The advantages of celebrating your wedding in a hotel in Spain

When we imagine a hotel for weddings, inexplicably, a big hotel comes to mind, with hundreds of bedrooms and big lounges with a somewhat cold and impersonal atmosphere. For this reason, many couples reject this option when searching for wedding locations. However, we must not forget that in Spain there is a large number of hotels which are perfect to celebrate weddings with charm, specialised in unique weddings that are full of magic. In this post, we have given information so that you learn more about this type of hotel, and that you take them into account in the run up to your big day. I´m sure that we´re going to surprise you!

Wedding in San Sebastián
PhotographyBuenas Photos / Wedding planner: Natalia Ortiz

To continue, let´s review the strong points and advantages that wedding hotels in Spain can offer us, which are not few and far between:

Reduction of costs:

There is a belief that open air weddings are cheaper, but this is not always the case. We must take into account the fact that open air spaces are not as well conditioned as an interior space and so it is necessary to hire other services: a tent for the sun or rain, furniture, catering, decoration… it all adds up, and in the long run increases the total cost.

Zero worries about the weather

One of the biggest worries of couples who decide to get married in the open air is the weather: will it rain? Will it be windy? Will it be too hot? None of this will cause worry if you celebrate your wedding in a hotel. Plus point!

Accommodation for guests

Another advantage of this type of hotel is that they include accommodation for guests. A big plus if we take into account that you won´t have to move at any time as the bedrooms are in the same hotel where you celebrate the wedding. It´s certain that boutique hotels have less bedrooms than tourist hotels, and in that case, your closest guests, such as family and friends, can always stay there.

Wedding in Tenerife
PhotographyKseniya Bunets / Organisation: Natalia Ortiz
Nature

Although the wedding is inside, most of these hotels for weddings in Spain have very well-kept and beautiful garden areas which, if the weather permits, you can always enjoy. Have a drink calmly admiring the views, a little aperitif before the banquet, a chill out corner, etc. Just because you are not celebrating your wedding outdoors doesn´t mean you can´t enjoy nature and gardens.

Services and installations

When celebrating your wedding in a hotel, you will have all of the necessary facilities for an event of such as this: services, air conditioning, heating and its own kitchen.

Decoration

It is not the same to have a space already decorated in a style that you like as to decorate an outdoor area, because decorating an outdoor area will always be more expensive since it is a blank canvas that must be designed. Therefore, you must choose a hotel that suits your taste, whether vintage, with modern touches, industrial … the possibilities are endless!  

And as a picture is worth more than a thousand words, here are two of our most special projects, both carried out in hotels with a lot of charm, but of different styles.

On one hand, the Hotel Maria Cristina. It is a very emblematic hotel in the city of San Sebastian and the favourite destination for many Hollywood celebrities who went to spend their holidays at the start of the 20th century, in total luxury.

Wedding in San Sebastián
PhotographyBuenas Photos / Wedding planner: Natalia Ortiz
Wedding in San Sebastián
PhotographyBuenas Photos / Wedding planner: Natalia Ortiz

And, in contrast, here is our work carried out in the Torre del Visco, a boutique hotel situated in Teruel, with a lot of history. It is a restricted space as it has only 16 bedrooms, but has impressive charm. Additionally, it is immersed in nature.

Spring wedding in Torre del Visco
PhotographyBuenas Photos / Wedding planner: Natalia Ortiz

As you can see, there is a large variety of wedding hotels in Spain, capable of harbouring your dream wedding as and when you want and, of course, with all the commodities. If you want to know more about the budget, advantages and options for this type of wedding, write to us at info@svadbavispanii.ru and we will show you all the possibilities. We will wait for you!

Celebrate your wedding in the North of Spain: the charm of the Basque Country

The Basque Country has something special. And we are not the ones saying that; everyone who visits this part of Spain (or most of them) falls in love with this region of Spain, with its inhabitants and its incredible landscapes. In short, it is a perfect place to celebrate a very special wedding. If you like the North of Spain, you cannot miss this next post, a practical guide that sums up perfectly why celebrating a wedding in the Basque Country may be the ideal choice.

Wedding in Basque Country
Photographs: Buenas Photos / Wedding planner: Natalia Ortiz

Let’s start as always, with the reasons that make this place idyllic:

A different landscape

Green, green, nothing but green. This is what you will see in the Basque Country, a truly leafy landscape. And this is one of the advantages that the rain abounds; that despite being summer, the landscape is still perfect. A day of sunshine here is lived and exploited much more than in other parts of Spain which are accustomed to good weather. If you decide to celebrate your wedding here, choose the summer to do so, you´ll have more chance to enjoy the perfect weather.

Wedding in Basque Country

The sacred art

In he Basque Country there is a long history of religious tradition, and this can be seen through the countless churches that are found in this region, each one of them unique, authentic masterpieces that shelter sacred art,

Castles and wedding venues

If castles are the most beautiful buildings that exist, imagine a stone castle contrasting against an intense green landscape. This is what the castles of the Basque Country are like; unique places with a medieval and romantic atmosphere, the ideal enclave for a wonderful day like your wedding.

In addition to castles, there are a lot of emblematic buildings, perfect to celebrate your dream wedding, like the Hotel Maria Cristina in San Sebastian, the favorite holiday destination of many Hollywood stars during the 20th century.

Wedding in San Sebastián
Photograph: Buenas Photos / Wedding planner: Natalia Ortiz
Its coast

Two of the 3 provinces of the Basque Country have a coastline, another plus. Vizcaya and Guipúzcoa have spectacular beaches, different from those of the Mediterranean coast : they have large cliffs and rocks that contrast with fine sand and a sea with strong waves, perfect if you love water sports. If you are looking for a wedding on the beach or with sea views, the Basque Country also offers you this option.

Wedding in Basque Country

Food

And last but not least, the food stands out. The Basque Country is the cradle of the great chefs of the country, and it has Michelin star restaurants such as Arzak or Mugaritz. However, it is not necessary to go to a very expensive restaurant to taste the delicious dishes and specialties of the area, since all the restaurants take care of the quality of their food.

Dream venues to celebrate your wedding in the Basque Country
San Juan de Gastelugatxe
Wedding in Basque Country
Photograph: turismovasco.com

If you are fans of Game of Thrones, we are talking about Dragon Stone. One of the most spectacular places in Europe, an islet linked to the continent by two arches. It has a beautiful hermitage and the route to it is beautiful: a narrow path that goes from the mainland to the upper area, passing over the rocks and over a bridge. There are 241 steps, which are worth the climb to see the view.

El bosque de Oma
Wedding in Basque Country
Photograph: bosquedeoma.com

The artist Basauri Agustín Ibarrola turned this forest into a work of art, painting the trees and giving it a unique and incomparable atmosphere. We recommend this place to take spectacular pre-wedding photographs.

Churches

It is hard to choose, but below we recommend two of our favorite churches to celebrate a wedding in the Basque Country.

Catedral de Maria Inmaculada

This neo-gothic building is located in the city centre of Vitoria-Gasteiz, in front of a beautiful park. It is known as Catedral Nueva, inaugurated in 1969, and in this church unique weddings are celebrated, in its ship as well as in its crypt. You can see the gargoyles and the sculpture located in its interior.

Wedding in Basque Country
Photograph: basquecountrymagazine.com

Santuario de Urkiola

This sanctuary is one of the most worshipped in the region. This temple is located in an area immersed in nature, with amazing views of the Natural Park of Urkiola, and can be found in Abadino (Vizcaya).

Wedding in Basque Country
Photograph: basquemountains.com

As you can see, the Basque Country has so much to offer, incredible and original sites where you can celebrate an amazing wedding.

If you are thinking about celebrating your wedding in Basque Country, write to us at info@svadbavispanii.ru, and we will help you with everything necessary about the procedures, the best places depending on the wedding and style you are looking for, accommodation and plans for your guests.

A wedding with olive trees in Catalonia

On July 15th, the Russian couple Vladelina and Roman celebrated their dream wedding in Catalonia. Despite the fact that they have been a couple for 10 years, they decided to renew their vows with a romantic celebration in the Finca La Boella, located in Tarragona. This estate is dedicated to the production of olive oil and this inspired them. All of the wedding decoration, the bridal bouquet, the invitations, the girls´floral crowns and the boys´ boutonnieres were made out of olives leaves. The result was wonderful!

Vladelina wore a splendid dress with a vaporous fabric that she combined with a beautiful hairstyle and a veil cloak made out of lace as a unique and original detail. For her make up, the emphasis was on her eyes and her lips were natural. Roman wore a white shirt and a blue trouers. They looked so happy!

The ceremony took place in a patio with natural light, where wooden chairs were decorated with olive branches, and  it was officiated by the couple´s friend, which was very emotional.

After, the guests enjoyed a cocktail and a banquet. And there was a big surprise : as a gift to the newlyweds, one of their close friends played his guitar. An emotional moment of the day! Vladelina changed for the dance and chose to wear a pink dress with floral details, very romantic.

It was a wedding that all the guests, both adults and kids, enjoyed, since the entertainers dressed in medieval costumes and prepared games such as a treasure hunt that took place in the cellar. 

The fireworks were the perfect finale for this great wedding in Catalonia. We leave you with the fantastic photographs!

Wedding in Catalonia Wedding in Catalonia Wedding in Catalonia Wedding in Catalonia Wedding in Catalonia Wedding in Catalonia Wedding in Catalonia

Wedding in Catalonia

Wedding in Catalonia Wedding in Catalonia

Wedding in Catalonia

Wedding in Catalonia

Wedding in Catalonia

Wedding in Catalonia

Wedding in Catalonia Wedding in Catalonia Wedding in Catalonia Wedding in Catalonia Wedding in Catalonia Wedding in Catalonia Wedding in Catalonia

Wedding in Catalonia

Wedding in Catalonia

Wedding in Catalonia

Wedding in Catalonia Wedding in Catalonia Wedding in Catalonia

Wedding in Catalonia

Credits

Photographs: Olya Kobruseva
Wedding Planner: Natalia Ortiz
Flower design: Floratelie
MUAH: Hair look style

Wedding traditions in Spain

One of the reasons why we are so passionate about weddings is that everyone is different, and their uniqueness increases even more depending on the country and culture of the person. This is something we have learnt from organizing destination and multicultural weddings, all of which have enriched us as professionals. So, it seemed an interesting idea to review for you the traditions of a wedding in Spain, for all those who wish to celebrate a destination wedding in this country. Who knows, maybe you will like one and incorporate it into your own wedding! Let’s start!

Wedding at church

In Spain getting married in church is traditional, although you can be certain that every civil wedding is made to measure and to the tastes of the bride and groom. If you are looking to celebrate a church wedding in Spain, you will easily find one that you will like since each town and village has churches, cathedrals and chapels, with a charm that will be perfect for your religious wedding.

Wedding in Madrid
Wedding of Teresa and Ernest in a church in Madrid. PhotographsBuenas Photos / Wedding Planner: Natalia Ortiz
Pre-marital courses

As we talk about church weddings, we can´t forget to mention in this post about the need, of which few are aware, when getting married religiously. You have to do a pre-marital course. It is a fundamental requirement and during which not only religious themes are mentioned but also your future life together which helps you in this commitment. Normally, classes can last several days a week, or if you prefer, all condensed into a weekend.

Wedding in Quinta de Illescas
Photographs: Tanya Vasiliuk / Organisation: Natalia Ortiz
Family name

A fact that might surprise you is that in Spain, unlike other countries, women do not take their husband´s family name but keep their own.

Guests

The average number of guests in Spain is between 100 and 200. If you are celebrating an intimate wedding in another country, you may find that it is a lot, but it is that it is not too many, nor too little. And you are still unsure, think of Hindu weddings, usually they have hundreds of guests! Another example of the differences between weddings depending on the country, religion and culture.

Wedding in Quinta de Illescas
Photographs: Tanya Vasiliuk / Organisation: Natalia Ortiz
Gifts

The eternal question: what to give to the bride and groom? Will they prefer money or something more personal? What is happening more and more in Spain is to include your bank details on the invitations or on a website for your wedding in a nice way with a nice design.

But there are also other options, such as an online wedding list, where the bride and groom can display the items they would like and you can buy them (in a way it’s like giving money but in a more concrete, useful way), or gift them an experience for their honeymoon: a boat trip, a swim with dolphins, a romantic evening in a restaurant, etc.

Wedding in Basque Country
Photographs:Buenas Photos / Wedding Planner: Natalia Ortiz
Timing

Weddings in Spain begin with the ceremony, where the bride and groom say their vows, followed by a cocktail and a grand banquet that normally lasts for hours but, unlike other countries such as Russia, there are no shows between the dishes, nor the traditional Russian showman, the guests simply enjoy the food and converse. At most there will be toasts or small speeches from selected guests, the delivery of the cake to the newlyweds, or something similar.

In Spain, it is traditional for the couple, at lunch or dinner time, to get up and walk around the tables to greet their guests and, sometimes, offer them a gift to remember their wedding. In the post gift ideas we give you some tips to choose the right one of your wedding.

Wedding in Quinta de Illescas
Photographs: Tanya Vasiliuk / Organisation: Natalia Ortiz

If you want to know more about the timings of a wedding in Spain, you can read this post. You will find all the details.

What do you think of these traditions of a wedding in Spain? You probably already know some but you may discover others. As always, we advise you to choose the traditions that define you the most and that adapt to your needs and tastes. We are available at info@svadbavispanii.ru to answer all your doubts about the traditions of a wedding in Spain and to give you the best advice to organize one.

Wedding weekend in Madrid

Thomas and Silje have decided to celebrate a fantastic weekend wedding in Madrid, as they love the city and in summer, it´s magical. They travelled here with 10 family members and friends to celebrate an intimate, very touching wedding, and it was two busy days.

The Friday was the wedding day, which started with a photoshoot in the beautiful rooftop of the hotel where they were staying. Silje wore a beautiful dress, with spectacular movement, a V neckline and a splendid hairdo. The back and top of the dress were decorated with delicate sparkles. She completed the look with a white bridal bouquet.

The wedding was celebrated in the Embassy of Norway, located in the center of Madrid, surrounded by their loved ones. The reception was in a restaurant and they spent the afternoon walking around the city, finishing with a supper that they really enjoyed. A very busy day!

The next day the party carried on, starting with breakfast and followed with an exploration of the city. The best part? They went to a flamenco show and a masterclass, something they had wanted to do for a very long time and they were very happy with it.

This weekend wedding in Madrid could not have been more complete, full of activities and a very special celebration. The type of wedding that lasts two or three days are becoming more trendy, think about it for your wedding!

Wedding weekend in Madrid

Wedding weekend in Madrid Wedding weekend in Madrid Wedding weekend in Madrid Wedding weekend in Madrid

Wedding weekend in Madrid Wedding weekend in Madrid

Wedding weekend in Madrid

Wedding weekend in Madrid Wedding weekend in Madrid

Wedding weekend in Madrid

Wedding weekend in Madrid Wedding weekend in Madrid

Wedding weekend in Madrid

Wedding weekend in Madrid

Wedding weekend in Madrid Wedding weekend in Madrid

Wedding weekend in Madrid

Wedding weekend in Madrid Wedding weekend in Madrid

Wedding weekend in Madrid

Wedding weekend in Madrid Wedding weekend in Madrid Wedding weekend in Madrid Wedding weekend in Madrid Wedding weekend in Madrid Wedding weekend in Madrid Wedding weekend in Madrid

Wedding weekend in Madrid Wedding weekend in Madrid Wedding weekend in Madrid Wedding weekend in Madrid Wedding weekend in Madrid Wedding weekend in Madrid Wedding weekend in Madrid Wedding weekend in Madrid

Credits:

Photographs: Alla Yachkulo Buenas Photos
Organization: Natalia Ortiz
Flowers: L’ Atelier de las Flores

Love Story in Madrid – Raul and Yulia

Raul and Yulia are a lovely couple who will soon say “I do”. She is from Russia, works as a vet and enjoys playing the piano. Raúl is Spanish and works in the world of finance, and he is passionate about writing. They both decided to take these romantic photos before the wedding, which resulted in a beautiful Love Story in Madrid. Here are some beautiful pictures of the couple in the most emblematic streets of the city, for which they chose matching styles in black and white. Her, with a beautiful white dress and original black boots with silver studs: a very rock style. And him, with black trousers and a white shirt. We leave you with the result, their smiles say everything!

Love story in Madrid

Love story in Madrid Love story in Madrid

Love story in Madrid Love story in Madrid

Love story in Madrid

Love story in Madrid

Love story in Madrid Love story in Madrid

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Love story in Madrid

Love story in Madrid

Love story in Madrid
Love story in Madrid

Love story in Madrid Love story in Madrid Love story in Madrid Love story in Madrid

Love story in Madrid Credits:

Photography: Tanya Vasiliuk
Organisation: Natalia Ortiz

The outdoor female wedding in Girona

Nothing is more exciting than the moment when one of our projects unfolds and we can share it with you all. Especially if it’s work like this, a female wedding that took place in Girona, with a romantic outdoor ceremony.

There was an altar made with two old wooden doors with lots of character, and which were decorated with brightly colored flowers: red, orange and white contrasted with the green of the farm, the stone of its walls and the lavender colour that reigned in the garden.

Julia and Alina looked fantastic with two very light dresses with spectacular fabrics. Julia was beautiful with a flattering flounce dress, a very present trend in recent seasons. And Alina wore an equally beautiful dress, this time without sleeves, and she looked absolutely radiant. We don´t know which one we love the most! Both had their hair semi-wavy, a perfect choice for their nuptial look. In some photographs, you can see the detail of the lavender flowers that Julia wore in her hair. For the bouquet, we chose a beautiful composition with flowers in the same tones as the altar.

We leave you with photos of this female wedding that could not have been more romantic and bucolic, in which we recreated a country atmosphere thanks to the nature that surrounded the farm and the mixture of pastel colors like lavender and bright colors like orange flowers. We hope you like it as much as we do!

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Female wedding

Female wedding Female wedding

Female wedding Female wedding

Female wedding Female wedding

Female wedding

Female wedding

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Female wedding

Credits

Wedding planner: Natalia Ortiz
Photography: Olya Kobruseva
Coordination: @oksa_wed 
Gown: Jordi Anguera
Flowers: Rosa Ferrer Massó
MUAH: @sarefuss

The most breathtaking churches to get married in Spain

In Spain, there are a lot of churches where you can celebrate a unique and special wedding. It is a country with a  long history of religious tradition and which has churches that are real masterpieces. If you are planning your wedding in Spain and you want to celebrate your wedding in a church, you can´t miss this selection of the best churches in Spain to celebrate an unforgettable wedding. We are talking about impressive constructions, magical interiors and an atmosphere that will leave you agape.

The basilica of Santa Maria del Mar in Barcelona

Located in the district of La Ribera, in the center of Barcelona and widely considered culturally interesting, this basilica is from the XIVth century and is notable thanks its gothic Catalan style. The building has a robust feel and its facade stands out thanks to its octogonal towers. On the inside of the church there are three naves, very high ceilings and narrow windows that give it a unique charm.

This basilica is famous for being an important feature of the novel Ildefonso Falcones, La catedral del Mar. It also appears in the novel El juego del Angel, by Carlos Ruiz Zafon and in the novel Thesaurus Ombres a Barcelona by Africa Ragel. Furthemore, it has been the stage of nobles’ weddings throughout the centuries. Can you imagine getting married in a church with such history? The basilica also has a great acoustic, a plus point, so that music will sound perfect at your wedding.

The basilica of Santa Maria del Mar in Barcelona. Photography: www.santamariadelmarbarcelona.org
The church of Nueva Severa in Mallorca

Let’s go now to Mallorca to show you this spectacular church : Nueva Son Servera. It was a project lead by Joan Rubio Bellver, partner of the famous architect Antoni Gaudi. The most interesting thing about this church is that it is unfinished.

The best part? It is an church open towards the sky, with the charm of an emblematic and historical building while being both outdoors and indoors.

Wedding in Mallorca
Photography: Ana Patlis
Orthodox russian church of Arcangel San Miguel in Altea

In Altea, Alicante, is where the first temple in Spain of the Russian orthodox church can be found, a special building inspired by the XVIIth century. It is a wooden church, made by Russian specialists in this material, brought from the area of ​​Los Urales.

Its floor has the shape of a Greek cross and its engraved altar was made with materials imported from Russia as well. Although the amount invested is unknown, just by seeing the church, you can see that it was not an easy project. This building is a work of art and celebrating your wedding here can only be a success.

Photograph: orthodox.es
Crypt of the Almudena in Madrid

And what would you think about celebrating your wedding in the same church as the Kings of Spain? The Almudena is one of the most important churches in Spain, a building that is very significant for its inhabitants and has hosted very important weddings. You have the opportunity to celebrate your wedding in the crypt of the parish, a place with a noble atmosphere, beautiful columns and vaulted ceilings. It will be a perfectly magical celebration!

Church in Spain
Photography: secretosdemadrid.es

Which of these churches in Spain would you like the most for your wedding? If you want us to help find the best one and to carry out all the procedures to celebrate a religious wedding, write us at info@svadbavispanii.ru, we will help you with all the documentation!

Beach wedding ceremony in Alicante

Here is a spectacular project that we organized on a beautiful beach in Altea, Alicante. It is a very special place with incredible sea views.

For this beach wedding ceremony there was a wooden altar, a rustic style but also very romantic thanks to the flowers in light tones, with pink, light yellow and peach colors. The altar was decorated with white fabric. Next to the altar, the ceremony table was also wooden and was decorated with blue vases to match the stunning views of the sea.

The bride wore two dresses of Rosa Clará. For the ceremony she had a very romantic dress with a large tulle skirt and large train, and a bodice with some transparencies. The dress went perfectly with her hairstyle and the big bouquet in pink and peach, decorated with a bow in the same tone. For her makeup, the main focus was placed on the lips, which were deep red.

The groom looked very elegant in a dark suit that contrasted perfectly with the predominantly white wedding. The photos couldn´t be more incredible thanks to the spectacular background of the sea and the trees of the landscape.

For the next set of photographs, the bride wore a second romantic dress. Although this one was different to the first, it also has sleeves and transparencies, a very beautiful trend in bride looks. This time, she wore loose curls and with a small flower hair piece. The bouquet was in red tones, matching the color of her lips and that was quite a success.

Here are the incredible photographs of this beach wedding ceremony. The couple was photographed on a beautiful estate next to the sea and also on the beach, with a spectacular sky in the background. The result could not have been better!

Wedding beach ceremony in Alicante

Wedding beach ceremony in Alicante

Wedding beach ceremony in Alicante

Wedding beach ceremony in Alicante

Wedding beach ceremony in Alicante

Wedding beach ceremony in Alicante

Wedding beach ceremony in Alicante

Wedding beach ceremony in Alicante

Wedding beach ceremony in Alicante

Wedding beach ceremony in Alicante

Wedding beach ceremony in Alicante

Wedding beach ceremony in Alicante

Wedding beach ceremony in Alicante

Wedding beach ceremony in Alicante

Wedding beach ceremony in Alicante

Wedding beach ceremony in Alicante

Wedding beach ceremony in Alicante

Wedding beach ceremony in Alicante

Wedding beach ceremony in Alicante

Wedding beach ceremony in Alicante

Wedding beach ceremony in Alicante

Wedding beach ceremony in Alicante

Wedding beach ceremony in Alicante

Wedding beach ceremony in Alicante

Wedding beach ceremony in Alicante

Wedding beach ceremony in Alicante

Wedding beach ceremony in Alicante

Wedding beach ceremony in Alicante

Wedding beach ceremony in Alicante

Wedding beach ceremony in Alicante

Credits:

Photography: Hanna Baranava
Organization: Natalia Ortiz
Coordination: Svispan
Florist: Arlett Artesanía Floral
Gown: Rosa Clará
Stylist: Nelly

The timing of a wedding in Spain

In each country, the timings, commonly referred to as the wedding moments, are different. Each place has its own customs, rituals and traditions, which means that the timings change. In this next article, we will detail step by step the timings of a wedding in Spain, perfect if you wish to celebrate your destination wedding in this country. This will help you to know everything more clearly so that there is no misunderstanding between everyone participates in your wedding. Let’s start!

Wedding in Alicante
Myriam and Hedger. Photography: Hanna Baranava /Organisation: Natalia Ortiz
Ceremony

Weddings in Spain begin with the ceremony, either religious or civil. The bride and groom won’t have seen each other yet, and the bride’s image will be a surprise – this is a very important tradition. Therefore, the bride will be the last to arrive. Here is an estimate of the arrival times :

  • The groom: 45 minutes before, to be able to great the guests. He will usually be accompanied by his parents.
  • Guests: 30 minutes before. This is important so that the guests can be positioned in the correct places so that when the bride arrives, everything is perfect.
  • Mother of the bride: 15 minutes before.
  • Bride and father of the bride: just on time or even later. Her arrival is the most important and no one should arrive later than her.

The ceremony usually has a different duration depending on whether it is civil, religious or symbolic, in which case it can be adapted to the tastes and demands of the couple.

  • Civil ceremony – 30 to 45 minutes.
  • Religious ceremony – 60 minutes.

However, the duration will depend on who will officiate the ceremony, rites and traditions that the couple wanted to incorporate, readings, etc. What is important to know is that religious ceremonies tend to be longer than civil ceremonies.

Wedding in Quinta de Illescas
Beatriz and Alex. Photography: Tanya Vasiliuk /Organisation: Natalia Ortiz
Cocktail

The cocktail ceremony will last an average of 1h 30 minutes – 2 hours, during which the newlyweds can take their wedding photos with the photographer, while the guests enjoy an aperitif. However, we always recommend that the couple do not take too long so that they can also enjoy the cocktails and greet their guests.

Wedding in Girona
Angelina and Sergei. Photography: Aljosa Petric / Organisation: Natalia Ortiz
Banquet

Then all the guests go to the banquet area, which can be a lounge or a somewhere, such as a marquee, prepared outside. To move from one place to another, it can take about 30 minutes until everyone is placed. Banquets generally last an average of 3 hours, and for most of the time, guests remain seated.

Curious facts:

  • In Spain, unlike Russia, all dishes are served individually and off the shelf. In other words, there will be no plaque on the table.
  • On the other hand, in Spain, coffee or tea is served, then cake. If you wish to change any of these steps and times, you must make a request to the space coordinator in advance.
Wedding in Valencia
Anastasia and Richard. Photography: Buenas Photos / Organisation: Natalia Ortiz
Party

And now the time of the party has arrived. In Spain, there is a lot of difference between the banquet and the dance, because they are held in two different rooms. In Russian weddings, dinner alternates with dancing, in Spain you eat first and then dance. There is no show during dinner. Then, once the banquet is over, the guests go to the dance area and the open bar, which will last about 4 hours, but you can request an extension in advance in some cases.

Wedding in Tenerife
Anita and Alexey. Photography:Kseniya Bunets / Organisation: Natalia Ortiz

And here is the approximate schedule of a wedding in Spain, what do you think? We want to emphasize that, although these are the usual timings, you can always adapt them to how you want. You can add the rites and traditions of your culture if you want, as long as you have it in mind in advance and can negotiate it. For this reason, if you are a foreign couple and you want to celebrate a wedding in Spain, it is essential that you have a wedding planner working in the country, who knows everything about his culture and yours and that you can design the wedding perfectly. 

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