After approximately 3000 kilometers on the road from Prague, Veronika Holeckova and Daniel Mimra could finally park their car this past weekend – just in time to get ready for their own wedding ceremony Monday 25 June. 

So yesterday, the bond between Veronika and Daniel was formally sealed. The ceremony took place on the historic Trondenes peninsula at the outskirts of the city centre. The area is well known for its medieval stone church. However, as this was not supposed to be a church wedding, friends in Harstad had to find another idyllic place fit for the special occasion.  

They ended up with what is called the Sun- and windhouse, located by a path that follows the sea shore along the peninsula towards the city centre. The house is designed by architect Jan Myrstad from Harstad and is a popular place to take a rest or to find shelter for people strolling along the path. 

In drizzling weather the bride was escorted by the best man to the Sun- and windhouse around mid-day yesterday. There, waiting, were a handful of local friends; Daniel the bridegroom; and notarius publicus Ulla Normann who would take care of the formalities and see to it that they were legally married, according to Norwegian law.    

So, after their friend Marija Vlasova had played Ave Maria on her violin, Veronika and Daniel exchanged rings and pledged to each other to be loving friends and partners in marriage.

- When we decided to get married, we wanted to do something different – do it in our special way. The choice fell upon Harstad where I studied Tourism and e-commerce in 2009 – and I enjoyed it here, Veronika says.

After the wedding ceremony and celebrations with friends in Harstad, the newly wedded couple got back on the road for their honeymoon – heading for the Norway’s number one tourist attraction; the Lofoten islands. In a couple of weeks they will be back home in Prague where family and friends will join in for more celebrations.