ANNA & VILÉM

Both came to Prague for their studies — Anna from eastern Slovakia and Vilém from the renowned Czech wine region in southern Moravia.
However, their shared journey began outside the Czech capital.
Their strong love story sparked
at music festival during a late-night wait for a concert around 2 AM, with a marker borrowed from a stall used to exchange phone numbers.
The engagement took place at home, intimate and very emotional. Originally, Vilém had a slightly different plan: “I planned to propose twice while on vacation abroad. The first time, the ring wasn‘t ready, and the second time, I forgot it. After that,
I didn‘t want to wait for another trip,” he admits.
Together, they decided on a summer wedding with outdoor dining and a weekend festival vibe. Their vision of a “Czech Tuscany” — with olive trees and stone buildings — was perfectly fulfilled by the wedding venue Za Vratama.
“We wanted to find a place that met our expectations, both in concept and practicality. After our first visit, we agreed there was no need to look further,” Anna adds.
The ceremony in the garden took place at noon on a June Saturday.
Guests were served a traditional Czech wedding dish of broth with liver dumplings and beef tenderloin with cream sauce. However,
the afternoon buffet broke from tradition with
a global culinary selection: bao buns, tacos, BBQ, smash burgers, and even the purely Czech fried cheese sandwich.
Entertainment didn‘t need organizing as the entire day flowed naturally,
with chill-out zones in the garden, disposable cameras, DIY drinks, live music, and live cooking sessions preventing any dull moments.
Yet, some traditions were embraced by the newlyweds. The day included
the “water or vodka” game and the “čepčení”
(an old Slovak ritual involving removing the wreath from the bride‘s head - editor‘s note) along with a traditional Slovak dance. The evening‘s entertainment
was kicked off by a newlywed DJ set.
The ceremony featured piano versions of favorite songs, the Lord of the Rings soundtrack, and the intro from The Office. The couple loves the series so much that,inspired by a particular episode, they chose I Try by Macy Gray
for their first dance as newlyweds.
Would they change anything? “I don‘t think about what I would do differently.
I just wish I could live that day over again. Several times!” Anna exclaims.

Text: Lucie Klímová | Photo: František Valiček