Zuzanna and Robert Campbell’s love story first began thanks to a serendipitous seating arrangement. “We both lived a few blocks away from each other in London at the time,” Zuzanna, a model agent, explains of how she met her future husband, an investment banker who goes by “Bobby.” “But we didn’t really connect until a mutual friend’s wedding celebration in Cape Town, where we sat next to each other.”
Two years later, Zuzanna and Bobby were in her hometown of Vasteras, Sweden, when they decided to go out for a walk in the old part of the town, and he surprised her by popping the question. “Obviously, he had planned everything but I had no idea!” she remembers. Once they returned to her parents’ house, friends and family where waiting to greet them with cake and champagne. But that wasn’t the end of their celebratory trip, as a few days later the newly engaged couple drove to Copenhagen, where they happily spent a few days alone. “It was truly an amazing time,” she adds.
When looking for a venue for their upcoming wedding, Zuzanna, like a lot of brides, already had her heart set on one location. “I know all of the castles and palaces around my small hometown, and I just knew I wanted to do it there,” she explains of why she ended up choosing the Tido Castle. “It really spoke to me with its amazing courtyard, and I felt like the layout was just perfect for a wedding celebration.”
Even though their wedding was going to take place across an ocean, the couple, who now lives in New York, decided to handle the wedding planning duties themselves. Zuzanna worked with a florist and decorator to create the perfect look for the ceremony and reception, while Bobby was put in charge of the music. “It was a little tough to do remotely while also working a full-time job in New York, but we had an amazing team,” Zuzanna says.
The bride also admits her wedding dress was the very first thing she bought for her big day. She found her custom Ines DiSanto dress during an appointment at Boston bridal store, L’Elite. “I went with my mother-in-law and saw the dress in the window,” she explains. “I tried it on and that was it—love at first sight.” She was drawn to the delicate floral pattern on the dress, which reminded her of a Swedish midsummer—coincidentally the same season they were planning on tying the knot. “I also loved that it wasn’t all white but still looked like a wedding dress.”
On June 17th, Bobby and Zuzanna and their loved ones gathered at the Vasteras Cathedral, a church dating back to 1271, for their wedding ceremony. After they were declared husband and wife, the new Mr. and Mrs. Campbell were serenaded by a rendition of Eva Cassidy’s “Fields of Gold,” a personal favorite of the bride.
Then it was time for guests to make their way to Tido Castle, where a dinner featuring local deer, fresh salmon, and vegetarian pasta awaited. The couple danced to “You Got It” by Rob Orbison for their very first dance. “We had lessons at a studio in New York for a few months, but of course, the minute I had to actually do it I forgot everything!” Zuzanna says. “Bobby had to lead me through all the moves, but I guess that’s what’s supposed to happen anyway.” Then the party took off, with a live band that kept the crowd busy for hours. “Bobby managed to find this amazing saxophonist called Andreas Ferronato,” she says. “I would recommend him to anyone!”
After the party ended, the couple jetted off on an unconventional honeymoon in Positano, Italy. “We went with a large group of close friends who had traveled in for the wedding,” she explains. “It was just as untraditional as my dress! We had big dinners every night and drank a lot of wine and laughed with our best friends—I loved every second of it!”
