Ever thought of getting married abroad? Here’s some advice from the expert, Rachel Rose Weddings!

This week we watched eagerly for announcements regarding the possibility of moving to a level 5 lockdown and wedding numbers being cut once again from 25 guests to 6 guests. At 9pm on Monday, the couples of Ireland breathed a sigh of relief, in the news that weddings will remain at 25 guests for the remainder of the year. When did we ever think the news that weddings of 25 people would be celebrated so greatly, as it was for many couples last night?!
​This pandemic really has shaken and changed everyone’s preconceptions of what a wedding “should and needs” to be. Of course, we have all seen so many family and friends postpone until 2021, in the hope that they can have a larger wedding, and rightly so, always do what feels best for your day!
However, as someone who is not even engaged but had an idea of what I thought my wedding would look like, I have found myself reevaluating. Seeing weddings of 15 – 25 people and the joy and amazing time had by all, it just made me think “They had an amazing day with 15 people, imagine what you could do with a wedding of 60-80 people?" I had always considered this a small wedding by the standards of the hotel, I was wedding coordinator, the majority of the weddings were averaging 150-160ish people. However, now looking at it with a set of new eyes following 2020, it sounds like a dream.
One (among many reasons) why I always thought I would have my wedding in Ireland or locally was to facilitate a larger wedding. I am sure I am not the only one thinking about elopements and or weddings abroad, following the shit show that 2020 was for so many couples. So, I reached out to Rachel Rose Weddings to help us navigate the idea of weddings in Spain. Rachel actually helped to plan a friends beautiful wedding in Cortijo Rosa Blanca. Said friends have also kindly allowed me to use their incredible wedding photos, shot by the very talented Rafal Borek, based in Co.Sligo.  Now, it's over to Rachel Rose Weddings!

So, tell us a little about who Rachel Rose Weddings is and what you do!
We are Rachel Rose Weddings and we are a full-service wedding company based near Marbella on the Costa Del Sol, with years of experience and a passion for creating the perfect destination weddings in Spain.  We have three stunning wedding venues, each a beautiful private country Villa for you and your guests to enjoy, creating wonderful memories not just on your wedding day but throughout your stay at your chosen venue.  We offer a full planning and design service with in house catering.  Everything you need for stress free, easy planning of your destination wedding in Spain.

What would you recommend the first step for a bride-to-be who dreams of getting married in Spain do?
The first step is to decide the area of Spain you would like to marry in and then search for a wedding planner that will fit with your vision.  Your wedding planner will then be able to conduct a venue search for you based on your requirements.  You may have already found a venue that you like so you will need to find out if they have an in-house wedding planner or can recommend a good planner locally.

What advice would you give to couples considering marrying abroad? 
When choosing the area/venue they wish to marry in it is important to take into consideration the travel implications for their wedding guests and is it likely their key guests will be able to attend their wedding.  Location of airport in the UK or Ireland and distance from airport to the venue needs to be considered as some guests will only be able to come for the weekend. Another point that needs some consideration would be, the proximity of hotels and self-catering accommodation to suit a range of budgets for your guests is also an essential factor.  You want to make things as easy as possible as it will be costing your guests a lot of money to travel abroad for your wedding so it is important they will have a fun and stress free experience whilst here, some may incorporate it into their annual holiday. Local beaches and good restaurants are always a winner!

 Is there a directory you would recommend? In Ireland we have Weddingsonline, an online directory of venues, suppliers and starting price points etc, is there something similar for those brides considering marrying abroad particularly Spain? 
​Unfortunately, there is nothing really comparable – we have www.bodas.net or www.zankyou.es but don’t let that deter you, a reputable wedding planner should be able to provide your with any supplier/service details you require.
 
**Hi it's me Bríona, I just wanted to jump in to note, many Irish suppliers will also travel abroad and build this into their package price. I know many Photographers & videographers, Makeup Artists, Hairstylists and even Bands who have all traveled abroad to work at weddings. When have the Irish ever said no to a bit of sun. A prime example being Rafal Borek, the photographer of the amazing photos shared in this Blog from Sarah and Bill's day.

I think couples can be reluctant to hand over money for deposits etc without meeting someone in the flesh first and some are afraid of getting scammed, what would you recommend couples do to ease their mind?
It is important that couples research their wedding planners/venue not only for reassurance with regards to deposits but also to see the quality of their work and make sure they are a good fit for them.  A reputable planner will have a website as well a social media pages showing photos of their real weddings.  Their facebook page is a good place to read reviews and for further reassurance you can usually contact their past Brides direct to ask a few questions about their own experience.

Do you provide packages and if so what kind of thing do they include? Accommodation? Food? Drinks? Décor? 
As we work within our own venues, we offer a full wedding package which would include almost everything a couple could want for their destination wedding such as Celebrant, Photographer, Florals, Music, Décor, Lighting, Stationery etc.  This is not set in stone though as we understand each couple is different and we are happy to tailor this to their own needs and vision. 
Our catering packages include all the food and drink from the moment your guests arrive until last orders at the bar.  With Sangria and homemade lemonade on arrival, canapes and cava after the ceremony followed by a wedding dinner that can be a more formal Gala menu, a served BBQ or a more relaxed Tapas and Paella affair.
Are the packages charged per person or an overall cost?
Our Wedding Day package is €8700 and the catering costs average around €120 per guest. However, this does vary from couple to couple depending on exactly what you want to include or exclude.

What are the drawbacks/things that need consideration before committing to marrying abroad?
Unfortunately, it is not possible to legally marry in Spain unless you are a Catholic and wish to marry in the church or you have both been resident for over two years. 
We recommend our couples do the legal part back home just before they travel to Spain for their real wedding.  We always tell our couples to keep this as simple as possible, literally just signing the paperwork, no flowers, no vows and no ring exchange so that these important parts of the ceremony are left for their real wedding ceremony in Spain.  Most of our ceremonies here are conducted by humanist celebrants but it is also possible to have a more religious ceremony if they wish.
 

How important is viewing the venue in person prior to the wedding?
As long as your venue has plenty of photos, video tour, floor plan and photos of real weddings is isn’t essential to visit your venue before booking.  A lot of our couples come from America or Australia so it just isn’t practical for them to visit before booking and most won´t see the venue until they arrive for their wedding stay.  Nobody has ever been disappointed, and they have always said the venues are more beautiful in real life.  Reviews from guests staying at the venue would also be helpful.

What are the benefits to marrying abroad? 
It will usually cost less for a wedding in Spain when compared to like for like back home. Better still your wedding will not be over in just one day as you will usually have a welcome event with your guests a day or two before your wedding as well as a post wedding event. Pool parties are a popular option the day after the wedding when guests can nurse sore heads with jugs of iced sangria and a paella or BBQ and catch up on the events of the day before.
All in all, a wedding abroad gives you a lot more quality time with your important guests and will create many more memories than a one-day wedding at home.

One last huge thank you to Sarah and Bill for allowing me to share their beautiful photos with you all. <3