Frequently Asked Questions

• Shuttle: A1 bus to Slavija Square (~3–3.5 EUR). City public transport is free.
• Taxi: ~30 EUR direct, but confirm at the airport info counter which is official — unlicensed "wild" taxis overcharge foreigners 2–3x.
• Ride-hailing apps: CarGo and Yandex Go both operate in Belgrade — a reliable alternative to hailing on the street.

• Currency is the Serbian dinar (RSD), roughly 120 RSD to 1 EUR.
• Exchange offices are widely available around the city, or simplest: withdraw dinars directly from an ATM.
• Cards are widely accepted at shops, cafes, and restaurants.

Roaming can be expensive on foreign SIMs — check your provider's rates before arrival, or pick up a local tourist SIM at the airport.

• 11:00 — Gather at Miloš's place
• Group travels across town to Vanja's house for the "buying the bride" custom — van transport arranged for foreign guests
• Following the customs at Vanja's home, the procession moves to Saborna Church
• 14:30 — Church ceremony, ~30 min (if heading straight to the church instead of the morning gathering, arrive at least 10–15 minutes early)
• Quick photos in the churchyard afterward, time permitting (the church has other events scheduled around ours)

• 16:00 — Venue opens (no need to rush exactly on time, since the couple arrives later)
• Tables are assigned at the entrance

• Entrance, first dance, band plays 1–2 more songs
• Photo session with the bride & groom — this is also when to drop your gift in the box
• Live music/party continues
• Cake cutting — sparklers at the tables to light just before/during
• Second half of live music follows
• Party finishes at midnight sharp
• You may notice some guests giving money to the musicians during the night — this is a local wedding custom, but it's entirely optional and a pure act of good will. Feel free to join in if you'd like, or simply enjoy the music either way

• Served in courses from the start through the cake — check the table between dances for what's new
• Table waitstaff check in periodically for drinks/refills, or flag them anytime
• Want vegan? Ask for "posno" (fasting food) — it's the local term for it and staff will know exactly what you mean. Note that posno can include fish, so mention it if you'd rather skip that too
• Waiters will already be aware of the food preferences you noted in your RSVP, so no need to remind them — just flag anything new

Traditional gift is money, given in euros, inside an envelope. There's a designated gift box at the venue — drop your envelope in during the photo session with the bride & groom (see Reception — program above).

• Formal
• No dominantly white outfits for ladies

• Most people in Serbia speak at least basic English
• Tap water is safe to drink in Belgrade
• Tipping is customary in Serbia, but not mandatory — if you enjoyed a meal at a restaurant or a coffee at a cafe, feel free to leave a small tip (roughly 10%, or just round up to a nice number)
• Serbian is phonetic — "read it as it's written" ("čitaj kako je napisano") — and is written in both the Latin and Cyrillic alphabets
• A few Latin-script letters you'll see that don't exist in English:
  • š — "sh", as in shoe
  • č — a hard "ch", as in church
  • ć — a softer "ch", closer to the "t" in future
  • ž — "zh", like the "s" in measure
  • đ / dž — "j", as in jeans
• Want to pick up a few words before you arrive? 21 essential phrases you'll need in Serbia (theculturetrip.com)

• Kalemegdan — fortress with a lot of cool spots by the river and cafes. Pobednik is a big statue you must see — it offers an amazing view of all of Belgrade.
• Knez Mihajlova — one of the main streets in Belgrade, leading to Kalemegdan. Lots of cool street artists, cafes, and shops. Get lost in the small streets that cross it — you'll find cute places to check out.
• Saborna crkva — we're getting married in this one! One of the most beautiful and oldest churches.
• Dorćol — cool neighborhood with local bars for a cocktail or lemonade.
• Silosi — new "hippie" spot in Belgrade and venue for big events. Sit by the river and enjoy the sunset, or visit the bee farm close by.
• Skadarlija — oldest street in Belgrade, still keeping the charm of old days, with traditional food and music. Nice for a walk (skip the heels) or to soak up the old Belgrade vibe.
• Belgrade Waterfront — a completely new side of Belgrade, recently built and still under construction. Walk by the river and enjoy the sunset here too — this part is vastly different from the rest, and modern.
• Slavija — one of the biggest roundabouts. Hotel Hilton is there, with a nice rooftop to visit.
• Saint Sava Temple — one of the biggest churches in the Balkans, raised in honor of Saint Sava, whose remains were burned at this spot. Visit the interior, and don't miss the crypt while you're inside. There's a big park and lots of cafes around the temple too.
• Tašmajdan Park — biggest park in Belgrade, full of benches and greenery. Explore it to the fullest and have a drink under the trees.
• Vračar — another old and cute part of Belgrade with small houses and the big Kalenić Market (Kalenićev pijac). Many of the small houses have been replaced with buildings, but if you're near Saint Sava Temple, you can take a walk and explore.

This map has all the places for coffee and food that we like (we'll keep adding more):

• Belgrade — coffee & food map

Kolo — will be at the wedding, easy to learn since we just do it on repeat! Watch how it's danced (YouTube).

General overview: 12 things to expect at a Serbian wedding (belgradelanguageschool.com).