Footy star Jai Arrow brought his wedding to sweetheart Berina Colakovic forward by several months because he was worried motor neurone disease would leave him unable to say ‘I do’, it has been revealed.
The former Souths forward got hitched in the Sydney CBD on Sunday in a secret ceremony that even took his teammates by surprise.
Arrow and Colakovic will still hold another wedding in Italy, this time with their loved ones on the invite list.
‘Don’t know how Italy will top this one but we can’t wait to celebrate with all our family and friends,’ Colakovic wrote on the Instagram post that revealed the heartwarming news on Tuesday.
Now the reason for the secret nuptials has been put down to the effect MND is already having on Arrow’s voice, according to Nine Newspapers.
The 30-year-old didn’t speak when the news of his diagnosis was broken in a South Sydney press conference on May 20, preferring to let club CEO Blake Solly and coach Wayne Bennett do the talking.
Jai Arrow is pictured celebrating with his wife Berina after their secret wedding in Sydney on Sunday
The couple tied the knot with baby daughter Ayla Rae there for the big occasion (pictured)
It’s now been revealed that the couple changed their plans to marry in Italy in October because of the effect motor neurone disease is having on Arrow’s speech
When Arrow opened up in an interview on Channel Nine soon afterwards, the change in his speech was painfully obvious to viewers as he revealed how he’d been finding inspiration in the daughter he shares with his wife, one-year-old Ayla Rae.
A host of sport stars rushed to congratulate the couple when they revealed they’d married, including Liam Knight, Mark Geyer, Shayna Jack and Adam Reynolds.
‘An extra special thank you to our family friends The Beath’s for witnessing our special day and watching our little angel [their daughter Ayla Rae],’ Colakovic wrote.
‘I am in awe of how amazing people are, thank you to Maddi, Lucy, Jazz, and everyone who gave their time to make this elopement a very extra special one.’
The post features photos of the couple celebrating with their baby daughter, with Arrow wearing a classic tuxedo while his wife opted for a stunning all-white structured mini dress paired with a veil.
The Bunnies star proposed during a romantic post-season holiday in Italy in October 2024.
That December, the loved-up couple took to Instagram to reveal they were expecting their first child together.
Ayla Rae was born in April 2025, just over a year before Arrow went public with the awful news about his health.
The toll MND has taken on Arrow’s voice was painfully obvious when he spoke out for the first time (pictured) after his diagnosis was revealed in May
Arrow’s teammates at Souths had no idea he was getting hitched. They’ll be front and centre as the NRL holds a special celebration for the star this weekend
Surprised Rabbitohs players were pleased to see their former teammate smiling on Tuesday.
‘He looked really happy, and yeah, it’s just awesome news, the team was really happy for him,’ said prop Tevita Tatola, who added, ‘I just thought we’d get invited.’
The eighth-placed Rabbitohs face fourth-placed Newcastle on Sunday in a litmus test of their top-eight credentials.
The match also happens to fall on Arrow’s 31st birthday.
The NRL is planning to throw what they’ve billed as the ‘world’s biggest birthday party’ for Arrow, complete with a world record attempt for most party hats.
The game will also feature a halftime performance from the Wiggles, a giant birthday cake and the unveiling of four new mascots, along with sponsor donations for every try scored during the game and throughout the month – dubbed ‘Jai July’.
‘There’s no one more deserving,’ Rabbitohs centre Jack Wighton said on Tuesday.
Players from all teams are being urged to pull a bow-and-arrow celebration on the try line to honour Jai’s fight against MND.
Wighton said the respect had spread far beyond first-grade footy.
‘Over the weekend there’s been kids, videos doing arrow for him from five years old … even in my son’s game for the weekend,’ Wighton said.
‘Seeing everybody get behind it … just shows what the footy community is about.’
At NRL level, the vast majority of round 18 try-scorers celebrated by saluting Arrow.
‘Sunday arvo game, it’ll be a cracker day, and hopefully we can get a lot of people out there to celebrate Jai’s birthday,’ Tatola said.
