CONFETI Winter 2017

WINTER 2017

CABIFY

Get me to the church on time!

CREATING THE

Perfect Invitation Stephane Rolland:

KING OF BRIDAL COUTURE

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH

DIYMirror on the wall who’s the fairest bride of all?

REAL BRIDES,

Real weddings

Designer Profile JUSTIN ALEXANDER’S DESIGNER

TONY MENTEL

Spain, Gibraltar and The Balearics’ dedicated wedding bible

La Sala Gibraltar Restaurant & Bar is now officially the home for all wedding celebrations, whether it’s the engagement party, the rehearsal dinner, the ceremony or the big day itself.

An occasion like no other, in a venue like no other.

For more information about our wedding packages please call our private event coordinator Oliver Medina +34 665 24 63 30 or email: oliver@salagroupholdings.com ¡ www.lasalagibraltar.com

s u n b o r n g i b r a lta r wedding show 21 – 22 march from 11:00 a place to find yo u r d r e a m w e d d i n g

s u n b o r n g i b r a lta r , o c e a n v i l l a g e m a r i n a p h o n e + 3 5 0 2 0 0 1 6 2 0 0 | s u n b o r n g i b r a lta r . c o m

WINTER 2017

Spain, Gibraltar and The Balearics’ dedicated wedding bible

Cover Photo: Sinead & Joshua

by Nani de Pérez Hair by Paul Macfarlane@ Reflections

Staff PUBLISHER Andy Clark andy@iconpublishing.es EDITOR Sinéad Cameron sinead@iconpublishing.es FEATURES EDITOR Charli Scott enquiries@iconpublishing.es

MUSE BY BERTA

Winter 2017

Features, advice, tips, ideas and suggestions to help arrange THE PERFECT WEDDING IN SPAIN AND GIBRALTAR

Fashion 10 Confeti Loves

Original ideas for your wedding

12 Theme Your Day

Magnificent Monochrome

14 Aisle Style Rime and Reason

Rime Arodaky showcases her 2018 ‘Runaways’ collection straight from the Big Apple

16 Designer Profile

Exclusive interview with Justin Alexander’s designer Tony Mentel

22 Trend Alert!

Marvellous Minis

24 Creative King

by Stephane Rolland

30 Bridal Shoe Heaven Real Weddings 40 Celebrity Wedding of the season Victoria Swarovski

Details 78 Top 10 Wedding Photography Tips from Jess Petrie

82 DIY Tip of the Season

CREATIVE TEAM Constanza Martínez constanza@iconpublishing.es HEAD OF COMMERCIAL Andres Abia EDITORIAL TEAM Eleanor McKenzie, KJ Elsdon India Baltran.

84 Wedmin at the Office

CONTRIBUITORS Natasha Johnson, Padre Peter, Nicola McGeorge

86 Invitation Etiquette

All enquiries, please call: +34 600 812 418 or email

Mirror mirror on the wall Confeti’s Top 5 Tips

88 Killer Music

Exclusive interview with Who Killed the DJ

92 Transport Issues?

Cabify them!

96 CONFETI’s

Address Book

The best professionals, specialists and services

enquiries@iconpublishing.es The views and opinions expressed by contributors to CONFETI may not represent the views and opinions of the publishers.

Icon Publishing takes no responsibility for claims made in advertisements or advertorials in this magazine. No part of CONFETI may be reproduced or copied in any way without the prior written consent of Icon Publishing.

98 Love, Love,

Love This

Spanish Wedding Favours

confetimagazine.com www.confetimagazine.com

Whether you dream of your wedding on the beach at the sunset, high in the mountains, or overlooking a valley dotted with vineyards, we will help you make your wedding dreams reality. Our team of professionals will handle every detail to ensure your day runs seamlessly and is one to be remembered.

SPAIN, ITALY, PORTUGAL, FRANCE, MALTA, ISRAEL... ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD! /optimumweddingscompany @optimum_weddings /optimumweddings

dyana@optimumweddings.com

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T

he summer season may officially be over but, let’s face it, in Spain we never really get frostbite, one of the many plus sides of getting married here. Confeti is still seeing plenty of brides and grooms tie the knot on the Costa del Sol - even the Winter months - and why not? There may not be a blanket of snow, but Winter in Spain is just as magical and cosy, with roaring log fires, pleasant weather and beautiful clear skies, the perfect setting for your special day.

In fact, in a recent survey, most people said that December was the most romantic month of the year - ‘tis the season to be jolly after all!

Here at Confeti our readers know we love to keep you all up to date with the hottest bridal trends.

With New York bridal fashion week recently coming to an end and the European bridal fashion weeks just around the corner, we are excited to bring you the latest looks straight off the runway. This issue is full to the brim with eclectic designers, from the glamorous Justin Alexander who is this season’s Designer Profile, to edgy bridal couture from Parisian Stephane Rolland and rock chick vibes direct from New York catwalks, there is something to suit every bride.

We are always looking to inspire and help future couples hoping to get married here so, of course, the best way is to take first hand advice from the brides and grooms who chose sunny Spain as their wedding destination. Our Real Weddings are a must read; in this issue we feature a special celebrity wedding sure to blow you away, as well as the real wedding of our very own Features Editor, Sinéad and new husband Joshua. Find out all you need to know from our experienced couples who share their stories as well as their knowledge and find out who the best suppliers are across the south of Spain and Gibraltar.

From our usual DIY Tips, styling themes and advice from wedding industry professionals, we hope that we continue to inspire brides with new and fresh ideas.

So, finally we will leave you with this; if you’re not currently engaged but hoping that it will soon be your turn, according to recent statistics Winter months, including dates such as Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, are the most popular days for men to get down on one knee and pop the question! So, there’s no time like the present to get a start on your big day ideas. Wrap up by the fire, grab a hot chocolate and sit back while planning your special day with the help of our Winter CONFETI issue.

Until next time! Remember to keep up to date with everything on our Facebook and Instagram pages.

Happy reading!

The Confeti Team 8 CONFETI

MUSE BY BERTA CONFETI 9

AMOURA

DEBBIE

CARLISL

E

TWENTY-SEVEN.CO.UK

NOT ON THE HIGH STREET

C C

ONFETI loves...

ONFETI is loving all the current wedding inspiration out there and we can’t help but feel slightly festive. We adore the decadent glamour that comes along with Winter weddings, from rich floral arrangements to plush velvet table settings - we can’t get enough! Celebrating your first Christmas as Mr. and Mrs? A personalised bauble is a must-have accessory for your tree. With a sneak peek behind the scenes of the recent bridal runways and some seriously scrumptious wedding treats, Confeti is in its element.

If you’re looking for something unique for your special day, acrylic stationery is a big hit at the moment. Check out these unusual invites - we are huge fans of this new trend, by the way. A little something for all the lovely grooms (or groomsto-be!) too, from wedding whiskey trolleys to the perfect ring for popping the question this season -we’ve got it all. Check out this selection of dashing engagement rings from Amoura. A hint of sparkle is sure to add to the holiday spirit and cheer of any lucky lady!

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FLOWERS BY FLOR VALENTIN PHOTO BY ANA GAZDA

GALIA LAHAV DOLCE & GABANA

DECO BY FIESTA SOL PHOTO BY NANI DE PEREZ

ROSALIND MILLER CAKES

S DRES

JULIE

VINO

NOT ON THE HIGH STREET

ROSALIND MILLER CAKES CONFETI 11

Theme your Day

Magnificent Monochrome Black and white; a classic, chic and timeless colour palette that would suit a wedding any time of the year. This look is not for the faint hearted, however - the monochrome look is a bold statement! Modern and stylish, it is sure to leave your guests wowed. From sharp black tuxedos to on-trend stripes, we absolutely adore this theme. Daring brides can even choose all black bridesmaids’ dresses or black accessories. If you’re looking for some ideas, take a look at some of this fabulous inspiration. Theme your day with a magnificent and unforgettable monochrome style!

JUSTIN ALEXANDER

@PINTEREST INSPO 12 CONFETI

ISABEL SANCHIS

Selection of products from NOT ON THE HIGH STREET

CONFETI 13

Aisle Style

Rime and Reason S

ome of you bridal fashion buffs may know that October 2017, holds one of the biggest bridal fashion events of all time…The one and only New York Bridal Fashion Week, showcasing collections for 2018. With the biggest bridal houses in attendance, displaying show stoping gowns and runways, CONFETI has been in our element browsing and swooning over some seriously dreamy dresses! Of course we love to share only the latest in bridal fashion with our readers and future brides so for this seasons aisle style, we bring you an insight into one of our favourite runway shows. Rime Arodaky showcases her 2018 ‘Runaways’ collection straight from the Big Apple and we are sure that the inner rock chic in you will love it as much as we did!

Showcasing her signature rock’n’roll style, Arodaky sent a mix of dresses and separates down the runway at NYC’s Industria Studios. Paired to the music that inspired the

14 CONFETI

collection, models embodied the “French Rebel” mantra that glowed in neon at the top of the runway. Rime Arodaky says :

“In the age of rock ‘n’ roll, there was no limit.

No fear. Riders would race. No matter what the risk.

This season, our babe embodies these values.

Like a lady rider breaking free from all the rules.

She never does what’s expected from her.

She’s a free spirit.

Emancipated. Careless. Bold.

A poster child for every rock song.

An unbound soul with wind blowing in her hair…”

After graduating from l’École de la Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture in Paris, it wasn’t long before Rime Arodaky started working as a junior designer in reputable fashion houses such as, Sonia Rykiel and Dice Kayek. In 2010, Rime started sharing her wish lists, inspirations

and first creations, as well as her personal perception of weddings and marriage; which quickly made her blog ‘Lalovelist’ an instant success.

‘Lalovelist’ shared Rime’s vision of the liberated bride who’s sexy, edgy, as well as, modern. Rime Arodaky aims at breaking the barrier of what a traditional bridal world is supposed to look like, one creation at a time.

She founded the Maison with the help

of her team in 2011 in the heart of Paris, her hometown. Rime’s campaigns speak to women who challenge the status quo, and believe in the emancipation of the millennial woman.

Inspired by icons from the 70s such as Jane Birkin and Romy Shneider, as well as, designers like Yves Saint-Laurent and Azzeddine Alaïa, she has always challenged the image of the innocent, offense-less bride and turned hers into a wild femme.

Rime certainly achieved that with this edgy runway! With london and Barcelona bridal fashion week fast approaching, Confeti cannot wait to see what Europe has in Store! Watch this space!

Until next time bridal fashionista’s!

CONFETI 15

Designer Profile

Justin Alexander

By Tony Mentel

The Best of British

16 CONFETI

CONFETI 17

Designer Profile I knew that being a fashion designer was my calling when…I was a young child. My grandparents were tailors and I was fascinated by how a bolt of cloth could be transformed into a garment. I was in awe of my family’s sharp eye for fashion and glamour and knew I had to be a fashion designer.

I specialised in bridal gowns because…it is the ultimate garment to make.

I can experiment with hand workmanship, beading, exquisite fabrics, and amazing detail which would be lost on everyday clothing. Plus, I am making a piece of clothing that has a huge emotional impact on a woman’s life.

My personal style is...pretty simple and comfortable, as I am always travelling. I generally wear a black t-shirt, nice jeans, great accessories, good quality shoes and a smart coat. My motto is, “Buy good quality, buy once”. For my bridal designs, my personal style is a good fit that accentuates a woman’s body. Less is more; frame the wearer, and make her shine.

My biggest achievement to date…is seeing Justin Alexander grow so much in the 13 years in which I have been head designer.

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“

LESS IS MORE; FRAME THE WEARER, AND MAKE HER SHINE.

”

Trends that I feel will be popular in 2018…will be clean lines, the new simple, boho easy dressing and modern beads.

I find the inspiration for my gowns from…everywhere! I travel a lot for my job and meet loads of different brides all over the world. Seeing them try on my gowns and speaking to them is my biggest inspiration. It is essential that every bride wears a gown that accentuates her body and fits her well. I prefer a ‘less is more’ approach. I want to frame the wearer and make her shine. Additionally, I love art, film, museums, music, history and combining all of the amazing experiences I have into a distillation of what I feel the zeitgeist is.

CONFETI 19

Designer Profile

My average working day is‌ never average. It could be working in my atelier making dresses - I love to be very hands-on when designing; beading, placing lace, and creating sewing samples - or it could be flying around the world to trade fairs, designer days or photo shoots.

At the moment I’m working on‌the Spring 2019 collection.

I am designing new laces and beading motifs. It involves loads of handwork, which is what I love best.

justinalexander.com 20 CONFETI

HAIR SALON & BEAUTY SOLUTIONS

WEDDING PACKAGES AVA I L A B L E

CONTACT US FOR MORE INFORMATION Tel. 951 518 680 marbella@thebardou.com

Playas del Duque Puerto Banús salon.thebardou.com/marbella

Trend Alert!

marvellous minis W

inter is fast approaching but, hey, on the Costa del Sol, it’s never too cold to rock a mini dress, so why not don one on your Big Day? CONFETI is a fan of larger than life wedding dresses (take a look at our celeb real wedding!) but sometimes, there’s nothing like a short wedding dress to show off your modern style, not to mention those fabulous legs - a result of some serious pre-wedding workouts. This is a trend that is constantly recurring as a spin on traditional gowns so, this season, we are bringing you our favourite marvellous minis! If ‘It’ girls Whitney Port and Olivia Palermo are any

indication, wearing a short wedding dress is a style status symbol. More and more brides are choosing to shun the big bridal moment for something short and super cool.

Whether you’re hoping to achieve beach style, über fashion forward, vintage inspired glam (Audrey Hepburn wore short dresses to both of her weddings and, if it’s good enough for Audrey…), a little something for your rehearsal dinner, hen party or even a short evening dress to tear up the dance floor, Confeti says go for it.

Be a risqué bride! One thing’s for sure, you won’t be forgotten in a hurry. Keep it short and sweet. Be inspired by our favourite bridal minis!

BERTA

CARLA RUIZ

RIME ARODAKY JUSTIN ALEXANDER 22 CONFETI

KAVIAR GOUCHE ISABEL ZAPARDIEZ

CARLA RUIZ

BERTA ISABEL SANCHIS

CRYSTAL DESIGN

DELPHINE MANIVET RIKI DALAL

MICHAEL CINCO CONFETI 23

24 CONFETI

Stephane Rolland

CR E ATI V E KING C

ONFETI prides itself on bringing you the very latest in bridal fashion and this season we want to show our loyal readers something uniquely ‘out there’ for all of our quirky and daring brides.

Introducing the 2017 ETE Haute Couture Collection, from none other than the world renowned French designer, Stephane Rolland. Designer to the stars, Rolland has dressed Celine Dion, Naomi Campbell, Emma Watson, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga and Gwen Stefani to name but a few. He has been designing bridal couture for years and Confeti can’t get enough!

Stéphane Rolland was born in Paris and raised in Cannes and Nice before going on to spend his teenage years in Argentina and the West Indies before returning to Paris at the age of 18. His mother worked at Pictorial Service, one of the most famous Parisian photographic studios, and he grew up surrounded by blackand-white photographs. Rolland says “Everything was blackand-white; everything was about volume and contrast. My eyes were trained early on with these concepts and everything I do is about contrast, volume and movement. It’s in my DNA.”

His fashion career started at the age of 20 when he joined Balenciaga and, within a year, Stéphane was promoted to the position of Creative Director of menswear and international licenses, making him the youngest artistic manager in Paris at that time. At 24, he left Balenciaga to start his own prêtà-porter company, which he ran for six years, until he was asked to become artistic designer for the haute couture fashion house formerly owned by Jean-Louis Scherrer, a position he occupied for the next 10 years. Rolland simultaneously worked as a costume designer. In 2006 and 2007, he was nominated for a prestigious Molière Award and became an official partner of the Cannes Film Festival.

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On the 2nd July 2007, Rolland presented a couture collection under his own name, Stéphane Rolland Haute Couture. His brand was instantly acknowledged by the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture, making him an official couturier member.

Haute Couture is a French label protected by law and each house that belongs to this label must follow specific rules.

Renowned for citing modern art and architecture as inspiration, Stéphane Rolland creates exclusive products that are part of a modern, luxurious and global lifestyle. He reveals his creativity through a wide range of media such as sculpture, photography, paintings and, of course, fashion - his main means of expression.

Each collection to date shows how

Rolland indulges in his passion for bringing fabric to life with kinetic dynamism.

With Paris’s most savvy craftsmen and visual artists embedding new and sophisticated materials into state-of-the-art manufactured garments, Rolland brings a visionary twist to a 150-year old industry. His modern aesthetic results in complex yet always immaculate silhouettes that are consistently graphic and sculptural, adapting to the lifestyle of the modern woman. In May 2013, Rolland opened his first boutique in the Etihad Towers, Abu Dhabi.

These gowns are sure to make a dramatic statement for any bride - but are you brave and bold enough to wear one?

w w w. s t e p h a n e r o l l a n d . c o m

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CONFETI 29

Bridal Shoe Heaven

S

hoes, glorious, shoes!

We cannot get enough of beautiful bridal shoes!

With almost as much fabulous wedding shoe choice out there as gowns, where does a girl start?! Well, we have spent many torturous hours swooning and lusting over the best bridal shoes out there, while wishing we could have them all! Whether your looking for something

classic or quirky, designer or high street, there is something to suit everyone. Our tip top when searching for your cinderella slippers, choose shoes you'll love and treasure for years to come.

Unlike your wedding dress, if you pick the right shoe they can be worn again for further occasions.

Don't fret over following the latest fashion trends, go with your bridal instincts and pick a shoe that is

true to your style. Even if they are 6 inches high, we are all willing to put up with a few blisters for those dream sassy stilettos, no pain no gain! Finally, don't leave your shoes until the last minute, you will need these for your all important dress fittings! Take a look at some of our bridal heels that made the cut, but beware ladies, there is some serious swoon-age ahead!

ASOS GIUSEPPE ZANOTTI

CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN

CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN

JIMMY CHOO

MANOLO BLAHNIK

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Classic and Timeless

OSCAR TIYE AQUAZZURA

VIVIENNE WESTWOOD

DOLCE & GABBANA

CHARLOTTE OLYMPIA SOPHIA WEBSTER

Wonderful and Quirky BRIAN ATWOOD CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN

TED BAKER

ROGER VIVIER

AQUAZZURA

So Extra and Embellished

CONFETI 31

ASOS

CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN

GIANMARCO LORENZI

JIMMY CHOO

MIU MIU

CASADEI

AQUAZZURA

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Bright and Blingtastic

MISCHKA BADGLEY

plastic surgery aesthetic medicine dental aesthetics Oral & maxillOfacial surgery

Dr. Kai O. Kaye - Plastic, Aesthetic & Reconstructive Surgeon • Full Member of the Spanish Society of Plastic, Reconstructive & Aesthetic Surgery SEGPRE • Fellow of the European Board of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery EBOPRAS • Full Member of the German Board of Plastic, Reconstructive & Aesthetic Surgery DGPRÄC • Member of the Colegio de Medicos de Malaga (No.29/2909452)

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2010 & 2011

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A journey to

Valhalla When your romantic escapade takes over the set of Game of Thrones

and gets captured by

Couple: Hilda Olafs & Tryggvi Sjafnarson Dress: @cathytelle | Rings: @taigaopenspace | Head jewelry: @olgadelice Belt: @portupeja_minsk | Flowers: @thordisz | Makeup: @gudrunsara Location: Black Sand Beach and Skรณgafoss Waterfall, Iceland 34 CONFETI

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The Love Hunters team specialises in photographing couples who are wild at heart... vintage, hipster, hippie and bohemian styles are their speciality.

With years of experience under their belts, the Love Hunters photographers and videographers (or wedding digital cinematographers as they prefer to call themselves) have what it takes to make your wedding look just as you dreamt it.

www.thelovehunters.com

CONFETI 39

Celebrity Wedding of the season

C

VICTORIA SWAROVSKI

ongratulations to 23 year-old Victoria Swarovski (singer and heir to the glittering gemstone empire) and her new husband, property investor Werner Mürz, who tied the knot recently after seven years together. The couple is Confeti’s Celebrity Real Wedding of the Season because this golden couple certainly didn’t do things by halves! They were married in a magnificent ceremony in Italy this June over three days and in front of 250 friends and family members.

The celebrations kicked off with a ‘Pasta and Love’ welcome dinner the day before the wedding at The Piazetta of the Falisia Resort & Spa in Portopiccolo, northern Italy on Thursday 15 June. The dress code was red for the ladies and white for the men.

Victoria wore another showstopping creation by none other

40 CONFETI

than Michael Cinco, who also designed the bride’s wedding dress (more on that later!) The décor was lavish red and gold, with red rose centrepieces, red petals, giant gold candelabras and gold cutlery, chandeliers, not to mention live entertainment. The soon to be bride and groom also showed off their dance moves on, yes, a red glittering Swarovski dance floor!

The ceremony took place the following day on Friday the 16th of June in an afternoon service at the cathedral of San Giusto, Trieste.

Victoria looked every inch a princess bride wearing a bespoke, custom-

made wedding dress by Filipino Dubai-based designer Michael Cinco. Sharp-eyed readers will recall that we featured a gown from this designer on the cover of our Spring issue this year, who also granted us an exclusive interview, so needless to say we are huge fans of her choice!

Cinco, designer to the stars, created an absolute masterpiece - a ballgown that was embellished with 500,000 Swarovski crystals (we wouldn’t expect anything less) and featured a six-metre train with an eight-metre veil.

The dress, which weighed 46kg, is worth more than one million dollars, making it one of the most expensive wedding dresses of all time. The bride paired her dress with the classic Jimmy Choo Lance heels in

white, with Victoria and Werner’s initials on the sole. Victoria completed her bridal look with a simple, traditional bouquet of gypsophila also knows as ‘baby’s breath’ and a pair of diamondencrusted semi-hoop earrings.

Her seven bridesmaids were all co-ordinated in beautiful blue silk halter-neck gowns. Even though the bride stole the limelight, her groom looked dashing in a black, charcoal and white tux, complete with a boutonniere that matched his wife’s bouquet.

Guests then returned to Hotel Falisia, about 20km away, for the reception.

The wedding breakfast was held at Maxi’s

CINCO, DESIGNER TO THE STARS, CREATED AN ABSOLUTE MASTERPIECE - A BALLGOWN THAT WAS EMBELLISHED WITH 500,000 SWAROVSKI CRYSTALS. Restaurant, which boasts unbeatable views of the sea.

The breath-taking location was decorated with veil herb trees and thousands of Swarovski crystals by event designer Sabine Königsberger. The decor was elegant and chic, with the herb trees even cut into the shape of giant hearts. Guests enjoyed a night of dinner and dancing, culminating in a spectacular fireworks display. The newlyweds cut into their magnificent five-tier cake and Victoria changed into a more comfortable slinky evening bridal style dress.

The following morning, the newlyweds drew the nuptial celebrations to a close by hosting a farewell brunch at the Beach Club in Portopiccolo.

Victoria is famous in Austria, having been a singer since childhood and signing her first record deal with Sony at the age of 17. She’s also the voice behind The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of The Dawn Treader’s theme song, ‘There’s A Place For Us’ and won the German version of Dancing With The Stars in 2016. The newlyweds enjoyed a honeymoon in Sardinia and we are sure that they have a ‘glittering’ future ahead. Congratulations!

CONFETI 41

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and then he asked me to marry him - my response was a mixture of laughter and tears, and of course, I said ‘Yes!’.

EXCLUSIVE

Real Weddings

ANNEV DREW

Bhavesh and Rajvi enjoyed a magical

MEANT TO BE…

We were young, crazy and care free at 17 years old. We knew of each other through friends and in the few times we would bump into each other I would sometimes get a wink and a smile and he would get a little wave back. Who would have known that 17 years later, I would be married to him!

Let the Best Dress Win

Bhavesh and I met again after some years at a fitness centre and we recognised each other straight away. We started to meet up as friends and realised that we shared the same interests however our friendship drifted slowly

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Jake and Laufey

when Jake Our love story began in a queue struck up a conversation Sadly for the cashpoint in London! had as he the timing was terrible, ‘Boys just booked a three-month HowOnly’ trip to South America. complete with ever we kept in touch, bills until Jake astronomical phone (much to send me a plane ticket friends on the the annoyance of his America trip,) and suddenly South holiday became our own romantic

celebrated

at the eternally their timeless nuptials

three day celebration filled with

apart and we became quite busy in our own lives but we would call each other now and again over the years just to catch up until one day we decided to meet, enjoying each others company so greatly we began to spend more and more time together before falling completely and utterly in love.

ings

Wedding Dress: Caroline Castigliano

Bridesmaid Dresses:

Reiss

Suit: Reiss Venue: Villa del Mar, Marbella Club Hotel

stylish Villa del Mar.

Photographer: beckysharpe.co.uk

the rest of our and the beginning of in a restaurant lives. Jake proposed a few months in Paris in 2010 then twins hence later I fell pregnant with put on hold our wedding plans got for a little while.

davidtoms-weddings.com 60 CONFETI

davidtoms-weddings.com

because he loved me and he just wanted to say thank you for being such an amazing girlfriend and so I still had no clue what he was about to do.

It was after dinner when Bhavesh suggested that we go for a walk on the beach. As we walked towards the sea, I was holding on to him and walking with precaution as it was dark with only the moonlight to guide us, and the deck that led to the rocks above the shore had large enough gaps for my stilettos to become wedged in! When we arrived at the beach, the moonlight hit the waves that were rolling onto the sand - we just stood there in awe of the scenery. We held each other tight and reminisced about the amazing times we had been through together over all the years we had known each other. He then suddenly said, ‘Can you see that?’ I turned around to see what he was pointing at, and as I looked down, a light shone on to the rocks where there was a sign that read, ‘Marry Me?’. I then turned back around to see that Bhavesh had got down on one knee! He told me that he wanted to spend the rest of his life and more with me

was sun, My vision for our wedding I really sea, flowers and glamour. outside, either wanted to get married suron a beach or somewhere in the blooms rounded by beautiful

idea of Initially I had a very different thought years earlier I sunshine. About three how I wanted my wedding, were relaxed Jake and I (newly engaged) I wanted more of a hippy beach as soon as I walking down the Marbella drink at feel to everything but go for a changed. front and decided to saw the venue everything restaurant. perfect but The Marbella Club beach The entire wedding was through the most sentiWe then had a little walk I would have to say the knew the speeches hotel grounds and I instantly of mental moments were that I had found the destination villa, and, of course, the ceremony. private and friends my dreams. The hotel’s Seeing all of our family and holds all that they had Villa del Mar is beautiful together and knowing 1950’s. I could the world of its charm from the all flown in from across parties that they all visualise all the glamorous was amazing. The fact in the past and as much as we that took place there enjoyed themselves my wedding; on the cake. that’s how I visualised did was truly the icing timeless. classic, glamorous and

CONFETI 45

44 CONFETI

48 CONFET I

Would you like

We went back to our table where we finished off our champagne, when Bhavesh told me he had another surprise for me! What could possibly be better than this?

I thought he may have booked us in for a spa day or he would take me shopping… No. He had booked us both in for a skydive!

Fancy being proposed to and then kicked out of a helicopter at 12000 ft... romantic at first, daringly devilish to end.

fun, family and friendship.

went to Cuba and that was where Bhavesh proposed to me. We were on a tiny island off the south coast of Cuba and on our last night on the island (we were due to fly to Varadero the next day to continue our holiday), Bhavesh had booked us a table at a restaurant. When we arrived, I was surprised to see that he had arranged for us to dine in a private cabana that was beautifully decorated with candles, flowers and white curtains that were softly blowing in the breeze. During our meal, we were serenaded with beautiful Spanish love songs. At this point he told me that he did this for me

Real Wedd

Two years later, we had been well acquainted with each other’s family and friends and we had been on a few holidays together and we were definitely ready to take the next step in our relationship.

It was just a case of him popping the question. Last September we

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ALL I EVER WANTED AND MORE…

The wedding planning begun almost immediately after we had returned back to the UK. I had always dreamt of an outdoors wedding, with beautiful scenery and romance. I already knew that this would be the theme throughout. We decided to marry in Spain as we both travelled there often.

Spain has always been a destination close to home and close to my heart... the ambience, the people, the laidback attitude, the weather and climate.... we had to get married in Spain!

True Blue

davidtoms-weddings.com morning, the blessing ceremony in the afternoon followed by cocktails and the reception party into the night. All were outdoors, the weather was amazing and all this infused with the surroundings and the ‘buzz’ our guests came with made it truly the best wedding, I myself, had ever been to, and I still can’t believe that it was my own.

I knew I wanted a traditional Hindu wedding with a twist of vintage and regal attire. Dianna from Party People and the team at Beau Rivaaaj ensured that the setting was just that and the planning was impeccable. The mandap was decorated with beautiful fabrics and hanging ornaments.

It looked exquisite with traditional but subtle colours. The large pillars surrounding the amphitheatre were draped with beautiful images of Lord Ganesh. For the blessing ceremony, Dianna had stripped away the colours and left a beautiful plain white chuppah that was complemented by the surroundings of the Roman Stone amphitheatre. The ivory and soft pink flowers paired with our outfits made a perfect combination against the sunlight and the greenery.

I wanted a wedding with a difAfter the sounds of the Spanference and I loved the idea of ish guitar and a few champagne davidtoms-weddings.com our closest friends and family all cocktails later, guests were coming to celebrate our wedding ushered to the reception on the davidtoms-weddings.com abroad and also enjoying a holioutdoor terrace surrounded by day at the same time. We decided olive trees with suspended Chito have a three day event, with the nese lanterns and wicker hearts.

Michael and Melan first being the Surprises for our guests, and our night.

The two day mendhi ie marri celeb second day ed in a elega was a selves, leisure ration were ‘wow’ factors starting day at family, friend surrounde nt the Crowne Plaza s with flamenco dancing, speeches Estepona d by their and son, with Dexter. golf and spa in the morning, and performances from our loved a pool party in the afternoon and ones to large glow sticks on our a dinner in the evening and the entrance, a live bongo player over last day wasOUR our big a UK DJ spinning the best beats dayY… STOR - with the Vedic Hindu Micha ceremony and then a firework finale. el and I in the met throug ing and h workliving in Marbe the Real Estate secto lla, in years ago. r about 8 CONFETI 61 property I was working for developer a for a renow and Micha el company. ned Real Estate He was professiona charming, polite and l, kind way about him, had a very of misch with a hint ief After a few in those blue eyes. each other, years of not seeing each other we bumped into again and meet up decided for coffee to tea, and or hence forth in my case good friend became s. We were ing for differe worknt comp then and anies by we chat, laugh would meet up to woes over , tell each other our a ner. Micha bit of lunch or dinel board and was my sound ing confid ante. enjoyed each others We really everything company, plicated. was easy and uncom OUR VISIO One day shortly after one of my Spain holdsN… birthdays, my age and the in our hearts a very special (not telling of cours wedd as we have place e) we met normal and all the ladies ing date, given lived here up both to for many turned out kissed’ and things changed, as real treat our son to be ‘we Dexter was years and and also was born. Michael and Melan proved to a an excell Costa del born in the ent be ie Sol Hospi friends and memento for our sion was tal. Our vito share family.

Michael our and this proposed special time wedding 2 month later, on OUR MOST with our s the last loved ones. in our lives TREASURE day of an amazing MOM we We knew wanted to D ENTS cruise holida get everyo beautiful It is hard … together ne all ring. It was y, with a to select and for our ful surpri just one moment a and wond neare deare se erst from our st to be wedding even start and before we could as each a initiation day and every planning into marrie part of our I was pregn perfect. the wedd minute was addition, d life and However ing, for some ant. when the churc , who had in yet had the h and Julie- I entered not soprano our darlin pleasure, to meet singer beganAnn our g son.

Ave Maria singing my heart also dedic melted.

We chose She ated Villa Tiberi ing the recep a song to us location o as our duras tion dinne created such wond it is decorated with a very speci r, which for Micha fountains. erful gardens and al memo el ry A simple the funnie and myself. I think scheme colour of st mome nt when my pale blue just off-white and mother was had to be was select Flamenco perfectly complemened, which dance and doing her cided he simple and Dexter deted our could elegant grandmothe n´t be withou adorned vision. We t his the main r, ‘Abu’ for moment table with crystals even one so and blue her on the he decided to join place cards chose invitations, dance floor! and a stunn all, having seating Above ing plan in the everyone cherish The pale same hues. we love together and blue Spani for two whole days ultima embellished sh fans, with our ding everyt tely made our wednames ever wishe hing we could have d for and more.

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Spain, Gibraltar and The Balearics’ dedicated wedding bible

Real Weddings

A Long-Lasting Holiday Romance Sinéad and Joshua met six and a half years ago in Puerto Banús’s famous Pangea bar. Sinéad had a summer job in Banús while Joshua was working as a PR manager. Despite still not being able to agree on who was the one who cracked first and approached the other, the couple recently tied the knot and are looking forward to enjoying many happy years together.

Having originally thought that Joshua was Spanish I was quite surprised to learn that he was actually half-English. Needless to say we got chatting and swapped Blackberry Pins, which was the done thing back then.

Our relationship started as a summer romance, but we became inseparable quite quickly and, as they say, the rest is history!

Home from home We chose Marbella as the location for our big day for many reasons.

It will always be a special place for us, as it’s where we fell in love.

Joshua grew up in the city and many of his family members live here too. Of course, we have also both lived in Marbella together for a big part of our relationship, so we knew the Costa del Sol ticked all the boxes. Like most couples, we wanted a lovely sunny day and hot weather and, after doing some research, the food and alcohol prices were much more reasonable than anything in the UK, so for us Spain was a no brainer!

We chose a September date as the weather generally starts to cool a little and the number of tourists tends to die down. We rented a beautiful villa for the week to stay in with some of our English family, as we really wanted to make the most of having all our friends and family here at the same time. We held a number of celebrations during our Wedding Week, such as a Paella Night, a Rehearsal Dinner at Los Farolillos and a daytime party at Ocean Club.

It felt brilliant to have all our loved ones celebrating together for more than just the wedding day.

44 CONFETI

Traditional ceremony It has always been my dream to have a church ceremony and Joshua is Catholic so it was important to us both to embrace this tradition. I fell in love with the Encarnacion church in Marbella’s old town years ago; it is beautifully extravagant and set in the most picturesque Spanish square. For those of you who have followed our engagement updates, you will know that the Church in Spain requires a lot of paperwork and a wedding course. It was stressful at times but totally worth it!

For our reception venue, we chose an outdoor venue called Finca Villa Palma in the mountains at Ojén. It has waterfalls and a stream running through it, alongside lush trees and flowers. We wanted something that would be different from the typical hotel style venue, as lovely as they can be. What we love about Spain are the sea and mountain views and our venue had both of these and also meant we could dine al fresco, something we love to do in Spain and we also knew that many of our guests who were travelling from other parts of the world would enjoy it too. It was totally private, meaning we could have music until whenever we liked. As all our friends and family love to party, this was great news.

It was close to the church and our wedding planner, Tara at Fiesta Sol, organised shuttle buses and coaches to take everyone up to the venue. A final deciding factor for us, strange as it may seem, is that we got engaged on the night of a rare ‘red’ moon and the first thing that the owner of the venue said to us was, “Check to see when the full moon is,

because the venue is incredible under a full moon”. We took that as a sign and that is exactly what we did and booked for the night of the full moon! Even stranger, the night of our wedding was again a red moon, which was a little spooky, but we were amazed!

The style files The style we went for was glamour and our colour theme was white, gold and blush with hints of sparkle.

If you can’t have some glitz and glam on your wedding day in Marbella then when can you? We had a personalised wedding logo made by Joshua’s dad which featured on a lot of wedding items and was a lovely way to tie things together and gave it an elegant touch.

My dress was from my favourite wedding dress designer, Galia Lahav. It was custom made and featured the top half of the ‘Odette’ and the bottom half of the ‘Suzanne’ gown. It really was my dream dress; fitted, backless, feminine yet the layers and layers of tulle on the skirt made a statement and added some drama in true Galia Lahav style. You can’t see all the incredible detail on the photos, but I can assure you that it is a magnificent work of art! It was from a trunk show at Browns Bridal on Bond Street, London which is also where I bought my shoes. As a shoe addict I immediately fell in love with my bridal shoes, which were

Swarovski encrusted Christian Louboutin heels. I completed my bridal look with a 14-foot veil from La Sposa (Pronovias’ accessories brand) which was adorned with Swarovski crystals and floral appliqués that complimented my gown, I wanted something really sheer so you could still see the back of the dress, so this veil was perfect. Droplet earrings (a gift from my dad, Darrell and his girlfriend Sharron) and a sparkly headpiece completed the look and I really did feel like a princess.

I had a second dress for the evening from Dovita Bridal, which was a slinky number enabling me to be able to dance the night away! It was all hand embroidered and I loved it. Joshua wore a three-piece navy suit from Hugo Boss, shoes from Church’s, a blush pink tie and pocket square, completed with Lanvin cufflinks and a Brietling watch, a surprise wedding gift that I had bought for him. He looked extremely handsome as I knew he would. Our wedding bands and my engagement ring were from Sakata Jewellers in Gibraltar and Josh even had his engraved

CONFETI 45

Real Weddings with a Harry Potter quote as we are both huge fans. We also had bespoke boxes from The Mrs Box. The bridesmaids wore champagne sequinned dresses and all looked stunning, with the groomsmen looking equally dashing in navy suits and accessories that matched Josh’s. I had my fantastic hairdresser, Paul from Reflections come to our villa to do my bridal hair before being whisked off to the church in a lavish Bentley car from Younes Cohen at Cohen & Cunild.

how we’d pictured them. I had also asked for the water inside the vases to be slightly pink, a small detail that proved very effective.

We wanted mainly flowers and not much greenery and the colours were perfect for our theme. We had a gorgeous garland running along the top table inside which candles had been placed. This was a lovely touch as it started to grow dark.

Virginia and her team have the ‘wow’ factor for sure!

46 CONFETI

We had some small details at the church such as white and gold orders of service, fans inscribed with our logo and bespoke confetti cones with natural petals from Shropshire Petals. We asked family members to do several readings and it really is true what they say - the first glance as you walk down the aisle is magical and something you never forget. It was also very special for me to be walked down the aisle by my dad, a beautiful moment.

Floral fantasy We wanted show-stopping flowers and we knew the incredible Virginia Florista would be the florist that could capture our vision perfectly and, wow, she didn’t disappoint! For my bouquet I chose something extravagant.

I didn’t want a perfect round shape, preferring something voluminous with draping orchids and I absolutely loved it. Our centrepieces were possibly my favourite; again tall, voluminous and draped with orchids and crystal strands, they were exactly

It’s all about the detail The décor and smaller details for us were important and something we put a lot of time and effort into. The venue was beautiful in its own right, but we wanted to add some grandeur to give it that extra touch. We booked a décor package from our fantastic planners Fiesta Sol, which was ideal as it meant we weren’t stressed setting everything up.

They took care of all the lighting, a vintage sofa, table set up, lanterns, candles, chandeliers - you name it! I created a cava station for the girls as well as a floral favour station containing flip-flops and heel stops, which went down a storm. Not wanting to leave the men out, we also had

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Real Weddings

a vintage whiskey trolley complete with decanters of Joshua’s favourite whiskeys. Needless to say, it didn’t last long! We also had a love story sign, a date night jar, candy bar complete with doughnuts and macaroons and a guest book table. Our guest book was handmade especially for us, including aspects from our wedding, the colour theme and our favourite love and movie quotes. It has been great fun reading the guest book and date night jar suggestions.

Fabulous food The décor was more my input, but for Josh it was important that we had great food, alcohol and entertainment. I would say this is where we spent most of our budget, and the food and alcohol tasting is the most fun part of any wedding! Our food was delicious again this was provided by Fiesta Sol Catering. We had a wide choice of dishes, such as Fresh Lobster Salad, Fillet of Beef, Mojito palate cleansers and the dessert plate had a dusting of icing sugar spelling ‘Mr. and Mrs. Cameron’ from a stencil we had made. So many of our guests commented on how delicious the food was. All the alcohol was provided by Pepi Montes; we loved the all the wines and cava we chose and had rosé 48 CONFETI

cava served to the women, with standard white cava for the men.

This was Joshua’s idea, which we thought was a nice touch. We also had signature cocktails, a vintage lemonade bar and glitter bottles of champagne. We chose late night snacks, such as Mini Hamburgers and Hot Dogs, which is great when you have an open bar and the tequilas start to fly!

Our wedding cake was a six-tier structure created by Sweet things

by Fi and it looked and tasted fantastic. We chose strawberry and vanilla, chocolate, lemon and red velvet for our flavours. It had a spiral of handmade flowers that matched our wedding flowers and was mainly white with hints of sparkles, ruffles and, of course, our logo in gold. We cut the cake to Maroons 5’s ‘Sugar’ and for our wedding favours we gave everyone a mini bottle of traditional Spanish pacharán, which were placed on the dinner tables in a gift bag. We named each table after a place that is special to us, rather than using numbers and we included a table card with a photo of Joshua and me at each place and some information on the back. We hoped it would be a good ice breaker and let guests learn a little about our adventures, as well as getting to know each other. The tables were finished with gold place mats, gold cutlery, sequinned table runners, gold foil name place cards and blush pink napkins.

Musical accompaniment Music is so important to us that we wanted it to be a big part of the wedding day too.

We spent hours and hours choosing songs and listening to our favourite music, which was a lot of fun. We chose the string quartet Sehnsucht Agrupaciones for our church music and cocktail reception and they were outstanding. They were so accommodating to our selections and even learned a new repertoire, which was very special to us. They played, as requested, Bruno Mars’s ‘Marry You’ as we entered the venue and the Harry Potter theme tune as we sat down for the wedding breakfast.

As a professional dancer it was especially important to me to have live music. As I entered the church the music played live, with the additional effect of the acoustics, gave me goosebumps.

To get the party started we chose the super funky and soulful band Cool Fire to play after the dinner and they were equally brilliant, playing all our favourite classics and got everyone up and dancing. They also performed our first dance, ‘You Send Me’.

A highlight was when Steve (Joshua’s dad) got up and sang ‘Proud Mary’ with the band and my dancer friends and I joined in with the Tina Turner dance moves! We finished the party with Fuller DJ, part of the group Who Killed the DJ, comprising Ryan Fuller as DJ, plus saxophonist, drummer and guitarist. They came to do a set and were out of this world everyone got up and danced with them and we were blown away.

We didn’t want to the night to end! Finally, our other special touches were a photo booth from Eventos Fotomaton, which came with a wide range props and produced some hilarious photos, a beautiful dance floor from Marbella Weddings, cold fireworks on the dance floor for our first

dance from Marbella Bride, giant balloons from Balloon Chic Marbella and light up LOVE letters and our initials from Name in Lights.

Photo finish Our main photographer was the fantastic Nani de Perez.

We have always absolutely loved her photos, so we knew that she would capture our day perfectly and she did just that! She is so artistic and we love the way she uses natural light to give photos the ‘wow’ factor. Nani and her assistants organised themselves with so much precision that nothing was missed.

They went above and beyond on the day and we can’t thank Nani and Team Perez enough. We also asked our friend Carlos to come and take some nightclub style shots in the evening of the guests and us letting our hair down. He was fantastic and the images are exactly what we wanted. I would highly recommend both Nani and Carlos to anyone having a wedding or event here.

Before the wedding we made a list of photos that we wanted to take

with different family members. As lovely a thought as this was, when it came to it we just wanted to enjoy ourselves and not stand for hours posing for photos, so this is something to bear in mind for future couples!

Favourite moments It’s hard to say what our favourite moments were as there were so many. We’d been so involved with the planning process that we both agree that some of the best moments were the ones we weren’t prepared for! The emotional and spontaneous aspects were especially surprising. For me, walking down the aisle with my dad and seeing Josh at the altar was so special and I also loved the speeches, as they were very touching. Joshua’s best man, Nicklas, is from Sweden. A tradition in Sweden is that that if the groom leaves the room for any reason, then the other men at the wedding are allowed to kiss the bride - and vice versa! It was hilarious to come back from the loo and see lipstick all over Josh’s face and then, as CONFETI 49

Real Weddings

soon as he went to the loo, I got a queue of kisses from all the men.

This was a total surprise that was very funny!

Joshua’s favourite moments were the excitement on the big day leading up to the church, going to Harrison’s Barber Shop in Puerto Banús with his groomsmen in the morning and he also loved greeting and seeing everyone arriving at the church, as well as watching my dad walk me down the aisle. Josh also loved the entertainment and seeing all our loved ones have so much fun together was a great moment for him. I think that seeing all your family and friends in the same place at the same time is magical and a little overwhelming! We had friends and family attending from Spain, England, Ireland, France, New Zealand and Sweden, so seeing everyone together was a little bizarre, but in the nicest way and I think overall, having everyone there was the best feeling and a favourite moment for us both.

“If I had to do it again I would change…”?

We wouldn’t change a thing, only that we wish we could do it all over again! We had the best day of our lives and wouldn’t change it for the world.

Our advice for future couples getting married Our advice for future couples 50 CONFETI

would be to try and get ahead with the organising, because the less stressed you are before the big day, the better!

Even if you have a wedding planner, there is always going to be an element of stress involved when planning any wedding as there is so much to consider, so getting ahead is key. Stay true to who you are with the wedding planning process, as it can be easy to get carried away after seeing things at other people’s weddings or on sites such as Pinterest; keep it personal to you as a couple. You also can’t please everyone, so stick to what’s important to you both. Although everyone says it, it is true - the day goes by so fast, so try to take in everything as best as you can.

Finally, we would say that even though people often say, “It’s only one day” the amount of memories created and fun we had during the whole process was priceless.

For us it was so much more than just a day, so go for it!

You only live once and you’re only going to get married once (hopefully!) so have your dream wedding day.

We would also like to thank our parents Darrell, Sharron, Steve and Susana as well as bridesmaids Siân, Bonnie, Eve and Jade and groomsmen Nicklas, Cristian, Danny and Sam for all their help on and for our special day, as well as all our wonderful friends and family that celebrated with us. It’s a day and week we will never ever forget!

ADDRESS BOOK Venue: Iglesia Señora de la Encarnacion and Finca Villa Palma, Ojén Wedding Planner: Tara @ Fiesta Sol Caterer: Fiesta Sol Wedding Cake: Sweet Things by Fi Flowers: Virginia Florista Wedding Dress: Galia Lahav Shoes: Christian Louboutin Groom’s Suit: Hugo Boss Shoes: Church’s Hair: Paul Macfarlane @ Reflections Salon & Max Moya @ Harrison’s Barber Shop Photographer: Nani de Perez & her team Evening Photographer: Carlos Fernandez Photo Booth: Eventos Fotomaton Dance Floor: Marbella Weddings Balloons: Balloon Chic Marbella Lights: Name in Lights Stationery: Nulki Nulks Transport: Cohen & Cunild Music: DJ Fuller, Cool Fire, Who Killed the DJ & Sehnsucht Agrupaciones Bespoke Confetti Cones: Shropshire Petals Wedding Bands: Sakata Jewellers CONFETI 51

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DESTINATION...

Ronda

Johanna and Luke first met at a dinner party held by mutual friends, but it was their mutual love of dance that worked its magic to bring them together for good.

First encounters Like so many couples before us we met through friends. A dinner party had been arranged for a friend and, as Luke’s brother was a friend of the group and Luke was in Spain for a holiday, he tagged along. So far so good – he seemed like a nice enough guy, but the magic didn’t happen until several months later, when dancing got us together.

When it came to planning our big day there was really only one contender; we love Spain, consider it home and we wanted to share it with our family and friends. Of course, there was the not so small factor of the weather to consider. The UK is not the most reliable place in the world for sunshine and we were very much aware that the Costa del Sol could deliver spectacularly on that front, so the final decision was actually very easy.

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Monastic mission We were prepared to put a considerable amount of effort into finding a wedding venue that was perfect for us, but the minute we first set eyes on the Monasterio del Carmen we knew that it was just perfect for us. Apart from the fact that it is simply an exquisite historical building dating from the 17th century it also has the most amazing views of the surrounding countryside and it meant that we could hold our day outdoors in a beautiful setting. Let’s be honest – how many people wouldn’t have fallen in love at first sight with this place? As it turned out it was one of the best ideas we have ever had as a couple.

Once we had decided on the Monasterio del Carmen as our venue it was much easier to decide on the style of wedding that we wanted. The general tone was ‘rustic with romantic touches’ and we decided that we also wanted to include some Spanish aspects into the day. For this reason we used lots of olive branches for the decoration, plus lavender, white flowers and some navy blue eryngium, which reflected the local flora.

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Dressing for success I found my dream dress in New York – it was a romantic A-line gown with floral detail and I felt lucky that it was such a lowstress experience. Luke’s suit was a Hugo Boss Spring suit that suited him beautifully and the groomsmen all wore bow ties and braces. Since we wanted our bridesmaids to be beautiful but comfortable we chose blush coloured dresses with shoulder detail adding some sparkle.

When it came to the reception we both agreed that the Spanish theme should dominate so we ordered gourmet tapas, as we wanted our guests to have the full local experience in style; the tuna sashimi with wasabi caviar and ginger sorbet and the seabass with edible flowers were an abolute success!.

Our cake was something that we spent a lot of time thinking about, eventually opting for something soft and natural looking and decorated with fresh flowers to fit in with the general look.

That’s entertainment The musical part of the day we felt should fall into two categories; we wanted some atmospheric accompaniment at the ceremony and the day reception and, during the evening event at the second venue, we wanted a DJ capable of getting our family and friends up and dancing and John Hobbs had exactly the skills that we were looking for. Party time!

We wanted the whole day to be as personal as possible, so we decided to make our table plan, with a little help

from my mum and sisters.

We chose Bodakids as our photographer and are delighted with the amazing job they did – the photos are absolutely stunning.

Favourite moments The moment that we actually married is one of our best moments. I loved it when I fell onto the floor while I was having a photo session with my bridesmaids and the carriage ride was lovely too.

Of course, our first dance was also a highlight, with all of our friends signing to our favourite song.

“If I had to do it again I would change…”?

Not a single thing!

What would be your advice for future couples getting married?

Our advice would be to relax and stop trying to please everyone because the day is about you two and the love you have for each other. It will fly by so fast, so have fun and enjoy every moment!

ADDRESS BOOK Venue: Hotel Monasterio del Carmen, Ronda.

Caterer: Tapas Locos (at the day venue) & RTE Morabito (at the night venue).

Wedding Cake: Alyson Cakes.

Flowers: Evento Shop.

Wedding Dress: BHLDN – New York.

Hair & Make-up: Shannon Murray Salon.

Photographer & Videographer: Bodakids.

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Music: Felipe Madrid (Brazilian Guitarist for the day venue) – John Hobbs DJ (for the evening venue).

Floral decoration for unforgettable weddings

For more information and budgeting please contact us to: Tel. +34 952 898 722 comercial@virginiaflorista.com Pol. Ind. La Campana 32, Nueva AndalucĂ­a, Marbella, EspaĂąa Virginia Florista

VgFlorista

www.virginiaflorista.com

+34 674 882 402 shout@fullerdj.com whokilledthedj.co.uk

vg_florista

Real Weddings

Back to Nature When Ciara and Shane were planning their wedding they agreed that they wanted an outdoors theme so, with Irish weather being what it is, they knew that only an overseas venue would offer what they wanted.

Student days We met in college; Shane was a year behind me but was friendly with some of the guys I shared a house with. As the TV had been cut off in the house he was living in, he began to spend more time in our house watching ours. One night he asked me if I fancied going up town for a few drinks and I agreed. Neither of us thought the relationship would go anywhere, as college would be finished in a few weeks and he would be moving back home, which is 180 kilometres away. However, when we finished our exams he asked if he could come see me during the summer. He spent the few months travelling down to see me at the weekends until he ultimately moved in with me. That was 12 years ago now and the rest, as they say, is history – with a bit of geography thrown in for good measure!

Going places When I thought about the wedding, I had an idea in my head of being outside for the whole day.

I wanted the smell of food in the air, music playing and, when the sun went down, for there to be lots of candles and lights in the trees.

We both agreed that we wanted more of a garden party than a formal hotel wedding. As we live in Ireland, anything outdoors is a no go, as the weather is so unpredictable and you really do get four seasons in one day sometimes. It’s not very conducive to an outdoor wedding so we soon realized that we needed to look abroad if we were to have the day we wanted. Luckily for us, a friend had just returned from a wedding in Spain and had been

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raving about how fab it was. We took one look at the pictures and booked a vacation that September to head out to look at the venue.

Firstly, when we went to view the venue we thought it was superb, from the mature gardens which were so well kept to the traditional Spanish cortijo and the apartments - it was such a great space. Secondly, the planning team that came with the venue really impressed us.

Their style, the packages (which, to my delight, included lights in the trees) and the friendly communication we had up to that point showed us that they would be great to work with. Thirdly, on the day we went to view the venue we met an Irish couple who were getting married there on that very day. They spoke so highly about the venue and the team involved that it made it easy to say “Yes!” We are not keen on things being very formal and we really felt like we could put our own stamp on the wedding at the venue and keep it nice and relaxed.

The ‘look’ of love Then there was the issue of the dress. In the end I opted for something in ivory that was more ‘formal bridal’ that I had imagined! It suited my shape and I felt comfortable in it. I originally thought I would go for something more flowing and boho, but nothing in that style really suited me. A lot of the other dresses I tried on made me feel like I was trying to hide a pregnancy or playing dressup in my

mother’s frocks. The one that I eventually chose had a sweetheart neckline with a detailed bodice that reached just below my hips.

From there a shimmering organza skirt with a beautiful lace trim followed on, ending in a fabulous train. I didn’t have a veil as it was just a tad too much for me with the heat. I think if I did it again I would risk one, though.

For my bridesmaids I went for different colours from the Easter/Spring palette.

I just love pastel colours together and, as we were marrying during Easter week, it seemed like the right decision. I went for slightly more vibrant shades, as my bridesmaids (my two sisters) are dark and it suited them better.

The bridesmaids were dressed in lemon and lilac while the flower girls wore pink and mint green.

I found all the dresses in a local bridal shop in my home town.

The bridesmaids’ dresses had a beautiful feminine, flowing design with a sweetheart neckline, knot detail at the bust and then the chiffon material fell with an under shirt and over layer. I requested that straps be added to the dresses, which fell in a cowl in the back as both bridesmaids are busty ladies and wanted the extra support. I also had the flower girls’ dresses made from scratch in the same shop. The flower girls absolutely loved going in for their fittings as they felt like princesses.

The most important thing for me was that the dress would be comfortable on their young skin, however the most important thing for them was that their dresses were as “poofy” as possible.

Priorities, priorities!

Floral fantasies When it came to the flowers I didn’t want anything too stiff, manicured or formal as it’s just not me. I’m far more interested in natural things so had asked for the flowers to be much softer, like garden flowers. I specifically asked for a broad mix of floral shapes and sizes and had wanted some green in there also. There are so many beautiful flowers in season in Spring, so I wanted to utilise this as much as possible.

For my bouquet I had asked for peonies to be included, but the florist advised they were out of season so she could not guarantee their quality. Instead she recommended David Austin CONFETI 57

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garden roses as they still had that soft frilly petal and were in season; it was this type of advice which I found invaluable. I opted for a mixture of soft, Spring flowers of different shapes and sizes in a mixture of pastel colours. The bouquet was wrapped at the base with twine which gave it a very rustic feel.

The buttonholes consisted of a single cream ranunculus flower with a small bit of green behind it. For the bridesmaids and flower girls, I opted for posies of plain cream hydrangeas. As all the dresses were different colours, I felt it would work better to order plain bouquets for them. The flower girls also had a floral crown of spring flowers in pastel colours.

The venue also had the most amazing floral displays dotted around on the day. There were jars along the edge of the aisle, coloured vases on tables etc. there were flowers everywhere.

When they arrived the morning of the wedding they absolutely took my breath away. The florists had completely exceeded my expectations and were a major part of the beauty of the wedding. They lasted right up until our day of departure, which was five days after the wedding.

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Our minister held a very relaxed ceremony which consisted of some beautiful readings and literature and even a reading from the Apache Indians, which was very much in tune with my love for nature.

Woodland theme The planning team had described the theme as Pastel Woodland, which I loved. The table centrepieces were a continuation of the amazing spring flowers but they also featured small pieces of wood surrounded by soft moss.

Each centrepiece was unique and, dotted around the venue, were beautiful lanterns and signs with whimsical and romantic quotes. We also had a Moroccan chill-out area which consisted of lush cream rugs with scattered cushions and pillows. Moroccan lanterns stood on low tables and, over all of this, two big parasols kept the sun off the guests.

The ceremony was held in a private garden to the side of the bridal suite. There is a big old tree in the middle which was decorated with lace curtains and a chandelier. The white chiavari chairs were lined up on the lawn with flowers in jars along the edges. The chairs were decorated with a single piece of lace tied at the back which blew gently in the wind and the aisle had been strewn with mixed coloured rose petals. It was magical.

The planner had left out parasols and fans to help our Irish guests with the sun and these went down a treat and also acted as great props for many of the photos.

Celebrate in style We served sangría and beer to guests as they arrived and, after the ceremony, canapés and cava were served by the pool bar. For dinner, we went for a barbecue style menu which completely suited our garden party styled wedding. The caterers were great in that they still provided silver service to our guests, so everyone still felt like they were being spoiled. We had Marinated Chicken, Entrecote and Sea Bream with a selection of Salads, Roasted Vegetables and rustic Potato Salad. For dessert, we had an Ice Cream station set up on the lawn. With the weather being warmer than what we Irish are used to, we knew this would go down a treat. One cart had a selection of ice-creams and the other had a wide selection of toppings so there was something for everyone. We opted out of having a cake, since neither of us had any interest in that particular tradition and we both dreaded the obligatory photo of the bridal couple cutting it, so we edited that bit out. As the night went on, and people had worked up an appetite from dancing, Mini Sliders were served to the guests and they disappeared pretty fast!

As far as music went, we had the Q Band playing for us all day.

This started with Amelinde and Jose providing an acoustic duo of vocals and guitar. They played for the ceremony and then kicked it up a notch for the cava and canapé hour. Following this, the remaining three band members joined them for the two-hour live set, which was amazing and the dancing began almost immediately.

Make it snappy!

We chose Pedro Bellido as our photographer; from his portfolio of pictures he seemed to have a very natural style and he proved to be brilliant. We barely knew he was there for most of the day, as he just worked away in the background. We felt sorry for him at one point as Shane and I are very camera shy so, when it came to the couple shots, we were awkward and probably

made his job very tough. We just could not stop laughing (at ourselves mostly) but Pedro was a complete professional and helped us through the process.

What were your favourite moments?

We loved the cava and canape hour after the ceremony. This was our first chance to mingle with people and actually spend some time with our amazing guests. Once all the formalities were over, we loved being able to relax into things and begin to enjoy our day. We loved the time when the band was playing - they were amazing and our families love to dance.

“If I had to do it again I would change…”?

The main thing we would change is we would try to spend more time with each other on the day, actually soaking it all in - together. For a lot of the day we were both off in different directions, chatting with people and making sure that everyone was okay and enjoying themselves. If we did it again we would make some time for us to enjoy it together.

Advice for future couples getting married?

Have your day your way! It’s very easy to get sidetracked with everyone else’s wishes, opinions and views so don’t get sucked in. We stayed true to the day we wanted and it turned out to be a day to be proud of. Also, try not take it all too seriously. So many people get so caught up in the decision-making process that they cannot enjoy the run up to the wedding at all. Some of our best decision were the easiest.

We didn’t overthink things and it helped us in the end.

Address Book: Venue: El Cortijo de Los Caballos Caterer: Sana Catering Flowers: Flor Valentin Wedding Dress: Bijou Bridal (Waterford, Ireland) Hair & Make-up: Elle Megan Make Up Photographer: Pedro Bellido Music: Q Band

Centro Idea. Ctra. De Mijas km 3,6. 29650 Mijas – Málaga + 34 669 061 234 | +34 951 311 086 | janne@florvalentin.es

WE ARE A DANISH FLOWER SHOP AND FLORAL DESIGN FIRM IN COSTA DEL SOL. OUR SHOP IS LOCATED BETWEEN FUENGIROLA AND MIJAS BUT WE SERVE WEDDINGS AND EVENTS ALL OVER SOUTHERN SPAIN. CALL US TO DISCUSS YOUR EVENT OR ORDER FLOWERS FOR YOUR OCCASION ON OUR WEBPAGE WITH SECURE PAYMENT. WE WILL BE THRILLED TO HELP MAKING YOUR DAY MAGICAL.

Real Weddings

Forever Beautiful

Lucy and Joel enjoyed a high-end, fun celebration with traditional Jewish elements.

Food for thought We knew that we wanted a wedding in Spain but the venue wasn’t actually the first element we looked into. For us the priority was the catering, as it was very important to us that our wedding breakfast be kosher. Thankfully the Puente Romano Beach Resort & Spa (which was my first choice) was able to cater for our needs.

The scenery at the hotel is beautiful and we loved the three areas that the wedding could take place in - the chuppah in a secluded patio area, the reception in the sunken bar and the dinner and dancing in the outside restaurant, Del Mar, on the beach.

Let the planning begin Our main contact at the Puente Romano Beach Resort & Spa was Events Coordinator, Tara Lorimer.

She helped us to design the layout of the wedding and sourced different things for us such as flipflops for the guests’ tired dancing feet and fans for everybody to keep cool during the ceremony.

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We relied on her advice and vision for the day and she also ensured everything ran to plan.

Dress to impress I bought my dress from Phillipa Lepley Couture. I went in there on the off chance and instantly fell in love with the Cherry Blossom dress. It was A-line and adorned with beautiful cherry blossom flowers which sparkled in the sunshine. It was originally strapless, which I didn’t want, so Phillipa suggested adding some netting for the shoulders which they also decorated with cherry blossom. My veil was embroidered with the cherry blossoms and it had a beautiful long train and was appropriate for a summer, fun wedding. The whole team at Phillipa Lepley were just fantastic - they took such care and pride over making my dress, it was like I was the only bride they had made a dress for.

My shoes were from Harriet Wilde.

Even though the weather in Spain was hot I didn’t want open toed shoes, so found some stunning white leather heels which were

closed, but had a mesh around the top of the foot so they were comfortable and allowed air to get to my feet.

Joel bought three piece royal blue suit from Hugo Boss, which he wore with a white Hugo Boss shirt, a cream tie and brown loafers. All the ushers were in navy blue to complement Joel’s attire. We did have a bit of a panic when Joel’s dad left his suit trousers behind in London, but luckily he noticed before some of his friends had flown out and they managed to bring them for him.

Inspiration point We wanted to keep everything very natural as the grounds of Puente Romano are already filled with beautiful flowers. I wanted to incorporate some pearls as they went with the surroundings, so we had pearls draped over the front of the chuppah and my little flower girls had pearls on their dresses.

The dinner was a beach theme, with starfish printed on the menus and the napkins tied together with small brown rope and on top of each napkin was a small starfish.

There were shells around the centrepieces too, as we wanted the party to be informal with a fun vibe. As it was a hot day we told the men not to wear ties, which helped to create a laid back feel.

Our florist, Zoe, encouraged us to go with Puente Romano’s natural surroundings, so our chuppah was covered in white lace with hanging pearls and bunches of white roses surrounded by inverted green leaves were on the middle of each pole.

My bouquet was similar and Zoe very cleverly added some artificial cherry blossom to tie the bouquet in with the dress.

What an honour Rabbi Daniel Epstein from Cockfosters and North Southgate Synagogue, of which I have been a part my whole life, flew over to Spain to perform the ceremony.

Rabbi Epstein is held in the highest regard by both Joel and me.

Previous to the big day we met up with him, together with our parents

and Rabbi Epstein explained with great clarity each aspect of the ceremony including the bedecking and the Tish. The bedecking was truly magical, not a dry eye in the house. Apparently the Tish was very lively and my father-in-law was dancing on the table!

My little four year-old niece led the grace after meals with Rabbi Epstein which was adorable.

Huge thanks to Rabbi Epstein for all of his support and guidance.

The chuppah ceremony was just beautiful, Rabbi Epstein and the band sang with such spirit and emotion during the chuppah that it moved everyone.

Food, glorious food I come from a family of big eaters and food plays a big part in our lives, so I wanted it to be delicious and plentiful. The reception had a range of canapés including Sushi, Chicken Goujons, Honey and Mustard Sausages but the main element was the Salt Beef bar! Unfortunately I didn’t get around to eating any myself, but people told me it was great. At the dinner we had Salmon Noodle Salad in a Citrus Sauce to start.

For mains we served Rack of Lamb with Fondant Potatoes and Green Beans. Dessert was Lemon Meringue Pie with Coconut Ice Cream, which our guests found especially refreshing on the very hot day. We also served ‘midnight munchies’ at 12am which consisted of Ice Lollies and Mini Burgers. Joel ate about about 50 Mini Burgers!

Viva España We had TOTEM as our band; they flew over from London and totally bought the house down! Literally nobody sat down because everyone wanted to dance and the tunes kept on coming. During the Israeli dancing Joel was flung up in the air so high, he was surprised he made it to the ground in one piece. We were doing the conga down the beach and various friends and family were grabbing the microphone for a sing song.

We handed out maracas during the dancing which added to the Spanish feel. Everybody was in a holiday mood and up for a party, which was great.

Making a splash Chiko, our photographer for the day, was accompanied by his colleague, Jo. They were both such fun, yet always completely professional. The day after the wedding Chiko wanted to do a shoot of Joel and I at the beach, so we put our wedding attire back on and had a magical photoshoot. I actually ended up wearing my wedding dress in the sea.

The photos are unique, thanks to Chiko’s ingenious work.

I will always remember...

Laughing lots and dancing, dancing, dancing! I loved the morning of the wedding when I was with all the girls having our hair and make-up done in the hotel. A highlight for me was when my cousin led the singing to ‘Sweet Caroline’ and passed the microphone around to various

people. It was spontaneous and so joyful. I also loved doing the conga along the beach – just amazing!

Joel’s favourite moments were seeing me when I went to the bedecking room and thinking how beautiful I was.

He will definitely never forget or forgive his best men for showing everyone a picture of him wearing a Spurs shirt, as he is an avid West Ham supporter.

We both were overwhelmed with joy and emotion that day and felt truly blessed being surrounded by so many people who mean so much to us.

Address Book Venue: Puente Romano Beach Resort & Spa puenteromano.com Wedding Planner: Tara Lorimer @ Puente Romano Beach Resort & Spa Dress: Phillipa Lepley Couture phillipalepley.com Shoes: Harriet Wilde harrietwilde.com Groom’s Suit: Hugo Boss hugoboss.com Flowers: Flowers Inc marbellaflowersandflorist.com Rabbi: Rabbi Daniel Epstein Entertainment: TOTEM totem-tribe.co.uk Photographer: Chiko chikophotography.com CONFETI 61

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Operation Beach Party Simone and Tim chose natural details to enhance the beauty of their stunning venue, exchanging vows at a sun-soaked seaside bash on the coast of Andalucía Sunshine Celebration I have always wanted a beach wedding for as long as I can remember. We live in Australia, which has some of the best beaches in the world. However, we felt we couldn’t have a proper wedding without our best friends and family being there to share it with us. With so many of them living in Europe - including my parents who wouldn't have been able to come to Australia - it just would not have felt right. We decided to look for a location within Europe but had no idea where to start. Germany (where I am from) doesn't have real beaches and England was just too unreliable weather wise. After speaking with family friends in Málaga we knew we had found our destination. Good weather, beautiful beach venues AND it was close to family and friends.

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On our first wedding planning trip to Spain, with the help of Sunshine Weddings Spain, we toured several different venues that they felt suited our criteria. We chose Salduna Beach because the second we got there we both looked at each other and knew it was perfect for us. Funnily enough we wouldn't have chosen it from the pictures we saw. We really recommend that anyone organizing a venue from afar make sure they make a personal visit before making a final decision.

Hassle free To be honest, we hadn't originally envisaged having a wedding planner, I am very organised and we were confident we could manage ourselves. However, being so far away from Spain, I had no idea how to find the right venue, so I decided to contact a couple of planners just to get some ideas. From the moment I made contact with Sunshine

Weddings Spain they were so professional. They were always quick to respond, really friendly and very helpful. Considering the amazing service right from the start, us being so far away and not being able to speak Spanish, as well as all the services they included, especially them being there on the wedding day and making sure everything ran smoothly, we definitely made the right decision.

None of us needed to worry about anything, The Sunshine Weddings Spain team was absolutely incredible. We never felt rushed and we felt that they really knew their industry.

Spain can be difficult in terms of getting things done efficiently and in a timely manner, even if you speak Spanish. The team ensured that we didn’t have to deal with any of that hassle. All the suppliers they recommended were amazing and they had an answer to any questions we had. Our day went very smoothly as a result and, most importantly, allowed us to enjoy the lead up and the day itself rather than running around making last minute preparations.

We would highly recommend Sunshine Weddings.

One of a kind I am very fortunate that my aunt is the head designer at Vivienne Westwood and she offered to design and make my wedding dress. Because the ceremony was going to be on the beach I didn’t want a huge and heavy dress. We decided on a slightly see-through lace gown which felt very light. The skirt had a long train which would have been difficult to walk around with and dance in later, so my aunt made it detachable, leaving me with a beautiful minidress covered in the same lace for the evening.

As the ceremony was on the beach, I wanted to feel the sand under my feet. I found lace barefoot sandals which also fit the lace of the dress perfectly.

Considering the wedding was on the beach and it was likely to be breezy I decided against wearing my hair down, as it would have been ruined immediately. Tim really likes it when I have my hair plaited to the side, so I went with a version of that. My aunt also prepared some little flowers out of the same lace of the dress that were put into my hair.

The make-up, like everything else, I wanted to be as natural as

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Real Weddings possible, focusing on my eyes, so opted for a soft, smoky eye look, keeping the rest simple. Jess, the make-up artist, did an amazing job. I had never had such good make-up before.

All white on the night I wanted a completely white wedding with literally everyone in white. To our amazement only one of Tim's friends rebelled with a blue shirt! He was banned (just joking!) Being at the beach, the setting was perfect and Salduna Beach is a stunning venue itself so we didn't feel we needed to tart it up with bits and bobs everywhere.

We kept it minimal with everything mostly in white with a bit of light blue. We had white lilies for most of the décor, as well as the bridal bouquet. For the night time fairy lights were hung over the dining area.

A feast for your eyes We chose a selection of canapés for the reception and then a buffet for the main course and dessert table. This was mainly because we wanted our guests to have a choice and eat as much as they wanted, rather than be offered one large set meal. Then, at 1am, we had a ‘midnight snack’ with a big cheese platter. It was important to us that our guests wouldn't be hungry, as two of our best friends from Australia eat like there’s no tomorrow. Even they said that they couldn't fit in any of the midnight snack, so our mission was accomplished.

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Olé, Olé!

We had a Spanish guitarist playing when the guests arrived and after the ceremony, plus a flamenco dancer during the reception to incorporate some Spanish elements. We decided not to have a cake as we think no one really eats it and it wasn't an important element for us. In general, as you might have noticed already, we didn't really want all the traditional parts of a wedding. This included not having any speeches, deciding to have an all-white theme and our wedding dance. The first dance was to the Dirty Dancing song ‘(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life’ and, straight after that, we opened the dance floor to everyone. The guests really enjoyed being able to dance under the stars with modern music from a truly amazing DJ rather than the old standards.

The best bits It's very hard to find a favourite moment as every single second of the day was just perfect and exactly how I had always imagined my dream beach wedding.

Another aspect that made the whole experience so special was that it was a destination wedding and we could spend so much time with everyone prior to and after the wedding day at our villa.

ADDRESS BOOK Wedding Planner: Sunshine Weddings Spain sunshineweddings.com Venue: Salduna Beach Dress: Vivienne Westwood Make-up: Jess Miles Flowers: Karen deseosflorist.com Minister: Padre Peter Music: Guitarist Mark Shurey pimientito.com and Djane Kmiss kmissmusic.com Videographer: Sam Reynard Photographer: Talia Giraudo thoroughlygorgeous.com

Monday - Friday 10:00 - 21:00

Saturday 11:00 - 18:00

Real Weddings

R E UN I T E D

Ellie and Jack met back in 2007 through mutual friends when she was only 16 and Jack was 17. They spent the afternoon in a local park with their friends and sat talking for hours. Jack made Ellie laugh and they found that they had so much in common that, only a few days later, Jack asked Ellie to be his girlfriend.

Easy decision In 2011 Jack left the army and, as a treat, I booked us a holiday to Marbella. On a night out, Jack thanked me for being his rock for the four years he was in the army and then asked me to marry him! It seemed perfect that when we were ready to set a date we would have the wedding in Marbella with our closest friends and family. Spain is somewhere we always make time to visit every year, even it’s just for a weekend, as we love it there.

I wanted a venue that would accommodate our friends and family somewhere we could all be together for the week. I came across Rachel Rose Weddings while searching online for a wedding planner and we instantly fell in love with her style and when 66 CONFETI

would wear, as it was a very simple and classic look. My bridesmaids were so beautiful. I wanted them to wear dresses that complemented them individually, which is why I decided to go for different styles with which they were comfortable.

I also let them choose the hairstyle they would like.

I saw El Cortijo de los Caballos I knew it was perfect. The rooms were so beautiful and ideal for all our guests, while the gardens were perfect for a wedding.

Relaxed style The look I was after was shabby chic with lots of pretty pastels. I didn’t go overboard with anything, as the gardens and venue were beautiful in their own right. I kept in mind I wanted the photos to look beautiful in 50 years’ time, which is why I stayed away from contemporary

wedding fashion and going to town with unnecessary bling that I knew would make me cringe in the future.

The flowers were just stunning; I didn’t imagine that they could be as beautiful as they were.

The colours were perfect and the Flor Valentin team is so talented.

My dress was a Lyn Ashworth gown. I’ve always admired Audrey Hepburn and when I first tried it on it reminded me of something she

Ceremonials The ceremony was intimate with a very calm ambience. We said our vows under a tree and Natasha the minister was great - she made us both feel calm and it was a very personal and emotional ceremony.

We can’t emphasise enough how great Rachel Rose Weddings was, especially Becky and Claire.

Becky was there to deal with any questions I had leading up to the big day and I was so relaxed on the day because I knew I was good hands and she had everything under control. Even my mum didn’t stop complimenting her and still talks about how great she was, so friendly yet very professional.

It really was a stress-free day for me, just perfect. Claire totally transformed the venue and I spent most of the morning inside, totally

unaware of what was going on outside. When I saw everything I couldn’t believe how beautiful it all was, better than I ever imagined.

Party food Sana Catering arrived on the morning of the wedding. The whole wedding party had breakfast cooked by them, which was a perfect start to the day. Canapés were served after the ceremony and all I kept hearing from the guests was how tasty they were.

For the main course we had Steak, Chicken and Lamb with Potatoes, Salad and Coleslaw and then for pudding we had Crème Brûlée, Chocolate Fudge Cake and Mojito Fruit Salad. We were really spoilt with the food - it kept coming out for guests who still had room for more and it was all absolutely delicious.

At midnight we had a selection of cheeses, hams and breads with Spicy Chicken and Beef Burgers.

This was a good decision, as we had an open bar and signature cocktails in the evening. I would highly recommend Sana Catering as they are an amazing team. The people were lovely and the food was incredible. Our cake it was so pretty we felt bad cutting it - and it tasted so good too!

Luis, the guitarist, was amazing. He played throughout the ceremony and cocktail hour,

providing the perfect musical touch. Two True were brilliant, such a lovely talented couple. They sang Motown and soul songs and were so good that some of the guests didn’t realise that we had live singers and thought it was a CD! Shoot to thrill We chose Mireia Cordomi as our photographer. Rachel had recommended a few photographers but when we saw Mireia’s work we knew we wanted her to capture our wedding. On the day she made us feel so comfortable and was such a laugh to be around. Though I love Mireia’s photography I was still nervous about seeing the photos.

When they arrived, we were happy to see that she had captured the day so perfectly. They were just what we wanted; natural photos that managed to capture special moments far more effectively than staged shots.

What were your favourite moments?

Apart from marrying Jack, you mean? It was just after dinner and I remember watching my guests talking, laughing and everyone looked so happy, my mum and dad were cuddling and having a little dance and it made me feel

really emotional and made think what amazing, supportive friends and family we have. Also, our speeches were really touching - Jack, my father-in-law and my dad did brilliantly, as they were either making us sob or laugh!

“If I had to do it again I would change…”?

I would have booked two weeks at the Cortijo, as I wasn’t ready to go home!

What would be your advice for future couples getting married?

Be selfish. As harsh as it sounds, I was a travel rep for all my guests as well as planning a wedding, so I wouldn’t recommend anyone to do the same! As the big day approached it did get the better of me sometimes.

ADDRESS BOOK Venue: El Cortijo de los Caballos Wedding Planner: Rachel Rose Weddings Caterer: Sana Catering Wedding Cake: Sweet Things

by Fi Flowers: Flor Valentin Wedding Dress: Lyn Ashworth Hair: Ella Megan Make-up: Nicola McGeorge Photographer: Mireia Cordomi Videographer: Studio Krussel Music: Luis Fonseca Entertainment: Two True CONFETI 67

Real Weddings

M O M E N TS

that Matter

Kath and Steve enjoyed an intimate renewal of their wedding vows by the beach.

Second time lucky We first got married in August 2002 in Wales and nine years later were blessed with twin daughters, Daisy and Isabelle. We enjoyed many happy years together before a series of tragic circumstances drove us apart. In 2009 my Father, who was my hero, died from cancer, leaving a massive void in our family from this loss. Mum and Dad had been together since they were 16 years old and were soul mates. Because of this family void I decided to start a family and became pregnant with the twins.

Tragically, six months after my dad died, my sister, who was my only sibling, was diagnosed with cancer. She managed to fight for a short time and witnessed the twins’ birth but sadly she passed away a year later, leaving four sons behind.

The dark times continued with my nan dying a few months after my sister and the financial recession in the UK hitting the property market hard, which affected Steve’s biggest company.

I felt that I could not cope in the marriage anymore, with Steve working long hours while I was grieving so badly for my losses and trying to care for young twins.

I filed for divorce and we became stuck in a legal battle for the next four years eventually we were given a court date in March 2017 to finalise matters. In December 2016 Steve asked whether I would bring the twins for a skiing holiday to Val d’Isere, to which I reluctantly agreed. Steve and I got on so well that, when we returned home, neither of us could get this out of our minds. We both agreed to give the marriage another go, Steve moved back in with us and things have been great ever since. We are both very happy and feel it was definitely the right decision – we are now a complete family and the kids are so happy to have their daddy back!

So, we decided to show each other, the children, family and friends that we are truly reunited and celebrate this with the wedding renewal on our wedding anniversary (the 25th of August).

We originally married in the UK, so wanted to do something different for the renewal. Also, we wanted the occasion to be a smaller affair with close friends and family who had stuck by us through the difficult times.

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Wedding SOS We decided, while on holiday in Marbella in March 2017, that we wanted to have a wedding renewal here, which only gave us five months to plan, organise, deliver and invite guests to a wedding abroad. It was a lot to do and we needed a little help.

I had met Scott Gibbons from Sunshine Weddings at another wedding he had organised, so I contacted him, explaining the type of venue I was looking for, We decided on La Milla, a luxury chiringuito location on the Golden Mile and Scott got to work organising my specific fit-out for the venue, including hired furniture, guest seats for the beach, white LED dance floor, fairy lights in abundance and a gazebo covered in flowers for the ceremony, with white carpet on sand. Scott Gibbons and his team were outstanding and they delivered way beyond my highest expectations.

All things nice I purchased my dress from London but it was designed and made in Barcelona. I changed - at 2am - into a white lace and sequin all-in-one with tassels ready for clubbing at Suite, as my dress had a train so otherwise I would have been unable to dance properly!

Karen, the florist from Deseos, did an outstanding job with the flowers. She decorated the venue, the gazebo and even sourced my guest favours, which were His & Her bride and groom flip-flops with our names on the tags. I can’t thank her enough. I didn’t like my flowers at my original UK wedding in 2002 and wish Karen had done them instead.

Laid back luxury I wanted a fun and light-hearted wedding renewal, more like just one big party. I had organised for the celebration to continue after La Milla had closed at 2am at Suite in Puente Romano and we all got home at 4am.

The owner of La Milla, Carlos, his manager Andreas and the team were also outstanding

and I can’t thank them enough.

The venue, the service, the food and the staff were so attentive and friendly. I just want to do it every year and my guests have requested that I do, as they said it’s the best wedding they have been to.

The entrance drink was as per our original wedding. On arrival guests were handed mini bottles of Moët champagne with a black straw. I insisted that no alternatives were to be offered as I wanted the champagne to kick in immediately, to create the happy party theme.

I only drink Pimms and lemonade, so Carlos and Andreas made sure they were stocked up and Andreas ensured that my glass was always topped up, which made this bride very happy! They were brilliant, so attentive to me.

Andreas even helped me change into my evening outfit, ready for clubbing at Suite.

A standing ovation We flew over two friends who are amazing singers: Gavin Sheppard is by day an estate agent and by night a singer. Our female singer, 23 year-old Rhio Jones, was totally outstanding, and she blew everyone away with her vocals.

I walked down the aisle to Rhio singing Celine Dion’s song ‘It’s All Coming Back to Me Now’ – very apt considering

our circumstances. The public on the beach all stopped to watch and clap, which was lovely. After the beach ceremony, Rhio and Gavin performed a duet of a song by Labyrinth, ‘Beneath Your Beautiful’.

Something different I brought along a film clapperboard and wrote on it as a joke “Scene 1 Take 2”, meaning it’s our second time getting married. You know what they say - second time lucky!

ADDRESS BOOK Wedding Planner - Sunshine Weddings sunshineweddings.com Florist – Karen @ deseosflorist.com Hair – Alex Harrocks Entertainment - Gavin Sheppard and Rhio Jones Venue - La Milla - lamillamarbella.com Photographer – Gary Tapp @ weddingphotographermarbellaspain.com CONFETI 69

Real Weddings

Anything but

ORDINARY Steph and John found the perfect place to celebrate their love story. Sweet moments and meaningful touches personalised this Jewish destination wedding.

A sun-kissed celebration I always knew I wanted to get married in Spain as it’s where I grew up and where my parents still live, so I think of it as home. Also, there is guaranteed sunshine, which there definitely isn’t in Manchester.

We looked at a few venues, but we wanted something a bit different, and the Kempinski had the anticipated mixture of traditional Spanish design elements with a fresh, contemporary feel. The venue was perfect - it sits next to the beach and is self-contained, so ideal for older guests and those with young children. This also resulted in a stress-free experience while guiding everyone from the hotel to the chuppah and on to the reception and dinner, all the while surrounded by the crashing waves on one side and the stunning pools and gardens of the hotel on the other.

It was very important to me that we should have a planner who was experienced in Jewish weddings, as there are so many details.

With Scott and his team at Sunshine Weddings Spain I always felt in very capable hands and, on the day, everything flowed perfectly.

Say “Yes!” to the dress My dress was from Pronovias, I found it at their shop in Málaga and flew over for my fittings. I always knew I wanted something fitted and slinky and tried on several with different finishes, but finally fell in love with the lace and illusion detailing on this one. I kept it simple with jewellery and borrowed a pair of pear drop style earrings from my mum. Of course, I just had to have a pair of Jimmy Choos. They were white

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with a pointed toe and featured shimmering crystals all over them my Cinderella shoes.

My hair and make-up were done by the incredibly talented Liza Mayne. I wanted a glamorous look, big lashes and red lips - a little bit old Hollywood.

My hair was back in a low Spanish style bun for the ceremony which I unpinned later so I could wear it down and flowing for the party.

I had four gorgeous bridesmaids: my sister, two sisters-in-law and my best friend. Subtle and elegant, they wore long silver-grey dresses which could be tied differently for some variation and really complemented my dress and the colour scheme for the wedding.

My husband wore a simple, traditional, tailored black tux and looked great walking into the ceremony with his sunglasses, tallit and hair back in a pony tail. He had added a few special touches to the shirt, such as having our initials and the date of the wedding embroidered on the sleeves, which was a lovely thought.

Floral delights The flowers were a very important part of the day for me. The bouquets were made up of oriental lilies, roses and peonies with grey senecia leaves. For the centrepieces we had a combination of different heights to give a bit of variety. We had glass cylinder vases filled with water, suspended roses and submerged lighting with cascading flowers all in white consisting of white lilies, roses and lisianthus.

I also had gold and silver Star of David confetti scattered on the tables. Our ideas were brought to life by Karen at Deseos, who was superb.

A perfect twist The Rabbi was very relaxed and friendly, keeping the tone lighthearted and fun, which was important to us. It seems like such a blur now, but one very special moment was when my husband walked up the aisle to meet me and lifted my veil down, performing Bedeken.

We decided to incorporate this into the ceremony rather than having it before, so that all the guests could be a part of it. We chose a beautiful Ketubah which we’ve now framed and hung in our lounge.

We had white Kippahs for the men, white fans for the women (practical in the heat!) all printed with our names and the date of the wedding.

For the children we had little white teddy bears and child-size kippahs.

Everyone was given a keepsake to remember our special day.

Music is the answer The fabulous violinist, Quike Navarro, played Israeli music during the ceremony and he also performed the music for the traditional Jewish dancing later and really got everyone going - blue hair, lit up bowtie and all. We had traditional Spanish guitar for the cocktail hour, while people enjoyed the canapes and drinks and then the most amazing band for the party, led by Mike and Simone. They started with Motown and soul music and went right through to Beyonce and Mark Ronson for the final set - I was up dancing all night. At midnight, just after the cutting of the cake, we arranged for a fire juggling performance which was an exciting, visual treat for us and the guests.

All snapped up As soon as I saw Jeremy Standley’s work and the way he captures Jewish weddings I knew I had to have him! He did the most outstanding job of capturing it all so perfectly. Looking through the photos is like reliving the whole day.

Precious memories There were so many special moments from the day, but I suppose the stand-out ones would be walking down the aisle to my waiting groom in that spectacular setting, with all my family and friends and, of course, our beautiful son, Joey.

The speeches were brilliant - my father, the best man and groom. They were funny, heartfelt and, even more importantly, not too long. During my husband’s speech our son Joey came running over to him and he picked him up and involved him by letting him speak into the microphone - a gorgeous moment. At the end of his speech he surprised everyone, including me, by presenting me with a framed collection of photographs of us, mapping our relationship, and, mounted in the centre, were the actual train tickets from the first time he came down to meet me in London.

ADDRESS BOOK Wedding planner: sunshineweddings.com Dress: Pronovias Shoes: Jimmy Choo Flowers: deseosflorist.com Videographer: nanideperez.com Music Quike: houseviolin.com Nicolas (spanish guitar) Mike and Simone: 2trueentertainment.com Venue: kempinski.com Photographer: jeremystandley.com

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Real Weddings

As if by

Magic Monika and Airidas teamed rustic charm with enchanting sparkle for a style that’s out of this world.

The ultimate garden party We did not want a beach or hotel wedding as we were looking for something unique and different and from the moment we saw pictures of Hacienda San Jose in Mijas we knew – this was it. On the one hand it looks very old-fashioned but on the other it has been modernized, with state-of-the-art equipment and everything you need for an amazing time. The three-day stay package allows you to live in your own private all-aboutthe-wedding world.

Choosing Sunshine Weddings Spain as our 72 CONFETI

planner was definitely the best decision we made. We met Scott in person during the food tasting and his easygoing, tranquil attitude calmed us down and made us feel that we could relax and everything would be fine.

Standout style Looking for a wedding dress was a nightmare, really! I love fashion and getting the right dress was really important to me. I wanted it to be feminine, delicate, a little bit fairytale, but I just hate (strong word, but that’s how I feel) these typical fluffy dresses that you can find in every fashion house. I

checked thousands of dresses on the internet, and VAMP fashion house from Lithuania, Vilnius caught my eye. What I loved about them was that they pay attention not only to the silhouette, but also the quality of the materials that they use.

The designer was kind enough to give me advice regarding shoes, hair and make-up style.

Since the dress was long, I chose classic nude high heels, that, surprisingly, were very comfortable.

Airidas had only one request – he wanted to feel festive, but comfortable at the same time.

Since the wedding was outside

in the sun, he gave up the idea of a traditional black suit and vest and opted for a classic dark blue suit. As a result he looked youthful and classy at the same time.

I was so lucky to meet make-up artist Nicola McGeorge and hairstylist Alex Harrocks, as they helped me to complete my bridal look and feel fabulous. However, it is not only the make-up and hair that made me feel like that, but the atmosphere they created.

I had my hair up, so that my neckline and shoulders were visible. I loved Alex and

her artistic aura; she is an extraordinary woman. For the bridal make-up I wanted fresh glowing skin with the focus on my eyes.Nicola is an amazing artist, who creates magic! I have never felt so beautiful in my life. Her professionalism and attention to detail is amazing.

In full bloom In the beginning, we did not have any particular theme, as we did not want anything to influence our decisions. The only thing we wanted was that the wedding atmosphere should be relaxed, peaceful, and that everyone should feel comfortable and enjoy the moment but, eventually, it turned out to be a classic/rustic style wedding.

For the flowers we chose two colours, white with greenery and this combination looked fabulous. For the table centrepieces we chose tall vases with white hydrangeas and eucalyptus and smaller vases with white roses. White roses were also chosen for the cocktail hour decorations. My bridal bouquet was filled with white roses and peonies.

Since Hacienda is so beautiful we did not need a lot of décor so the most important thing was to take care of the lighting. We hung seven-strand fairy lights in the courtyard and a chandelier was placed up above the cigar and whiskey bar (the groom’s only request!)

The big day When my father saw me for the first time he couldn’t stop crying. It was so real and beautiful. Since I am

a little bit of a drama queen myself, I love moments like this. We held the ceremony in Mijas Pueblo Church, which is beautiful. For the entrance we chose Kings of Leon’s ‘Someone Like You’ acoustic version on guitar, which was very special, as not all churches would allow this. I was surprised that we were so calm during the ceremony. It was full of laughter and smiles.

Entertain me For the music we choose The Rivermen. They offer an amazing all-day-package, so you do not need to worry about hiring a DJ or any extra entertainment.

They were with us from the beginning until the end.

During the ceremony they were playing in the church and then they played a selection of acoustic songs during the cocktail hour and really rocked out for us in the evening, playing songs for every generation.

A piece of cake The cake was really important to us, because Airidas has a real sweet tooth. We had a clear vision of what we wanted and Marbella Cake Design made it come true. The cake looked beautiful and tasted like heaven - we chose red velvet cake with cream cheese filling.

A picture of us Our photographer was Albert Pamiesm; his speciality is emotional photography, and that’s what we were looking for.

We wanted the photographer to catch real moments – laugher, smiles, tears. In three words – WE LOVED HIM. All day we felt so comfortable with Albert, we completely forgot that we

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Real Weddings

were being photographed. His work is simply amazing.

We received all of our wedding photos one month after the big day, which was a surprise, because I know many stories where couples have had to wait for months.

Honestly, we loved every picture.

Albert is a real professional and so attentive, I could not be more happy that we found him.

My Top Three moments Getting ready – it was so amazing getting ready with my girls, chatting, drinking champagne. So girly and I think it helped to remove all the stress.

The church ceremony – everyone told us that they had not seen as relaxed a bride and groom as we were, smiling all the time. I guess that we really are two halves of the same apple that has finally became whole.

The first dance – we chose Florence and The Machine’s version of ‘You Got the Love’ when it was only us dancing.

We then mixed it with Justin Timberlake’s ‘Can’t Stop the Feeling’ when we invited all the guests to join us on the dance floor and celebrate our love.

It was a memorable moment, where everyone we love was dancing and celebrating with us.

ADDRESS BOOK Wedding Planner – Sunshine Weddings sunshineweddings.com Dress – VAMP Fashion House Make-up – Nicola McGeorge Hair – Alex Harrocks Flowers - Bunches Floresteria Church - Iglesia de la Inmaculada Concepción (Mijas) Venue – Hacienda San Jose @ sunshineweddings.com Music – The Rivermen therivermen.net Cake – Marbella Cake Design Photographer – Albert Pamies Photography albertpamies.com 74 CONFETI

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Real Weddings

From

“Yes”

to

“I Do”

Zoe and Billy enjoyed a shabby chic affair in the Spanish countryside.

Put a ring on it We were saving up for our house and were lucky enough to be taken on a trip to Australia by Billy’s parents. Little did I know that, on our first day in Australia after an amazing day spent on Philip Island watching the hundreds of adorable penguins swarm out of the sea and into their nesting areas, I would be engaged. With penguins being my favourite animal it was just perfect.

We knew we wanted an overseas wedding. After ruling out Greece, as my brother married in Santorini and not wanting to have to travel too far, Spain seemed a great option. We also planned to spend our honeymoon in the same country in which we would marry and, as Spain has so many beautiful places to visit, we knew we would be spoilt for choice for our honeymoon.

As soon as I came across Rachel Rose Weddings’ website and saw the venues available I was truly amazed and could have chosen any of them, as they are all so beautiful. However, I

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spotted that one of the venues El Cortijo De Los Caballos, could accommodate us, plus 28 of our family and friends for the entire week. By doing this we would not just be solving the problem of the wedding day celebrations but would be able to celebrate the entire week with our loved ones in paradise.

Super pretty details I wanted my dress to be simple and classic. I’m not one for bling and I don’t really suit lace.

After finding the perfect dress and veil two years in advance, I was shocked to find out that, six months before the wedding, the bridal shop had gone bust.

As stressed as I was at the time, thankfully it all worked out and my dress was delivered to another local stockist a month later and my fittings were carried out.

My shoes were the only bling I went for on the day, although a few of the jewels came off as I decided to wear them in on my hen do – oops! The bridesmaids’ gowns were again very simple. pale mint with a high neck and a fishtail skirt. We wanted the

groomsmen to look smart casual, which also helped with the heat, so they wore light grey trousers and white crisp shirts with rolled up sleeves. Billy wore a waistcoat to stand out.

I am very fussy about my hair and love a messy up do. I knew that the only person I could trust to do my hair in my style was Hayley, my maid of honour who has been my best friend since I was a child.

She isn’t a trained hairdresser, she just has a natural talent. We had a couple of trials and she did an amazing job. She was super stressed on the day, worrying that she would let me down, but it was flawless. The bridesmaids wore gypsophila crowns and only the week before, Hayley and I decided it would be nice to add gyp around my bun which I absolutely loved on the day and it complimented the bridesmaids’ look.

I wanted my make-up to look natural but still retain my style.

I am quite particular

about my eyes and eyebrows and my main concern was that it needed to stay on all day and that I wouldn’t sweat it off in the heat. Make-up artist Nicola McGeorge did an amazing job in ‘bullet proofing’ my make-up with her skin preparation, specialist make-up products and industrial strength setting spray. She thought of absolutely everything, it was amazing.

Forever blooms My theme was shabby chic-esque. Lots of gypsophila was used on the day, jars on the tables, on the end of ceremony aisles and boxes of it were dotted

around the venue, not forgetting the bridesmaids’ crowns and amazingly massive bridesmaids’ bouquets, tied with brown twine. My bouquet was a combination of eucalyptus, brunia berries, avalanche roses, white lisianthus and white garden roses perfection.

The ceremony took place under a tree named “The Chapel” in the grounds of the Cortijo.

We said our vows and exchanged our rings while a Spanish guitarist played softly in the background.

I walked down the aisle to ‘Sky Full of Stars’ by Coldplay and we walked back up the aisle as a married couple to ‘Hold On, We’re Going Home’ by Drake.

Food, glorious food Our caterers were Sana Catering and, after visiting Spain the year before and tasting the menu options, we knew the food on the day was going to be superb. For the starter we had Cajun Grilled Chicken with Crispy Corn Cake, Watercress Salad and Yoghurt Dressing followed by Argentinian Beef Fillet or Sea Bream Dessert consisted of Chocolate Proftieroles.

Our wedding cake was a naked cake draped in gypsophila and is, to date, the best Victoria sponge I have ever tasted.

Our favours were miniature Kraken rums for the lads and flipflops for the ladies while kids were provided with a goody bag of sweeties, colouring books and crayons.

Address Book Photographer: Anna Gazda @ Limelight Dress: Hayley Paige Keeping it natural We chose Anna at Limelight for our photography. After looking at Anna’s work we loved that all her shots were natural and of people living in the moment. This is exactly what we wanted from our photographs and this is exactly what we got.

Make-up: Nicola McGeorge

Top Four magic moments Meeting at the end of the aisle, the speeches, our first dance and the fabulous midnight pool party!

Music: Luis Fonseca & DJ Tristan Harper

Hair: Hayley Shepherd Flowers: Flor Valentin Minister: Ian Robert Jiles Catering: Sana Catering sanacateringmarbella.com Cake: Jasmin

Venue: El Cortijo De Los Caballos elcortijodeloscaballos.com CONFETI 77

TOP 10

Wedding Photography Tips

W

hat’s the best shot to get on your wedding day? You wont know what the best shot was until after you receive your wedding photos – it’s probably going to be the one that was taken whilst you were completely unaware that you were being photographed. Relax and forget that your photographer is there, sometimes those unguarded, unplanned moments, and moments ‘in-between’ poses make the best photographs.

Have a pre-wedding shoot with your photographer – it’s the perfect opportunity to meet with them and to really get to know them and vice versa. See it as a practice shoot before your big day arrives, plus it’s a great way to get rid of those camera shy nerves and get used to the way your photographer works. It’s also a great chance to get some beautiful casual photographs of you both that you could even including in your Save-the-date cards, or incorporate at your wedding day via a slide-show/ display or guestbook ideas etc...

Have them somewhere different from your wedding venue, so you get a nice contrast and some variation.

If you are not having a prewedding shoot prior to your wedding I would recommend that you arrange a meeting with your photographer/s face-to-face or via Skype, it’s important to get to know one another a little before the big day itself. I’d recommend you follow their Facebook and Instagram pages, so you get kept up-to date with what they are doing - and it gives you more of a

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feel for the person/people behind the business itself.

Make time to get the perfect couple shot

Put aside some time between the end of your ceremony and your wedding breakfast to create some couple portraits of just the two of you – this is a perfect opportunity to have some ‘alone time’ and enjoy being newly-weds.

You may even want to sneak off for 15 minutes in the evening to catch some dramatic pink sunset portraits. If your photographers are anything like us they will be itching to grab more photos of you both at this time.

Consider the background

Getting married in Spain you have a high chance of great weather so most of your professional photographs will take place outdoor, BUT if you perhaps don’t have much of a back-drop at your venue and this is something you are worried about maybe you could scope out what is close by. If you are not far from the beach why not head down in a group for some photos, or if you are in the Andulcucian mountains, these will make quite a spectacular backdrop. Even white-washed buildings and narrow streets will look amazing.

A great photographer will know just how to make the most out of what is around you, and if they are like us they will have already been sussing out the area and have some locations in mind.

Hire a professional with a good reputation, because although the weather in Spain is fantastic, it can be very tricky

to photograph in harsh sunlight. If you have someone inexperienced photographing your wedding you may end up with photographs that are completely blown out with no detail left in them, which means they will be ruined. Don’t make that mistake, and make sure you have seen photos that they have captured in bright weather conditions.

Schedule your group photos

Make a list of who you want in your formal photographs, and give the list to someone who can organise getting everyone together for you (maybe one of your friends or an Usher). Allow up-to 2-3 minutes per group photo - which includes getting them organized. I would recommend having 7 formal group photos scheduled (maximum) – any more and it will start to feel a bit monotonous for you and them. I always tell our couples that if there are any additional photos that they may want with other guests, family members and friends that we can capture these later in the day after the wedding breakfast. We are there for you so you can ask us to photograph anything at any point.

Bridal prep- great light and less clutter

Your wedding day story starts in the morning with you getting ready. As natural documentary photographers we like to capture genuine moments as they happen naturally, without the need to stage anything. So we would recommend that you try to declutter the rooms before your photographers arrive - and ladies maybe position yourselves facing the window before your hair and make-up preparations take place - natural window light is beautiful – and there’s lots of thoughts and emotions happening around this time that will be nice to capture.

Speeches

There are two of us when at a wedding – one of us will be focusing on the reaction of your guests, the other right at the front focusing on the newly weds. If you are unsure about planning the layout speak with your photographer about where they will need to be – make sure that you will get the best out of your wedding-speech photographs.

Lighting

I cannot stress the importance Lighting in photography. In most ceremonies (mainly religious) they wont allow flash photography, so it’s best to see what the light is like prior to the big day and if it is dark is there is anything you can do to add a bit more light? We are natural light photographers anyway so if it’s badly lit can you can let in more natural light by opening all the shutters and/or curtains? Are you able to ‘brighten it up” with twinkly lights, hanging bulbs/lanterns, candles/tea-lights etc…?

Most reception venues in Spain are well equipped and provide a beautiful evening ambiance with special evening lights, so it maybe worth finding this out, especially if your 1st dance will be outside. Light enhances can really make all the difference to the quality of your photographs, and add ambiance and mood too.

By Jess Petrie from Jess Petrie Photography info@jesspetrie.com jesspetrie.com

CONFETI 79

A BIG FROM

80 CONFETI

A

fabulous time was had by all at this event, hosted by Tucco Weddings & Unique Affairs. This was a special occasion to thank all the suppliers for their support and dedication this 2017. Also it was a wonderful chance to celebrate the end of a year in which the Costa del Sol has hosted a record number of destination weddings.

Confeti thoroughly enjoyed this get-together with industry professionals and predicts that 2018 will be even better. Bring it on!

Styling and flowers: Pedro Navarro Event Styling Photographer: Jean Calomfirescu Production: Soul Events Rolling Ice Cream: Charly Cook Ice Cream Edible Straws: Sorbos www.tucco.es | info@tucco.es | +34 680 164 747

CONFETI 81

DIY TIP OF THE SEASON

Mirror Mirror

on the wall Confeti loves nothing more than a simple wedding DIY project.

This season we’re taking a look at Glass & Mirror Table Plans, Signs and Menus for your wedding day. These have been around for a while, but are starting to have a resurgence in popularity - a trend we are becoming slightly obsessed with! No wonder, they're elegant, cool and very easy to do. From salvaging old windows

82 CONFETI

or picture frames, to using an antique mirror or decorating your own, writing on glass has taken over from the typical blackboard signs. There are lots of ways to combine this trend on your wedding day, depending on the style of your wedding (rustic, vintage, glamour), your budget of course and the time you have for wedding DIY.

Option One

If your looking to save on budget and time, you can always buy a liquid chalk pen marker and simply write on your mirror or glass. Make sure you take the time to measure up spacing and mark things out before you start to write.

We advice a practice first on something the same size, so that you get a symmetrical and professional looking finish.

Option Two

Got a lovely mirror but want to be able to use it afterwards? Why not have your table plan printed off on individual

Step one First of all, its important that your mirror or glass is clean and free from dust and marks so that your decal will stick on with no problems. So get out the glass cleaner and cloth!

Step Two Applying the decal.

If you have more then one line of text, cut out each section of text accordingly and then measure up first where you would like it to be placed.

cards and then simply stick with a little blue tack onto your mirror, easy! Confeti loves this idea, as rather than print off one whole table plan, printing individual cards for each table makes it easier if you have any last minute changes or RSVP’s!

Option Three

Our personal favourite and most chic looking way to create a mirror or glass sign, is by adding a decal. Confetti loves giving that special touch by adding artificial flowers around the frame, (another trend we love!)

See our DIY how to next.

ed What you will ne ck You can often pi your wedding. of yle st e th it n.

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tificial flowers A selection of ar dding flowers. your chosen we

4

Slowly peel off the clear tape at a 180 degree angle, and Voila! You now have your decal transferred onto your mirror!

Turn the decal over and place on a flat surface. With a credit card or something similar, scrape across the back of the decal a few times applying even pressure. Next, start to peel the back off very carefully, peeling back at 180 degrees tends to lead to less lifting.

Step Three

Now your decal should appear on a clear tape side and with the text reading the correct way. Finally, line up your decal and make sure its in the correct place before it touches the mirror as its hard to re adjust once stuck. Stick it down and smooth over it with your hand or the credit card to get rid of any air bubbles.

Now for the finishing touches! Cut the stems off your artificial flowers so you have a flatter surface at the base of the flower, place the flowers where you think they could work best, perhaps around the top of the frame or bunched in the corners. Turn on your glue gun, and one by one glue on each flower. Take care when doing this as the silicone glue is extremely

ur as

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that are the sam

hot and not something you want to get on your fingers!

There you are! You should have your amazing, mirrored wedding sign that is sure to get several compliments on your big day, you can thank us later!

CONFETI 83

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If you’re struggling to balance planning your wedding while working nine to five, don’t panic!

Confeti has some fantastic online tools to use all while you sit at your desk! Shhh - don’t tell the boss or at least wait until your lunch break to tackle the wedmin!

Get Organised

The best way to guarantee a stress-free wedding day, is organisation and pre-planning.

Confeti recommends signing up to evernote.com. This tool will help you to make a comprehensive ‘to-do’ list, jot down reminders, save links and even save wedding images. Since you can access it wherever you go, you can see all your ideas while at work, on the train and even share it with your suppliers. Evernote is a great way

ANOTHER GREAT WAY TO RESEARCH AND GATHER INSPIRATION IS PINTEREST.

84 CONFETI

EVERNOTE IS A GREAT WAY TO HAVE ALL YOUR IDEAS IN ONE PLACE AND KEEP ON TOP OF EVERYTHING. to have all your ideas in one place and keep on top of everything.

Of course, another great way to research and gather inspiration is Pinterest. Browse and pin ideas during your lunch break to have all your ideas ready to go.

Create your Wedding Playlist

Playlists are often thrown together at the last minute, but are very much a necessity for most weddings. If you’re hiring a band, DJ or quartet you will be asked to provide a playlist of songs, not to mention a playlist for the wedding

CONFETI LOVES TABLERRR.COM, AN ONLINE SEATING TOOL WHICH ALLOWS YOU TO CREATE, EDIT AND PRINT YOUR SEATING PLAN. breakfast – and maybe for your preparation period just before the ceremony too. A great way to do this while sitting at your computer is to use Spotify or iTunes, making sure you have all your favourite tunes prepared for the big day.

Savvy Seating

The table plan can be complex: family rifts, language barriers, ex-husbands and children are all factors that can come into play. Confeti loves tablerrr.com, an online seating tool which

SAVE-THE-DATES, ON THE OTHER HAND, CAN EASILY BE SENT VIA EMAIL. IT’S COST EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE, SO WE LOVE THE IDEA! allows you to create, edit and print your seating plan. With a choice of different shaped tables and a feature that automatically generates seating arrangements based on guest relationships, your table plan has never been easier!

The only snag is that it’s free only for a maximum of 30 guests, but still great if you’re planning an intimate wedding. Brides on a budget; we suggest creating the layout of your tables and sizes, printing it and then writing on it yourself with guests names once you have all your confirmed RSVPs.

Send Save the Dates

Technology is the way forward.

These days everyone is constantly checking their smartphones, so contacting guests online is a much faster way of getting a response. Here at Confeti we love

the tradition of sending invites out by post but save-the-dates, on the other hand, can easily be sent via email. It’s cost efficient and effective, so we love the idea! This most definitely does not mean emailing your contact list with a generic email, since we have discovered the genius website paperlesspost.com. Choose from a wide selection of chic designs by the likes of Vera Wang, Oscar de la Renta, Kate Spade and many more and personalise with your own photo. Create a beautiful save-the-date and send it out to all your contacts while sitting at your desk. Job done!

WHY NOT CREATE A WEDDING WEBSITE COMPLETE WITH ITS OWN APP AT APPYCOUPLE.COM?

Happy Apps!

Got a spare half hour during lunch? Why not create a wedding website complete with its own app at appycouple.com? It’s simple, quick and stylish and allows you to organise the whole thing by tracking RSVPs, sharing travel arrangements with guests, photo sharing and posting a wedding day countdown. This is ideal for all those brides who love mobile phone apps and staying on top of the wedmin.

CONFETI 85

Invitation Etiquette

This is completely up to you as a couple, but as Extr clude : extra information or cards you may want to to in consider including with your invitation pack are the following: 1. Dress code : Black Tie/ Formal/ Semi Formal/ Cocktail Attire/ Relaxed, Beach Attire.

2. Address of the church and Venue (why not consider adding a map if you have chosen a location that is particularly tricky to find?)

3. Information on accommodation. Do you have a deal with a hotel for your guests? Or perhaps you want to recommend some places to stay nearby?

Tackling those all-important wedding invites is a tricky task. With so many options and different aspects of your day to consider (not to mention the etiquette and punctuation when it comes to wording them) it can be a little overwhelming for even the most organised of couples. Fear not, Confeti has compiled a step-by-step guide to make sure that you have everything signed, sealed and delivered for your special day!

Step one . Theme

Your invitations should coincide with the style and theme chosen for your day. Whether rustic, elegant or glamorous, this is the first simple step. Remember the invitation or Save the Date (if you are deciding to send those out) is the first insight into your wedding style. Your guests will begin to get a feeling for your big day, so colours, styles and themes are very important. Make sure you have done plenty of research beforehand: do you want to hire a supplier to create all your stationery to maintain a running theme? Or are you creative enough to craft them yourself? What fits in with your budget? How long will they take to print and make? These are all important aspects to consider fairly early on the planning process.

Step two . Times Frames

One question most couples ask is when do we send our invitations out? Well, it depends on the time frame you have for planning your wedding. Confeti recommends giving people as much notice as possible by sending out a Save the Date, especially if you are choosing a destination wedding (such as Spain), giving guests plenty of time to look at flights, accommodation and request time off work. Your Save the Date should go out around 10-12 months 86 CONFETI

prior to your day, with invitations ideally around four to six months in advance, making sure your guests can RSVP in advance. RSVPs are of huge importance, since late replies can have a knock-on effect when it comes to printing place cards and table plans, for example. No-one wants that added stress! To make things even easier, consider creating a wedding email, where people can respond quickly and efficiently while saving money on postage. If you want to do this the traditional way, then you should include a stamped addressed envelope along with your invites. Speaking of post, this is one aspect often forgotten. Don’t forget to include not only the cost of invitations, but the cost of posting them all in your budget!

Step three . Order and Rules

The order of text on an invitation can vary depending on whether you plan to have a formal or informal structure and depending on who is hosting etc. Generally, the layout would be like this: The Host This line denotes who is hosting (often meaning who is paying for!) the bulk of the wedding. Traditionally this is the bride’s parents. However, more couples these days are choosing to host their own weddings, or the bride and groom’s parents are choosing to share the cost equally.

Request Lines The request line usually indicates the type of venue where the wedding would be held. Again, this depends on whether you’re having a religious or non-religious ceremony. You can see some examples of request lines below.

Bride & Groom The bride always precedes the groom. It is your choice, but typically full names are used.

Date & Time The day of the week typical precedes the date. With a formal invite, everything is written out in full, even the numbers and the time of day would also be spelled out using ‘o’clock’. Remember that 12-4pm is considered the afternoon and 5pm onwards is noted as evening.

Again, this is entirely up to the bride and groom. A lot of couples are choosing a less formal format and using numbers.

Location The next step is to write where your wedding will take place. You don’t need to write the full address on this page. Most people include the area, for example ‘Iglesia de la Encarnacion, Marbella’. If your reception will then be held at the same venue, it is common to include ‘reception to follow’. If your reception is to take place elsewhere the name will normally be included on the second line.

4. Transport information, is transport provided from the ceremony to the venue? Will your guests need help organising taxis?

5. Rsvp. Let your guests know how they can do this and, even more importantly, by when! Confeti recommends a cut-off date of two months before the event when returning RSVPs. 6. Are you providing a choice menu on your wedding? Ask your guests to respond with their meal selections along with their RSVP. It’s also important that your guests let you know if they have any food allergies.

7. Finally gifts! Do you have a registered list online? It’s certainly not traditional to ask for money in your invitations, however most couples nowadays prefer a donation for their honeymoon or money towards a house. If this is the case, you can find several tactful rhymes and verses online to help you word this request politely.

The Do’s and Dont’s!

- For formal invitations DO write out all dates and times.

-DON’T abbreviate any words apart from Mr. and Mrs. -DON’T capitalize, unless it is a proper noun. An exception and good option is to capitalize all text.

-DON’T use full stops at the end of each line.

-DO double check all your wording and spelling multiple times before going to print.

-DO order a few extra invitations, just in case!

g eddin urch w nts: h c l a a form bride’s pare 1. For he ) d by t names hoste nts’ full presence re a P ( Mrs your Mr and e honour of ter th daugh t s ir e e of th requ e g ia rr a at the m Walker to Paul h it r m S g tembe Jane of Sep in the evenin th ix s ty k c n e lo ’c tw t six o ay the Saturd sand twenty a u o Two th nly) hurch o C e th f o (Name follow tion to Recep e only) of Venu e m a N (

by sted y ho n o em l cer orma f n i d al an m: casu nd groo A .

3 a e rid the b Jane Smith & Paul Walker Request the pleasure of your company to celebrate their marriage Saturday 26th of September 2018 at 4 o’clock in the afternoon (Venue Name) Cocktails, dinner and dancing immediately following

Step Four . Wording

Here are a few examples of some wording if you’re looking for a little inspiration. formal 2. For a in not held wedding ip h rs o w f a place o by the ted s o h d n a : d groom bride an

Jane Smith & Paul Wa lker REQUES T THE PL EASURE COMPAN OF Y Y AT THE IR MARRIA OUR GE SATURDA Y THE TW ENTY SIX SEPTEMB ITH OF ER AT SIX O’C TWO THOUSAND T LOCK IN THE EVEN WENTY ING (NAME O F VENUE ) RECEPTIO N IMMED IATELY FO LLOWING

4. A casu al and in formal invitation hosted b y the couple a nd their parents: TOGETHE R WITH T HEIR FAMILIES Jane Smith &

Paul Walk er

INVITE YO U TO CEL EB AS THEY JOIN TOG RATE ETHER IN MARRIAG E SATURDA Y 26TH S EPTEMBE 2018 R 17.00 PM (Venue N ame) DINNER, DRINKS A ND DANC TO FOLLO ING W!

CONFETI 87

Killer Music

Who Killed the DJ is an internationally renowned wedding band, one of the most popular outfits for weddings, events, private parties and concerts right here on the Costa del Sol. Consisting of four musicians who combine to make a one of a kind fusion, they are sure to make your special day one to remember!

Confeti caught up with the guys that make up WKTDJ, Quite Navarro (Electric Violin), Aureolio Vargas (Water Drums), Roberto Cantero (Saxophone) and Fuller DJ (International DJ) to get the inside scoop, -For those of our readers who don’t know, explain a little about who you are.

Who Killed the DJ is a wedding house band with a difference, consisting of a DJ, Electric Violinist, Saxophone Player and Drummer. With over 40 years of combined music industry 88 CONFETI

experience joining forces we bring the best qualities of sound, repertoire and energy to any event.

-You are certainly unique and one of a kind! What made you decide to form this eclectic quartet?

It had never been done before with these types of instruments; for example, you don’t generally associate a violin playing house music and, with a sax you would normally think of jazz. I thought that if we could rehearse various songs together this could make a great show. We all thought that people might not get the concept, but you truly need to see it to believe it.

-Tell us a little about your musical backgrounds?

Fuller graduated from Brighton Institute of Modern Music with a Masters degree in Music Technology and Modern Commercial Music. He then

took his musical knowledge and invested it into perfecting the art of DJing.

Quike started to play violin at the age of 10. He has made it his passion and now has over 12 years of experience in playing the electric violin. Having performed at over 500 weddings, Quike knows how important it is to make an impact on a wedding day.

Robert was introduced to the saxophone at the age of just 12.

Having studied the fine art of professional sax playing for over 20 years, he reckons he is still learning every day. He lives for his sax and knows his instrument inside out.

Aurelio started to play the drums when he was just a teenager and soon realised that he wanted to make his passion his profession, so started the journey of perfecting the art of drumming.

Photo by Carlos Fernández Photography

Photo by Carlos Fernández Photography

-How would describe ‘Who killed the DJ’s signature sound and style?’

Unique!

-What makes you stand out from other wedding entertainment here on the Costa del Sol? We bring so much to a party and you won’t see four other musicians as passionate as we are about what we do. We are like four brothers and this is why we work so well on stage together.

-This year, the south of Spain has seen one of busiest years for destination weddings. How has this year’s wedding season been for Who Killed the DJ? This year has been one of the best for WKTDJ, as we visited a few different countries over the summer. We hope that next year will be just as good if not even better.

-Do you have a favourite track or a particular song that always goes down well at weddings and events?

‘Feel So Close’ is one of our

favourite songs to get the party started.

-What advice would you give to couples unsure about what entertainment to book for their wedding day?

Try and see your entertainment performing beforehand. Failing that just book us and we will be sure to get the dance floor jumping!

-What has been your most memorable event or wedding to date?

It must surely be entertaining 11,000 people at the Summer Opening Party for Starlite Marbella.

-How do you all like to relax and unwind when you’re not gigging?

Generally, in the winter months we meet up in the studio or catch up over some dinner together.

-What’s the next step for Who Killed the DJ? We hope to build WKTDJ into a well-known, unique house band and play on many more different continents.

+34674882402 whokilledthedj.co.uk shout@fullerdj.com

CONFETI 89

Padre Padre Peter, Peter, cleric cleric for for wedding wedding ceremonies ceremonies and and regular regular contributor contributor to to CONFETI CONFETI Magazine Magazine

When the Baby Appears

“L

orsque l'enfant paraît, le cercle de famille applaudit à grands cris…” so carolled Victor Hugo.

(When the baby appears the family circle celebrates joyfully…)

And it is certainly the case that the arrival of an infant is a momentous matter in most families. It is both unique and universal at one and the same time (as they might once have said in the music halls).

Since the dawn of humanity, mothers have been giving birth, but over the course of many millennia various customs and rituals have evolved, some of which appear somewhat bizarre to a rational mind. On the other hand, some are quite sensible. In many countries in South America “La Cuarentena” (Quaratine) exists. For six weeks new mothers abstain from any form of strenuous activity (including sex), whilst other members of the family undertake the normal household chores and look after the other children.

90 CONFETI

Somewhat similarly, a Japanese mother is expected to remain in her parents’ home for three weeks after the birth in order to receive relatives who do her house chores. But then, here comes the bizarre bit! The mother is presented with a kotobuki bako; a small box containing the umbilical cord. This is regarded as a small momento to be cherished throughout life. This cord also features in an interesting manner in Turkey. Here it is believed to influence a child’s future prospects, and so must be treated with some care. If it is buried near a mosque, the child will be devout; an animal lover if buried in a stable; a scholar if it is thrown into a school garden, but throw it into water and anything could happen to the child. A rather nice idea is to be found in Jamaica, where the cord is buried and a tree planted on top. As the child grows he is expected to look after the tree, thereby showing that he can accept responsibility. The cord is also placed in a container

and buried near the home in Bali, as it is regarded as being like the twin sibling of the newborn baby.

The placenta, however, was not always accorded the respect afforded to the umbilical cord.

Amongst the Inuit in the early part of the twentieth century it was wrapped in fresh animal skin and left outside to be devoured by animals, whilst in America the Zuni Indians threw it into the river to be washed downstream. In ancient Malaysia and Indonesia it was treated with greater reverence. It was washed, placed in a pot with spices, and kept near the mother for forty days before receiving burial.

Relatives and friends naturally play an important part in childbirth.

Indeed, in some cultures they play the part of midwives. In Omugwo (Nigeria) it is the grandmother who gives the baby his or her first bath. If she is not available, another relative steps in, to show the mother that she is not alone,

and that help is readily forthcoming. This may also be true during the course of actual childbirth. In Bihar (India) if the labour is protracted, the mother is expected to drink a glass of water into which her mother-inlaw has first dipped her toe. This particular relative in Korea actually acts as the midwife. Amongst the Inuit this rĂ´le is played by local women who whisper to the mother throughout the labour. This is

intended to have a calming and soothing effect, and is a practice also to be found in Togo (West Africa), where any sort of noise is regarded as attracting evil spirits, and should therefore be kept to a minimum. In ancient Greece it was knots which attracted such spirits, and the birthing chamber had to be searched most carefully to ensure that no such maleficent objects were present. Keeping evil spirits at bay has long been an essential part in many birthing rituals. Thai women spend an odd number of days lying next

to a fire, which is intended to heal the uterus and scare away demons. Cambodian women light a small fire beneath their beds for three days. Malaysian women undergo forty-four days of sitting by a fire, applying hot stones and oils to their bodies, and binding their abdomens. No doubt this practice, quite apart from discouraging evil spirits, also helps them to regain their figures!

The newborn babies themselves do not always have a easy time of it. At a temple in India dedicated to the Lord Saneeswara, babies have been dropped off the roof for hundreds of years. They fall into sheets fifty feet below to the accompaniment of singing and dancing. About two hundred babies receive this treatment each year. Many cultures believe that the loud cry of a baby means that it will live a long and healthy life. In Japan such a cry is best delivered in the arms of a sumo wrestler, when it is also believed that evil spirits which might harm the baby are driven off. This ritual has been carried out for the past 400 years in the Sensoji Temple in Tokyo where about 100 babies are brought annually.

Two Sumo wrestlers face each other, and whilst there is no wrestling, the two have to compete by making the child cry. The child who cries first wins the competition.

If both of them start crying at the same time then the one who cries the loudest and longest wins. Some babies make it really difficult for the giant wrestlers to make them weep. They fall asleep or laugh instead of crying, not caring about the evil spirits! But if we are looking for bizarre rituals we have to look no further than Castrillo de Murcia here in Spain. On each festival of Corpus Christi, “El Colacho� takes place. Babies born within the past year are blessed, then placed on mattresses in the street. Jumpers dressed as devils then leap over them, thus, apparently, cleansing them of Original Sin and ensuring a long and healthy life.

CONFETI 91

Y

Transport Issues? them!

ou can’t beat a destination wedding. Once you or your wedding planner has organised all the details of the ceremony and the reception it’s time to look forward to your big day, plus the leisure time that you probably have planned to spend with your family and friends.

It cannot be denied that the Costa del Sol is a great place for a wedding but, unless your name happens to be Richard Branson or Warren Buffet, you probably can’t afford to fly the entire wedding party over in your private jet. So, with guests arriving in dribs and drabs and maybe never having visited the Coast before, what should you do?

Unless you really fancy making multiple trips to the airport to meet your guests as they arrive

92 CONFETI

on separate planes from different parts of the UK – and the rest of the world, in many cases – you could probably do with a helping hand. Cabify, a presence in 11 countries including Spain, specialises in providing transport as and when it is needed. Not only can the company’s experienced drivers oversee the transportation of your guests from the airport to their accommodation and back again after the wedding celebrations, they can also take care of the bride and groom, if they fancy some much-needed down time before or after the ceremony.

Once you sign up to Cabify via their app you can also track the progress of your guests in real time and contact the driver. You can even share the tracking of your cab or cabs with a third party via a link.

Whether you want something cheap and cheerful to transport Auntie Betty and Uncle Fred to their digs or would like something more elegant for the day itself, Cabify has the solution. The company operates a three-tier system: Cabify Lite provides customers with a Volkswagen Passat, Skoda Superb or similar vehicle, while Cabify Group is just the thing if you’re expecting a large group to arrive at once. The company’s Mercedes Viano minivans will ensure that your guests and their luggage are transported safely. If you prefer a touch of luxury – or need a comfortable wedding day ride to the church – then there is Cabify Executive, which guarantees a car of the calibre of a Mercedes E Class, Audi A6 or even a cutting edge Tesla!.

Cabify’s wedding package offers a service which includes a smartly dressed chauffeur and is as flexible as you need it to be.

If clients prefer they can reserve

cars 12 hours in advance or make a booking as and when the need arises.

Obviously, everyone wants their big day to unfold without hitches and, with the assistance of Málaga’s Cabify team, you can be sure that the timing of your wedding festivities will be flawless.

Cabify.com/es

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Supplying beers, wines and spirits

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CONFETI 95

DIRECTORY

CONFETI’S ESSENTIAL GUIDE FOR THE FUTURE BRIDE

MUSE BY BERTA 96 CONFETI

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CONFETI 97

Spanish Wedding Favours When choosing to have your wedding day abroad, there are several brilliant ways to include themed wedding favours. Spain is rich in culture and traditions, so why not incorporate some Spanish hints into your big day? Your guests will be sure to appreciate favours that are fun and practical, as well as serving as a small memento. Here are Confeti’s favourite favours that we love, love, love for a wedding on the Costa del Sol!

1. Fans

What better way to keep your guests cool in the hot summer sun than with some fans? You can co-ordinate the colour of your fans to suit the theme of your day and your guests are bound to appreciate this wedding favour while standing in the heat! Some couples go a step further and choose to have fans personalised with their names and wedding date.

2. Flip-Flops

Flip-flop wedding favours are commonly seen at weddings and are ideal for ladies who can’t bear the pain of their stilettos but still want to dance the night away. However in Spain, especially if you are getting married at a venue close to the beach, flip-flops are great not only for ladies, but for gents as well.

These practical sandals are Ideal for a quick stroll on the beach and comfortable too. Why not create a hamper basket full of them for your guests?

3. Churros

A traditional sweet Spanish snack, churros are tasty enough to make anyone’s mouth water! Doughnut and sweet stations are all the rage so, when in Spain, Confeti suggests a churros station for your guest to dip these doughy delights in chocolate as much as they please. This is a great favour for peckish or sweet-toothed guests.

4. Sunglasses

No-one wants to be blinded by the sun or have to squint when walking down the aisle.

Keep those rays out of your guests’ eyes by providing a basket of sunglasses. They don’t have to be expensive, since you can pick them up pretty cheaply. On top of being practical, they can make anyone’s outfit look automatically cool. It’s a thumbs up from us!

5. Olive Oil

More olive oil is produced in Spain than in any other country in the world and it is famous for its brilliant quality. If your guests are flying in to celebrate, then a small bottle of olive oil is an ideal favour and a great souvenir to take home to keep the memory of your day lasting that little bit longer.

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