Why should we marry abroad?
You have an 85% chance of sunshine and lack of rain, unless you are very unlucky!
A destination wedding allows you to spend your money and time on your closest family and friends, and decrease the likelihood of unwanted guests. So if you're looking for an intimate and meaningful wedding celebration, this is it.
A destination wedding also provides you with quality time with the people who mean the most to you. It's normally a four to seven day experience — not merely six hours!
Marrying abroad is less expensive than you think! Obviously you will splash out on the the flights, the venue, the catering and other luxuries, but you're unlikely to be paying for a large number of guests to join you.
Finally, you get your wedding and honeymoon all in one. As soon as you become husband and wife, you're on honeymoon. There’s nothing to pack and no airport to head to since you’ve already arrived!
Why should we marry in Catalonia?
With its temperate climate and sunny weather, the area around Girona and the Costa Brava in Catalonia, is a privileged location to celebrate your wedding. The region has stunning mountain scenery, rugged Mediterranean coastline and an abundance of enchanting and romantic settings.
Gastronomically Catalonia is renowned worldwide. The combination of a mild climate, an extensive coastline and lush mountain pastures mean that great meat, fresh seafood, fruit and vegetables are available all year round.
Catalonia is also famed for producing some of the world’s finest wines from Priorat, Alt Emporda and Penedès - the latter being famed for its champagne - or cava as it is referred to locally.
The area of Girona and the Costa Brava is easily accessible, with its 3 airports Barcelona, Girona & Perpignan(south France) serviced by many airlines.
How are traditional Catalan weddings?
Food and wine are the focus of a Catalan wedding.
Guests at a Catalan wedding are typically served delicious aperitifs, accompanied by a glass or two of cava, often whilst listening to live music. This is followed by a sumptuous three-course meal with a menu of your choice, often including plentiful of locally produced wines, liquors as well as champagne. The meal is finished with the wedding cake.
The banquet is then followed by dancing and more drinking until the early hours of the morning.
Will our marriage be legally recognized in Spain?
If you are a Catholic you can get married in the Catholic Church in Spain and it will be legally recognised but you need to allow at least five months for paperwork. You will require birth certificates, baptism certificates and, occasionally, a pre-marriage course certificate.
To marry through the Civil Registry in Spain you need to have been registered as resident for a minimum of two years prior to the wedding date and have been resident for 40 consecutive days before applying for the marriage licence.
We recommend non-residents celebrate a civil wedding in their country of residence, to then enjoy the full flexibility of a blessing or exchange of vows here in Catalonia. A blessing can take place in any location, using the couple's own words of a religious or personal nature. This blessing is just as significant and special and is normally considered the meaningful wedding date and anniversary.
We can also organise a Protestant English-speaking priest to give a religious blessing for your wedding service.
How much will our wedding cost?
You can make your wedding as cheap or expensive as you want. A wedding has so many factors that affect its cost that it is impossible to give a standard price.
You could have an intimate, elegant and inexpensive wedding at a private home, or you could choose some huge venue and have the works. It's all in what you choose to spend your money on.
The most important thing is to pinpoint exactly what you'd like to do. Jot down some ideas on an email and let us know what your ideal day would be. From here we can see how we can work this into our venues, and try to draw up a realistic budget. That's the best way to find out whether it's cost-effective.
What venues do you offer?
We offer a selection of romantic settings; medieval castles, genuine Catalan farmhouses and charming private villas in the middle of the Girona region and the Costa Brava.
Is wedding planning necessary?
This is up to you! We are flexible and will be as involved as you want us to be. We are happy if you want to do the planning yourself.
But for few hundred Euros extra, we will take all the stress out of the planning. We will suggest only the suppliers that best reflect your ideas, keeping the cost down while achieving the best possible results.
How far in advance should we book our wedding?
The sooner you arrange to book the more likely it is that you will get the date and time of your choice. We reccommend a minimum of 4 months in advance.
How much time is needed to plan a wedding?
This depends on the size of the wedding however 3 months is the minimum required. However if you are looking to book a specific venue then you need to book as early as possible as they do get booked up!!!
Should we visit before the wedding?
We understand that it is not always easy for some couples to have the time and means to travel before the wedding. But don’t worry, these days the internet and email make it so easy to communicate. We can send you lots of pictures which will allow you to get a great sense of the places and services we have on offer. You can also send us pictures with your ideas for details such as flowers, hair styles, etc
Of course meeting is always good, as you will have a chance to see the suppliers / venues, so if you can make the trip, it is well worth it. We will charge only a small fee to arrange it all for you and it will help you to picture your big day and make sure the venue is as you expect.
What is the best way to communicate with you?
As mentioned above, we recommend email correspondence as everything is in writing and both the clients and the coordinator have all communications on record.
Do you mind if we communicate directly with individual suppliers, or do you prefer that all communication goes through you?
If you have the language skills, we are happy to put you into contact with the individual suppliers, and we will even encourage direct communication in some instances.
However, we strongly advice that we are informed of what has been discussed, this way we know what is going on at all times, and we can act if anything doesn’t go as planned.
Are we expected to pay for our guests accommodation?
Unless money is no object, out-of-town-guests are normally expected to pay for their own expenses. Therefore it is advisable to give your guests as much advance notice as possible. We would recommend a year, where possible. This way, your guests can turn it into their annual holiday and make plans accordingly.
There is nothing better than going away to a foreign country, sightseeing, being on holiday, relaxing, eating delicious local food, drinking local wine and having fun with family and friends in a new environment. Your guests can experience all this and go to your wedding as well!
