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The wedding receptions. Tradition or a big party?

More and more I receive requests from couples who dream of informal weddings and in a relaxed atmosphere.  Most of them come from abroad with the desire to have a wedding in the South of Spain, gathering friends and family at a big party.

A new concept that sees the wedding day as a meeting without much protocol and more relaxed.

So everything changes…Symbolic ceremonies in which emotions, laughter, readings of anecdotes of friends and family, and rituals that represent the union of love, predominate.

And also the banquets are revolutionized!

The traditional wedding that begins with a welcome drink, dinner and ends with dancing and open bar, makes way for a cocktail reception with appetizers and snacks, or a buffet with different food stations that also decorate the space with appetizing tables of cheese, fried fish, breads, and a long etcetera.

bodas informales

bodas informales

In this kind of weddings is very common the show cooking, so paellas, sushi, mexican food and much more, can be cooked at the moment and can be part of this environment more relaxed and with less formalities.

Informal weddings allow guests to interact with each other in a more familiar environment.

What kind of wedding receptions do you prefer? Do you prefer the traditional banquet or an informal party?

 

Photos via Pinterest

 

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How to personalize your ceremony

Who said that a civil or symbolic ceremony cannot be emotive and 100% personalized?

THE ADVANTAGES OF CIVIL OR SYMBOLIC CEREMONIES

One of the advantages of choosing a civil or symbolic ceremony is that you can personalize the notes as you want.

You can also get married in dreamy places like gardens or historic palaces without being obliged to give the “I do” in a church.

ceremonias civiles

But how can you personalize the ceremony and create a magical and unforgettable atmosphere?

THE WEDDING OFFICIANT

If it is a civil ceremony, it must be officiated by a city councillor or a notary public. But if it is a symbolic ceremony, you can choose a professional wedding officiant or a family member or a friend.

I always like to advise couples to choose someone close and that know their history. But you should always keep in mind that the person you choose likes to speak in public and feels comfortable in their role.

But there is also the option of hiring a professional wedding officiant that together with the couple will personalize the whole ceremony and take care of officiating on their wedding day.

ceremonia civil

READINGS AND MUSICS

Other important elements that will help to personalize your ceremony are the readings and the musics.

You can decide that some of your guests will take part to read some text written by themselves or simply poems or texts that talk about love, relationship, etc.

All these moments can be accompanied by background music chosen by the same couple and that will create an even more magical atmosphere. You can hire trios or string quartets or that the Dj puts the music previously chosen.

The entrance of the groom as well as that of the bride, and then the end can be accompanied by the favorite soundtracks of the couple.

RITUALS TO PERSONALIZE THE CEREMONY

In addition to the moments that can not be missed as the exchange of rings and votes, you can add a ritual that represents your union. It can be the sand ritual or the candles ritual or the handfasting ritual.

ritual de la arena

As you can see there are different ways to personalize your ceremony and remember it as something special, emotional, fun and certainly unforgettable for you and your guests.

 

PHOTOS BY: Roxanne Turpen / Anna+Mateo / Doncel y Alcoba

 

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How to plan a wedding in Spain

If you are dreaming to get married in some spanish city but you don’t know how to plan a wedding in Spain, here you can find some advices so make your dream come true.

 HOW TO CHOOSE THE CITY/REGION FOR YOUR WEDDING IN SPAIN

If you love this country but you don’t know which city to choose so you can say “I do”, firstly I advise you to define what kind of wedding you want.

Are you dreaming about a beach wedding or a wedding in a garden or in a private villa?

Do you prefer a Renaissance castle or some Arabic fortress? Depending on the place where you would like to seal your love, you can choose different areas of Spain.

Another very important element is your budget because it’s not the same to get married in some areas in Southern Spain than in the North or in big cities like Barcelona where you can find some differences in costs.

For example in Andalucia there are many options for different kinds of wedding.

For luxury weddings, in private beaches clubs or in luxury villas, the area of Marbella is undoubtedly the perfect location for an exclusive wedding.

If you are dreaming about a romantic and historic location, the options are infinite: Granada and its Alhambra, or cities as Seville or Cordoba offer the best venues for this kind of weddings.

Once you are sure about where to get married, you should solve another question… How to plan the wedding from far away?

THE WEDDING PLANNING SERVICE AS THE BEST SOLUTION TO PLAN YOUR WEDDING IN SPAIN

I know, you’re already thinking…I don’t want to spend more money hiring a Wedding Planner!

But, are you sure that it is one more expense? Because if you think about it, a Wedding Planner can give you many advantages when planning your wedding. And especially if you are out of Spain!

First of all a Wedding Planner that works in the location where you want to get married, knows perfectly the market, the vendors and the costs of each service. She can advise you to get the best prices.

Another advantage is that she will be present in each phase of the organization and she will be able to solve in situ every question or unforeseen situation that may arise.

This does not mean that the Wedding Planner excludes you from each phase of the planning of your wedding! On the contrary, you will make every decision and you will be in touch with your Wedding Planner forever to participate in all preparations.

Once you hire your Wedding Planner, you will start planning your big day together.

 SOME TIPS FOR PLANNING A PERFECT WEDDING IN SPAIN

I want to give you some tips so that you have them in mind when planning your wedding in this beautiful country.

  • When choosing the venue for your wedding, in case of symbolic ceremony, it would be better to find a venue where make the entire event: ceremony, banquet and also accomodation for at least part of the guests (depending on the number of guests, you can find venues that you can rent entirely for you). In this way the development of the event will be easier for all and without any transfer that means additional costs as for example the bus rental.
  • A very important detail when it is about a destination wedding, it’s to plan some extra activity for your guests in the days before your wedding. Visit the city, a Tapas route, an excursion in nature, etc. There are thousands of ideas for all ages and tastes!
  • Don’t forget to organize a welcome party for your guests! It would be ideal to prepare a barbecue in the gardens of the rented venue, or a big paella to welcome the family and friends and get together in an informal party before the big day arrives!

how to plan a wedding in Spain

 

Are you still not sure to marry in this country full of history, magic and good gastronomy? Write me and I can give you more reasons to plan your dream wedding in Spain!

how to plan a wedding in Spain

 

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  4. A beach wedding in Marbella.
  5. A bohemian wedding in an Andalusian luxury mansion.
  6. An elopement under the sky of Malaga.

 

Photos by Roxanne Turpen Photography

 

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How to get married in Spain. Legal and symbolic ceremonies

Many foreign couples choose Spain as destination for their wedding.

The beauty of the historical cities, the sun and good weather, gorgeous beaches and landscapes, invite many couples to plan one of the most important days of their lives,  in this dreamed land.

But can non-national couples get legally married in Spain?

Yes, they can! But it is important to clear up different questions.

There are two ways you can get legally married:

  • CATHOLIC CHURCH CEREMONY. In this case one partner has to be Catholic and neither can be divorced.
  • CIVIL CEREMONY. In this case it is very important to have in mind that the civil registries (Registro Civil) of each region requires different documents and according to which the couple has to meet some requirements (for example one partner in the couple must have the residence in Spain for at least 2 years). It’s advisable to always consult the consulate and the civil registry of the city where you want to get married.

You need several months to prepare and deliver the requested documents for a legal ceremony. So it’s better to start the process as soon as possible.

how to get married in Spain. Legal ceremony and symbolic ceremony

Symbolic Ceremony as the best solution to get married in Spain

There is a third way to get married in Spain, and even if it is not a legally recognized marriage, I think this is the best solution that allows you to avoid any stress that means the process of paperwork: the symbolic ceremony.

What exactly is a symbolic ceremony?

This kind of ceremony has no legal value. It can be officiate by a professional specialised or also by relatives or friends of the couple.

There is a guide note that can be personalized according to the needs of the couple, including the moment of vows, the exchange of wedding rings and some ritual as the sand ceremony,  rose ceremony or candles ceremony.

Cómo casarse en España. Ceremonias legales y simbólicas

Each moment is accompanied by music previously chosen by the couple, including readings from a friend or family member.

Cómo casarse en España. Ceremonia legal y ceremonia simbólica

You can make this ceremony a very emotional, romantic or funny moment. It also depend on the personality of the officiant.

Choosing a symbolic/blessing ceremony, you have the chance to choose the best venues to say “Yes I do”, as a garden full of flowers, a beach, a wood, a castle, etc.

And what kind of ceremony have you chosen?

 

Photos by: Juanan Barros  /  Anna+Mateo  /  Roxanne Turpen

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