled.
Tivat Airport is very small, but insanely cute. Even from the plane, we had a magnificent view of the Montenegrin coast and, of course, the mountains! My husband was delighted with this beauty! Not to mention me! From the airport to Budva we traveled with a group by bus. He drove us to the reception of the Slavyansk Beach hotel, from there a car came to the villa for us.
I want to say a few words about Villa Nikolic and its owner Mio. Villa "Nikolich" is magnificent! Excellent! We got a room on the penultimate floor, in a corner. Small, clean, nice room. All furniture is new. On the floor there is a huge terrace with clothes hangers and tables.
On the ground floor there is another terrace with comfortable armchairs. In a small well-groomed courtyard there is a mini-garden with fountains. Everything is well-groomed, everything is done with love and soul. In the garden, on one side, there are 3 earthen turtles that are not afraid of people and sit quietly on their hands. I took them daily for photo shoots. Here is one of the best photos:
The owner of Villa Milando (Mio) is very nice, hospitable and helpful. He agreed to take us to the wedding in Tivat and became our witness. It was an honor for him! His assistant Nadia gave me a dress to iron in Mio's private apartment, which was very helpful, it was slightly wrinkled.
After arrival, we went to have lunch at the Zlati Bor restaurant - a great place! The meat there is delicious! It was enough for my husband to eat a piece of lamb baked in its own juice, as I realized that he loves Montenegro as passionately as I do))) After dinner, a little belated, we went to the beach and went swimming. The Adriatic Sea is amazing! In the evening we sat in a funny place on the beach (where there are 2 pools for children) and drank cocktails. They also went on rides. )
We went to get married the next day. We agreed in the church for 12, but arrived at 11, just in case. Our photographer Nikola was already there taking pictures of the area. Batiushka was late, and we had time to look around.
We were supposed to get married in the church at the monastery of St. Michael (9th century) on the Island of Flowers, near Tivat. This place is sacred and sacred. I will not retell everything that we were told about the monastery, I will only say that the monastery itself is of the 9th century, although the first church on this site was built 2 centuries before Christ. Literally 2 weeks before our arrival, archaeologists left from there, who established that this is one of the most ancient places where a church first appeared on the territory of Montenegro. About 50 meters from the church, under a white tent, the relics of some saint rest in the ground. To tell the truth, I saw the holy relics for the first time in my life and was amazed. I was also very surprised that there is still an absolutely amazing smell there - i. e. the relics do not rot, but exude an unimaginable aroma.
We had to wait for the priest - he went to the city of Budva for lunch with some high priest. While waiting for him, we sat in the courtyard of the monastery, we were offered delicious tea, coffee and brandy. The monks just told us the history of this place. An hour later, the priest arrived, but not the one who was supposed to marry us, but this is for the best. This father looked at marriage the same way we do. He did not ask for our documents (passports, marriage certificates, baptism certificates, certificates that we were not married), he simply clarified whether we were confident in our decision to unite before God. He didn't even ask if we fasted or confessed.
The wedding took place in a small old church. We were just the two of us and our witnesses (both locals). We didn't cover our heads in church. We brought icons with us, but they were not needed. On the spot we bought a towel and ordinary long wax candles.
The ceremony itself is slightly different, but only in some details. We didn't hold anything. Crowns were placed on our heads, and witnesses held candles. Rings were worn once. Actually, I will not describe the ceremony itself, I will only say that warmth and some kind of relief spread over my body. Although not the right word. It’s just that the burden fell from our shoulders that we lived unmarried, there was joy, as if someone from above had really approved and blessed our marriage.
After the ceremony, we returned to Budva, changed clothes and went to Mogren beach, outside the old town. It is not close to go there, many places were occupied. But what a clean water there, transparent and beautiful! However, it got dark very quickly there, so soon enough we returned to the villa and had a small feast with brandy, wine and watermelon for our witnesses.
We didn’t go on any excursions - we flew in for only 7 days, it took 2 days for the wedding and a photo shoot, in addition, my husband worked half the day, and we stayed in the villa (there is free wi-fi). But there is something to see in the country - I remember this from my last visit. True, it is better to take a car / moped and drive yourself. Every 3-5 kilometers is some kind of holy place with a monastery of the 11th-19th centuries, the ruins of some stronghold or something else. I'm not talking about the many lovely beaches that stretch along the coast among mountains and forests...
We went to the amazing Trsteno beach twice. This is a magical lagoon with the purest water, surrounded by rocks and mountains!
You can go into the water for 100 meters, and you will be waist-deep. An ideal place to stay with small children. By the way, the beach is sandy!
The water is clear and beautiful. This is an absolutely amazing place! There, the effect of a “mirror” is naturally created - tanning is just great! The beach is equipped with sunbeds that cost 10-15 euros for 2 sunbeds with an umbrella (depending on the location - on the beach or on the pontoon), but if you come with your towel and lie down on the sand, no one will ask or say anything!
In Budva itself, we went to the beach only once - too many people, crush, and the water is not so clean.
Part of one day we spent on a photo session. To say that the photographer is the best, I think, is not worth it. But it really is! It is very important for me that he photographs not people, but emotions, so all the photos turned out great, lifelike!
We ate mainly in the nearest cafes, went to Zlati Bor, and were also in a restaurant on the shore of the Tropico. There is such a delicious dorado! You have no idea!! ! My husband does not like fish very much, but he ate this one, with a crispy crust, the freshest, licking his lips like a satisfied cat! The restaurant is on the beach, we sat all the time at a table right on the sand, it was so great to touch the cold sand with bare feet! Torches were burning a meter away from us - romance!
In general, we really liked Montenegro! Clean air, beautiful nature, lovely people! What more could you want on your honeymoon? The next year we gathered there, at the same villa! Only this time for 2 weeks)))
In the meantime, I say: "See you, Montenegro, next year"
