A childhood friendship that gradually blossomed into love. An intimate proposal on the coast of Vietnam, followed by a wedding that reflected the couple’s vision in every detail. From personal gestures and a celebration they dreamed up together to the moment the bride found the Daalarna dress in which she truly recognised herself for the first time. Anna and Beni now look back on the most beautiful moments of their story and their wedding day.
How did your story begin, and when did you first feel that this was no longer just a relationship, but the beginning of a shared future?
Our story goes all the way back to when we were 11 years old. We were in fourth grade when Beni moved back to Hungary and became our classmate. We were best friends throughout primary school, but then going to different high schools took us in separate directions. Later, in our eleventh year of school, life brought us back together, and that was when our friendship turned into love. Within the first six months of our relationship, we had already talked about moving in together after graduation, and that was when it became truly clear to both of us that we wanted to build our future together.
What was the proposal like? Was there a personal detail or gesture that has remained especially meaningful to you ever since?
At the beginning of last August, during a trip to Vietnam, Beni proposed to me on Phu Quoc Island. I had only ever had one wish: if he ever proposed, I wanted it to be an intimate moment, just the two of us, without anyone else around. And that is exactly how it happened. We were on a completely deserted beach at sunset when he asked me to marry him. After I said yes, we stayed on the beach for a long time. We talked until it got dark, and he told me how and how long he had been preparing for that moment.
It was such an intimate and genuine moment that it remains one of our most beautiful memories to this day. And I have to admit, I still regularly ask him to propose to me again so I can relive that moment. 🙂
When you started planning the wedding, did you have a shared vision of what you wanted the day to be like, or did it all come together step by step?
Ever since I was a child, I had been excited about the idea of becoming a bride one day, so over the years I collected countless inspirations and ideas. I followed many wedding vendors on social media, so it became clear relatively quickly who I wanted to involve in our big day.
I was also certain that I wanted to wear a Daalarna dress, although initially I had no idea which style would truly feel like me.
My husband, Beni, also had strong ideas, particularly when it came to the food, the cocktail selection and his own suit, so we both actively contributed our own ideas throughout the planning process.
What were the few things you were both certain about and absolutely did not want to compromise on? Was there a detail you were particularly attached to because it was somehow uniquely yours?
Yes, we had some very definite ideas.
We definitely wanted a slow wedding because it was important to us that the day would not be about rushing from one thing to another. We wanted to truly experience and enjoy every moment, which is why we were able to celebrate with our loved ones from Friday through Sunday.
Instead of the traditional midnight stuffed cabbage, we wanted something more personal, so we chose Neapolitan pizza. Over the past few years, we had often made pizza for our family and friends in our own pizza oven, so we wanted to incorporate that experience into our wedding in some way. It was especially meaningful that different pizzas were freshly baked at the venue, allowing our guests to experience the atmosphere and sense of community that is so special to us. The midnight pizza was not only a huge hit, but also became one of the most personal elements of our wedding.
We also had very specific ideas about the décor, and it was important to us that they were brought to life. We also had a cocktail bar on our wish list, which ultimately became a huge success with our guests and one of the most popular elements of the evening.
How much did you allow the opinions of your family and friends to influence your decisions? Was there advice you took, and anything you chose to let go of?
Of course, we received feedback that certain things were “not how it’s usually done” or “not proper”, but that did not really influence us. What mattered most was that our big day reflected our personalities and our vision. We focused on what we liked and how the two of us wanted to experience this special occasion, so we made our decisions primarily based on our own taste and wishes.
When did it become clear to you that you wanted your wedding dress to be by Daalarna?
I had been certain since I was younger that when the big day came, I would wear a Daalarna dress, so I never wanted to compromise on that decision. I didn’t even visit any other bridal salons – my first stop was Daalarna, where I immediately started trying on dresses.
Do you remember the moment when you first tried on the dress that would eventually become yours? What was your first reaction?
At first, I had absolutely no idea what style of dress I wanted, so I tried on several very different silhouettes. I always felt, however, that a cleaner, more elegant aesthetic was closer to me. With Niki’s help, we gradually found the style that truly suited me, and once it started to take shape, I became very excited. But the most memorable moment came during one of the fittings in the atelier, when the dress was already almost complete.
When I put it on and saw myself in the mirror, my first thought was that I had never felt this beautiful in my entire life.
I felt so much like myself in the dress that I never wanted to take it off. That was when I truly realised I had found the one.
What were you looking for in the dress: a particular silhouette, mood or detail – or rather that feeling of “this is me”?
The most important thing for me was to remain myself. Of course, I love beautiful romantic dresses with delicate lace and sparkle, but when I saw them on myself, I simply didn’t feel like they were truly me. I wasn’t looking for one specific detail or silhouette, but rather for that feeling that the dress would reflect who I am. In the end, I chose a more refined, understated style because that was when I felt the most beautiful, confident and truly myself.
What was it like when your husband saw you as a bride for the first time? And how did you ultimately feel in your wedding dress on the big day?
It was both a wonderful and slightly overwhelming moment. We had our first look before the ceremony, but since we were surrounded by photographers and videographers, we couldn’t completely let go in the moment. Even so, it was incredibly special to see Beni’s reaction and the emotion on his face when he first saw me as a bride.
And I felt absolutely amazing in my dress. I felt so completely myself in it that I never wanted to take it off. It gave me exactly the feeling I had hoped for: I felt authentic, confident and truly special. That feeling didn’t change by the end of the day – if anything, I loved the dress even more.
What did it feel like to finally say “I do” after months of preparing for this day?
It was an incredible experience. Naturally, we were both very nervous before the ceremony, but as soon as we walked into the church and held each other’s hands, a strange sense of calm came over us. When we looked around at our family and friends, we felt so much love and support surrounding us that the nerves disappeared almost instantly, and we could simply focus on being present in the moment.
What surprised you most about your own wedding – something you had not expected at all?
We knew that we were surrounded by wonderful family and friends, and of course we knew we would receive a lot of love on that day, but neither of us expected to feel it so intensely. Since we were the first among our group of friends to get married, everyone had been incredibly excited about the wedding.
One of our most beautiful memories is that although several different groups of friends and family came together that day, by the evening everyone was celebrating together as if we had always been one big family. The day was filled with dancing, singing and endless laughter until the early hours, and that is a feeling we will certainly never forget.
Was there a small, spontaneous moment that ultimately became a much more important memory than any of the carefully planned parts of the day?
A few days before the wedding, we bought an analogue film camera because, alongside the professional photographs and videos, we wanted to preserve an even more personal memory of the day. Throughout the evening, the camera was passed from guest to guest, allowing us to capture countless spontaneous and genuine moments from different perspectives.
Some guests used it to make little interviews, others recorded messages for us, sang, danced or simply captured their own experience of the day. When we watched the footage back later, it felt as though we were reliving the evening through the eyes of our loved ones. Those recordings have remained among our most treasured memories ever since.
If you could take one feeling from this day with you into the next chapters of your life together, what would it be?
Gratitude.
Gratitude for the love, support and care with which our family and loved ones surrounded us.
On our wedding day, it was almost tangible how many people were standing beside us, how many people were happy for us, and that is a feeling we can still draw strength from today. Knowing that so many people love and support us was perhaps the greatest gift of our entire wedding.
Venue: Kinfolk Cottage
Photo: Gerencsér Gréta
Video: Closer wedding film
Content creator: The Pause - Wedding Content Creation
Dress: Daalarna
Beni' suit: Stan Ahuja Tailoring
Catering: Roots catering
Decoration: Fiori D’Amore – Czakó Imelda
Music: Show4You
Rings: Ruszkai Jewellery
Cake: Caravella cafe
MC: Bódy Gergő
Pizza: Napolizza
