Weddings on Gotland: The ultimate guide to planning your dream day

Do you dream of saying ‘I do’ on Sweden’s most magical island?
Gotland has become a wedding mecca for couples from all over Scandinavia and the rest of the world.

But how do you organise the logistics on an island, how much does it cost, and where do you actually start? We’ve delved deep into the subject with Fanny and Emelie from goGotland – the events agency that holds the key to the island’s most sought-after venues.

There’s something special about organising a wedding on Gotland. Fanny and Emelie, who grew up on a horse farm in Skåne and Gotland and are used to hard work and project management, describe how the island has a unique effect on people.

– As soon as you step off the plane or the ferry, it’s as if a weight is lifted from your shoulders. The pace is more laid-back, and nature, the sea and history are ever-present. “Nowadays, when we’re expected to be constantly connected and high-performing, couples are drawn to the island to engage their senses – to taste, smell and simply breathe,” explains Emelie.

A Gotland wedding is therefore rarely just a one-night celebration. It becomes a holistic experience, an extended weekend and a mini-break where the bride and groom and their guests gather to spend time together over several days.

The ultimate setting: getting married in a medieval church ruin

The single most prominent theme for weddings on the island is the dream of a wedding in the ruins. Through a government contract with the Gotland Museum and the National Property Board, goGotland has exclusive access to the medieval church ruins in Visby’s city centre.

– It’s an absolutely fantastic setting that might just as easily have been closed to the public. The ruins are magical for wedding ceremonies, receptions and ‘first look’ photo shoots. The best thing is that they’re so raw and beautiful in their own right that you don’t actually need to spend a fortune on flowers and decorations,” says Fanny.

What’s included and how much does it cost?

When you book a ruin via goGotland, you hire it for a whole day. This is a huge advantage compared to traditional wedding venues, where you often only have a couple of hours, which can cause stress if the make-up or photography takes longer than expected.

• Basic price: A basic package to hire a ruin for a whole day costs 27,550 kronor. This includes the ruin, a basic sound system, as well as project management and on-site coordination.
• Consider the logistics: What you need to understand about a ruin is that it is essentially just an empty shell of stone and gravel. There is no electricity, no water, no toilets, benches, chairs or lighting. GoGotland sets all this up and organises it according to the bride and groom’s wishes. Furthermore, special permits are often required as the ruins are protected ancient monuments – something the agency handles on your behalf.

Build team spirit with ‘Happenings’ and team-building

As goGotland is essentially one of Sweden’s leading event agencies (organising everything from Almedals Week to major corporate conferences, with up to 150 events a year), they’re experts at creating a seamless flow and memorable experiences. A strong trend right now is for weddings to be filled with fun and unexpected “happenings”.

Awaken the senses: Start the wedding morning with a group relaxation yoga session by the sea so that all guests can ground themselves in the present moment and switch off their phones.

Break the ice the day before: To prevent guests from splitting into their usual familiar groups (clusters), the experts recommend an inclusive activity the evening before. This could be a team-building activity of just the right level of challenge, where guests get to solve riddles or create something together. It brings out the competitive spirit in some, but above all, it breaks the ice ahead of the wedding day.

Turn the journey into a party: A journey doesn’t have to be boring. goGotland suggests adding live music, booking a disco bus or a disco bike, or planning a nice stop for some bubbly along the way.

Local line-up: The island’s best suppliers

When Fanny receives a call from a couple wanting to plan a wedding at short notice (the agency has organised entire weddings in just one month!), she puts together a hand-picked team in under a minute. By using goGotland’s regular favourites, you get suppliers who know the venues inside out, which saves both time and money on preparations (reconnaissance).

Here are some of Gotland’s absolute top names in the industry:

• Hair & Make-up: Linda (a Gotland native who has set up her own business and offers fantastic hair styling, cuts, colour and make-up on site).
• Flowers & Bouquets: Florakompaniet.
• Music, Sound & Technology: Micke at Sandkvia Studio (handles all aspects of music for the wedding, including live bands and DJs, and has every conceivable piece of equipment, including lasers and disco balls) or the superb PA-kompaniet.
• Catering & Food: Egil’s Kitchen (Egil) or Fabian.

More excellent suppliers on Gotland can be found at the end of the article.

Gotland’s food culture & unique approach to sustainability

Food on Gotland is a chapter in its own right. The island is renowned for its fantastic small businesses and fine-dining chefs who work with local and locally produced ingredients.

In addition, GoGotland, together with Coop on Gotland, has launched a completely unique and award-winning sustainability project to eliminate food waste during its events (which is being tested on a large scale during Almedals Week, amongst other occasions).

• Carbohydrates (such as leftover pasta, rice and bread) are collected and distilled into spirits.
• Vegetables (such as an old sprig of dill) are turned into plant fertiliser.
• Proteins are converted into biogas.

This is the perfect touch for the eco-conscious couple who want a wedding with a minimal carbon footprint but maximum flavour. If you’d like to sample what the island has to offer, Emelie and Fanny recommend the Taste of Gotland food and drink festival, which takes place on the last weekend of September – a perfect inspirational trip for prospective brides and grooms!

Pitfalls and logistical challenges you need to be aware of

Getting married on an island requires local knowledge. Here are the experts’ most important warnings:

Avoid week 26: The end of June marks Almedals Week. During this time, virtually all hotels, historic sites, restaurants and suppliers in and around Visby are fully booked. If you absolutely must get married that week, you’ll need to head well out into the countryside.

The street where all the cars get stuck: During the summer, there’s a ban on cars in Visby’s city centre and the streets are strictly one-way. Google Maps doesn’t always pick this up. Every summer, taxis (often with drivers from the mainland) arrive and literally get stuck between two houses on a specific, notorious street. It almost always ends up as a story in the local paper! Avoid driving in town – opt for a bike, a horse and cart, or walking.

Buses cannot enter the town: Are you planning to hire buses for your guests? Bear in mind that large buses cannot drive inside the city walls. They have to park outside, which means guests have a walk of about 15 minutes up to the ruins. This must be factored into the timetable so that the wedding isn’t delayed.

Which time of year is best? 365 days of magic

Most people dream of June, July or August, but that also means you need to book well in advance – ideally one to two years beforehand – to secure hotel rooms and suppliers. But the girls have another, shared favourite:

– Autumn on Gotland is magical. September and October are absolutely fantastic. As Gotland has 80 mil of coastline, the sea acts as a huge heat source. In spring, the water cools the island down, but in autumn it warms it up instead, resulting in a very long and warm late summer. The flowers are still in bloom (perfect for picking a local bridal bouquet!), the pace has slowed down, and hotels and suppliers have much better availability,” advises Fanny.

Even winter weddings in December or cosy weddings in early spring are entirely possible. As long as you’re flexible with the dates and are willing to get married on, say, a Wednesday rather than a Saturday during peak season, almost anything can be arranged.