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Meet The Sunshine Weddings Team: A Sitdown With Elaine Bray…

Rustic wedding venue in Barcelona.

This week I’d like to introduce Elaine Bray from our office in Barcelona, who shared with me her very own dream wedding in Spain after having met her Spanish husband whilst working and living in Barcelona.

“We got married almost one year ago here in Barcelona. We chose to celebrate our wedding day in a beautiful coastal town on the Costa Brava. I must add that we didn’t just celebrate our wedding day, we celebrated a wedding WEEK! 125 guests travelled from afar to be with us for this special occasion. Our guests came from Southern Spain, Ireland, England, America and even as far away as Australia! The town where we got married was perfect and offered a never-ending list of things to do for all of our guests, both young and old.

Bride & Groom in Spain’s Barcelona.

Our wedding reception had a strong Spanish flavour. My husband and I arrived at the venue by boat, which was a great surprise for all of our guests. The day continued with a traditional Spanish aperitivo where our guests enjoyed the colours and smells, the authentic food and the Spanish-ness of it all. Freshly caught fish for main and live Spanish music until the early hours of the morning…

Our wedding, like your own, is still the talk of both our hometowns. We were even featured in Cork’s newspaper shortly after our big day.”

Rural wedding venue in Spain.

I asked Elaine why she thought Barcelona was the ideal place to get married in Spain:

“Barcelona and the surrounding areas offer an abundance of incredibly beautiful venues to choose from. The climate is fab. It’s not only in the summer that the sun shines here, Barcelona boasts a mild climate making it possible to organise outdoor events almost all year round.

The city is well connected with the rest of the world and has excellent air links with the vast majority of European cities, making it very easy and economical to get to. Not only is its international airport located just 15 minutes from the city, but Girona and Reus airports are just a bus journey away. There are so many attractions here from architecture to shopping, museums to fun parks, sport and nightlife – Barcelona has something for everyone.

Outdoor wedding ceremony in Barcelona, Spain.

I don’t just live in the city, the Catalan countryside is beautiful and the beaches are plentiful here. During your stay you and your guests can just hop on a train, or rent a car and visit the many amazing little towns along the coast or buried inland. The food in Catalunya offers its visitors the most delicious cuisine ranging from traditional Spanish tapas to amazing creative dishes. Food lovers may be interested to know that Barcelona is on the Michelin Guide route with 15 starred restaurants!”

Barcelona has something for everyone.

Elaine can you give us your three tops tips for getting married in Barcelona?

Choose a venue that is situated close to a nice town or Barcelona city. This allows your guests to make a holiday out of their visit, which most people will want to do. It also avoids travel expenses for the bride and groom on the day of the wedding.”

“Think outside the box – when you are getting married abroad, think differently. As the saying goes…when you’re away, anything goes! Try and find out more about Spanish weddings and traditions in the country of your choice and perhaps embrace different cultures.”

“Try to visit Barcelona before the wedding. Most brides and grooms do come to Barcelona to visit their chosen venue but in many cases, especially for those travelling from afar, this is not possible. If you don’t think that you will be able to visit Barcelona before the wedding, don’t let this affect your decision for getting married abroad. I promise to choose the best of everything for your wedding day. This year alone I have had to do five tastings for clients travelling all the way from America, Canada and even as far as Australia!”

Indoor wedding venue in Spain’s Barcelona.