SPAIN WEDDING PLANNING: THE ULTIMATE GUIDE FOR WEDDINGS

Congratulations and welcome! We know you're here because you have exciting news, you’re engaged! AND NOW, it’s time to start planning your dream day and if there’s one thing we love to do - it’s help people plan their special day.

Preparing a wedding is no mean feat and requires a huge amount of thought, planning and organisation before you get to your special day where you and your partner say I do. We have a whole range of guides on how to get married in specific locations, but today we’re going to focus on dreamy, beautiful, magical Spain and all its wonders.

Why should you get married in SPAIN?

Destination weddings are becoming more popular as time goes by - not only are you surrounded by the incredibly special people in your life but you get a solid guarantee of good weather, an extended celebration where you can spend quality time with your guests as well as your partner, and then obviously there’s the added point of being somewhere far away and having that magical feeling of having an adventure away from home and experiencing the beauty of another country.

And what better place to tie the knot than Spain. From the gorgeous mainland or the idyllic islands you’re blessed with glistening turquoise waters, amazing hospitality and stunning scenery all around. You’ve got the pick of the bunch in Spain from beautiful beach weddings, a ceremony in a Villa with close friends and family, a wedding in a castle, on the beach, at a vineyard… Spain really does have it all.

Let’s get down to business - the legal side of things…

Getting married can be a bit trickier when you’re not born in the country you’re getting married in, but as a non-national there are options available for you.

The easiest option for marriage in Spain is having a civil ceremony in your home country and then opting for a religious or symbolic ceremony in Spain. If Gibraltar has popped up on your radar of places to get married, then there is the added benefit of being able to have a legal ceremony here as it is part of the UK - all you need is evidence that you’re staying in Gibraltar for at least one night before or after the ceremony.

Otherwise if you want to have a civil wedding you must prove that you or your partner have been a resident of Spain for the last two years or be a Spanish citizen to qualify for marriage in Spain, along with:

• Passports

• Birth certificates

• Certificates of no impediment (which can be obtained from your countries’ Embassy)

• Divorce, Annulment/Death Certificate information if needed

Catholic weddings require the above paperwork along with:

• Pre-nuptial enquiry

• Certificates issues by your parish church

• A freedom to marry letter from your parish priest indicating you have fulfilled the relevant premarital requirements

Any documents must be officially translated into Spanish and stamped with an Apostille stamp. Once you apply for your marriage licence at your local registry a file will be opened and you’ll be notified when your marriage licence has been given the green light and then you can get married - depending where you want to get married this can take a few months so make sure you plan ahead!

Once you’ve got all the serious stuff out of the way, you can start thinking about the fun part, like which part of Spain you want to get married in…

When is the best time for a Spanish wedding or elopement?

If you’re after great weather then you can’t ask for a better location than Spain with great climes all year round. The best time to get married - weather wise and economically - is in the Spring going into early summer or late summer into early autumn. You’re guaranteed to have good weather and with crowds and prices increasing during the peak months of late June, July and August, spaces can be limited and make your wedding that little bit more difficult to plan.

The best places to get married in Spain

1. Andalusia Region

   • Cortijo Bravo, Malaga: If you’re after a luxury rural wedding ceremony then look no further. This stunning 19th century Andalusian venue is set amongst avocado and citrus groves and has a perfect terrace where you can have your ceremony with a gorgeous backdrop of the rolling Andalusian countryside. Plus, there are no noise restrictions so you can continue the party until you and your partner are the last ones standing…

   • Hotel Alfonso XIII, Seville: With over 90 years experience hosting luxurious weddings for guests you will be in the best hands for your big day here. With 9 event rooms and a capacity of up to 350 people you can really design the wedding of your dreams with all your loved ones. Have your wedding on the Torreon terrace with a stunning courtyard, enjoy cocktails in the gardens and then dance the night away in one of the four ballrooms.

2. Barcelona

   • Convent de Blanes, Girona: After a seafront wedding? With Michelin star food? The Convent of Blanes is charming, peaceful and luxurious. Ceremonies here are like something from a fairytale with the most gorgeous viewpoints overlooking crystal blue waters and coves. The team at Blanes ensure that the space, music, lighting, food - every element of your wedding is looked after to ensure it’s perfect for you and your partner. The venue is just an hour's drive from Barcelona which makes it handy for guests flying in from around the world to stay for your wedding.

3. Madrid

   • Mandarin Oriental Ritz, Madrid: The options for your ceremony at the Mandarin Oriental Ritz are impeccable. The Royal Ballroom has beautiful high, ornately decorated ceilings with views over the prado museum with a gorgeous parquet floor which seats up to 240 for a banquet or up to 400 people for cocktails. If you’re wanting something a little more (we say…) pared back then Salon Felipe IV boasts similarly high ceilings along with gorgeously large windows that really let in the day and can accommodate up to 90 guests for a banquet and 180 for cocktails.

   • Real Fabrica De Tapices, Madrid: After a venue with a bit of culture and a charming backstory in the centre of Madrid? This historical venue dates back from 1721 and with its almost 300 years of bespoke handcraft tradition, it is an Asset of Cultural Interest and considered as part of the Historical Heritage in Spain. The luxury fabrics and art pieces have stood the test of time as carpets, tapestries and are evident all round the building. A great symbol of longevity for the start of married life together. If you’re into architecture and textiles, then this venue will make a stunning backdrop for your wedding photos.

4. Mallorca

   • Son Marroig, Deià: This has been described as one of the most iconic wedding venues in Mallorca. Son Marroig is truly breathtaking with it’s beautiful white temple and stunning backdrop of mountains and sea and is perfect for a sunset ceremony. It’s the perfect blank canvas for creating your dream fairytale wedding so get your pinterest boards ready with inspiration so you can put your own spin on this venue.

5. Ibiza

   • The Aztaro: Nothing can beat the luxurious side of Ibiza island life and with nature rooted at its heart, this thirteen-hectare estate is really one to consider for your dream Spain wedding. It has beautifully manicured gardens, restaurants, a spa, pools, courtyards, terraces, pavilions, vegetable gardens, bedrooms that form to recreate a quaint village and abundant groves of the original orange farm really set the scene of Ibiza glamour and luxury for your big day. You will love it and your guests will love it even more.

6. Valencia

   • Finca Torre Bosch, Alicante: Charming, rustic, like something out of a romcom - that’s what Finca Torre Bosch emulates. Have your ceremony amongst the lush greenery and then host your wedding breakfast in the courtyard adorned with fairy lights, flowers and cosy lighting. Throw a string quartet in there, some brilliant speeches, a first dance and you’ve got yourself a real life rom-com.

How to plan a Spanish wedding or elopement?

1. Consider a wedding planner: There are so many things to consider when planning a wedding and it’s a lot to take on and think about - it’s not just the visuals and vision, a lot of time, effort, organisation and planning goes into curating your dream day so it can be really beneficial to bring an expert on board when helping achieve your vision and sourcing vendors. Having a wedding planner to help you along the way can take a whole lot of stress out of the process and make it fun, as opposed to stressful. If you want to know how you can pick the right wedding planner and what to think about when choosing a wedding planner, we have a handy guide that will tell you all you need to know right here.

2. Pick your dates and venue: Decide what kind of wedding you want - do you want to get married by the glistening ocean, amongst the vineyards or up in the mountains? Research and see what kind of venues you like and then - if possible - book a trip where you can view as many venues as possible, seeing them in person will help you visualise what could be and help you really get a feel for the place and if it’s your and your partner's vibe. Finding your dream venue and securing the date is the first official step in planning your wedding.

3. Send our invites: Once you have your date set, get those invites sent out and wait for the RSVPs to roll in.

4. Sort out travel and accommodation for you and your guests: Will you be staying at the venue? Or somewhere nearby? Will you go out a couple of days prior to the wedding, a week before, the day before? Where will your guests stay and when will they all arrive? Make sure you arrange all of this in good time so you know everything is set in stone.

5. Source your vendors: Once you’ve got your venue, accommodations and travel confirmed you can start the fun part of making your vision come to life. It’s time to sort the catering, menus and drinks, the music and entertainment, the decor - everything that will create the whole vibe and enjoyment of your big day.

6. You’ll also need to consider wedding photographers and videographers - so much planning goes into your special day that you want a tangible reminder where you can relive it and all the memories and re-tell your story to family, friends and future generations. We capture weddings all over the world, take a look right here, and if you fancy a chat about ideas, visions or just want to talk about wedding photography then we’re right here.

7. Pick your dress and hair and makeup vendors: Every girl's dream - it’s time to pick your dream dress and decide how you’ll look on your big day. Will you go classic and simple, bohemian and floaty or princess like? Will you have your hair up or down and how will you have your makeup? Again, time to get those Pinterest boards at the ready.

8. Finalise all the details: Double check everything that you’ve booked, planned and decided on so you know that everything is set to go according to plan. Check plans with family and friends and ensure you give yourself enough time to get everything sorted and good to go!

9. Have fun! Finally, once the big day is here you need to have fun, soak it all up and cherish the day/weekend that you have with your loved ones. It’s such a special and memorable day so make the most of it and before you know it you’ll be awaiting your wedding photos and film so you can relive it all over again.

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