“This day didn’t match a picture we had in our heads — it far exceeded it. It wasn’t just perfect; it was beyond perfection. It became something we couldn’t even have imagined. It surprised us. It moved us. It created a kind of magic that no amount of planning could have designed in advance.” – The bride and groom.

Maarja and Sjoerd are an international couple, with Estonian and Dutch roots, who wanted to celebrate their love in a way that would build a bridge between the two cultures. Their greatest dream was to have a heritage wedding in Estonia – where old Estonian customs and traditions would meet, intertwined with Dutch nuances. What made their wedding day special was that the traditions weren’t followed only with historical accuracy, but also adapted into a modern context.

The wedding at Ravila Karjakastell, surrounded by the quiet of nature, turned out just like that: genuine, heartfelt, and truly unifying. For the couple, it was important that this wasn’t just a party with food and dancing, but a day filled with meaningful moments, laughter, and playfulness. And that’s exactly what their wedding day was – a celebration that brought together nations, families, and friends into one big whole. We asked the couple a few questions about their wonderful wedding day. Heritage weddings are rather rare these days, and we hope this story inspires you.

Why and how did you decide to get married?

We decided to get married after being together for quite some time. It felt like the right moment to take the next step in our journey together — not just symbolically, but also practically, as we envision building a family and a home in the future. For Maarja, it had also always been a dream to have a wedding day that celebrates love — a big joyful party with friends, where everyone comes together and shares in that happiness. Another important reason was to bring our families closer and make us feel like a real team: one family, united for the future.

How long was your wedding planning process?

We got engaged in August 2024 and married in July 2025 — so, about 11 months. Though we only started actively planning in September/October, once we had the idea, we decided not to postpone. We thought, if we wait, we might delay it forever. We wanted to experience the day before children or other responsibilities, and to truly enjoy it to the fullest. It was also special to capture these memories while we’re still young — something to look back on for the rest of our lives.

What was your wedding vision and how did you implement it?

In the beginning, we didn’t have a fixed vision — just the wish to celebrate in a way that was truly us. We wanted to include Estonian traditions (Eesti pärimuspulm), but also add modern touches and playful elements. It was important to us that it wasn’t just eating and dancing — we wanted moments of laughter, connection, and a bit of silliness too. We found a perfect balance through working with Merily and the Celebrate Group, who helped bring all of this to life.

Did you make any major changes to your plans?

Not really. Since we developed our ideas together with our wedding planners from the start, the plans evolved organically. We had some themes in mind — nature, Estonian dutch traditional elements, and a joyful atmosphere — and the rest came together beautifully along the way.

What was your wish for gifts and flowers from guests?

We didn’t wish for any gifts. Many of our guests came from abroad, which already required time, money, and effort. Their presence was the biggest gift we could receive. We just wanted to celebrate with them and make memories together.

How did you choose your wedding venue?

We knew we wanted something in nature. Maarja, being Estonian, didn’t feel comfortable with getting married in a manor house — historically, manors in Estonia are tied to a painful past of serfdom and hierarchy. So we sought a natural location that still carried meaning and character. We visited three different venues that matched our theme, and eventually found Ravila Karjakastell. We loved the story behind the place and connected with the owner, whose calm and kind personality gave us confidence that we were in good hands.

💫 Reflections and Memories

What would you do differently if planning again?

Nothing. It was a perfect day for us.

Most touching moments?

For both of us, the ceremony was the most emotional part. For Maarja, walking to the altar — alone, through the grass, accompanied by two children — was a deeply connecting moment with nature. And at the end of the night, around 6 a.m., sitting together on a bench while the sun was rising over the quiet venue… that’s a moment etched in our hearts forever.

What moments did guests remember most?

Everyone likely has their own special memory, but the things we heard the most were compliments about the excellent food, the music, and the unique atmosphere of the venue. Many guests shared how different and special the day felt — and that they truly had a great time. That was wonderful to hear.

Where did you choose to spend or save?

We were happy to spend more on food and service quality. That was really important to us. On the other hand, we saved on things like jewelry or elements that were less visible or less meaningful to us. We didn’t feel the need to go for the most expensive option of everything — we focused on what mattered for us.

Any surprises on the day?

Surprisingly — there were no real negative surprises! We only had a lot of positive suprises. The biggest “wow” was that everything felt so perfect: the weather was amazing (despite rain both before and after), and the whole day just flowed. Looking back, we wonder — was it really that perfect, or did every little moment simply feel perfect because it was ours? Maybe some things went off-script, but if so, our organizers managed them so smoothly that we never noticed.

Advice for future couples?

Don’t try to make it “perfect.” Don’t do things just because tradition or others say you should. If you don’t want a first dance, don’t do it. If you don’t feel like speeches, skip them. It’s your day. Embrace imperfection — that’s what makes your wedding unique and real. Go with the flow and make choices that truly reflect you as a couple.

Why hire a wedding planner?

We hired a wedding planner — and honestly, without one, we wouldn’t have had the day we did.

We were living over 2000 kilometers away from the location we wanted to marry, so practically speaking, it made sense to get help. But even if we had been living in Estonia, we don’t believe we would have ever achieved such a rich, memorable, and seamlessly flowing wedding on our own. The structure of the day, the atmosphere, the visual beauty, the special moments — it was all beyond what we could have imagined or planned ourselves.

Our wedding had a theme that combined folkloric and traditional Estonian elements. Bringing that to life required carefully coordinating a wide range of vendors — tent providers, caterers, musicians, stylists — and ensuring that each detail contributed to a unified experience. That’s something we could never have done without help. It’s all those little details that made our day feel not just beautiful, but deeply us. And the way those small details were woven into a whole — that’s what made it so powerful.

Sure, we could have booked a DJ or a caterer ourselves. But we wouldn’t have known the right questions to ask, or how to choose the people who truly fit our personality and vision. Merily, our planner from Celebrate Group, immediately understood what we needed. She found the right people for us — like Liisa, who helped integrate traditional elements so naturally, and Koit, who turned out to be the perfect host: joyful, energetic, full of warmth and light.

Thanks to our planners, our wedding became not just a beautiful event, but a meaningful and unique celebration of who we are as a couple. We would never have had such a day without them even in our wildest dreams! 

It wasn’t the perfect day in the traditional sense — because perfection usually means matching something you imagined ahead of time. Like baking the perfect cake: you know exactly how it should look and taste, and then you try to recreate it exactly.

But our wedding day wasn’t like that at all.

This day didn’t match a picture we had in our heads — it far exceeded it. It wasn’t just perfect; it was beyond perfection. It became something we couldn’t even have imagined. It surprised us. It moved us. It created a kind of magic that no amount of planning could have designed in advance.

It was a day that didn’t just fulfill our dreams — it expanded them. It was better than a perfect day, because it was real, personal, alive, and more beautiful than anything we could have pictured before.