Weddings in Ibiza – Alessandra and Michele

That fateful day at Blue Marlin in 2012 led to a sharing of smiles, an opening of hearts and a melding of lives, and remains a memory they cherish as precious today. In 2017, the fairytale continued as the Italian couple returned to Ibiza to exchange vows and declare their love in front of friends and family – creating even more memories to last a lifetime.

After getting engaged in October 2016, the couple instantly knew Ibiza was to be the destination for their nuptials. “We chose Ibiza because this is the island we belong to,” Alessandra explains. They immediately began making the plans and arrangements for an early summer wedding in 2017, which for many couples may seem like an impossible task, but as Ibiza regulars Alessandra and Michele already knew exactly where they wanted the event to be held.

Having been an Ibiza regular for almost 20 years, Alessandra knew the beautiful 19^th century Church of Es Cubells would make the ideal backdrop for the ceremony they wished to be simple and joyful. With its white stone walls and the view of the shimmering blue Mediterranean extending out beyond its grounds, the church also perfectly combined their dream of a rustic, country chic wedding with that of the classic Balearic wedding. The same was true for their wedding reception venue, fine Italian dining restaurant Can Domingo, in the hills of San Jose. “It’s one of our favourite restaurants on the island,” says Alessandra. “After so many return visits, the owners are now our friends, so it was the perfect choice. For us it represents the true spirit of Ibiza and the style of the venue fitted our theme beautifully.” With sweeping views of the wall plus a vibrant organic garden that lends itself perfectly to the contemporary Italian menu, it’s easy to see how this popular island restaurant ticked all the boxes.

As both bride and groom work in the Italian fashion industry, attention to detail on all the finer details was paramount. Fresh flower arrangements from the farmstead of La Granja were custom created to decorate the church, and Michele styled out his nerves in a made-to-measure suit – crafted by his home tailor, Gianni Molaro Napoli – as he waited for his glowing bride to join him at the end of the aisle. Making a truly glamorous entrance in an open topped black Mustang, Alessandra chose a stunning gown by Inbal Dror for the occasion, complemented by made-to-measure (and personally signed) Francesco Russo shoes. The ultimate accessory came in the form of the couple’s pet dog – a cute as a button pug who almost – but not quite – upstaged the bride herself as it trotted down the aisle like a furry flower girl! Capturing all the magic on camera was island-based wedding photographer Sofia Gomez Fonzo for Gyspy Westwood Photography, with no shortage of stunning people and moments in both the idyllic church and the alfresco surrounds of Can Domingo, with the sea and sunset on the horizon.

It’s common knowledge that most Italians believe no one can make finer food than their mama, but the talented kitchen team at Can Domingo – with chef Giuseppe Vivacqua at the helm – dared them to think differently. Guests nibbled on an array of canapés and mingled on the open terrace, before taking their seats overlooking the beautiful Mediterranean garden for speeches and messages of love, followed by a fresh seafood menu. In a nod to their home and heart lands, a Fefiñanes Albariño Spanish white wine and Italy’s challenge to Champagne, Bellavista from Franciacorta were flowing freely.

In true Ibiza style, the party continued onto the early hours, as the stylish Can Domingo interior was transformed into a dance floor, with beats played by Ibiza’s finest, Franco Moiraghi from Sa Trinxa and DJ Mia. Following on from the joyful day, the couple jetted off to the equally glamorous destinations of New York, Los Angeles and Tulum for their honeymoon – but with Ibiza never far from their hearts. “We will be back as soon as possible!”

Weddings in Ibiza – Anna & Matthew

The love story of newlywed couple Anna Dunstan and Matthew Spencer began in the late 90s, while the pair were studying for their degrees at university. Little did the UK couple know at the time, nearly 20 years after their schoolyard romance began, they would be saying ‘I do’ at a seaside ceremony on a beautiful Mediterranean island.

Ibiza had entered both the bride and groom’s lives at the same time – with each visiting the white isle for the first time in 1996 prior to getting together, and then returning regularly as the years went on. After Matthew popped the question in 2011, the couple decided it would be the perfect location to exchange their vows. “We just love the feeling you get when you arrive onto the tarmac and step onto the island,” Matthew says.

The duo took on the task of planning their own Ibiza wedding themselves, choosing stylish Ibiza beach restaurant Experimental Beach Ibiza on the island’s south east coast for its bohemian beauty. “We wanted to get married by the sea,” says Matthew. “Experimental Beach Ibiza was very bohemian and relaxed.” On the rocky coastline of Cap d’es Falco, the official blessing took place with stunning blue skies and the azure blue sea as the backdrop – a picture perfect Ibiza wedding. Enlisting the services of Gypsy Westwood Photography to capture the day’s magic on camera (“They were the best company on the island,” says Matthew without a shadow of a doubt), the couple created a boho-chic wedding that was at once romantic and rustic, fresh and natural – with backgrounds in interior design and fashion, it was always guaranteed to be a super stylish affair. Ibiza wedding photographer Sofia Gomez Fonzo turned her talented hands to capturing all the moments of the day as day turned to dusk.

In keeping with the theme, Anna chose a bohemian halter dress, made from delicate lace with hand embroidery by Spell and the Gypsy Collective from Australia. Gorgeous straps crisscrossed over the open back with a small lace train falling behind. Made Up In Ibiza gave the bride loose, cascading curls for the occasion and styled the look with a fresh, handmade flower crown designed by El Ramos De Flores. Anna’s look was the embodiment of a Balearic princess bride. Matthew looked every bit as dapper as his bride, sporting a cobalt blue tailored suit from ASOS paired with a bespoke Liberty shirt made by his best man, shoes from Hammond and Co and a white ceramic Nixon watch to polish the look off. Anna’s creativity shined in all corners of the wedding, having designed and made each of the bridesmaid dresses, plus her son’s shirt and flower girl’s dress.

Fresh flower arrangements by El Ramo De Flores decorated the tables, as did classic place settings, elegant candles and turquoise glass adornments. On each place setting, the couple left a beautifully embossed leather luggage tag as a gift to thank their family and friends for joining them on the island for their celebration of love. Catering came courtesy of the venue, with a mouthwatering menu of Mediterranean gastronomic delights including refreshing lobster and watermelon summer salads, freshly caught fish and seasonal vegetables plus a decadently rich chocolate mousse for dessert. As to be expected, Experimental Beach Ibiza’s expert mixologists were also hard at work serving up their signature cocktail concoctions all evening long.

The celebratory feast was followed by music courtesy of ECC Ibiza’s talented resident DJ, who had friends, family and the bride and groom alike dancing and grooving as the sea swallowed the sun and a glittering star-crossed sky encapsulated the night. It was a night to remember with people they’ll never forget in a place they hold so dearly to their hearts. Following their island nuptials, the couple travelled back to the UK for two weeks before emigrating to Denia in Spain, making Ibiza their new not-so-far away neighbour. “We’re only a boat ride away,” says Matthew, who says finally getting married after all these years together was the highlight of his day. “We plan to pop over to celebrate our anniversary in 2017.”