Please RSVP by July 1ˢᵗ, 2025.

We invite you to RSVP online here. You can find our contact information here if you have any questions or want to make a change to your RSVP.

The venue, Pasarel Lake Club, is located in Dolni Pasarel, a small village about 15 km southeast of Sofia, Bulgaria. If you're traveling to Bulgaria, we recommend booking accommodation in the southeast part of Sofia for easier access to the venue. You can find more information about the venue location here, as well as some suggestions for things to do in Sofia for guests who are traveling to Bulgaria.

For guests who are traveling to Bulgaria, we recommend booking accommodation in the southeast part of Sofia for easier access to the venue. For guests who are driving to the venue, there is free on-site parking. There are also a couple of other transportation options:

• Yellow Taxi: call +359 2 9 1119 or download the app (Android/iOS)

• Lucky Drive: if you're driving to the venue but don't want to drive home, we've arranged a service where a professional driver can take you home in your own car (including rental cars); the cost will be covered by us

Don't hesitate to contact us if you need help arranging transport to or from the venue.

Both the ceremony and reception will be at Pasarel Lake Club. The welcome drinks and wedding ceremony will take place outside in the garden, followed by an indoor reception at the restaurant.

We'll be all dressed up, but there is no strict dress code for our wedding – we want you to enjoy the evening! Wear something that makes you feel comfortable and fabulous.

The welcome drinks and wedding ceremony will take place in the garden outside. For that reason, we don't recommend wearing stilettos or other thin heels.

Bulgarian summers can get quite hot and sunny during the day, so we recommend that our guests bring sunglasses for the outdoor ceremony. We will provide sunscreen and bug spray to keep guests comfortable. We also suggest a light wrap to cover bare shoulders in case it gets cooler throughout the evening.

You can find the wedding day schedule here. Our wedding will be held at Pasarel Lake Club on August 8ᵗʰ, 2025. The celebration will begin with welcome drinks at 17:00, followed by the wedding ceremony at 17:30. Afterward, at 18:00, we'll take some photos while guests enjoy cocktails, lemonade and a snack bar. The reception dinner will start at 19:30, leading into our first dance and the official opening of the dancefloor at 20:00. All indicated times are in Bulgarian local time (EEST).

We'll be serving snack bites at the welcome drinks followed by a sit-down dinner with a salad, an appetizer and a main dish. There will be a meat option, a vegetarian option (contains dairy) and a vegan option available. You can indicate which main dish option you prefer and let us know about additional dietary restrictions in our online RSVP form here.

There will be an open bar for guests to enjoy throughout the welcome drinks and the reception.

There are a few Bulgarian traditions that we plan to incorporate into our wedding:

• "Gorchivo!": At the beginning of the reception dinner, champagne glasses are given to the newlyweds, the best man and the maid of honor. After they toast and drink their champagne, the DJ asks the best man how the champagne tastes. His expected response is "Gorchivo!", which means "bitter." This is a signal that the newlyweds should "sweeten" the moment with a kiss. Throughout the evening, guests will occasionally shout "Gorchivo!", prompting the couple to kiss in response.

• Bulgarian folklore dances (horo): Horo dances are traditional group dances commonly found in Balkan countries. Dancers typically hold hands, forming a circle while following the specific steps of the horo. In Bulgaria, these dances are popular at weddings, birthday parties and other celebrations, both formal and informal. Each region in Bulgaria has its own distinct horo styles. At modern Bulgarian weddings, DJs usually play between five and ten horo dances throughout the evening. The most popular and easiest to learn is the pravo horo.

• Breaking of the ritual wedding bread: This takes place around 1-2 hours into the evening, usually when the main course is served. The newlyweds stand back-to-back while the best man holds the ritual bread above their heads. They grab the bread with both hands and pull it at the same time in opposite directions. According to tradition, the spouse who breaks off the larger piece is believed to take the lead in the marriage and be the "breadwinner" of the family.

Your presence at our wedding means the world to us, and we are truly grateful for your love and support. While we don't expect any gifts, if you do wish to give us something, a financial contribution towards our honeymoon would be greatly appreciated.

As many of you know, we'll be moving abroad shortly after the wedding. If you prefer to give a physical gift, we would find it most helpful if it were small and easily transportable, such as jewellery or other compact items.

Please know that your presence is the most important gift of all, and we look forward to celebrating with you!

If you would like to contribute to our honeymoon and would prefer to make a bank transfer, here is our bank info:

Yannis Paetzelt

IBAN: DE13 5085 0150 0101 1308 51

BIC: HELADEF1DAS

Tsvetina Bogoeva

IBAN: BG73 UBBS 8155 1007 9244 61

BIC: UBBSBGSF

Additional updates or changes that need your attention will appear on our wedding website homepage.

You can find our contact information here if you have any questions or want to make a change to your RSVP.