Footy star Jai Arrow has married his sweetheart Berina Colakovic in a stunning secret ceremony just five weeks after revealing the motor neurone disease diagnosis that left Aussie sport devastated.
Arrow and Colakovic revealed they have tied the knot in Instagram posts on Tuesday morning, with a host of footy and sporting stars sending their congratulations.
‘We did a thing! Don’t know how Italy will top this one but we can’t wait to celebrate with all our family and friends,’ Colakovic wrote, adding a diamond ring emoji.
‘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].
‘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 after appearing to get hitched in Sydney’s CBD.
NRL star Jai Arrow wed Berina Colakovic in a secret ceremony in Sydney on Sunday (pictured)
The couple said they ‘can’t wait to celebrate with all our family and friends’ after tying the knot in one of Australian sport’s most heartwarming weddings
The ceremony was held just weeks after Arrow’s motor neurone disease diagnosis was made public
Arrow is wearing a classic tuxedo in the images, with his new wife opting for a stunning all-white outfit.
Colakovic wore a structured ivory mini dress with short sleeves and a high neckline, paired with a birdcage-style veil with delicate pearl embellishments.
In a touch of Hollywood glamour, she sported white floral lace tights, pointed ivory pumps with a classic stiletto heel and a small hand-tied bouquet of white flowers with long flowing ribbon tails.
She paired that with understated gold jewellery and a soft, face-framing up-do.
Sport stars who congratulated the couple included Adam Reynolds, Murray Taulagi, Josh Mansour, Shayna Jack, Cameron Murray, Jessica Sergis and Kennedy Cherrington.
The Souths 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.
Arrow proposed during a romantic post-season holiday in Italy in October 2024
Colakovic has been a rock for the 30-year-old, who went to Spain for treatment as he remains defiant despite the huge fight ahead of him
The couple’s baby daughter Ayla Rae (pictured) was also front and centre at the wedding
After remaining silent at the Souths press conference when the MND news was first broken, Arrow opened up about his life-changing battle on May 20 in a televised interview that revealed the disease is already taking a toll on his speech.
He initially opened up about spending time with his daughter, calling her ‘his greatest strength.’
‘She’s at a really good age now and I am able to watch her grow into her own person,’ he said on 9News Sydney.
‘She has got a really funny personality and she’s my greatest strength.’
‘I laughed,’ he responded when asked about his instant reaction to the diagnosis.
‘Not that I laughed, but my first question was ‘all right, where do I go now?’ [It has] progressed from November until now. Speech is one of those things [that is different].’
The former Bunnies forward remained defiant when asked about what the future would hold for him.
‘To fight,’ he said when asked what the future looked like.
‘I wanted to do this to let people know I am OK and I am ready to fight.
‘I do really have a lot. Nothing is gonna take me out easy. I wanna do everything I can – any trial, any medication that will maintain me for as long as I can.
‘I want to inspire other people who have been diagnosed.’
Souths and the NRL are throwing ‘the world’s biggest birthday party’ to support Arrow when the Rabbitohs play the Newcastle Knights on Sunday.
Fans have been asked to bring donations to the match, and Arrow – who starred for Queensland in State of Origin – will bring the interstate shield onto the field before kickoff as the Maroons tackle the Blues on Wednesday night.
