Top trends heading into the new 2024 wedding season

The 2024 wedding trends are becoming set in stone as couples from all around the world – after months and years of planning their ultimate destination marriage – prepare to say their ‘I do’s’ in Spain.

April is right around the corner, and even though it’s still not officially summer and still extremely cool in some parts of Spain, it doesn’t matter. The summer wedding season starts in April in the south of Spain and Mallorca for good reason: there is constant sunshine and a gentle warmth that won’t send trickles of sweat running down your skin beneath your wedding suit or dress. The wedding season runs from the beginning of April through to the end of October, offering months of abundant sunshine for the perfect destination wedding overseas. Even in the depths of winter, the temperatures on the Costa del Sol can often mimic those of a sunny English spring day.

 

Here at Sunshine Weddings Spain we work with bridal couples who dream of a wedding in the summer season months. This timespan actually covers seven months in total, offering numerous possibilities for unique and tailor-made celebration, across our impressive range of luxury wedding venues in Mallorca and southern Spain. And for that reason we would definitely recommend booking your wedding venue for a date between April and October; it’s just a much safer bet.

So with April almost upon us, in today’s blog we sit down with Sunshine Weddings Spain founder and planner Scott Gibbons, and ask him about what bridal couples are opting for this year and what he’s noticed about the 2024 wedding trends.

Are you noticing any 2024 wedding trends among this year’s bridal couples? For example, what are they opting for in terms of time of the year to get married, style, cuisine and venue?

The rustic venues with sea views seem to be the most popular – venues with views of mountains and the sea tend to be the most popular so far in regards to 2024 wedding trends. There is also value to getting married on a Monday to Thursday with less restrictions, meaning that there are more weddings midweek and we here at Sunshine Weddings Spain could be working every day of the week as we have been the last two years now. I think the cuisine here – and we’re told by bridal couples coming over here in recent months for tastings – is a much better quality and is far different in selection compared to the average wedding food both in Ireland and in the UK especially.

 

Why is Spain such a beautiful destination to get married and why is it so sought after?

Southern Spain and Mallorca boast some of the most amazing coastlines and mountain scenery, and a combination of them both particularly in Malaga. Piercing blue skies have also become synonymous with everyone’s wedding photos here, so I think in itself Spain is just such a fantastic Mediterranean destination that offers so much in terms of nature, great weather, infrastructure, very price competitive as well with many low-cost flights getting here from all over Europe as Malaga becomes the third largest airport in Spain, the cuisine, the value for money, the friendliness all contributes to a great time with lots of amenities. I think that’s why Spain has become a great destination for weddings and price compared to northern europe is still fantastic value.

In the 20 years Sunshine Weddings has been operating in Spain, how have you seen the business grow and how have you seen Spain grow as a destination?

Since the recovery from the Covid-19 era, Spain and particularly Malaga has been ever increasing and is breaking records for its incoming tourist traffic, particularly in the off-season – so between October and April – we’ve had a record breaking number of tourists arriving. We’ve seen this be a massive influence as well in couples coming over here to get married. I think from the time of answering this since the new year, we’ve only had four rainfalls in the last eight weeks and whilst they’ve been heavy rainfalls it means it’s a great place to come to throughout the winter. In our instance, its new couples coming over to find new venues and existing couples coming over in the last month before weddings begin in order to have their food tastings.

How many weddings is Sunshine Weddings Spain looking forward to hosting this summer?

In Mallorca we’re very happy to be organising 20 weddings this summer, and last year we had a similar amount. In the south of Spain, we have exactly the same numbers but of course we’ve overcome the postponements from the Covid-19 era which we’ve left behind us now.

 

2024 wedding trends: Floral arrangements

Last week, we spoke with Deseos Florist Marbella, who has been supplying the Costa del Sol with beautiful blooms for over twenty years. Based in Nueva Andalucia, Marbella, their stunning table centres and bouquets have been wowing brides and wedding guests for many years. In an interview with Sunshine Weddings Spain, she revealed what this year’s bridal couples were opting for in terms of floral arrangements for their special day.

Recycling wedding flowers

The first noticeable trend is a desire to recycle flowers at weddings. Gone are the days of one-off usage and that goes for flowers, as well. I encourage brides to re-use, recycle and redefine their flowers in different areas by adding candles and using them in other areas at the venue. I design the ceremony flowers so that, they can be taken down and placed on the top table. This makes it a cost effective way of creating a top table, with the wow factor, but at no extra expense. These types of floral arrangements go hand-in-hand in with the choice of a rustic wedding venue, which Scott mentioned previously is one of the most popular venues for this year’s wedding season.

In terms of colours, soft whites and varieties of greenery are still very much in demand and still the most popular. There has been a trend though, towards, cheeky peach, demure coral, smoky salmon and blushing pink. These soft shades add an air of romanticism to the beautiful surroundings of the unforgettable wedding venues, on the Costa del Sol.

 

The rustic wedding venue: Why it’s so popular this year

As Scott said, rustic wedding venues are in hot demand this year. So what does an ideal rustic wedding venue in Spain look like? Let this be a quick guide to help you decide. Spanish villas, fincas and haciendas are the go-to venues among bridal couples looking for a rustic and charming wedding venue to wow guests by staging their most important day.

A finca (Spanish for estate) is a plot of land, typically found in the countryside with a cottage or farmhouse, providing the perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of city life. These charming retreats are some of the best Spain wedding venues and immediately invite you to unwind and immerse yourself in the beauty of Andalusia’s impressive nature.

They often wow people with their architectural style, such as the whitewashed walls and terracotta roofs. It’s such a contrast from anywhere else in the world, with these types of Spain wedding venues only found in the picturesque countryside of the south.

On the plots of land are often olive groves, vineyards, fruit orchards and grazing pastures – you will really feel like you are on the most glorious of farms as you celebrate with your guests among some of the most stunning grounds in Andalusia lapping up Spain’s rich agricultural heritage.

A Spanish hacienda is a little bit different from a finca. Both are Spanish words used to describe different types of countryside properties and both share some similarities but there are distinct differences it might be handy to know about when selecting the perfect venue for your wedding.

If you want to wow your wedding guests with grandeur and luxury then a hacienda venue will not disappoint. They are known for their grand and often ornate architecture, featuring large colonial-style mansions, courtyards, chapels, and other significant structures. They were often designed to show off the wealth and status of the landowner.

You’ll also probably find many haciendas with impressive gardens, fountains, private pools, sports facilities and terraces that look out to breathtaking views of the southern Spanish landscape.

 

Spanish villas are some of the most impressive in the world and one does not have to scratch their head to wonder why couples all over the globe fantasize about getting married inside one of them when looking at Spain wedding venues.

They are spacious residences that can vary from a more modest home to a larger more luxurious estate. They often come complete with private swimming pools, enchanting gardens, fountains and fruit orchards. Unlike fincas or haciendas, villas aren’t only just located in the countryside, they are often dotted around everywhere, tucked away in valleys or at the foot of mountains to right on the beach. Many villas are located along the coast of the Costa del Sol in southern Spain, and also on the island of Mallorca.

For over twenty years we at Sunshine Weddings Spain have specialised in finding your perfect wedding venue, alongside planning every last detail of our couples’ special day. As you can see, we are spoiled for choice in Spain, with the vast array of wedding venues, and the range of traditional ones such as fincas, haciendas and villas. Our dedicated planners are always on-hand to guide, advise, support and help you make the most important day of their life truly unforgettable.

‘Why do I need a wedding planner?’ is a question we get asked a lot. Why, when we all have online access to suppliers and venues worldwide, is a wedding planner so important? Take a look at our short Q&A and discover the advantages of having one of our team assist you with your destination wedding in locations including Malaga and Mallorca.