A Beautiful Destination Wedding In Budapest, Hungary

Monica and Alex met at a mutual friend's party about 8 years ago. The couple started talking and learned that not only did they graduate from McGill University in the same year, but that they had also been in a couple of classes together. Monica describes the beginning of their relationship as a slow burn. "We showed interest in each other over the next few months, but it wasn't until three months later that we went on our first date," she says.

The travel enthusiasts, who run in the Instagram account @harborandhill, were engaged on a trip to Thailand to visit Monica's family, with the proposal taking place was on a day of sight-seeing and fun activities. "We spent the day snorkeling and seeing the most incredible underwater sights," Monica says. At the end of their boat tour, they had the beach all to themselves where Monica declared to Alex that this would have been a good place to propose. "He laughed and took out the ring," Monica recalls. Alex had carried the ring all day in his bathing suit, waiting for the perfect opportunity. "It sounds like an awful proposal but with our love of travel, and my tendency to be bossy, it was pretty appropriate for us," Monica adds with a laugh.

For their wedding, the couple took a big risk by choosing the location before even seeing it. "I wouldn't necessarily recommend it to anyone else—we're lucky it worked out the way it did," Monica shares. They loved the previous work of Brody Studios and knew that the company would be a great fit for their special day. The venue provided was an old ruin-style building featuring diverse furniture and decor that varied according to room. The florist was given minimal direction, which led to the creation of pieces that the couple loved. "We let the mismatched and romantic old-European decor direct our decisions," Monica explains. "The flowers on the tables and the bridal bouquet were exactly what we wanted."

The couple had planned a first look, but it started pouring rain the moment they were supposed to take their photos. But rain wasn't their only setback. "We intended to do our photos at the bridge but that day a WWII bomb was found in the Danube," Monica recalls. "All the bridges and many streets were closed, hindering our photo plans."

An extra-special detail for Monica and Alex was choosing Alex's brother as the officiant, adding a personal touch to the ceremony. "He opened with a reference from The Office, our favourite show, and made the whole ceremony extremely fun and funny," Monica shares. Keeping up with the fun tone of the ceremony, the couple had a dance off in front of all their guests. This unconventional wedding dance moment was set to the song "This Is What You Came For" by Calvin Harris. "Alex had taken off his shirt and he was in his suspenders, and he definitely won," Monica says.

Monica Narula and Alex Rumi July 5, 2018, Budapest, Hungary.

Photography courtesy of Sara Petrak.

Vendors
Ceremony and reception venue: Brody Studios
Bridal gown: L'Amour by Calla Blanche
Flowers: Chetres
Stationery: Paperless Post
Music: Show 4 You