Weddings in Ibiza – Katie & Chris

When Brighton-based couple Katie and Chris chose the white isle as their wedding destination, they chose Maria Simon of Marnosuite to capture their memories on the day. “During the planning I was obsessed with looking at Maria’s photos from previous wedding blogs,” says Katie. “Then when we met, I knew she would be perfect. My friends are always talking about the photos looking like an Elle Weddings magazine piece.”

The wedding took place at stylish Ibiza hotel Can Gall, chosen for its tranquillity and beauty after the couple first visited the venue. There had been no doubt in Katie’s mind that Ibiza would be her wedding destination, having once declared. “When I find the man of my dreams, I will marry here,” to her girlfriends whilst on holiday in Ibiza. She then met Chris in 2011, on a blind date set up by mutual friends, and says it was, “pretty much love at first sight.”

Fast forward a few years, and Chris – a management consultant – whisked Katie – an obstetrician and gynaecologist – away for a new year’s day spa weekend. “We got pretty drunk while discovering the ‘honesty bar,’ admits Katie. “Chris snuck upstairs after supper, whilst I secretly cheated learning Trivial Pursuit questions, then when we went up to bed the room was lit by candles and rose petals spelled out the words ‘marry me?’ on the bed. Only a fool would have said no!”

The wheels were then set in motion for an Ibiza wedding. After the proposal, Katie took Chris to visit the island for the first time and he instantly understood what a wonderful place it would be for their impending nuptials. “Ibiza for us is a place of peace, happiness and utter relaxation and the countryside in the north never ceases to amaze us,” says Katie. “The light in the early evening and the beautiful sunsets draw us back again and again.”

Knowing that the perfect venue and guests were all that were needed for a fabulous weekend, the couple called on the event planning experts at Cardamom (“Justin was our hero!” says Katie) to assist with the details and make the day run smoothly. Starting with a traditional ceremony with celebrant Ana Kathleen, who told stories of the history of Ibiza, took the couple through their vows and a ring blessing ceremony, the wedding then continued with a dinner of tapas followed by seafood – light, tasty and perfect for the warm May weather.

The bride wore a flowing white gown by Catherine Deane (and admits to taking it for a ‘swim’ in Formentera during her honeymoon), shoes she found on eBay and a beautiful necklace that was, “a gift from the hubby”. Ibiza’s most in-demand hair and make-up artist Louise Maxwell did the beautifying honours for Katie, her three bridesmaids and her mum, a feat Katie was certainly impressed by. “It was the middle of a heatwave and my make-up couldn’t have been better – it was flawless and natural and photographed so brilliantly.”

“One of my best friends is a wonderful singer and one of Chris’s friends is an excellent guitarist,” says Katie, when asked about her entertainment choices for the day. “They paired up to sing as our guests came in, and sang me down the aisle which was very emotional.” At the end of the ceremony, the duo played the Bob Marley classic ‘Three Little Birds’, which was extra special to Katie and Chris, who had had heard one evening while relaxing in Formentera and felt it summed them up completely – their wedding bands are even engraved with the words ‘every little thing’s gonna be alright’.

During the reception, local musical duo La Di Dah played their signature style of laidback acoustic covers. “I’d met them at Experimental Beach Ibiza one year and knew they’d be perfect for our wedding,” says Katie. “They were so wonderful and stayed late after supper to get us all on the dance floor.” For Katie and Chris however, the wedding wasn’t just about the main event. They arranged to spend time with their nearest and dearest in Ibiza before the wedding, and to honeymoon in Formentera afterwards. “My girlfriends and I spent the week before the wedding soaking up the Ibiza sun, food and wine in the south of the island,” says Katie. “We made our wishes for the marriage at Es Vedra and when the boys joined us at the end of the week, we had a paella party.”

“Santi at Can Gall was so generous,” she continues. “The night before the wedding he hosted a beautiful dinner for the people staying in the venue and was over generous with sangria and Hierbas. It was excellent for both our families to get into the Ibiza party mood before the big day and to experience the beautiful countryside. On the Sunday after the wedding, we had a wonderful lunch at La Escollera on Es Cavallet where the lovely Wilhelmina and team helped us showcase the island’s coastline.”

Then it was off to Formentera (“One of our favourite memories is hopping on the last ferry and toasting ourselves with two bottles of beer and a bag of Cheetos!”) to enjoy cycling, amazing food, many sunsets at the famous Blue Bar and the crystal clear Mediterranean Sea. “Many of the guests who stayed in Ibiza also came over to Formentera on day trips, which was also really fun,” Katie says. “It was such a magical time. I am so thankful to have such beautiful friends.”