WOMAN readers: "That was our dream wedding"

You did it! Romantic in an English manor house, idyllic in a fairytale hotel on Lake Traunsee or in beautiful East Tyrol. Four couples show the most beautiful pictures of their holiday and tell of funny hopscotch and intimate moments. There are even more lovers in our big WOMAN WEDDING issue from October 3rd.

Julia Unger, 30 at the time of the wedding (31 today), a doctor and Florian Unger, 33, a lawyer

How and when did you get to know each other?

At school, to be more precise at the school ball at the midnight quadrille in January 2003.

How long have you planned your wedding?

Eight months, six of them with Wedding Planner.

How many guests were invited?

40, we wanted a little wedding with our closest and loved ones.

Was there a dress code?

Yes, that was noted on the invitation. Elegant outfit, if possible English style. Funnily enough, all women without exception had a fascinator and the feedback was: “Of course if we go to a wedding in England, then a fascinator is a must. What is more English …"

At which location did you get married?

Why did you want to celebrate your wedding the way you celebrated it?

After 15 years of relationship, we wanted to celebrate the culmination of our love with something very special!

Was there a wedding list for your guests?

No, our greatest gift was the presence of every single one of them and that the guests would come with us to our Fairytale Destination Wedding in England.

Can you tell us the total cost? (Dress, food, music, flower arrangements, rings, etc.)

This is our secret. But let me say this much: a wedding in Austria would not necessarily have made less difference.

My happiest moment:

Phew, there are many, because the whole event, the journey together, was sooo special! If I commit myself to a moment regarding the wedding, then it was the moment when the doors opened and I walked down the aisle to the song where Florian always said “that's you Julia”.

This moment belonged only to us:

Standing in front of the beautiful flower altar at the wedding ceremony felt like we were there completely alone. The sun that blinked in through the window of these ancient walls at the very moment of our YES word / first kiss. It was like being in a world of our own, like under a bubble where there is nothing around us, just the two of us in this moment in the here and now.

When we put the rings on:

Everything felt right and complete.

Then the tears came to me:

When I went to the “altar” to the front, the music that was special for us in the background, the beautiful flowers, the flair, the atmosphere, the feeling in these old walls and to see my dream man in front was simply overwhelming.

The biggest surprise of the day:

The fireworks that my mom secretly orchestrated, where I still don't understand how the implementation then worked, because it was actually said in advance that there should be no fireworks there.

The funniest oops at our wedding:

We traditionally planned to spend the night before the wedding separately. Me in the Bridal Suite and for Florian we booked a room in the adjoining building. I was up very early on the morning of the wedding and wanted to prepare tea in my room. Actually I should have had everything in the room, only one cup was missing. I knew I would find one in the kitchen in the next building, this was just the place where Florian had his room one floor up. After I knew my "early bird" of future husband would be next to me, the only one who is certainly already awake, I thought back and forth whether I should go over there quickly or better not to avoid him directly arms to run. After thinking about it for a while, I looked carefully out of my bridal suite, I didn't hear any noises or see anyone. So I ran over quickly and got the cup, but of course at the exact moment when I wanted to scurry out the door, I ran into my future boyfriend! But since I spotted him first, I immediately shouted "Ahhhh, close your eyes, you mustn't see me". He laughed, put his hands over his eyes, and turned around immediately. This was just such a typical moment for us, we are just like two magnets that attract each other.

This was particularly important to me for this day:

To finally marry the love of my life.

The best congratulations:

That our guests and especially my almost 90-year-old grandparents started this trip with us and celebrated this special day with us!

This is what moved us most of all:

That our closest people accompanied us on this journey and perceived this special place just as much as we once did when we first arrived 2 months before the wedding!

We had different opinions in advance:

To be honest there was nothing. Our wedding planners also had the entire planning and design under control.

This connects us:

Our story, our love.

Despite great love, worlds separate us:

My sense of order, his feeling of punctuality, whereby we are increasingly finding the middle ground on this point as well.

This is why our marriage will last forever:

Because it just feels like that … it's just an inner voice telling you that! We have already experienced so much together and have always emerged stronger from it, it is a daily decision for one another! We are growing together more and more, as we did in the previous 15 years.

Anna (28, lawyer) & Christoph (31, doctor)

How and when did you get to know each other?

In February 2009 at the cake buffet at a graduation ball. After the buffet was orphaned during a serving, we started to brew a coffee ourselves and then one resulted in the other …

How long have you planned your wedding?

At which location did you get married?

In the monastery hall in Traunkirchen am Traunsee. Our guests were accommodated (on site) in the Hotel Post and in the wonderful hotel “Das Traunsee”.

Why did you want to celebrate your wedding like this?

It was important to us to find a place where all our loved ones can celebrate with us and where there are enough places to stay. Since we like to spend our free time in the Salzkammergut, we first looked there and then found the perfect location for us in Traunkirchen.

Was there a wedding list for your guests?

no

Can you tell us the total cost?

Unfortunately, we cannot provide any really precise information on this. The payments have been made through down payments, different payment methods, etc. We are not at all "unhappy" to have lost the overview a bit and we don’t want to do the math anymore. It was a wonderful party and so worth every penny!

My happiest moment:

Very classic, but still true: the way to the altar, where everyone beamed happily at me and I realized that all my dearest people are gathered in this place to celebrate with us.

This moment belonged only to us:

We took our photos before the wedding and especially enjoyed the “first” meeting. We didn't even notice that our photographer took such great snapshots.

When we put the rings on:

Honestly, this part (or the marriage vows) made me a little nervous beforehand. But on the wedding day everything went by itself and we could concentrate entirely on ourselves.

Then the tears came to me:

The biggest surprise of the day:

The many deposits! Starting with a repositioned song, to a poem with photos from childhood, an entertaining game and moving speeches, to an extremely elaborate and funny video that friends made for us.

The funniest oops at our wedding:

Christoph mistakenly became Lukas at the registry office. Fortunately, this could be clarified during the wedding ceremony - so formally everything was fine at the end of the day!

This was particularly important to me for this day:

That it will be a relaxed party that everyone (including us) can enjoy to the fullest and where we can have fun - I think we succeeded!

The best congratulations:

This is what moved us most of all:

The commitment and support we have received from friends and family. For example, we had a cake buffet to which many of our guests - despite some of the long journeys - contributed something. Of course, the elaborate wedding cake that two friends made was particularly special.

We had different opinions in advance:

We always quickly agreed on the big points. It was the little things that held us up - for example a discussion on the correct formulation of the words of thanks in the church notebook.

This connects us:

After our first meeting at the cake buffet, our (shared) love for cakes was probably right at the beginning. We are particularly united by our common sense of humor, a very similar view of events and the same ideas about leisure activities and our future.

Despite great love, worlds separate us:

The different perception of temperature. I'm always too cold and always too hot for him …

This is why our marriage will last forever:

In his address at the registry office, my brother described us as an unbeatable team that copes with imponderables together and is there for one another - we believe that these are good prerequisites!

Franziska Resinger, 28, entrepreneur and Elias Resinger, 34, media, communication, consulting

How and when did you get to know each other?

More than ten years ago by my (Franziska's) brother in Graz.

How long have you planned your wedding?

We started after the application, around a year ago. It got more intense from the New Year for almost five months.

How many guests were invited?

150

Was there a dress code?

The previous evening was in traditional costume and on the wedding day the men wore dark suits and the women mostly long colored dresses.

At which location did you get married?

Matrei in Osttirol: Lunch in the Rauter Stube, get together in the Kesslerstadel, church in the St. Nikolauskirche, aperitif / dinner / party in the Hotel Hinteregger.

Why did you want to celebrate your wedding like this?

Because, since we met, we have liked to go hiking and skiing in East Tyrol and the people there are incredibly friendly, open and uncomplicated. That also had an effect on our wedding: it was authentic and we didn't want to play princess and prince for one night in a rented castle.

Did you have a wedding planner?

No, the maid of honor gave us great support.

Was there a wedding list for your guests?

No.

Can you tell us the total cost?

Let's put it this way: For dress, food, music, flower arrangements, rings, etc., more than planned.

My happiest moment:

To be received by everyone in front of the church after the church wedding.

This moment belonged only to us:

When we walked out of church alone on "The Bittersweet Symphony".

When we put the rings on:

… it was real!

Then the tears came to me:

Definitely in my father's speech.

The biggest surprise of the day:

Bride stealing - seldom have I been surrounded by only my most important men and have laughed so much.

The funniest oops at our wedding:

We danced our wedding dance to a different song and dance than planned.

This was particularly important to me for this day:

That it is as relaxed as possible for everyone and that everyone is in a good mood - including us!

The best congratulations:

From our grandparents - although sometimes over 90 they celebrated with us!

This is what moved us most of all:

How everyone was happy for and with us.

We had different opinions in advance:

Actually, I can't think of anything right now.

This connects us:

The ability to be enthusiastic about a wide variety of things.

Despite great love, worlds separate us:

punctuality

This is why our marriage will last forever:

Because we can't do without each.

Lisa Oszwald-Salzer, 30 years old, kindergarten assistant, and Manuel Salzer 35 years old, bus driver

How and when did you get to know each other?

2013 through a dating platform. I wrote to him and he wrote back pretty soon and yes, it was great love straight away.

How long have you planned your wedding?

About a year because many of our acquaintances and friends advised us to do so.

How many guests were invited?

85

Was there a dress code?

No, but the request was noted in the invitation, the guests should wear pink, gray or dark blue! Many have also adhered to it!

At which location did you get married?

In the fairy tent of the Luftburg in the Prater.

Why did you want to celebrate your wedding like this?

Basically, we wanted something modern, clean and not too stuffy.

Did you have a wedding planner?

no

Was there a wedding list for your guests?

no

Can you tell us the total cost?

around € 13,000-14,000

My happiest moment:

When the man I love more than anything finally became my husband and we said “yes”.

This moment belonged only to us:

Our dance

When we put the rings on:

we only had eyes for ourselves!

Then the tears came to me:

When my mom's best friend, who passed away in 2010, hugged me tightly and told us that mom will definitely be there now. It was a beautiful but at the same time terribly sad moment

The biggest surprise of the day:

The many games our friends had organized.

The funniest oops at our wedding:

There were so many funny moments, but there weren't any real oops.

This was particularly important to me for this day:

That all of our friends, family and of course we too have a wonderful and fun day.

The best congratulations:

It was all nice. And when you see how happy and happy everyone is with you, you realize even more that it was the right decision.

This is what moved us most of all:

How much effort everyone went to, regardless of whether it was the choice of clothes, gifts or congratulations.

We had different opinions in advance:

The number of guests or the size of the wedding. But everything has leveled off really well.

This connects us:

Our love, respect and honesty for one another. That we know that we can always rely on each other.

Despite great love, worlds separate us:

Musical taste

This is why our marriage will last forever:

Because there is not a day with us on which we do not fool around, laugh and dance funny!