Just say yes

If you are looking for a truly unique wedding location, why not consider Austria’s Salzkammergut? With clear lakes, high mountains and green meadows, the resort area near Salzburg certainly offers a beautiful backdrop. Even better: wedding planner Gabi Socher and her team of dedicated service professionals will take care of everything. All you need to do is sit back, relax and say yes.

As one of the first wedding planners in Austria, Gabi Socher has led more than 450 wedding couples to the altar since 1999. Throughout those years she has found out about many great, sometimes even hidden wedding locations, wedding activities and service professionals in the Salzkammergut region. This led to the foundation of the ‘sagJA-im-Salzkammergut’ (translation: ‘say yes in the Salzkammergut region’) project – a professional network of various wedding service providers such as restaurants, graphic designers, florists, musicians or photographers. “We list all of these on our joint website, so all our clients have to do is to pick their favourites,” says wedding expert Gabi Socher und continues to share some of her best tips for your perfect day.

Photo: © Hillinger-Perfahl OG

On planning your wedding:

You do not have to do anything (except for saying yes, of course), but you are allowed to do everything. You can opt for an informal ceremony in the countryside or a very lavish and stylish wedding with many beautiful details such as a welcome letter, a musician line-up, a candy table, a fire artist, a show bar keeper etc. The possibilities here in the Salzkammergut are literally limitless. However, any wedding requires a great deal of planning. Allow yourself the luxury of getting a professional to organise your special day. If you are free of those worries, you can truly enjoy every aspect of the day and will have more time for the most emotional moments and your guests.

On choosing the location:

Choose your wedding location carefully because you will always remember this special place when you come back to visit in the future. You should pick a location that represents something special to both of you. Lakes and mountains are very simple and calm. They are perfect spots to relax and refocus on what really matters in life. Austria’s Salzkammergut offers plenty of those spots as the region is characterised by a very unique lake and mountain landscape. You will find a wealth of beautiful wedding locations here – from castles and mansions to stylish festival halls in old factories, estates or mountain lodges. There is something for every taste, budget and need.

On choosing the season:

Most couples would like to get married in the summer with May remaining the most popular month. However, a wedding in the so-called ‘off season’ (spring, autumn and winter) has its charm, too. In the off-season, everything is more relaxed and the prices are lower. Plus, autumn, winter and spring all come with their own distinctive beauty features. In autumn, there is a special kind of light. Spring will grace us with the soft green of the fresh leaves and the beautiful blossoming of various plants. Finally, the beautiful white snow landscape in winter will make you feel like you have stepped into a winter wonderland. These seasonal particularities all create a very special atmosphere and guarantee beautiful, unique wedding photos. To get your perfect shots, why not book a professional such as Dayle Ann Calvin, an award-winning photographer from LA now based in the region, through the ‘sagJA-im-Salzkammergut’ website?

Photo: © Zopf-Photography

On following wedding trends:

Due to the changes in our society, the significance of a wedding has changed, too. Today, a wedding is an important social gathering because friends and family often come together from all over the world. People take time off and look forward to celebrate this special milestone with the bride and groom. That is why sagJA-im-Salzkammergut’ weddings always include lots of love, laughter, joy and hospitality.

An exemplary typical wedding weekend package in the Salzkammergut could look as follows:

Example wedding weekend in the Salzkammergut region:

– Thursday: Arrival, sightseeing, shopping and spa.
– Friday: Warm-up party with traditional folk music (in Dirndl and leather trousers for those who like to dress in traditional clothes), food and drink delicacies from the region and an after-party in a stylish bar.
– Saturday: The main ceremony in a romantic church or on a green meadow followed by a panoramic lake tour by boat plus an elegant dinner and wedding party in a castle.
– Sunday: Wedding brunch on a lakeside terrace or cableway ride up to the mountain to take in the beautiful panoramic view from above

sagja-im-salzkammergut.at/en

TEXT: SONJA IRANI | PHOTOS: SAGJA-IM-SALZKAMMERGUT