5 Top Tips for finding your perfect beach wedding venue in Spain
Destination weddings on the beach are no longer a distant dream.
Welcome to my series of blogs that I hope will help you to plan your Spanish beach wedding with ease. There is something really romantic and bohemian about having your wedding on the beach. The smell of the sea air, the calming sound of the waves, the warmth of the sun on your skin, and just the overall simplicity and sense of freedom you get from an outdoor wedding. Nowadays, it´s easy to complete the legal part of your wedding locally and then enjoy the freedom of a non-religious, non-traditional Celebrant led wedding in the location and venue of your dreams. So what do you need to consider when looking for a venue in Spain?
TOP TIP 1: How do I start looking for a venue?
Often or not, most people search the internet for their dream beach-side wedding venue and although you will easily find established wedding venues, which are wonderful, maybe you want to be more adventurous and find something a bit more intimate or quirky. There are so many amazing venues that are absolute (hidden) gems, and don´t have a Facebook page, let alone a website. This is where extensive local knowledge is invaluable.
I’m a massive beach-side wedding lover and here in the Costa Calida there is a huge variety of superb beach side venues ranging from simple beach bars, for smaller more intimate affairs, to sophisticated chiringuitos, restaurants and stunning hotels for a more elaborate occasion.
TOP TIP 2: What are the legalities of a Beach Wedding?
Throughout Spain there are laws that regulate weddings on the beach. I recently had a chat with the owner (Ana) of Area Sunset in La Manga who explained that she applies for the licence as part of her service. This licence allocates them maybe a 5-hour window to prepare and hold the wedding ceremony on the beach followed by a reception in a large air-conditioned room or outside on the terrace. So when you are booking your venue, bear this in mind, better still hire a wedding planner to do it all for you.
TOP TIP 3: Is the venue accessible and has it got good amenities?
What about yours and your guests´ comfort? For example, is the venue easily accessible? Is the ground surface safe for either your elderly relations or young toddlers to walk on? Is there disabled access? Are the loos at ground level and not too far from the reception area? Is there room to dance? Is there parking? These are all things you need to consider.
TOP TIP 4: Is the size and location suitable for my wedding party? Think carefully about the size of your wedding venue. Some of the larger venues have a minimum number of guests before they will consider allowing you exclusive use. So, if there are 20 of you and the venue caters for 45 then the venue will do their upmost to ensure some privacy but may not be able to give you exclusive use of the venue. Also the location is an important consideration. How far is it from the nearest airport? Is there accommodation for your guests nearby? If you need to book transport is it accessible to buses?
TOP TIP 5: How can I research the venue thoroughly?
With a destination wedding it´s not always possible to visit the venue ahead of the wedding date so you need to source as much information and find as many photos of the venue you can before you make a decision. Some wedding venues have wedding albums on-line, study the photos with an objective eye and look for important details. Or you could ask your wedding celebrant or wedding planner of course.
Thank you for reading my blog, I hope you enjoyed it and that it has been of some use. Look out for my next blog which will focus on the best time of year and the best time of day to have a wedding on the beach in Sunny Spain. Love Carol x
- Website: www.carolcelebrant.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IndependentWeddingCelebrantSpain/
- Mobile phone number: 0034 606200926
- Email: carol@carolcelebrant.com
