The YouTube stars’ romantic city wedding: Everything about Joanna & Axel’s celebration

Do you dream of a romantic city wedding? YouTube stars Joanna and Axel threw a truly extraordinary celebration of love in the heart of Stockholm

Who are you? 

We’re Axel and Joanna. We run one of Sweden’s biggest YouTube channels. We vlog about travel, adventures and everyday life with our three children: Alma, 12, Harry, 10, and Laura, 3.

Inspiration for a romantic city wedding

When you started planning, what was the first thing you decided on? 

The venue and the church – they were booked on the same day. That was the starting point.

Did you have a list of priorities?

We wanted lots of music and a party – not a stuffy wedding. So our priority was to book performers and bands.

How long did you spend planning your wedding? 

We booked the venue and the church the summer before and started planning bit by bit during the autumn. By January, things were in full swing, and wedding planning took up a fair bit of our time throughout the spring right up until the wedding.

What were your thoughts on the wedding budget?

We’re only doing this once in a lifetime, so let’s go for it!

The wedding day

Where did the ceremony take place?

Allhelgonakyrkan in Södermalm. A small wooden church with 282 seats. It was absolutely packed during the ceremony!

Where did you hold the reception? 

Eric Ericson Hall on Skeppsholmen.

What was your favourite memory of the day/weekend? 

The love – there was so much love in the air. It was an incredible feeling that everyone was there to celebrate our love.

Did you organise any activities for the guests?

After the wedding ceremony, everyone walked in a procession from the church down to the Hammarby Canal. Leading the way was a saxophonist in a pink suit and hat; beside him, our extra son, Hussein, was pulling a boombox on wheels, and the saxophonist played some great tunes – it was a proper party procession. When we reached the water’s edge, the guests boarded the Motala Express, which took everyone to the reception venue on Skeppsholmen.

How would you best describe your wedding? 

A party wedding with lots of music and love.

Did you have a wedding cake?

Yes, it was baked by our favourite patisserie, Bake to You; though, looking back, we wish we’d served it on the boat (after the ceremony) – then the guests would have eaten it with more appetite than they did in the evening after a three-course dinner.

Tell us a bit more about the day 

In the church, John Lundvik sang “All of Me” during the wedding ceremony and the power ballad choir sang “Inga kan älska som vi” – two fantastic love songs. We, the bride and groom, danced out of the church whilst John Lundvik sang “Is It Too Late for Love”.

We think it suits us, as we’d been together for 14 years before we got married. All the guests stood up and danced and/or sang along, and that set the tone for the rest of the day and evening. Saxophonist Fred played party tunes on the way to the boat, and the Saskia Quartet played Swedish folk songs during the pre-dinner drinks outside the Eric Ericson Hall.

During dinner, several friends performed songs instead of giving speeches. Among other things, Joanna’s girlfriends had written a song, and our friend Mattias Andréasson performed “As Long As You Love Me”, which led to a sing-along in the hall – it was magical!

The band Isaac and the Soul Company got the party started. They play songs that lots of people can sing along to, and they manage to get people of all ages dancing until they’re sweating – from little Laura to Grandma!

Outfits and details: From Valerie Aflalo to House of Steens

What were you all wearing? 

The bride wore a dress designed by Valerie Aflalo. A lace dream with a halterneck. The groom wore a blue tuxedo from House of Steens. I’m sure Valerie would be happy to tell you more about the dress! Valerie Aflalo is wonderful to work with; she listened to my wishes and designed a dress tailored to my body shape and style.

What were the bridesmaids and groomsmen wearing? 

The bridesmaids wore green dresses from Milla and the groomsmen wore black tuxedos from House of Steens.

Was there a dress code for the guests? 

Light-coloured suits.

Tips

Top tip for a wedding?

• Do what suits you best and don’t pay too much attention to what others say.
• It’s important to choose your toastmaster carefully. That person sets the tone for the evening. We had the children’s godfather, Frederic, who did an outstanding job; he loves speaking in front of people and usually hosts music quizzes. He introduced each speaker with a song that we (the bride and groom) had chosen; neither the guests nor the speaker in question knew who was about to come up, so it turned into a fun guessing game.
• We love children and were keen to have them present at the wedding ceremony, but in the evening we wanted all the parents to be able to let their hair down. We therefore welcomed children to join us in the church; afterwards, we had a children’s boat with a magician who took the children to Skeppsholmen, and they were then collected by childminders at the pre-reception outside the venue.

Top tip for the planning stage? 

Get some help! There are so many strings to pull, and it’s easy to hit a wall if you try to organise everything yourself.

Best tip for the day itself? 

Be in the moment.

Is there anything you wish you’d done differently? 

There’s so much to do the closer you get to the wedding – lots of last-minute decisions to make and so on. It would have been nice if we’d had a few days off before the wedding, but you never really do with three children, haha.

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

Do’s – Have your photos taken before the ceremony so you can spend time with your guests. We’ve been to several weddings where the bride and groom have disappeared off for photos, and that really takes the wind out of the day’s sails. What’s more, the bride and groom look their best before the ceremony, before the tears start flowing, haha.

Don’ts – Don’t let speeches go on for too long. Our toastmaster gave each speaker 3–5 minutes – that’s plenty!

Best tip for married life after the wedding? 

Love each other for better or for worse. It’s easy to forget the ‘worse’, haha.

Vendors

Photographer:Erika Gerdmark captured every moment, giving the couple memories to last a lifetime. Erika has a unique ability to capture the emotions in the most subtle moments, and this is clearly evident in the photos from the day.

Transport: To really give their guests an unforgettable experience of Stockholm’s harbour, Joanna and Axel chose to transport their guests from the Hammarby Canal to Skeppsholmen on the classic steamboat Motala Express. 

Venue: The dinner and reception were held in the magnificent Eric Ericsonhallen, one of Stockholm’s most impressive and elegant venues, situated on the waterfront with unbeatable views of Stockholm and the sparkling water.

Wedding coordination: Skeppsholmsgruppen www.skeppsholmsgruppen.se for those who chose the Eric Ericsonhallen venue for the dinner and reception

Catering:Lustholmen Catering provided the food. The team, led by head chef Fransisco, is renowned for its ability to create culinary experiences of the highest calibre, and this was clearly evident at this wedding. Each dish was carefully selected to both delight the taste buds and complement the stylish and elegant ambience that characterised the entire day.

Cake: The wedding cake was much appreciated and absolutely beautiful, created by Bake to You. 

Tableware and furniture: To create the right balance of elegance and practicality, Table.se was chosen for the furniture and tableware. Every detail, from the tables to the crockery, was tailor-made to complement the stylish and classic ambience.

Make-up & hair: Joanna had Natalie Berzelius as her make-up artist and Antonio Axu for her wedding hairstyle, and the result was a sophisticated and timeless look that lasted all day and night!

Entertainment: The evening’s main entertainment was provided by Isaac and the Soul Company. As soon as they took to the stage, they ensured the dance floor was packed all evening with their lively and infectious rhythms.

Dress: The bride wore a stunning creation by Valerie Aflalo.

Suit: The groom’s stylish outfit was from House of Steens. 

Brunch: The following day, the celebrations continued with a lovely brunch at Moderna Museet

Hotel: Pre-wedding arrangements and the wedding night were at Hotel Reisen