It’s easy to picture the night Aaron and Sally met. A cool NYC bar with a cozy, rustic farm-to-table vibe. A happy crowd enjoying delicious cocktails. And then, somehow, in the swirl of the crowd and alchemy of the moment, two people meet and sparks fly. Later, these two were on vacation in Dubrovnik, Croatia, when Aaron proposed! Which is one of the reasons why they chose the same city in which to host an intimate destination wedding at the Hotel Dubrovnik Palace. Gorgeous, stylish, and dreamy, the end of their celebration found everyone—including our fabulous bride—in the pool.
More on that (plus proposal details and how she put together her chic bridal ensemble) from Sally, whose first dance with Aaron was to “Let’s Stay Together” by Al Green:
How did you guys meet?
“Aaron and I both were living in New York City and we met IRL at a bar (The Wren on Bowery, my favorite!) out one Friday night. All of my friends said it was fate that I met my husband at that bar… the rest is history!”
bride’s finery: bridal gown and Lea-Ann Belter Mackenzie topper via Lovely Bride | photographer: Zeljka Milic | complete vendor list at bottom
How did your sweetie propose?
“We were on vacation in Croatia, staying for a week in Dubrovnik. Before the trip, my dad had told us that when he visited Dubrovnik with his parents when he was a kid, they took a day trip inland to Mostar and that he always remembers the bridge over the river between the mountains being such a romantic place. Once we got to Dubrovnik, Aaron suggested we visit Mostar and he proposed on top of the bridge. It was so romantic!”
How did you create your bridal ensemble?
“I was always leaning towards a super simple dress, but loved a little bit of lace. I was at Lovely Bride in the city where I first tried on the jacket. I fell in love with the look and ended up buying a dress that I completely customized to pair with the jacket. I loved the way I could have two looks (one for ceremony and one for reception) without changing.”
Tell us about your day!
“I am from California, grew up in Dallas. Aaron is from England and has lived all over the world (Dubai, Bahamas, New York). We were living in Dallas when we got engaged, and didn’t want to do the wedding in New York, so we decided to make it a destination for everyone and go back to where we were engaged and have everyone come to Dubrovnik. We ended up with a perfect sized wedding of about 55 people. It was perfect!”
What was the funniest moment of your day?
“Our reception was at a rocky deck right on the Adriatic Sea of Dubrovnik Palace (Vala Beach). We ate dinner watching the sunset and then danced the night away under the cliffs. At the end of the night, my uncle and cousin’s husband (cousin in law?) decided to take the night one step further and jumped into the pool in their tuxes. My sister (MOH) and Aaron (husband!!) followed, and then I decided to go for it. By the end, we had half of the wedding in their black tie attire in the pool. It was such a refreshing end to a perfect day! Plus, luckily, my dress dry cleaned just perfectly.”
Where did you go on your honeymoon?
“We went on a walking safari in Kenya! We started at the base of Mount Kilimanjaro and walked 10-15 miles a day for 11 days until we reached the Indian Ocean. We both had never been and it was such an amazing experience.”
Any advice for future brides/grooms?
“Hire a wedding planner!”
Sally + Aaron’s Dubrovnik Destination Wedding Vendors
bride’s finery: bridal gown and Lea-Ann Belter Mackenzie topper via Lovely Bride | photographer: Zeljka Milic | wedding Planners: Veronika & Mia at Dubrovnik Wedding Planner | florals: Flower Design PatRea | reception venue: Hotel Dubrovnik Palace
