How to Plan a Croatian Wedding in New York

Weddings are a time to celebrate your ethnic heritage.

Weddings are a huge industry, according to the Association for Wedding Professionals International. In addition to watching a couple unite in matrimony, weddings are also a time to celebrate your culture and family traditions. If you are Croatian and planning a wedding in New York City, there are many ways you can integrate parts of your ethnic heritage into your wedding day. With a little imagination and some legwork, you can transform your wedding into a memorable Croatian experience that will be appreciated by your guests.

Instructions

1. Choose your venue. There are several traditional Croatian venues to choose from for your wedding ceremony in New York City. Visit the neo-gothic St. Ciril & Methodius & St. Raphael Church in Midtown, with the Nikola Tavelic Croatian Center adjacent to their facility.Try the Croatian Catholic Mission, Most Precious Blood Church in Astoria. If these venues don't fit your bill, choose one of the many other New York venues and customize it with Croatian decor.

2. Cater your affair with traditional Croatian food. Determine whether your reception hall will allow you to bring in outside vendors and what the licensing requirements are. If you can use an outside caterer, try Djerden Burek in Midtown. They boast many tasty Croatian dishes on their catering menu. Whichever Croatian caterer you choose, let them know in advance you are interested in catering a wedding and would like to sample various dishes. If your reception venue does not allow outside food, most will attempt to accommodate your requests by having their chef prepare menu items of your choice. Find out about the chef's experience with Croatian dishes and ask for a tasting before you commit. Ask your caterer about beverages as well.You can find several varieties of wines and liquors from Croatia through New York vendors.

3. Play Croatian music. You may be lucky enough to find a Croatian band to play at your wedding. Contact the Croatian churches, restaurants and cultural centers for vendor reccomendations. Use a DJ to spin Croatian hits. Try the popular Croatian band Kries for contemporary flair. Consult with Croatian community members about traditional songs to dance to such as "Tvoja Zemlja" by Vice Vukov or "Vjerujem on te Voli" by Daniel Popovic. Listen to a variety of songs online and load them onto an MP3 player or provide a playlist for your DJ in advance.

4. Integrate Croatian customs into your weddings and reception. Welcome each guest with a rosemary branch to symbolize good luck. In addition to the wedding cake, serve bite-sized Kolaci cakes. Provide a basket for money when guests pay to dance with the bride, according to tradition. Offer shots of Schnapps to your guests.

References

• Association for Wedding Professionals International: Statistics for the Wedding Industry
• St. Jerome Croatian Catholic Church of Chicago: Croatian Parishes in USA and Canada: New York
• Heart of Croatia Gifts
• Djerdan Burek: Catering
• System Records: Kries - Kocijani - Croatia - CD
• Croatian Weddings: Croatian Wedding Traditions and Customs