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Ibiza weddings

Confident couples

After 12 years of being together, Laura Wassink and Taf Verrecchia knew Ibiza was the obvious choice for their wedding, and Aiyanna, the perfect venue.

Ibiza is one of the world’s finest wedding destinations. People come seeking its sandy beaches, sea breezes and barefoot bohemia – such is its reputation that even couples who’ve never set foot on the island decide to say their vows here.

But this wasn’t the case for Laura Wassink and Taf Verrecchia – a London-dwelling couple who share a long and loving relationship with the white isle – and after Taf proposed in Rome after 12 years of being together, they both knew Ibiza was the obvious choice for their wedding. And Aiyanna Ibiza, the beautiful beach restaurant on the shores of Cala Nova, would be the perfect venue. A few days prior to their wedding at Aiyanna Ibiza, the sun has decided to shine for the first time in what feels like weeks and the couple’s pre-ceremony energy is palpable. It’s easy to understand why Natalia G-Mayoral – Aiyanna Ibiza’s in-house wedding planner extraordinaire – takes so much pleasure in her role when couples are as hyped as this duo. “We’ve always come to Ibiza together on holidays,” Laura explains. “I came here four times in one year once,” she laughs. “We love the people, the music, the beach clubs and the different parts of the island,” adds Taf. “It was the obvious choice for us to get married here.”

It was a stroke of serendipity that led them to Aiyanna Ibiza. When Laura first heard of the venue last year, it hadn’t even opened yet. “Taf and I have always had a reservation at Amante Ibiza that for some reason we’ve never made,” she says. “Then I was coming over last summer on a girls’ holiday and I got an email about the Aiyanna Ibiza opening so I decided to check it out.” That proved a wise decision, with Laura deciding there and then that this was where she’d say her vows to Taf. “I pretty much booked it on the spot,” she laughs. “It was such a good fit for us. Plus, Natalia was here to show us around and she really knew her stuff.” Taf followed a few months later and completely understood Laura’s snap decision as soon as he laid eyes on Aiyanna Ibiza. “I loved it too. And when I met Natalia I got a good vibe from her straightaway.” Natalia takes care of both Amante Ibiza and Aiyanna Ibiza’s weddings. Charismatic, warm and organised, she somehow manages to make planning dream days look easy, when of course, there are myriad things going on behind the scenes. “She’s been so helpful,” says Laura. “She’s not your wedding planner and she tells you that from the start, but she deals with everything related to the restaurant. Every question I’ve had about the venue – and there have been a lot – she replies to instantly. Our decision to book here was all about her.”

Such was the couple’s attachment to Natalia that they actually moved their wedding date to accommodate her busy schedule. “The day we originally wanted to have the wedding, Natalia wasn’t available,” says Laura. “So we decided to change our day. She was our top priority!” While Natalia doesn’t take care of external suppliers and final details on the day, she is responsible for everything that happens at Aiyanna Ibiza – from food to timing to setup to cutlery, it all falls under her remit. And of course, she’s always there to ensure everything runs smoothly as possible. “We have total confidence that if anything goes wrong on the day, Natalia will sort it out,” says Laura. “We’ve just felt so well looked after throughout this entire process. Even though it’s a relatively new venue, they’ve taken us on that journey with them.” Taf agrees. “It’s worth remembering that you’re working with the team from Amante Ibiza too,” he says with total confidence in Aiyanna Ibiza and Natalia. “So you’ve got tried and tested service. The whole process has been the best it could possibly be.” Fast forward a few days and the celebration has been and gone. So did it all go to plan? “The wedding was the best day of our lives,” says Laura. “It ran like clockwork from start to end and the team looking after us were so amazing. Before we knew it the day was over, we just wish we could do it all over again.” Ibiza wedding: mission accomplished. Photography by Dario Sanz