Bridget & Lukas
Bridget and Lukas, tell us a little about yourselves... where are you from, how did you meet, and how did you fall in love?
Bridget was born in Italy, grew up in California, and moved to New York City in 2017. Lukas was born and raised in Lithuania and later studied in California. We both went to the same university but didn’t meet until years later at a UCSB alumni event in New York, introduced by a mutual friend. We connected instantly over our shared love for music, food, travel, and concerts. Those shared passions have shaped our relationship and the life we’ve built together.
What made you choose Portugal -and specifically Braga - to celebrate your wedding?
Since we were both born in Europe and have an international circle of friends and family, we knew we wanted to celebrate our wedding in Europe. After exploring different countries, we chose Portugal for its stunning architecture, natural beauty, and warm atmosphere. We had heard wonderful things about Quinta Lago dos Cisnes—their professionalism, attention to detail, and exceptional service—and knew it would be an unforgettable experience.
Oh absolutely. The team at Etiquette, Araxa Braga, and Quinta Lago dos Cisnes really took us in their arms and fully supported our celebration! Their attentiveness, attention to detail, and communication made us feel so welcome and loved. Additionally, both Lukas & I love spending time in Porto. We have found that the food, friendliness, nature, and community of Porto is so welcoming that we made sure to recommend our friends to stop by before they came to Braga for our wedding festivities.
Was there a moment when you felt that Portugal “adopted” you during the celebration?
How would you describe the aesthetic and atmosphere you envisioned for the ceremony and reception?
The aesthetic and atmosphere that we envisioned for our wedding was eclectic, whimsical, friendly, fun, and classic.
You had several Portuguese vendors - which ones would you recommend (venue, catering, florist, music)?
Venue: Quinta Lago dos Cisnes - they handle all in-house wedding support from food, decorations, florals, drinks, cakes, staff and more
External Coordinator: Sara, from Etiquette - they handle all pre-wedding coordination from the morning of the wedding, rehearsal parties, steaming of dresses, transportation, childcare, and more
Julio Paladino Photography - incredible photographer based in Lisbon who has a distinctive style that crosses between classic, whimsical, modern, and editorial
As Anas - Braga-based videographers who specialize in creating video that focus on storytelling and the beauty of their clients
Candid Content Studio - content creator who creates special BTS footage that is available within 48 hours of your wedding
Araxa Braga - skygarden that has a beautiful view of Braga that served as our welcome part for our guests
Were there any specific rituals or traditions (family or cultural) that you included in your big day?
For our welcome party, we held a traditional Ghanaian "knocking ceremony" where the groom provides gifts for the bride's family. All guests were required to wear white except for family members, groomsmens, and bridesmaids who wore white and kente cloth to signify their importance. The bride and the groom wore full kente outfits that were made in Ghana. On the wedding day, the groom and his groomsmen wore traditional Lithuanian ties and we had several speeches in Lithuanian that were then translated into English.
What was the most emotional moment of the ceremony for each of you?
The ceremony - filled with all of our friends and family. It was such a beautiful moment.
Looking back, is there anything you would change or do differently?
Nothing at all.
What practical advice would you give to international couples who wish to get married in Portugal?
Personally, the quality of service, food, and experience of getting married in Portugal was extremely worth it. Additionally, it gave us and all of our guests an opportunity to visit the beautiful country many times. It was an unforgettable experience and something that we will cherish forever.
What was the best surprise of the day — something unexpected that made everything magical?
Our incredible MC, David Agyemang, had us sit in the middle of the dancefloor and had each guest from each table run and take photos with us. It was truly a highlight of our evening.
If you had to describe your wedding day in three words, what would they be and why?
Whimsical - because of the overall vibe
Eccentric - the pops of color from our guests
Cosmopolitan - the international community that we had.
Finally, would you like to leave a message for your guests or your vendors?
To our vendors, thank you all for your grace, hospitality, and exceptional service. We could not have chosen better vendors to bring our wedding to life. Every detail exceeded our expectations, and we felt the love and care in everything you did. We highly recommend anyone planning a wedding in Portugal to reach out to your teams—they will not regret it. Everything was beyond what we imagined and more.
