South Sydney forward Jai Arrow and his partner Berina Colakovic exchanged vows in an intimate wedding ceremony in Sydney on Sunday, advancing their plans amid the forward’s ongoing battle with motor neurone disease (MND). The couple had originally intended to wed in Italy this October but decided to bring the ceremony forward due to concerns about Arrow's health and ability to speak at the later date.
Arrow, a former Queensland Origin representative, shared that the legal ceremony was always meant to take place in Australia before their planned Italian celebration. However, with his recent diagnosis, he expressed uncertainty about how he might fare at the original wedding date. The small gathering featured close family and friends, including their one-year-old daughter, Ayla Rosa. Arrow said both he and Colakovic personally selected their wedding rings, while the honeymoon has been postponed until October with Africa being a possible destination.
The emotional day was marked by a candid reflection from Arrow, who acknowledged the challenges posed by his condition but described the ceremony as “unreal.” He thanked Jaz, the celebrant, who generously donated her fee back to Arrow’s MND foundation. Arrow also expressed gratitude to friends Lucy and Maddy who traveled to support the couple and capture the moment.
News of the wedding surprised Arrow’s South Sydney teammates, with centre Jack Wighton revealing that the players learned about the ceremony through a group chat message from Arrow. Wighton called the announcement “awesome” and noted the joy seen in Arrow and his family’s photos.
Both Arrow and Colakovic shared images from their Sydney wedding on social media, where Colakovic thanked everyone involved and looked forward to their upcoming Italian celebration with family and friends.
The expedited nuptials come amid a whirlwind period for Arrow, who diagnosed with MND earlier this year. In May, he traveled to Spain for a wellness retreat to support his fight against the disease. More recently, he took part in the AFL’s King’s Birthday Big Freeze fundraiser by tossing the coin at an Australian Football League match in Melbourne.
To further support him and his family, a GoFundMe campaign titled Stand With Me was established. Arrow will mark his 31st birthday this Sunday, with the National Rugby League (NRL) hosting a celebration during South Sydney’s match against Newcastle. The league has also initiated “Jai July,” encouraging players across the competition to honour Arrow by performing an arrow celebration after scoring tries, with donations directed to his fundraiser.