The Wedding

Serbian wedding customs

Wedding corsages – when guests arrive at the venue, they will first be greeted by the bride’s and groom’s parents, to then be escorted to the stand with wedding boutonniere/corsages where each guest will receive one to put on their wrist or lapel; every guest should also put some money for the adornments in the basket at the stand;  (there’s no mandatory amount; it can be £5, 200 dinars (£2) or any other amount; it’s entirely arbitrary)

Money as a present – instead of a specific present, the custom is to give the newlyweds money; if you’re not a close friend or a family member, you should usually give between £50 and £100 per person (the equivalent of the price per person (£50) + however much you want to add extra); 

Rakija from Buklija – authentic traditional Serbian flask – the father of the bride (or the uncle/close relative/family member) will occasionally come to the guests offering them a sip of homemade rakija from buklija (the flask); it’s a custom to take a sip for the good health of the newlyweds

Photoshoot with the newlyweds – sometime after the first dance, the newlyweds will take group photos with the guests; that’s the time when the guests will give their presents, i.e., envelopes with the money (and potentially a greeting card) to the dedicated box that will be on or beside the newlywed’s table

Photo buying – a few hours after the photoshoot, the photographers will have the photos developed, and guests can then buy photos they took with the newlyweds; the price of the photos will be around 300 dinars; you should only pay with dinars, other currencies most probably won’t be accepted.

Wedding Day Timeline

  1. 16:00 and 17:00 – arrive at the venue
    1. Arrive before 17:30
    2. Buy the boutonniere/corsages
    3. Mingle and meet people before the ceremony
  2. 17:00 – Ceremony
  3. 17:15 – First dance
  4. 18:00onwards
    1. Reception – dinner starts to be served
    2. Party starts
    3. Photoshoot with the newlyweds
    4. Party continues
    5. Buying photos
    6. We’re still partying
    7. Cake
  5. The party doesn’t stop until midnight