Destination Weddings in Barcelona: Getting Married Mediterranean-style

Considering a destination wedding? Don't just limit yourself to Caribbean countries; a European destination wedding can be magical and fun. Barcelona in particular is becoming increasingly popular among couples who are looking to celebrate their wedding in an original and distinctive way. The city, located on north-eastern Spain's Mediterranean coast, has a year-round sunny climate providing an excellent setting for the bride, groom and guests to enjoy their event to the fullest.

Barcelona is almost like a living museum because of its famed architecture and culture, and was home to architect Antoni Gaudi and painter Joan Miro, with Salvador Dali and Pablo Picasso also spending important periods in the city. But golden-sand beaches are only 10 minutes from the city center, offering the best of both worlds.

During the year 2004, more than 500 overseas couples requested information about getting married in the city and almost 150 weddings took place. The most popular months were June and July, as explains Gemma Sala, director of D’élite Wedding Designers, a Barcelona company which specializes in organizing weddings throughout the Catalonia region of Spain.

Gemma continues: “The majority of our clients are from the United States, Great Britain and Ireland. The most usual format for the ceremony is an ‘exchange of vows’, as it isn’t possible for the couple to officially marry in Spain unless one or other of them is legally resident. However, if either the bride or groom is Catholic, they can have an official church wedding, which can be arranged for foreigners.”

“We’ve held weddings ranging from ‘just for two’, right up to ceremonies with 150 guests. One of the nicest events we organized was a ‘renewal of vows’ for a couple who were celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary. They had a party together with their children and grandchildren with a typical tapas catering.”

An approximate cost estimate for organizing a wedding in Barcelona would be between €90 and €150 euros per person, plus the cost of the ceremony and any other extras the bride and groom choose to add. Original added touches for the wedding could be some typical Spanish traditions, such as offering the bride’s bouquet to the Virgin Mary in a church, or throwing rice over the bride and groom to wish them prosperity.