Weddings are milestones in a lifetime, and an occasion that has the ability to unite families in a way that no other event can match. Weddings don’t just celebrate the couple’s commitment to each other, it celebrates love and life. They cement friendships and spread joy, and, as the old cliché goes, create memories for life.

So when Yuki and Michael announced their engagement last year, we were so thrilled! After literally a couple of thousand weddings under our belt, we were going to be on the receiving end.

As any bride-to-be knows, there are so many decisions to make, and so much loveliness to prepare; what dress to wear, and how big should the wedding be, to mention the top two. There’s a guestlist, winelist, to-do list - the lists seem endless. And I can reveal that when you’re a wedding planner, planning your own wedding, there are many lists, and much preparation in order to make the day seem effortless. And Yuki did just that! She planned (with a little help from the rest of us) a stress-free, personal and seamless day, so that she and Michael could be in the moment and enjoy every minute.

Our beloved father, Frederik Birkholm Badino, passed away in 2011, and we miss him dearly. To remember him, we clipped his tieclip onto Yuki’s bridal bouquet; “B” for Badino and Birkholm, both family names from his father and mother’s maiden name.

Being a musician herself, music plays a very important role in Yuki’s life, and if it had been entirely up to her, the wedding would have been one long musical jam session. Luckily there was plenty of music since most of Yuki’s friends are musicians too; there was even a flashmob in the church which was a surprise to us all. Yuki had asked John to walk her down the aisle, and he took upon his role as “protector of the bride” with great pride.

Yuki’s Michael is a very keen golfer, and his friends organised a surprise golf arch outside the church, which added a really personal and fun touch.

The confetti was made from our dried flower petals gathered during the summer months. Michaels mum even brought some from her garden in the UK. We made cones from 100-year-old piano music sheets that once belonged to our great grandmother. Very unique, and we reuse them now for other weddings.

The good old pink Trabant, also known as Der Pinker Stinker, played its part of course! Yuki and Michael were whisked away for a few portraits with their new baby Ivana – a beloved rescue dog from Ukraine, before joining the party at Strandskoven.

As Danish tradition would have it, you take a popular melody and change the lyrics to tell a story about the bride and groom. We chose to use  “Fernando” by Abba, because our father always liked that melody. We had great fun getting the words right, and of course doing little illustrations to make it personal; something I’ve done for our family songs since I was a kid!

Yuki and Michael also chose to hold speeches ‘the English way’ – i.e. far fewer than Danish tradition holds – so there was much more time for dancing and enjoying the music! Yuki wrote a song for Michael, which she sang after dinner to open the dance floor. The 2-man band, Barry & Romas, are good friends of Yuki, and local DJ Lau, an old school friend of Yuki’s, was a true pro too.

Our family has had its fair share of worries this year, so Yuki and Michael’s wedding was a welcoming light at the end of the tunnel to look forward to. A coming together to celebrate life and love.

All these stunning photos are by our friend Camilla Jørvad, who kindly offered to come out of wedding photography retirement for this on day only, so our sweet Neli Garnet could relax and just be Yuki’s friend and guest for the day.

Flowers, decor, design and planning by us here at Danish Island Weddings of course

Yuki:
Wedding dress: second hand from Bæredygtig Beklædning
Shoes: Roccamore
Jewelry: Halberstadt
Day before heavenly facial treatment by Pelle’s Holistisk Hudpleje
Hair and make-up by Yuki’s dear friend using products by Jane Iredale

Michael:
Suit: Sunwill
Shoes: Lloyd
Tie: Scottsberry
Shirt: Eterna
Watch: Rolex
Haircut by By.Grube

Wedding:

Live music by Off The Rails with @barrymedlockmusic and @romas_music
Food: Resumé Svendborg
Wine: Dehlholm vin
Champagne: André Clouet
Party and stage lighting: Kortermann-IT