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.”

Weddings in Ibiza – Helen & Henry

Helen and Henry made the decision to get married in Ibiza very soon after getting engaged. “We had spent many incredible holidays on the island and couldn’t think of anywhere more exciting to celebrate our marriage with our friends and family,” says Helen, citing sunsets, music and the laidback, fun lifestyle as their favourite elements of the island.

Born and bred Ibiza wedding photographer Gypsy Westwood was enlisted to capture the occasion on camera. Her unique knowledge and understanding of the island’s landscape and light, in addition to her romantic reportage style, made her the perfect photographer for the event, which took place within the beautiful surrounds of Agroturismo Atzaró in May, 2015.

“After viewing many venues it was obvious that Atzaró was the perfect choice for us,” says Helen. “We loved planning our wedding in Ibiza and worked with a fantastic group of people to ensure our wedding was the best day of our lives.” Helen’s dream team included Atzaró’s in-house event planner Katia, stylist Danielle Hodgson of Velvet Circus and the professional hair and make-up team from Smack Ibiza, with DJ Brian Beezwax and musical duo Oh La La on entertainment duties.

After few dubious days of bad weather, the sun finally rose on the wedding day, where guests enjoyed the luxurious Agroturismo Atzaró cuisine in a truly spectacular setting. The wedding culminated in an Ibiza style party that went from midnight until 4am, complete with quirky fancy dress antics. The following day, Helen and Henry invited their guests to join them at Cala Tarida for a post-wedding party. “The sun was shining and everyone spent the day drinking cocktails, listening to laidback tunes and watching the sun set – it was one of the highlights of our weekend.”

Keeping the Balearic vibes flowing, the newlyweds island-hopped to Formentera for their honeymoon, before hotfooting it back to Ibiza in time for the Ushuaia Ibiza opening party and another week of relaxation in the beautiful bohemian north of the island.

“We always loved Ibiza but it will now hold an even more special place in our hearts for giving us the wedding weekend of our dreams. We can’t wait to return in 2016!”

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.”

Weddings in Ibiza – Julie & Rory

Julie and Rory met as teenagers, through mutual college friends at the tender age of just 17. The story goes that they continued bumping into each other at parties and clubs, sharing many adventures over the years that went on to include having two beautiful little girls and a wedding in Ibiza in 2015. “Rory surprised me,” says Julie of her engagement, which took place after an evening at a restaurant in The Shard in London. “I was so shocked (and extremely happy!), I think he had to ask a few times before the word yes came out.” Julie found her dream dress at Pronovias – a stylish Mardil dress featuring a lace bodice and train, accessorised with shoes by Rachel Simpson, jewellery by Jenny Packham and a head dress by Liza. Rory opted for a blue three-piece suit from River Island, accessorised with Vivienne Westwood cufflinks and a bowtie from M&S. “Perfect for the 35-degree heat!” laughs Julie in retrospect. The big day took place at beautiful Ibiza wedding venue Elixir in Cala Codolar on the island’s west coast. “We always wanted to get married overseas, and we both love Ibiza, so it was the perfect choice.” The couple found the venue after doing much online research, and were instantly won over after visiting on an open day, however they were saddened to learn the venue had no availability until 2016.

“We were really disappointed and started to make plans for the following year,” says Julie. “I said to Rory, ‘I wish they’d get a cancellation for this year,’ and he said ‘It’s not going to happen.’ But then the following week we heard there was a cancellation! It was fate – we got married on July 3, 2015.” Once the date was set, Julie and Rory called on the island’s most in demand wedding photographer Ana Lui to capture all the beautiful details on camera. Julie and Rory took on a lot of the wedding coordination responsibilities themselves, alongside the expert team at the venue. Julie designed the name cards, seating plans and table plans herself, and The Lovely Laura was booked to provide her unique form of Ibiza style entertainment. Having a child-friendly venue was important to the couple, who also enlisted the services of Mini Ibiza to take care of the little ones on the day. “During the meal and our speeches they were brilliant.” “The food was the most amazing ever!” says Julie, of the deluxe steaks, perfectly roasted potatoes, grilled Mediterranean vegetables and hearty fresh salads prepared by the Elixir chefs. “The staff were absolutely amazing too,” says Julie. “I would recommend the venue to anyone. We could not be happier.”

Weddings in Ibiza – Emma & Ross

Scotland came to Ibiza for the weekend – by way of a classic American red Mustang – when Emma and Ross were married, a tartan-filled wedding festival complete with kilts, bagpipes and the whole Scottish shebang! Following the church ceremony, the couple celebrated in a private villa, enlisting the services of Ana Lui Photography to photograph the entire proceedings.

Weddings in Ibiza – Kyle & Stacey

Kyle and Stacey tied the knot at Elixir, perched on the mountainside at Cala Codolar, overlooking the sea and Es Vedra. Stacey made an old school Hollywood entrance in a classic Rolls Royce, and after tucking into an amazing spread by Eat Ibiza, the party continued with lots of fancy dress and dancing under the stars – watch the video highlights after the photo gallery!

Weddings in Ibiza – Corine & Robin

Dutch couple Corine and Robin drove all the way from Holland to Ibiza with a very special member of their wedding party… their precious pooch Persi, who was resplendent in a silver sequined tie for the occasion! Ibiza beach wedding venue Amante Beach Club & Restaurant was the location, decked out in stunning flowers with a rustic, campo vibe and with a beautiful cake by Ibiza Cakes to finish off the proceedings!

Weddings in Ibiza – David & Tracey

Early in June 2013, David and Tracey were married in the beautiful private cove of Sol den Serra, at Amante Beach Club & Restaurant. Tracey’s dress was made with British hand-crafted lace by an independent designer wedding boutique in London, ‘Morgan Davies’ while her bridesmaids were dressed by Ted Baker. All the ladies were beautified by Ibiza wedding beauty experts Corina and Sara of Smack Ibiza, while the groom was suited up by Reiss. The beautiful floral arrangements were by Kristin at El Ramo de Flores in Santa Eulalia and the cool wedding cupcakes by Sheila Hearn at Ibiza Crazy Cakes… the perfect end to a perfect meal!

Weddings in Ibiza – Alex & Vicki

Beautiful couple Alex and Vicki chose the stunning all-white surrounds of Ibiza beach wedding venue Elixir for their big day in 2013, with cakes and catering by Eat Ibiza (plus a cool photo booth!) and hair and make-up by the pros at Smack Ibiza.

Weddings in Ibiza – Charlie & Rob

At the very beginning of the 2013 Ibiza summer, on a perfect May day, London couple Charlie and Rob – who originally met while working in Ibiza one summer – tied the knot at beautiful Cala Codolar wedding venue Elixir, overlooking the beautiful Mediterranean and Es Vedra. Breaking tradition by arriving at the venue together, Charlie and Rob first mingled with their guests over drinks in the sunshine, then had the wedding ceremony, a blessing performed by Melchior of Ibiza Ceremony.