A magical weekend in Oslo with two hundred dancing guests

A three-day party with friends and family

Who are you?

We’re Linn and Ellie. Linn is 37 years old, a bon vivant, saleswoman, sommelier and keen runner. Ellie is a 31-year-old princess who’s all about organisation and order. A digital creator and a social genius. We live in Oslo – Ellie was born here, and Linn is Swedish… or rather, she’s now a ‘Svorsk’ after more than a decade on Norwegian soil. 

How did you meet?

Ellie was a guest at the restaurant where Linn worked. There was an instant spark – at least on Linn’s part. Ellie’s incredible charisma and charming manner enchanted Linn. Ellie needed a bit more time, so we were just friends at first. Ten months after that first meeting, we started seeing each other and things quickly turned romantic. This was just before the first ‘lockdown’ during Covid-19. So we had plenty of time together that first year, which is absolutely magical when you’re newly in love.  

How did the proposal go?

Linn proposed on 3 September 2022. It was a well-planned proposal to coincide with Ellie’s 30th birthday party. For the party, we’d hired a large boat where we were going to celebrate in style. On the roof, Linn set up the grand proposal with a hundred white roses; dressed in white, she got down on one knee in front of our loved ones, and Ellie burst out with a ‘YES!’. 

Is a wedding something you’ve always dreamt of?

Was a wedding something you’d dreamed of before the proposal? Ellie has dreamed of a beautiful wedding her whole life. Linn, on the other hand, started dreaming when she met the love of her life, Ellie. 

What rings did you choose?

Engagement rings: Hennie diamond ring in gold. Wedding rings: Wedding rings from Gullfunn (Guldfynd) in 585 gold.

How did the wedding planning go?

When you started planning, what was the first thing you decided on? The date – we wanted a date that had a nice ring to it. We went for 7 July; after that, we booked the Oslo City Hall and the venue for the dinner and reception, which ended up being Bølgen & Moi on Tjuvholmen – a restaurant right in the heart of Oslo’s harbour district. 

Did you have a list of priorities? In other words, what was most important to you?

For Ellie, the photos, the video and the dress were important. As I said, Linn is very knowledgeable about food (she’s been head chef at one of Oslo’s best restaurants for many years and is a sommelier), so food and drink were very important. Another priority for Linn was the guest list – who did we want to invite to celebrate the best day of our lives with?

What were your thoughts on the wedding budget?

At first, we thought we’d be able to have everything we wanted whilst still keeping our budget relatively tight. But we quickly realised that setting priorities was absolutely essential; otherwise, the costs would spiral out of control straight away. We decided to spend most of our money on what we thought was most important. And we cut back on what wasn’t so important. What did you think was most important? And what was less important to you? Photos and video ended up at the top of our priority list. And we’re so glad we did! Clothes were important, but there are beautiful wedding dresses in all price ranges (we even considered hiring one). The food ended up being quite expensive, but we managed to keep the per-guest cost down by choosing wines from lesser-known regions that still paired perfectly with the meal. Flowers and decorations were at the bottom of the list, but you can find some great bargains on Etsy and Amazon. From the start, we’d hoped to hire a professional decorator, but we decided against it. That meant a bit of extra work and stress for us in the final week before the wedding. But we had great help from friends and family, and it turned out to be a lovely memory too.

Where did the wedding ceremony and reception take place?

We got married at the town hall in central Oslo; after the ceremony, we’d organised a boat trip for our guests whilst we had our wedding photos taken.

After the boat trip, our guests went to the Bølgen restaurant, where they were served champagne. A little while later, we arrived with great fanfare. We danced in to a remix of the song ‘Svag’, which had become our wedding song. 

What’s your favourite memory of the day/wedding weekend?

That we got to show and share our love with all our favourite people. And that we got tattoos. The tattoo features two skulls kissing, with our wedding date written above them. 

Did you organise any activities for the guests?

Did you organise any activities for the guests? We had lots of different activities at our wedding. Two different photo booths, a tattoo artist, live music with a saxophonist, and a magician who walked round amongst our guests performing magic tricks. 

Your wedding looked like a dream – how would you best describe it?

‘Just like a dream’ is the best description. Everything turned out exactly as we’d hoped! 

What was on the wedding menu?

We served aperitifs and snacks on the boat trip. At the restaurant, a four-course menu was served. Classic French cuisine with seasonal Norwegian produce. Was food something you placed a lot of importance on? Yes! As I said, food is very important to us. So the quality of the food and drink was a top priority. The number of courses is also important, bearing in mind the number of speeches and the flow of the evening, so not too many and not too few.  

What are your top tips for a wedding?

Set a realistic budget and draw up a list of priorities – what do you want to spend the most money on, and what’s less important? Be clear about what you expect from suppliers, toastmasters and bridesmaids. Everyone wants to make this your best day ever, and clear instructions make the job easier for everyone involved. It’s really worth having a photographer and videographer who aren’t just skilled at their jobs but who also suit your personalities. They’ll be with you all day, so it’s important that you get on well with them. 

Is there anything you wish you’d done differently?

Our wedding cake was served whilst we weren’t there – it was, of course, a bit of a let-down. But then, things don’t always go exactly as planned, and we had the best day ever anyway. 

Is there anything, looking back now, that you wish someone had told you?

No, not really – not that we can think of.

Any ‘dos and don’ts’ you’d like to share?

Plan carefully and make it easy for everyone involved to accommodate your wishes. 

What did you wear?

Ellie wore a magical wedding dress and looked like a princess. Linn wore a white trouser suit that was designed and made especially for her, featuring lace details from Ellie’s dress.

Which brand or designer did you use?

Ellie’s dress was from Demetrios and Linn’s trouser suit was designed by SMC Bridal Stylist. 

What was the dress code?

At the ceremony and dinner on Friday, the dress code was ‘dark suit’. At Saturday’s big party, it was a Midsummer theme with bright, vibrant colours. 

Anything else you’d like to share?

It’s your day – don’t let others decide how you should celebrate your love.