• Travel & Honeymoon

Not to sound depressing, like, at all, but would be wrong in saying that 2020 has probably given us all a whole new set of priorities? Life is precious, fam, and YOLO is truth - not in a “let’s party hard rn, like there isn’t a pandemic” kind of way, but in a “when this COVID-challenged world comes out on the other side, let’s all cherish the people and moments in our lives that aren’t givens - let’s make the absolute most of our time together” kind of way. That’s why we’re huge fans of couples who haven’t made concrete plans for their weddings yet, or who just got engaged, considering a destination wedding somewhere that’s a little unexpected and a whole lot more exciting. Why not Poland, for instance? The country is gorgeous and there’s a wedding venue in the center of it all that stands out as a little haven of seclusion and beauty… Manowce Palace is truly the stuff of dreams and we’re not lying when we say that your wedding here will blow absolutely everyone’s minds.

Couple reasons why we’re beyond here for the destination wedding in a surprising place:

• It can be a big bucket list cross off, tbh - jetting off to somewhere I never thought of with my best friend. ✔️
• It can be the ultimate bonding experience for your entire crew - combining your wedding and a family reunion all in one big trip is a major feat, and you’ll be hosting it all. You can enjoy more quality time with your loved ones, rather than squeezing the wedding into just a few hours and barely catching up with your nearest and dearest. And since so many families are spread out all over the place, a destination wedding can serve as an exciting meeting point where you can all make lasting memories together. ✔️
• It can set a precedent for your future family - say you choose a wedding destination that isn’t 100 percent ‘on the radar.’ You embrace a new culture, you experience and learn from traditions that might not be your own, you try new foods, listen to new music, you grow together as a pair. This is such a great memory to share with your children one day, and hopefully it instills a passion in them to forever push the envelope, be adventurous, be open, and be a little spontaneous. Flexibility is major! ✔️

Now, let’s touch on THE place. 

Because, yes, it’s not everyday that you ask a couple where they’re getting married and they respond “Poland!! Haven't you heard of it??!”

Poland is a breathtaking country, with mountains in the south and lakes and the sea in the north. There are wonderful historic sites, like Cracow, the memorable Auschwitz Memorial, the salt mine in Wieliczka and the Teutonic castles.

When you come to Poland for the wedding, you can get a feel for the culture, from the specialities on the menu (and to many foreigners, Polish food is SO GOOD) to the music on the dance floor. You can also incorporate Polish wedding customs in your celebration. Upon arriving at the reception party, the newlyweds are greeted by their parents with a huge loaf of bread, salt, and two vodka shots. This represents a wish that the couple will always have sustenance in their life together. After the greeting with the bread and salt, the groom scoops the bride up into his arms and they walk like this into the reception party. This tradition symbolizes the change in status from single to married.

One of the best things about Europe is that most countries are easily accessible. Many different cultures are within just a day’s drive. Planes are quick and cheap. It takes just one to three hours to fly to Poland from any place in Europe, and the tickets may cost as little as 75 GBP (around $95 in American currency) both ways. Promotions and group bookings can bring the costs down even further.

And onto the most beautifully-located event venue in Poland.

Manowce Palace is a historic property uniquely located in northwestern Poland, in vast woods and right on the shore of a large lagoon next to the Baltic Sea. It lies very close to the Polish-German border, and Berlin is the closest large city. Here, it is all about the water, the woods and the remoteness. From the moment you arrive at Manowce, you’ll know it’s the perfect venue for your wedding. The ceremony and the reception can be held in the gardens next to the shore of the lagoon, with the scenery making a stunning backdrop for your wedding photographs.

Couples looking for history and luxury will find Manowce an ideal mixture of both. The building was designed in the neoclassical style, with wonderful porticos and wall decorations. The interiors are filled with beautiful antiques and paintings and 200-year-old tiled stoves, but also first-class contemporary furniture. The exterior is equally photogenic, with gardens, a fountain and parkland.

Travel and language

It’s very easy and cheap to get to Manowce. There are direct flights to Berlin from all major cities in Europe that take only one to three hours and the fares are very reasonable. You can also fly to Berlin from many airports in America and Asia. The venue offers a complimentary shuttle service to and from the Berlin airports – a coach for the guests and a limousine for the couple.

There is no geographical barrier and no language barrier. Manowce offers an in-house wedding coordinator who speaks Polish, English, and German. Or they can recommend a local wedding planner who speaks one or more of the main European languages, e.g. English, German, French, Spanish, Italian or Russian. They also work with Japanese and Chinese planners based in Central Europe, so everyone is pretty much covered! 

Wedding offer

At Manowce, you can use the in-house wedding coordinator or a local wedding planner who knows the local suppliers (Manowce will recommend someone local who speaks your language!).

Then, you can choose from the venue’s wedding packages or customize something as bespoke as you like. The wedding packages are priced in tiers based on the total number of people. Each package includes: exclusive venue hire; shuttle for the couple and guests from and to Berlin airport; welcome bag for guests; complete ceremony and reception styling, including floral decorations, a fresh flower bouquet and boutonniere; priest or officiant; recorded music; photographer; keepsake marriage certificate; ring pillow; cake and unlimited soft drinks. It doesn’t cover lodging, but as with usual destination wedding cadence, guests usually pay for their accommodations.

The wedding reception can take place indoors in the historic Great Hall or – in summer – outdoors in a marquee situated close to the shore of the lagoon. For marquee weddings, the Great Hall can serve as the backup location, should it rain heavily on the big day. Manowce has thirteen double bedrooms and three suites for you and your guests, and the experience is quite different from a normal hotel. The bedrooms and suites can accommodate up to 33 guests in total, or 42 including sofa beds and extra beds in some rooms.

They take food very seriously at Manowce, using the finest locally-sourced produce from Western Pomerania and often from their own kitchen garden. The catering companies and chefs who work with them have created a selection of menus for you to choose from. However, if you have preferred dining options, they will try to accommodate these with a bespoke package. They cater to any diet, likes and dislikes and most religious observances.

For foreign couples, Manowce can handle all the paperwork and get the necessary permissions from local authorities and churches for them to legally marry in Poland. The palace is licensed for civil ceremonies onsite, or for those who would like a religious ceremony, Manowce can help you to book a local church. They also organize humanist and symbolic ceremonies.

Manowce welcomes weddings of all types and sizes. These can be large parties outdoors for up to 100 guests, or wedding receptions for two, just the eloping couple. Whatever the size of the wedding, Manowce always offers its services on an exclusive-use basis, which means you’ll have the palace to yourself.

Vacation offer

Destination weddings often turn into a honeymoon for you and a little holiday for your guests. Manowce is happy to cater for such extended stays. If you’re looking to entertain yourselves and your guests during the day, then along with swimming in the bay and mushrooming in the woods, Manowce can organize activities such as kayaking, sailing, fishing, cycling, golf, horseback riding, and shooting.

Spontaneity is a good look and one that’ll pay off at Manowce.

“We were Googling historic and luxury wedding venues country by country and had only three things on our minds when we first talked about the wedding venue: a destination wedding, in Europe, and in a breath-taking location. We have quite a number of family and friends in Europe, so Europe seemed a natural choice. However, we did not want the Mediterranean; since it's so trite. After many hours of scrolling through images and websites, we finally found it! We found our dream venue - Manowce; an enchanting palace in Poland! We pre-booked Manowce without seeing it in person. I must thank Joanna, who helped us through the process - for all our Skype sessions to discuss the food, decorations, music and a thousand other details. The result was beyond my imagination! My friends couldn't believe that I saw the venue and met Joanna for the first time the day before the wedding. The quality of the catering, floristry and the accommodations for ourselves, our families and friends was of the very highest standard. The destination and surroundings were also beyond our expectations. We would highly recommend Manowce to any couple looking for their own 'perfect wedding' in this magical part of Europe.” ~ Kayla and David

Thinking that Manowce Palace might be for you? 

Then you'll definitely want to reach out and start planning your dynamic I Dos right now! From now until December 31st 2020, enjoy 15 percent off your booking.