How We Pulled It Off: A Dreamy Castle Wedding in a Slovenian Wine Valley

24.05.2024 - 16:39 / cntraveler.com

What do you know about Slovenia? That's that question that Stephanie Owens and Alexander Ingram asked of their families and friends when they got married there last fall. The American bride and Australian groom met through friends in New York City and have lived there the majority of their adult lives, but their loved ones are based around the globe. “We decided that it made sense for everyone to travel [for our wedding],” says Stephanie, “and we also thought that that would help to make it feel more intimate.”

The couple didn’t need to think very hard about a destination: not only were Stephanie's maternal grandparents born there (before emigrating during World War II), she also serves as the Honorary Consul of Slovenia to New York, a role that finds her operating as a cultural ambassador who’s very active in the Slovenian community in the US. The couple has visited Slovenia together several times, particularly when Stephanie was getting her dual citizenship there, but they knew that the vast majority of their 100 guests hadn’t been to the nation they love.

“Most of the guests are pretty well traveled and been to a bunch of countries in Europe, but only two or three had been to Slovenia,” says Alexander. “I think everyone appreciated that they got to experience this new country that they probably never would've been to if it weren’t for this.”

The couple set out to give their (just under) 100 guests the very best introduction to the 32-year-old country, with a celebration in a medieval castle, a night at a winery, and poetry in the Slovenian. Ahead, they explain how their destination wedding in Slovenia came together.

Stephanie and Alexander wed in a Slovenian castle, the Grad Štanjel, during the fall of 2023.

The couple eschewed stuffiness for an intimate event with lots of candles and Slovenian traditions

Choosing (and putting down a deposit for) a place to get married can be stressful even in one’s own city, so sifting through options on the other side of the world has the potential to be truly maddening. To begin the process, Stephanie and Alexander considered what kind of adventure they wanted their loved ones to have: Anything “stuffy” was anathema, and easy access to nature was paramount. “When we described what we wanted to the planner, most of the venues had this whimsical feel with an outdoor element,” says Stephanie. “And I love a water feature, so we wanted to have some water as well.”

After considering several sites around Slovenia, particularly along the border with Italy, they chose the Grad Štanjel, a castle set inside a walled, medieval city perched atop a hill. The castle itself, and its restaurant, are family-run and -operated; guests could choose among several places to stay