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Fall in love with Valencia

Saturday, 16 July 2016 09:19

There's really no time like now to wed in one of Spain's best hidden, most incredible cities - with Spanish Wedding Planner to guide you along the way!

If you were asked to name a Spanish city which offers culture, beauty, great food and beaches then Barcelona would probably be the first city you named. Nowadays however there is a new contender for Barcelona's cultural crown and culinary prowess - Valencia.

Famed throughout Spain for its paella, the passion for their local dish has led Valencianos to insist on locally sourced, good quality produce. Valencian cuisine is now renowned for the freshness of the products which go into its dishes and the creative menus served by restaurants and venues. Given this and Valencia's location - on the Mediterranean for fish and seafood, and surrounded by "La Huerta" some of the most fertile farmland in Spain - it is no surprise Valencian food is taken so seriously by the city's inhabitants and restaurants! For foodies this makes Valencia an incredible place not only go visit but to wed as menus are imaginative and there is a real desire to showcase the quality of the produce and skills of the chef.

Alongside Valencia's love of good food runs a love of live music, with the largest number of music bands on any one city in Spain! Twined with Valencia’s many unique fiestas Valencia’s live music, it is one of the reasons that culturally, as well as in cuisine, Valencia more than holds its own. In fact the city has recently become a phenomenon on the European tourist market precisely because it has successfully modernised and reinvented itself to become a hub of cosmopolitan culture and yet also managed to retain its traditional culture.

In practical terms this means Valencia's historic centre still retains its old world charm but running alongside this is Valencia's futuristic City of Arts and Sciences, the Bioparc, a lively new cultural scene and of course the city's beaches! If that wasn't enough, access is now even easier as British Airways and Easyjet both fly direct to Valencia from Gatwick, and Ryanair flies from Stansted and Dublin.

The icing on the (wedding!) cake for couples planning a wedding - in addition to all the benefits of Valencia itself - is that from July 2016 Spanish Wedding Planner are opening a new office in this beautiful city. Valencian planners Kate and Vanessa combine their own knowledge of the city and it’s people with Spanish Wedding Planner’s decade long experience of planning and coordinating weddings for couples from around the world.

So, if you are looking for an incredible cosmopolitan city where you and your guests can soak up old world Spain, relax on the beach, explore cutting edge architecture or just try paella in the city of its birth, Valencia really does fit the bill!

Light up your Wedding with Love!

Friday, 01 January 2016 11:30

A new year has begun and it is now the first day of 2016!!! We thought the New Year deserved something new from us too, and it is with real excitement we are giving you a sneak peek at our new lighting packages for this season!

Lighting is one of the most under appreciated elements of a wedding day. The right lighting can set the mood for the entire wedding, give your photos more depth and elevate a nice venue to a truly breathtaking one.

Sadly lights are often an afterthought to the cake and even the favours - but they don’t have to be! We are investing in some fantastic lights, lighting decorations and lighting packages which will create beautiful backdrops for your reception and add wow to your wedding. You'll be able to rent these from us, along with the decorations and chivari chairs we already offer. There will be special prices for those of you who have a wedding booked with us and discounts on big orders too!

We’ll be giving you more details in the Spring but for now get a peek at one of the new signs that we are so passionate about….

Do let us know what you think and email us to find out more about renting lights, decorations and more at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Do you deserve a break?

Friday, 18 December 2015 09:47

Most of us have seen a L’Oreal advert for beauty products. At the of each advert the celebrity declares “Because you’re worth it”. The implication is of course that you deserve to use such a great product because you too, are valuable. We laugh at the adverts and most of us don’t think twice about buying shampoo or moisturizer whether it’s L’Oreal or another brand. Unfortunately, although we think we are worth it when it comes to hair products the same does not always apply when it comes to taking time for ourselves.

In the lead up to Christmas it is common to feel overwhelmed with work, social engagements, family commitments and all the shopping and preparation that comes with them. We put pressure on ourselves to make everything wonderful and end up feeling tired and stressed. Often our solution is to work even harder to try and get yet more done. Overdoing things however can end up making us both ill and miserable. Difficult as it can be, what we actually need to do is let go of the need to control everything and take time to enjoy the festivities more!

This can be beneficial not simply on a physical level but emotionally too. Taking time to see appreciate friends or family you have not seen for a while, having some “you time” and slowing down a bit is good means less stress and arguments too! It can also help us see why other people need time off too.

Here at Spanish Wedding Planner it has been another rewarding and exhilarating year. We have loved each and everyone of the 2015 weddings we’ve organised and are already looking forward to an exciting and busy 2016. Before throwing ourselves into 2016 however we too need to recharge our batteries and spend time with our families. We are practising what we preach therefore and closing our offices between 18th December and 6th January for a proper holiday. We think we are worth it, and that you are too - so go on, enjoy the time off and return refreshed for 2016!

Wishing you all a wonderful Christmas and 2016 from all of us at Spanish Wedding Planner!

Are you inadvertently sabotaging your own wedding?

Wednesday, 02 December 2015 00:00

Photo credit: ww.redflag101.com/wedding-fail/

In this digital age of internet and social media, information is more accessible than ever. A touch of your phone and you can find restaurants in Hong Kong, turn the lights on at home, call your partner or “Facebook” a friend. Therefore, when it comes to your Wedding day, it’s no surprise that there’s a huge amount of information about destinations, venues and suppliers out there too. While that makes for amazing opportunities to find places and people that would have been impossible just ten years ago it does bring its own challenges if you are planning your wedding day. With all the information out there it can be tempting to think you don’t need a planner - especially if you are the organised type. However, as the saying goes “A little knowledge is a dangerous thing”.

While the internet can give you information on suppliers and venues, unsurprisingly that information has been uploaded by the supplier or venue themselves, meaning that it can be biased or incomplete. Without an unbiased opinion - such as that of a wedding planner, it can be hard to spot potential difficulties or problems.

As planners, one of the most common problems we see is couples getting into trouble, not with the quality of the services themselves but because of their lack of knowledge of how all the pieces of their wedding day fit together. You may have found a fantastic band to play, and then DJ on through the night. That’s brilliant - BUT if you haven’t considered when the band will sound check, spoken to your venue about noise restrictions or found out if the band are licenced to play at that venue you can be in for a nasty surprise.

Health and safety inspectors can, and do, issue hefty fines to venues and suppliers who fail to comply with licensing laws or employment regulations and if you fall foul of these it can mean big fines or legal difficulties. A good planner will have already thought of this and will check in advance which vendors can work at your venue. The choice she gives you may therefore seem smaller than all the options you find for yourself on the internet but there is a reason for that.

Equally the choices of vendor your planner gives you are not only guided by venue and employment regulations but by more complex considerations. Just as in all areas of life, not everyone involved in weddings sees eye to eye all the time. If a vendor or venue has had issues with another in the past your wedding planner may suggest a different vendor to avoid difficulties. Like a wise school teacher your planner knows who to keep apart and who can “sit together” vendor-wise at your wedding! She also knows those who work well together and create a “wedding dream team”.

Thus although the internet is a fantastic tool for brides, be wary of using it to replace your planner. Just as picking an outfit for an interview blindfolded can be a hit or miss affair, booking wedding vendors without a planner can result in a “thrown together” feel to your Big Day rather than a stunning success.

Wedding planner VS venue coordinator

Friday, 20 November 2015 00:00

If you are thinking of a wedding in Spain the chances are you are planning a visit to look at venues and get an idea of what you want for your Big Day. In the process you may come across Venue coordinators offering to help you plan your wedding at their venue. If they are not charging a fee then it is tempting to think this is a convenient and cheap route for your Big Day. Before taking the plunge and booking your Spanish Wedding however do make sure you know the difference between a venue coordinator and a Wedding Planner as this can have a huge impact on the planning and day itself.

The Venue Coordinators!
Looking first at venue coordinators the primary thing to emphasise is that they only work at one venue. This means that they are essential employed by this venue to coordinate weddings and other events taking place there. They not only have a vested interest in you booking that particular venue therefore, but also have the venue´s interests at heart.

A good example of this is when there are decisions to be taken about the weather and your wedding day meal. If skies are grey but you want your wedding outside. A venue coordinator will want to go with what is best for the hotel which may be to set up everything inside just in case…. Your wedding planner however works for you, so if you have specified eating al fresco will fight for this if at all possible, even if it means extra work for the hotel.

In addition to this venue coordinators are as their name suggests simply there to coordinate the parts of your wedding which pertain to the venue. Generally speaking they do not book additional suppliers for you or, crucially, advise you on whether these suppliers are suited for the venue and type of wedding you have in mind. If you are happy to use the hotel DJ or flowers therefore that´s great. If you want more choice however you will not only need to find these yourself but check what is and isn´t possible at your chosen venue.

The Wedding Planners!
Although the initial fee for a wedding planner can be off-putting, the advantages can be numerous! When visiting for the first time to look at venues a wedding planner can create a list of potentials based on your ideas, guest numbers and budget. This means less time wasted on venues that are too pricey, or simply not right for you. A planner can also give you an objective list of pros and cons of each venue as she is independent of them and works for you the couple.
EG: If you want to dance until dawn you need to know the noise restrictions at each venue and which bands and DJs work well there. A good planner will be able to advise you on these along with all the other suppliers you need for your wedding day. If you want something unusual – a funk band, or fireworks, she will be able to research if these are possible and if so, liaise between the supplier and venue to make sure everything is clear.

This liaison between suppliers and your chosen venue is a vital and under rated one, yet is often overlooked by couples planning to do everything themselves or with the venue coordinator. You, your wedding day suppliers and your chosen venue will all have an idea of how your wedding will run and when it will start and end. If these ideas do not coincide however you can have big problems. Venue planners will stick to the timeline that suits the hotel but it may not suit your or your wedding day suppliers. A good wedding planner will check and advise on the best time line to accommodate you and the venue and make sure everyone knows where they need to be, and when.
More than this even, ultimately your wedding planner is on your side. She will be the one advising you on menus, great bands and all fantastic local suppliers she knows. She’ll be there opening the door of the church for you or tying sashes on chairs. She will want you to have YOUR best Wedding day ever - not a copy of someone else’s…..

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