In Heigo’s words:
When someone asks what our story is, we usually start with the ERKI fashion show in May 2008. Both of us were models in the same collection, walking the same runway, and had never met before. Backstage, we were chatting with others from the show when suddenly this cute red-headed girl started folding a paper plane out of a Tiina candy wrapper — using my knee as the table. It didn’t fly far, but it impressed me all the same.
After the show, we exchanged contacts and headed into town. The very next day she sent me a message, worried that the night of dancing had been too short. I promised to make up for it with a proper date — and what followed was a night full of conversation, mint lattes, driving around Tallinn in the dark, and watching the sunrise together. The rest is history. I proposed to her in 2016, and a year later we had our dream wedding at Kolga Manor.
The wedding was like us — a bit crazy, a bit weird, humble and romantic all at the same time. Family, relatives, and our closest friends. Kolga Manor is not the prettiest manor in Estonia — quite the opposite, I’d even say. But the place spoke to us years ago. Maybe because it’s haunting. Legend has it that a red-headed lady roams the manor at night, biting men — and the bitten ones die a year later. Let’s hope that one doesn’t hold water.
The sky definitely didn’t. It poured all day long, with brief ten-minute breaks between showers where we could go outside with Mait and make art. Not just photos — art. Watching him work is like going to a museum. The epic landscapes, the angles, people as tiny figures in this great expanse of nature. That’s exactly why we wanted Mait to capture the day for us. The photographs really bring back the energy and emotions of that day.
About Kolga Manor
Kolga Manor (Kolga mõis) is one of the most atmospheric historic estates in northern Estonia, located in Lahemaa — Estonia’s largest national park — about 70 kilometres east of Tallinn. Unlike the fully restored manor houses that many couples choose, Kolga is partially in ruins, which gives it a raw, haunting beauty that’s completely unlike any other wedding venue in the country. The estate dates back to the 13th century and was once one of the grandest manors in the Baltics, belonging to the von Stenbock family for centuries. Its weathered neoclassical façade, overgrown grounds, and crumbling outbuildings make it a striking, cinematic backdrop — especially for couples drawn to something unconventional.
Wedding MC: Kuldar Koch
The band: Sleepwalkers
MUAH: Gethe Rohumägi
The dress: Triin Kaiv
Decorations: MT Design
Bouquet: Masha
