This past month, I traveled to Finland. Interested in learning about the weddings there, specifically in the city of Kuopio, I had the opportunity to speak with a couple recently married. We talked a little about the differences between the Finnish and the American wedding…and I had the chance to grab shots of the main venues in the city of Kuopio.
Beginning with the image below, this is the main Lutheran church in the center of Kuopio. The two most prevalent faiths in the area are Lutheran and Orthodox. The couple I spoke with chose to marry at this church for a few reasons:
The first, being that they were able to walk there. Kuopio is a very pedestrian driven/urban city. And while staying there I fell in love with the lifestyle. You walk to the market for food, you walk to visit friends/family…and apparantely, you even walk to your wedding! So cool.
So, Inka and Janne chose to wed here so that they would have the opportunity to get ready at nearby locations and walk to the church….
The second reason was so that Inka especially, was able to have her dream: a walk down the stairs of the church and through the garden after the ceremony.
Inka says that she’s lived in Kuopio her entire life and always dreamt of walking through this area as she had seen brides do almost every Saturday.
So, as their guests lined the church doors, Janne and Inka made the grand exit down and through the gardens.
Their church’s interior was absolutely gorgeous. And it seems as though the ceremony itself was very similar what takes place here in the US. Inka did say however that when she arrived to the church Janne was there and that they saw each other before the wedding.
She simply arrived, they had a short meeting with the officiant, and the ceremony began.
I thought this was a very interesting conversation, as much emphasis is placed here on the groom waiting to see his bride.
I adore the red aisle runners…. so regal.
The chandeliers here are also beautiful and really add such character and history to the church.
The first of the two wedding reception venues I saw in Kuopio can be seen below. A little farther than walking distance, this ia venue you may have your guests drive to.
As you can see the architecture and the terrace area really define this venue as Finnish. 🙂 During the summer months it’s very common for the wedding guests to spend their time out in the outdoor area…maybe even sipping Cider or having a glass of Longora. 😉 In the winter, when the temperatures fall below zero, they remain indoors.
Closer to the Lutheran church in the city of Kuopio, you can find this below Gentleman’s club.
Similar to a Petroleum Club here in the south, this venue is also used for receptions, especially those weddings smaller in number, as they can only seat a maxium of 50 guests here.
I think the lighting fixtures in the venues were of particular interest for me. They were almost always original and really added such character to the architecture.
This is the bar/seating/hangout area attached to the main dining room at the Gentleman’s Club in Kuopio.
This is the main Orthodox church in the city of Kuopio. The one thing that I found EXTREMELY interesting here is the fact that the bricks are in fact….NOT real!
…meaning, when you get close, you see that they are actually…..PAINTED!!!!! So cool, right?!
But when researching further, I came to understand that what’s found beneath the painted brick is actually…..wait for it, REAL brick!
Prepare yourself for this gorgeousness!!!! Inside the Orthodox church are a variety of sentimental and historial pieces.
Many aspects of the design and the artwork are over 100 years old. And as you can see, there are no pews. Inka’s father was married in this church and he explained to me that everyone stands. Even during a regular service, the church attendants do not sit. In the old days, the genders were also split: men on one side, women on the other.
Now, genders can stand together but there are no pews to rest.
Again…the chandeliers are exquisite and beautiful.
Being in Finland I learned SO much….not just about weddings or venues, but about the culture in general. The lifestyle is so unique and the love there is very prevalent. I cannot wait to blog about my personal experience in the country as well! I hope you enjoyed this peak into the Finnish weddings…I know I enjoyed learning about them!
Wow those churches are beautiful!