Riding on Motorcycle from Turkey to Belgrade!
When my beloved friend Ozlem called me, and told me she will get married in Belgrade and wants me to shoot their wedding photos, I said “Yes” without hesitation. I would discover Belgrade I have never visited before and shoot the Serbia Belgrade wedding photos of dear Ozlem and Ilkan, the wonderful man I would know later.
My Belgrade adventure was a bit troublesome at the beginning. I found out at my hotel that the cab driver at the airport overcharged me three times more. Other than this, I had no problem whatsoever in remaining days of my stay. People, nature, history, town planning and dishes of Belgrade were incredible. Moreover, it is very cheap to live here.
We met with Ozlem and Ilkan a few days ago and did some sightseeing in the city and reviewed next day’s schedule. Ilkan is a full-blooded motorcycle fancier and safe riding instructor. Now hold on to your hat: Ilkan and Ozlem travelled from İstanbul to Belgrade on motorcycle! They covered a two-way distance of 2000 kilometers. Their wedding also reflected this spirit.
Wedding Day:
We started shooting wedding photos at the hotel in the morning. I think we need to underline Hotel Moskva where the preparations took place. The hotel was built in 1908 as the most important investment of Russians in Belgrade and it is under legal protection since 1968. It is one of the symbols of the city. Its lobby, corridors, wall paintings and rooms smell history. We used these unique backgrounds of the hotel for photo session after preparations.
Then we went to Kalemegdan Castle, which is the most important symbol of the city. The castle reached from ancient eras today. It bears the traces of Roman and Ottoman periods. The Ottoman Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent conquered the city with an army of 250,000 soldiers and transferred the whole population around the Belgrade Forest in Istanbul. So, the city became a Turkish district. We have also used this striking place with views of Danube and Sava rivers for photo session of Ozlem and Ilkan. Then we went to Turkish Embassy in Belgrade for the wedding ceremony.
Boat Tour at Danube and Sava River:
We met with friends and relatives of Ozlem and Ilkan who came to Belgrade for wedding. A surprise was waiting for us after the wedding; a boat party with city view on the waters where Danube and Sava meet. It was very zestful to watch sunset and city from this beautiful river. The story of the boat owner, Vlada Kresojevic is also interesting. He crossed the ocean with his small diesel boat designed for this river and sailed to New York and from there, sailed down to South America. He even came to our country and made a Bosphorus tour. I didn’t believe him till he showed me some pictures of his incredible voyage but everything he told me was true.
Firstly we went to famous Bohemian district of the city, Skadarlija, which is famous with its historic texture and bars for dinner and entertainment after the wedding. We ate our dinner at the historic Tri Sesira (Tree Hats) Restaurant which has been serving at this same place since 1864. We had a wonderful night accompanied by local Serbian songs which turned into Turkish songs on the advancing hours. Unfortunately, I had to go to Switzerland for another shooting the next day. Most of the guests on the other hand had a beautiful city tour arranged by the thoughtful couple.
I actualized one of the most pleasurable of the year and met very joyful people, thanks to Ozlem and Ilkan. I wish them a healthy, happy and organic life!
Serbia Belgrade Wedding Photos by Ufuk Sarisen
