Catherine and Hrvoje met for the first time at Lifetime Fitness while Hrvoje was a trainer at the facility. Hrvoje first noticed Catherine while she was working on her cardio on the stairmaster. A few days later while she was babysitting, she received a Facebook message from Hrvoje asking her to text him if she got bored while babysitting. And just like that, it was the beginning of something special between these two!
We met Catherine and Hrvoje thanks to Catherine’s brother who is one of our former grooms. And we met him thanks to his now-wife‘s cousins whose weddings we also photographed. That means Catherine and Hrvoje’s wedding will be the fourth wedding in the same family and circle of people that we have the honor of capturing! We are seriously so lucky to work with such wonderful couples!
For their engagement session, Catherine and Hrvoje chose Laurita Winery. I met them out there on the perfect summer day and they were in such high spirits. Their big smiles and relaxed nature made it so easy to work with them and definitely got me so excited for their wedding day! They are planning quite a wedding, too! Hrvoje is Croatian so they’ll be tying the knot at a Croatian church in Manhattan and then celebrating with family and friends at Westmount Country Club. I already know they are going to have the liveliest of dance floors! We’re so excited for their big day to arrive! Enjoy getting to know these two and get excited for their fall 2019 wedding!
Vendor Credits
Venue | Laurita Winery
Hair Stylist | Erin Roughley
Laurita Winery Engagement Photography
Their first date
Catherine: I remember being so excited that I went to a friend’s house that evening prior to going out, to make sure I looked OK and to borrow a clutch. I was very nervous! We started out the evening with Italian food in Morristown followed by dancing and cocktails afterwards at Ironbar. Butterflies were in full effect!
Hrvoje: I couldn’t wait to introduce Catherine to a couple of my friends during our double date in Morristown. She captured my heart from the very first moment that I saw her and I was really looking forward to taking her out and dancing with her. Her hair was the longest I have ever seen it.
When they knew they had found the one
Hrvoje: From the moment she rang my doorbell for the first time and I went to go open my door. As soon as I saw her smile, I fell in love right then and there and I knew she was something special.
Catherine: Hrvoje asked me to accompany him on a hike in Syracuse, NY for a weekend. This was my first time going away with him. After an adventurous hike, we headed out to dinner at Maxi’s Supper Club & Oyster Bar. I tried something you would never catch me eating, oysters..YUCK! He put me in a place where I felt so at ease and comfortable that I didn’t mind trying something completely out of my comfort zone. It was that Sunday on the drive home that I realized I would love to spend the rest of my life with this incredible guy.
The proposal
What a story. Hrvoje’s birthday is August 3, so our plan was to head into NYC on Saturday August 5 to explore One World Trade and have dinner followed by some cocktails. It was a typical saturday morning, beautiful weather as we were about to board the Millington train to the city. Once we arrived at NYC, first stop was one of our favorite watering holes, Local. We started the afternoon out with a jalapeno margarita. This was quite spicy! Shortly after that drink, we caught a cab downtown to One World Trade. It was then that things got interesting. There was quite a line which made for some great conversation. As we approached the turnstyle with a security guard along side I walked through and then noticed Hrvoje was hesitant to proceed. It then occurred to him that he needed to get the ring, which was located in his sock past security. After bending over at the hip and stalling, Hrvoje began to suspect something was out of the ordinary. He managed to have a word with the security guard who was able to assist with getting the ring to the other side. The guard then expedited us to the fast lane where we were able to cut the line and ride the elevator to the top. Once getting there we were presented with the magnificent view. We began to explore the floor and then all I remember was looking out the window and hearing Hrvoje go up to a random tourist giving them his phone asking them to take a photo of us. At that point, we snapped a few and then he got down on one knee to propose. This brought so many tears of joy to my eyes I could barely make out a word. The answer was a huge YES followed by a crowd of people surrounding us and hanging off the balcony cheering. After that, my whole body was shaking as we called our parents to tell them about the exciting news. This was followed by a tasty dinner at the restaurant inside of One World Trade. After dinner, Hrvoje had arranged for our family and friends to surprise us at Pier A in NYC. We were welcome with banners and everyone cheering. It was a night neither of us will ever forget!
All about the ring
The ring is everything I imagined and more! My favorite feature is the clarity of the diamond and the mini diamonds on the band that surround it. Hrvoje picked out the ring by going to a trusted jeweler that his coworker recommended to him. Hrvoje knew I would keep my one ring I wore every day in the car when I went to workout. While I was preoccupied watching TV one day, he said he was taking the garbage out, but instead took the ring and was able to trace it. A few weeks later at our friends house, we were on the topic of engagement rings and for some reason I mentioned that the ring I typically wear was a bit big on me. At that moment, Hrvoje went into the bathroom and emailed the jeweler to adjust the ring size.
One thing they love about each other
Catherine: I love how Hrv always pushes me, even when I feel like I have had enough. He supports me in everything I do. I am lucky to have an amazing partner for life like that!
Hrvoje: I love the fact that Catherine is a teacher because it shines through when she is at home as well. She is patient and very accepting of whom I am and strive to be.
Their wedding vision and style
For our wedding day, we envision a day shared with the people who mean the most to us coming together and celebrating this special occasion. We envision both of us getting ready with our bridal and grooms party then enjoying some laughs as we head to the city then take over the dance floor. We chose our first look to be as I walk down the Croatian Church aisle. Hrvoje: “I can’t wait to see her in a white dress!”. We look forward to capturing beautiful moments on camera and living them to the fullest.
Catherine: “This is a day I have dreamed of forever! I will be picking out my once in a lifetime wedding dress this Fall and am beyond ecstatic about it!”
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