Bilo da je riječ o malim zarukama ili velikom vjenčanju, za mene su najvažniji poštovanje, mir i osjećaj da smo jedni uz druge.

It means whether ... or ... or no matter whether ... or ....

So:

• Bilo da je riječ o malim zarukama ili velikom vjenčanju
  = Whether it is about a small engagement celebration or a big wedding

This structure introduces two alternatives, but the main statement stays true in both cases.

Because bilo da is a fixed expression in Croatian.

It comes from the verb biti (to be), but in this construction bilo does not change to match gender or number. It functions more like a conjunction than like a normal past-tense form.

So learners should usually treat bilo da as a set phrase meaning:

• whether
• be it
• no matter whether

Literally, riječ does mean word, but in the expression riječ je o ..., the whole phrase means:

• it is about ...
• it is a matter of ...
• we are talking about ...

So je riječ o malim zarukama does not mean the word is about small engagements in a literal sense. It is an idiomatic expression.

A similar phrase is radi se o ..., which also means it is about ....

Because the preposition o in the sense of about takes the locative case.

So:

• male zaruke → o malim zarukama
• veliko vjenčanje → o velikom vjenčanju

Both the adjective and the noun have to go into the locative.

A quick breakdown:

• malim = locative plural of mali
• zarukama = locative plural of zaruke
• velikom = locative singular of veliki
• vjenčanju = locative singular of vjenčanje

Because zaruke is normally a plural-only noun in Croatian.

That means Croatian uses a plural form where English often uses a singular noun.

So:

• zaruke = engagement
• na zarukama = at the engagement
• o zarukama = about the engagement

This is just something you have to learn as a vocabulary fact.

In context, it usually means something like:

• a modest engagement celebration
• a small engagement gathering
• an intimate engagement

Croatian can leave some things more implicit than English. So male zaruke may refer not only to the abstract state of being engaged, but to the event or celebration connected with it.

That is why the best English translation depends on context.

Because the subject is not one thing, but a list of three things:

• poštovanje
• mir
• osjećaj

Together, they form a plural subject, so the verb must also be plural:

• su = are

If there were only one item, you would get singular:

• Najvažnije je poštovanje.
  = Respect is the most important thing.

But with three items:

• Najvažniji su poštovanje, mir i osjećaj ...

Because when Croatian has a mixed group of nouns, the default agreement is often masculine plural.

Here the three nouns are:

• poštovanje — neuter
• mir — masculine
• osjećaj — masculine

Since the subject is plural and includes masculine nouns, the predicate adjective appears in masculine plural:

• najvažniji

This is very normal in Croatian.

Here za mene means:

• for me
• to me
• as far as I’m concerned
• in my view

It shows personal perspective.

Grammatically:

• za takes the accusative
• so we get mene

This is not about physical purpose like for me as a gift. It is more about opinion or personal priority.

Osjećaj means feeling or sense.

After it, Croatian uses da + a finite verb to express the content of that feeling:

• osjećaj da smo jedni uz druge
• the feeling that we are by each other’s side

So da here means that.

This is very common in Croatian:

• misao da ... = the thought that ...
• osjećaj da ... = the feeling that ...
• činjenica da ... = the fact that ...

Literally, it is something like:

• next to one another
• beside each other

But in this sentence it is more emotional and idiomatic. It suggests:

• being there for each other
• standing by each other
• being by each other’s side

So it is not only about physical position. It also carries the idea of closeness, support, and solidarity.

Because the two parts play different grammatical roles.

• jedni is in the nominative plural
• druge is in the accusative plural because uz takes the accusative

So the pattern is basically:

• we are = smo
• one group = jedni
• beside the others = uz druge

This kind of reciprocal expression is common in Croatian.

For a feminine-only group, you might hear:

• jedne uz druge

But for a mixed or unspecified group, masculine plural is the default.

It could be rearranged. Croatian word order is fairly flexible because the case endings show the grammatical relationships.

For example, you could also say:

• Za mene su najvažniji poštovanje, mir i osjećaj da smo jedni uz druge.
• Poštovanje, mir i osjećaj da smo jedni uz druge za mene su najvažniji.

The original version sounds natural and balanced, but it is not the only possible order.

Because the sentence begins with a subordinate clause:

• Bilo da je riječ o malim zarukama ili velikom vjenčanju

Then the main clause follows:

• za mene su najvažniji poštovanje, mir i osjećaj ...

In Croatian, an introductory clause like that is normally separated from the main clause with a comma.