The moment Nerejda and Filgen spotted each other in Calculus class, they knew it would be hard to concentrate on numbers! Filgen was so cute that Nerejda couldn’t resist dishing about him with her good friend. So, thinking no one (except her friend) would understand her if she spoke in Albanian, Nerejda told her about the cute guy (Filgen) sitting nearby. Throughout class, Nerejda would catch Filgen smiling at her, and of course each time she’d comment to her friend about how handsome she thought he was.
Nerejda’s glamorous bridal crown, Bridal Styles Boutique, image: Faith Dugan Photography
It wasn’t until the next Calculus class when Filgen greeted her in Albanian that Nerejda realized he had heard AND understood every word! “I was very embarrassed, but continued to talk to him and ever since then we have been inseparable. I knew he was the one ever since we started speaking to each other. After I got to know him more I found out what a kind, loving, and family oriented person he was.”
Nerejda & Filgen’s old Hollywood wedding, dramatic bridal crown, Bridal Styles Boutique, image: Faith Dugan Photography
In 2006, when Nerejda’s birthday arrived, Filgen proposed! She was thrilled to be able to say yes to the man she knew would be her partner for life and share the moment with both their families. “Because our families are so important to us and so close he decided to propose to me on a day when both of our families were together.“
Since Nerejda was in Law School and Filgen in the process of completing his master’s degree, they decided theirs would be a long engagement. Setting a wedding date of September 19, 2010 gave them plenty of time to plan the details while finishing school.
Nerejda & Filgen, elegant bridal headpiece, Bridal Styles Boutique, gown, Lazaro, image:Faith Dugan Photography
Dreaming of an old Hollywood-inspired wedding, Nerejda incorporated glamour and a little stardust into every detail. Complete with a costume change, with one wedding gown for her ceremony and another for the reception (both by Lazaro), Nerejda planned to feel and look like a star!
“The first dress that I wore during the ceremony was hand embroidered with crystals and beads and weighed about 15 pounds. I absolutely was in love with the dress the minute I tried it on. It was the first dress I tried on. The second was also hand embroidered, but smaller and easier to dance in, and I changed into it halfway through the reception. For my accessories, I did a lot of research and finally decided on Bridal Styles Boutique. Even though I lived in Boston, I convinced my fiancé that there was no place in Boston like Bridal Styles and we had to go there for my crown. The first crown that I was shown at Bridal Styles was the one I chose. It was beyond what I had envisioned and I completely fell in love with it.”
To top her wedding look off, Nerejda received a very special gift. “My grandmother gave me this beautiful ruby ring surrounded by diamonds that my grandfather had given her on their wedding day. It was very wonderful gesture and so very emotional for me.”
Nerejda’s glamorous bridal crown, Bridal Styles Boutique, image by Faith Dugan Photography
On her wedding day, Nerejda was filled with nerves and emotion, but had the perfect solution for feeling centered in place. “The morning of our wedding everyone (including my bridal party) woke up at 5 in the morning and had breakfast and joked around… that was so important because it helped calm my nerves. Plus, it was so beautiful, all of us sitting together having breakfast and talking about how wonderful this day would be. “
Nerejda and Filgen planned to start their wedding day by honoring Albanian tradition. “The tradition is that Filgen and his whole family come to my house and request me from my family. I had not expected that to be so emotional for me. When Filgen came and my brother and uncle walked me outside of the house to give me away to Filgen it finally hit me that this was my wedding day. I had planned it for so long, and when it finally came I had not thought about how emotional that day would be for me. “
Nerejda & Filgen, elegant bridal headpiece, Bridal Styles Boutique, gown, Lazaro, image:Faith Dugan Photography
Following the Albanian wedding ceremony, Nerejda, Filgen, their families, and wedding party along with their wedding photographer, Faith Dugan, headed to the Elms Mansion for pictures. “The Elms is beautiful, glamorous and Old Hollywood, just like I wanted. The pictures at the mansion were beautiful!”
After which they were off to St. Spyridon. “The church ceremony was very lovely. My favorite part was when my father gave me away and he and Filgen hugged and kissed!”
On cloud nine, everyone headed to Belle Mer for the reception. “When we were introduced as Mr. and Mrs. Prifti, it was so much fun and so exciting to see all our loved ones around us celebrating our love. The reception was so much fun and both of our families enjoyed the night. Everyone danced the night away and Filgen and I could not be moved from the dance floor. It was such a beautiful night for us both.”
Nerejda & Filgen, unique bridal hair accessory, Bridal Styles Boutique, gown, Lazaro, image:Faith Dugan Photography
Though the day was filled with special, wonderful moments, the memory that shines brightest for Nerejda is the moment she first saw Filgen. “He was so happy and his eyes were sparkling and I knew that our love would last forever.”
A few months after their wedding, Nerejda and Filgen have some sage advice for brides and grooms planning their weddings!
Nerejda: “Do not stress out, everything will work out in the end. Remember that something will always not go according to plan, so do not let that get you down because no one really knows what the plan was. Have fun and enjoy your day because it goes by too quickly. “
Filgen: “Enjoy every moment of the wedding, you have been planning it for so long so do not waste even a second because it’s the most wonderful day of your life. “
Nerejda & Filgen, elegant bridal headpiece, Bridal Styles Boutique, image:Faith Dugan Photography
Best wishes, Nerejda and Filgen! Thanks so much for sharing your story and images with us!
Nerejda and Filgen’s wedding vendors:
Flowers : Stoneblossom
Videography: Wedding Stories in Newport
Cake: Konditor Meister
Makeup: Sonja Gjokaj
Hair: Violet Furxhi from Salon Mario Russo
Tags: Bridal Crown, Bridal headpieces New York, Real wedding, Real Weddings, wedding accessories
