Some destination weddings feel grand. Others feel deeply personal. Miina and Axel’s celebration at Quinta da Conceição managed to be both.
Nestled among lush gardens and historic architecture in Portugal, their wedding embraced everything couples dream about when planning a European destination celebration: warm summer light, beautiful scenery, meaningful traditions, and an atmosphere that felt relaxed from beginning to end. Rather than relying on excess, the day was rooted in genuine connection, thoughtful design, and the joy of bringing loved ones together from across continents.
Surrounded by family and friends from Canada, Estonia, the United States, and Sweden, Miina and Axel created a wedding weekend that felt elegant, welcoming, and unmistakably their own.
“Axel and I walked down the aisle together – a Swedish tradition we wanted to honor because it felt like entering marriage as equals.”
How did you two meet? What were your first impressions of one another?
We first met in Copenhagen through mutual friends at the end of August in 2018. I had moved to Copenhagen from Toronto to pursue a floristry internship, in order to learn more about flower arranging – something I’d been passionate about for ages and wanted to learn more about. I had previously studied abroad in Copenhagen during my junior year of university, so it felt like coming back home.
Axel was living with a good friend of mine from high school in France who I reconnected with when I arrived in Copenhagen. He was between apartments and had set up his bed and dresser in their living room. The first thing I noticed was his enormous sneaker collection!
Axel had a big smile on his face and answered a call from his mom on FaceTime and had a lively catch up with her – a great sign in my opinion. He also invited me to a Swedish Kräftskiva that he was hosting in southern Sweden a couple weeks later. I was so excited to be making more friends and plans so early on after moving back to Copenhagen. Conversations were easy, warm, and he asked great questions and was so kind.
Axel says I came across as spontaneous, kind, and easy to talk to.
Tell us a funny story relating to your wedding day or relationship!
The day that Axel proposed, we rented a car and went on a hike to the westernmost point of Europe called Cabo da Roca, just outside of Lisbon where we live.
I don’t have my driver’s license, so I was giving Axel directions in minutes rather than meters. I’d say things like, “Stay on this road for five minutes,” instead of “Turn left in 400 meters.” It caused some conflict, to say the least! We still laugh about that.
Describe a hurdle you had to overcome in your relationship or during your wedding planning.
In order to feel in control of the sometimes overwhelming process of planning a wedding, we scheduled weekly wedding planning sessions in our calendar.
We would sit down together, go through our Excel spreadsheet, and check off responsibilities. It was exhausting at times and there was always something to keep track of, but those weekly sessions helped us communicate, stay organized, and check in with one another throughout the process.
Any special ways you incorporated your family or family history into your wedding day?
Axel’s brother Markus was our officiant, my sister sang during the ceremony, and our three nieces, ages six, three, and two, served as flower girls.
Our parents, siblings, and my grandmother all gave speeches during dinner. We also invited all of our family and some close friends, thirty-five people in total, to stay at the venue for two nights. We wanted everyone together to celebrate, swim, share meals, and spend meaningful time together.
It was incredibly special bringing together my Canadian, Estonian, and American family alongside Axel’s Swedish family.
What part of your wedding day was most important to you?
The ceremony was my favorite part.
I was so nervous leading up to it but felt completely calm once it began. Axel and I walked down the aisle together, which is a Swedish tradition we wanted to honor because it symbolizes entering marriage as equals.
The weather was warm, we were surrounded by family and friends, and Axel’s brother had planned the ceremony so thoughtfully. We laughed, cried, and sang along as my sister performed Leon Bridges’ “Beyond” and our friend performed “Can’t Help Falling in Love.”
What is the best thing you’ve learned from one another?
Communication is everything.
Everything else falls into place after that. You can have different interests, but your values need to be aligned.
What is your favorite thing about each other?
My favorite things about Axel are his positivity, his ability to make everyone feel seen and heard, and the fact that he approaches everything with complete dedication.
Whether he’s coaching his team at work, improving his golf game, or showing up as a supportive husband and father to our newborn son, he gives one hundred percent.
Axel says he loves that I’m a good listener and someone people feel safe coming to without fear of judgment. He also loves how close I am with my family and my creativity.
What was your favorite part about planning your wedding?
Axel says it was the tasting for dinner and dessert. We had really good espresso martinis!
For me, it was planning and executing such a massive project together. I’d do it again.
If you had one piece of advice for other couples, what would it be?
Planning a wedding takes a lot of time, effort, and organization.
Delegate tasks to family and friends, hire a planner if possible, and determine your “need to haves” versus your “nice to haves.” For us, live music was a priority, as was having a giant lemon meringue pie.
What is the most honest thing you can say about love?
It’s the only thing that really matters.
You have to put in the work, listen to one another, and make it a consistent priority.
Wedding Photographer: Flávia Grandi Photography / @flaviagrandi
Venue: Quinta da Conceição / @quintadaconceicao
Wedding Planner: My Day by Louise / @mydaybylouise
Florist: Out of the Bloom Lisboa / @outofthebloom_lisboa
Live Band: Simply Hybrid / @simply_hybrid
DJ: Your Jukebox / @your_jukebox
Publisher at The White Wren and Bajan Wed, Award Winning Photography + Videographer at Live View Studios, Dad, 80s music lover, crunchy health advocate
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