Instead of flowers...

Friday, 26 June 2015 00:00

For some brides a bridal bouquet is an integral part of the Big Day and their wedding would not be complete without a bouquet and floral decoration. However, if flowers aren't your thing, you are allergic to certain pollens or flowers , or you haven't got big money to spend in blooms there are other options.

Spanish fans: Fans are very much a part of the tradition and culture in Southern Spain so carrying a special bridal fan and not a bouquet is a great way to change things up from a traditional bouquet. There are still plenty of small family run companies making incredible ornate fans that work brilliantly as you walk up the aisle so you can choose from lots of colours and styles. Fans usually work out cheaper than bouquets and come in a range of colours so you can coordinate bridesmaids fans with your colour scheme and carry on the fan decoration at your reception venue. Ask your planner for prices and examples.

 

A book: In years gone by brides sometimes carried a prayer book as they walked into the church. Nowadays though you can buck the bouquet trend AND add special meaning to your wedding by carrying a book which has meaning to you and your fiance. If you have a special poem or novel which means something to you and your story then why not use this instead of bouquet?

 

A wedding purse: This is not just a great to carry a couple of essential or meaningful items but because you really can go to town to make this match your dress and outfit. You can have the purse made of pretty much any material in any colour, add smaller versions for your bridesmaids and, if you have a close family member who can’t be with you on the day, carry a memento of them with you in your purse so can be with you in spirit.

 

A wedding broach or piece of jewellery: This can be a long-lasting alternative to a wedding bouquet and something which leaves your hands free too! There are some great jewellery designers who will design something to suit your ideas or you can shop around online to find something off the peg to suit your colour scheme, style and budget.

Remember - ultimately it’s your day and if you don’t want flowers then there are alternatives!

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What to look for in a wedding planner!

Friday, 19 June 2015 00:00

It may be a strange topic for a wedding planner to broach but there is no doubt finding a good wedding planner is vital if you are going to entrust your Big Day to someone. Not all wedding planners are created equal so if you are paying for a planner make sure you know what to look for in the best.

Long established - we are the longest established wedding company in Spain. A good planner should have worked in the business for several years or be able to tell you what makes her previous experience relevant to wedding planning if she is a relative new comer.

Experience - when it comes to planning and executing a wedding, experience really does count. Check with your planner how many weddings she has done and, if in doubt, ask for testimonials from couples who have used her services in the past.

Variety of suppliers and products. We think we offer the best variety for suppliers and decoration but a good planner should be able to offer you a choice of suppliers such as photographers and be able to suggest great ideas for decoration, favours and flowers etc which will work well at your venue and with the suppliers and wedding date you have chosen.

The way the planner works. We use a great wedding planning software to make the planning easier and documented and this also provides you with a wedding website to make it easier for your guests. Even if your planner does not use a particular software she should be organised and have systems in place so your wedding requests and choices are noted and reflected in your budget.

Love of the job - this is hard to quantify but really why would you want to hire a wedding planner who does not love what she does!

Happy planning!

 

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Honeymoon in Spain - five reasons why it’s a great idea!

Friday, 12 June 2015 00:00

Photo credit: www.honeymoonbeat.com

You´ve come out to Spain for your special day so why make things complicated- stay on for your honeymoon and save time money and stress. See below for five good reasons to have your honeymoon in Spain:

1) Save money. Let´s face it getting married is not cheap. By the time you have paid for your dress, ceremony, music, flights and food and drink for your special day you have usually spent a considerable sum on money. One of the great ways you can save in the long run is by combining your Big Day with your Big holiday - your honeymoon. You can save on flights by staying on in Spain instead of flying back home and off again to a different destination and hotels and venues will often offer special deals for honeymooning couples if you’ve held the wedding there.

2) Save hassle. If you´ve already hired a wedding planner for your Big Day, tap into her expertise and wisdom by asking her to help with your honeymoon too. You can save time and find great deals by asking your wedding planner to help book all or parts of your Spanish honeymoon meaning you have less worry and organisation and more time to enjoy yourselves!

3) Find out more about the area you got married in. The chances are that one of the main reasons you got married in Spain was because you wanted sunshine on your wedding day. There is much more to Spain than just blue skies and tapas though. Staying on after your wedding can give you a chance to explore the history and culture of the area where you got married. There are world famous monuments such as the Alhambra in Granada but also fascinating museums, gardens, ruins, caves and castles. Finding out more can give your decision to marry in Spain a additional depth and meaning and even more memories too!

4) Find out more about a completely different area of Spain. Now you´re in Spain it´s much easier to go further afield and not only explore the area where you married but completely different parts of Spain too. Visit the incredible cities of Madrid and Barcelona, explore historic Toledo, take off walking in the Alpujjaran mountains or get away from it all in Asturias’ incredible countryside. You´be surprised how diverse Spain is!

5) Banish logistical headaches! You and your loved one are in Spain - so stay in Spain. Instead of flying back, unpacking and repacking for a different honeymoon stay on and get a chance to completely unwind and spend time the one you love. After all that´s why you got married….

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Help! What kind of wedding ceremony do I want?

Friday, 05 June 2015 00:00

Photo credit: Bob Long

 

You want to get married in the sun and you love the idea of a relaxed, fun day in Spain soaking up the sun, marrying the one you love and giving your friends and family a holiday into the bargain. You know the kind of venue you like - be it hotel, villa, restaurant or beach bar - but then get stuck on the ceremony. This is not unusual as there is often confusion about the types of ceremony possible for couples marrying here in Spain. In this week's blog therefore we are looking at all the possibilities for your Big Day.

Traditional Catholic ceremony
Possible if one or both of you are Catholic.* Catholic weddings have the advantage of being legally binding providing you do the paperwork required as we can then register them civilly. They are less flexible than blessings however as they must take place in a consecrated Catholic church and the ceremony is the set marriage ceremony for Catholic weddings.

*NB: This applies if you are from Europe. US and Canadian residents and citizens need a civil ceremony in their home country even if they are both Catholic.

Wedding blessing
The blessing ceremony can take place in any location of your choosing and is usually followed by the celebration at the same venue with family and friends. Blessing ceremonies look and sound the same as a "normal" ceremony so your guests will not know it is not legally binding unless you wish to tell them. Many couples actually feel this is the real ceremony in that it is the personal and meaningful commitment to each other while the registry office ceremony was a formality which does not have the same emotional power.

The ceremony can take any of the following forms:

  • Humanist/Secular - no mention of God or religion, simply about your personal commitment to each other.
  • Interfaith - a ceremony combining elements of a religious faith with secular and personal traditions and readings.
  • Christian - the ceremony can follow a traditional Christian format eg: Church of England or be more broadly Christian and incorporate prayers and readings of your choosing.

Other faith ceremonies such as Jewish and Muslim can also be celebrated but are not legally binding so a civil ceremony in your home country or country of residence is also needed to legalise your marriage.

Civil ceremony
If one or both of you are resident in Spain and have been resident for two or more years then it should be possible for you to have a legally binding civil ceremony. This type of civil ceremony is usually conducted at the town hall (Ayuntamiento) in the area in which you are resident. As the legal civil ceremony is usually fairly short (10 - 15 minutes) and quite impersonal most couples also choose to have a Wedding Blessing and celebration.

Remember it’s your day and the ceremony is a vital part of this so it is worth considering the options carefully so you and your loved one can really enjoy every moment!

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