mrs2be.ie

[cocochennells]

Hi everyone

We're getting married in Poland in January 2013! So far we've managed to book the hotel for the reception and a photographer but any recommendations for a band/ florist/ cake would be great!! We're getting married in Zakopane which is about 100km from Krakow - has anyone got married here ??? Very excited! Has anyone ever been to a Polish wedding , we've heard that it's quiet different to an Irish wedding so we're a bit nervous!

[Ishybaby]

My Uncle is gettin married 2 a Polish Girl in 2013! Heard the weddings are meant ta b a great session! We all cant wait lookin forward ta something different! Is dere many travellin over for it?

[cocochennells]

Hopefully! We're both Irish so it will be all Irish except for a couple of Polish friends! The room holds 100 so we're going to invite 100 but I don't think everyone will be able to make it - it will be VERY VERY cold ha ha!! Going to have a big party when we get back home as well! Are you going over for your uncle's wedding?? I've heard there's loads and loads of food (our menu has like a four course meal and then four more hot dishes throughout the night plus a cold buffet table set up all night and a dessert table!!) plus it's all open bar so should be good craic!! We're hoping to have a BBQ the next day in the snow!! They have told us that they've a heated grill area so fingers crossed!!

[Ishybaby]

Oh my god sounds amazin all dat food! Yeah were defo goin it will b our holiday for dat year! We all cant wait 4 it! Think it will b in July! Roll on 2013!

[cocochennells]

Deadly!! Mine's in January so I'll let you know how we get on!! July will be fab because the weather will be gorgeous!!

[Ishybaby]

What your hotel like? Have ye been ta poland before? Ive never been but it looks fab!

[Purplebell]

I have been to a Polish wedding both not in Poland. They have different traditions but as you are both Irish you probably will have a similiar wedding keeping the irish traditions. For starters they have a big party the night before the weddings (where they break delph, there is reason behind it). Wedding ceremonies don't happen until about four / five in the evening. The bride has a resting period in the morning where no one is supposed to disturb her. The groom sees the bride before the ceremony and alot of the photos are done before they get married. Everyone is invited to the ceremony (anyone - no invite required) and they have toys bought for all the chidlren at the wedding. The people attending the wedding shower them with money (coins) after the ceremony which the bride and groom have to pick up. Guests are invited to the wedding reception. Food is supplied all night long not just at a sit down meal. Lots of games are played at the wedding whereby the guests are involved such as will their first baby have a boy or girl (guests give money to vote). There is a certain time during the reception that is designated for guests to give their gift to the bride and groom. Another thing I remembered is that the people attending the wedding ceremony give the bride and groom flowers (no idea why - I did not know this before I went, mortified)
They are the most prominent differences I noticed. But like I said its your wedding so you will probably keep it your style!

[0210ania]

hello and congratulations!
i'm polish and just got engaged to irish guy.
so ..yes..january is very cold. and zakopane is just beautiful.
if you want to have a nice memory in pictures..make sure you will have good photographer who know where to take u around for the pictures.it's many beautiful places around.
also ..from my experience with my hubby... food. i don't know if u have already menue.. but have a look on this because not everything what poles like..irish people will eat. so, just to tailor menue for needs and taste of ur guests.
good luck with everything

[cocochennells]

Ha ha yes it will be very cold!! We have found an amazing photographer and he will be with us the whole day of the wedding and will take us off on another day to get shots up the mountains and stuff so I am really excited about that! Fingers crossed we get the snow! We are going over to Zakopane in two weeks to meet with the hotel manager and try the food , you're right about the food being totally different to what we would have over here! We've been to Zakopane a good few times before though and we've always had lovely food! We're having a BBQ (in the snow!!) the day after the wedding as well which hopefully will be loads of fun!

What part of Poland are you from?? Are you getting married in Ireland or Poland??

[0210ania]

oh, BBQ in snow is such a great experience!! i'm sure it will be lovely..not because i'm polish but because Zakopane has this unique atmosphere.
..i'm also fromsouth of poland. but city called bielsko-biala. it's about 1,5-2 h drive from Krakow.
..abuut our wedding..well..we r thinking about something very small, if possible abroad. reasonnn for this is that my familly it is about 120 ppl. my H2B familly about this same. i know that if it owuldb in ireland people wouldn't fly over, so it's mean we would have to do this in poland. We would have to choose who not to invite because of no of ppl...and i can't see it because if u invite one person, other will get upset that they wasn't invited.
so like i said, we keep it small, and only party back home.
i hope u ll have lovely 'wintery' weather on ur wedding day and everybody ll have great fun..i think even music from the zakopane area is quite simillar to irish

[altezza]

Wedding in Jan in Zakopane is great idea, love the city, I've spent lots of time in Zakopane either in winter and summer months as I am from nearby Krakow. It'll definitely be cold and snow'll be everywhere but lots of beautiful, colorful lights amazing landscape around will make the unique atmosphere that you and your guests will remember forever!
I helped to organize 3 weddings in Poland, for mixed Polish-Irish couples and Irish couple. All weddings were in Krakow. In July 2010 my sister married an Irish fiance. Around 80 people from his family traveled from Ireland and stayed in Krakow for over a week, so wedding was only one among other attractions.
Ceremony was at 5pm -which is very common in Poland and give you power for all night party
Mass was celebrated in Polish but readings, prayers and vows were in polish and english (Irish couples will easily find english speaking priest).
Finding a good band, with english singing singer was the biggest challenge. We found Kapela Akcja (http://www.kapela-akcja.com), 5- people band, professional musicians, real instruments, with fantastic laser lights and impressive repertoire - it was perfect choice. To add a little bit of irish taste we had traditional irish songs (mp3 from The Pogues, Dubliners, The Kilkenny's, Mundy) and played them when band had short breaks between their performances. And it was great idea - imagine all Irish and Poles dancing together to "Streams of Whiskey" or "Tell me Ma" or polish traditional "Hej Sokoly" or greek "Zorba dance"- dance floor was full till 6 o'clock!

Wish u all the best with your wedding preparations and If you have any questions about wedding in Poland don't hesitate to ask!
Regards

[cocochennells]

Wow thanks a million, that band seem great! That's one of the things we've been having a problem with - finding a band that will be able to sing in english! we had one booked but they we coming from Radom which is about 400km away so they cancelled as they said Zakopane was too far away ! I love Zakopane , it really is amazing! We're hoping people will come over for a few days and maybe go to Krakow as well. We went over to Zakopane a couple of weeks ago to check out the hotel , sample some food, meet with the photographer ect- it was all so much fun! Everyone was so nice and really accomodating to our lack of Polish! How did they Irish guest find the whole experience?? we're a bit afraid of all the food and drink ha ha!! We have booked the church but the priest doesn't speak english so he told us we can bring an english speaking priest with us - would you happen to know of any in Zakopane ?? Or even Krakow? x

[altezza]

@cocochennells - I'll find concact details english speaking priest from Krakow.
Band is perfect and sounds far better live than on their mp3.They also look fantastic on stage. They live around 60km from Krakow, so Zakopane shouldn't be any problem for them (they even perform in one of Zakopane's 4* hotels on New Year Eve every year).
All Irish guests were delighted and had great time in Krakow. They really loved food (even very traditional polish dishes), cheap beer in pubs, food in restaurants, architecture and weather (30-35 degrees in July). They all said that it was their best wedding experience ever.
If I was you I wouldn't worry at all! You're getting marry in the most magical winter place in Poland-everybody will fall in love with Zakopane and it's already 50% of success, the rest is up to good food, drink and music and yours guests - but Irish people have partying in their blood so it has to be fantastic night! And remeber that you'll have all night for wedding party and Irish guests loved that the most!
They were dancing at 6am and were still in good form thanks to hot dishes served during the night.
Which church did you book in Zakopane?

[cocochennells]

This is the Church we've booked http://www.koscielisko.wiara.org.pl/historia.htm , it's absolutely fab! We're going to get married in a registry office over here in Ireland a few days before hand (and ignore the fact that we've just got married!!) so as it will cut down on the paper work in Poland. Everyone is telling us that this is the best way to do it! Do you kow what exactly is involved if we are just planning to have the religious ceremony there ?

[altezza]

Church is just stunning! Fantastic choice! Have to say that you have excellent taste!

Civil ceremony in Ireland and religious abroad is indeed best way to do it. Religious ceremony in Poland is the same as in Ireland and you will need exact same documents. Priest in your parish has to prepare license, you'll have to get proof of baptism and confirmation, letter of freedom and premarital course cert. Your parish priest will send license with all documents to Polish bishop, he will approve it and send copy to priest from church in Zakopane. Usually all this takes few months so you can leave it till second half of 2012.