Srdjan and Dalibor: A Viennese Elopement
For Serbian couple Srdjan and Dalibor, their decision to get married was a mutual one, no proposal, just a spontaneous decision made while on a summer holiday. They celebrated their love intimately with an elopement in Vienna (pictured in this piece) before returning home to celebrate with their loved ones in Belgrade.
Photographer Danilo and Sharon | Location Vienna, Austria
“…all I know is that our bond, our love is stronger day by day and that’s enough for me.”
How and when did you meet?
Srdjan: We met on a coffee date with mutual friends over 10 years ago.
Tell us a little about the first time you met?
Dalibor: I actually saw him in a club a few nights before and he said “hi” to my best friend at the time and he immediately caught my attention, so of course, I asked my friend to set up a date. I took the first step.
Srdjan: (laughs) The best step of our lives.
What was the first thing you noticed about each other?
Dalibor: I immediately fell in love with his smile.
Srdjan: His beautiful eyes and his long eyelashes.
Talk to us about the standout moments in your relationship?
Srdjan: Definitely our wedding ceremony as a crown of our relationship.
Dalibor: Also the moment when we stepped on Belgrade Parade’s stage and shared our big news with our community as gay marriage is a big deal for all of us.
We all work to make the world a more accepting place for the LGBTQI+ community, and so much more still needs to be done. Have you personally ever faced any issues of non-acceptance, and what advice do you have for couples working through this?
Both: Of course!
Dalibor: From our country (Serbia) the most, as people in the LGBTQ+ community don’t have any legal rights or support whatsoever.
Srdjan: Coming out wasn’t easy, that’s the struggle for everyone, but I want to stay on the positive note and say it gets better over the years.
What does marriage mean to you?
Srdjan: Honestly, as I thought I’d never get married, I didn’t think about that, all I know is that our bond, our love is stronger day by day and that’s enough for me.
Dalibor: I’m prouder and also it’s nice to have a love base, your chosen family.
Who proposed and how?
Both: (laugh) No one did!
Dalibor: Nothing cheesy nor romantic, we spontaneously decided to get married during our summer holiday.
When did you get married?
Srdjan: It was on a beautiful autumn day in Vienna, on the 16th of September 2021.
Srdjan and Dalibor’s story continues below ↓
What was the main influence behind your wedding day?
Srdjan: As we got married in Vienna and celebrated in Belgrade, we had two events to plan. In Vienna we wanted it to be very elegant in our own way, so we had tuxedos, but wore sneakers, had a photoshoot around the city with Sharon and Danilo and spent the day eating in local vegan restaurants.
Dalibor: In Belgrade, we had a big elegant pool party, with a DJ, beautiful decoration and flowers. We were influenced by summer even though it was a chilly autumn night. We had a blast!
What was the most important thing to you surrounding your wedding?
Srdjan: I’m a control freak, so for me, everything was important but getting the right flowers and food the most.
Dalibor: For me, the most important thing was for Srdjan to be happy with everything that we planned.
Where did you find the bulk of your inspiration?
Dalibor: We were a Pinterest bride. (laugh)
How did you choose your suppliers?
Dalibor: As I’m a hairstylist, throughout the years I worked with everybody in the industry, with all wedding planners, florists so it was a no brainer for me.
Srdjan: And for the food, we decided to go with the best vegan place in Belgrade we visit on regular basis.
Any surprises on your wedding day? Or anything that didn’t go to plan?
Srdjan: We had a few last-minute cancellations due to COVID but except for that, everything went as we planned. I know that might be surprising to hear as it’s not that common but I guess we are not that kind of “bridezilla”.
What was the most difficult thing about planning your wedding?
Dalibor: Covid restriction and weather but either way the power was not in our hands, so we let the universe decide.
Any advice for other couples planning their day and finding it difficult to navigate the journey?
Dalibor: Exactly that, it’s about the journey, about love and not finding a perfect venue, date, cake...
Srdjan: So just enjoy, relax and have fun!
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