There is a big difference between a Marriage and a Wedding and as a former UK Deputy Superintendent Registrar and now a full time independent Celebrant in Spain, Debbie Skyrme should know! 

 “Simply put, Marriage is a legal contract – Wedding is the ceremonial celebration.  My advice is avoid the hassle of translating documents which may additionally need to be apostilled by contracting your legal marriage in your own language in your home country and coming to the south of Spain to have a fabulous bespoke celebration.

Top tips to consider:

01) Date! This is the first thing any venue or supplier will ask you. 

Because of our fabulous climate, Southern Spain has one of the longest wedding seasons in Europe from April to the end of October with the months of May and September being the most popular

02) Time! To avoid the heat of the day, it is normal for weddings in Spain to start at 7pm with celebrations continuing into the early hours.

Consider what time you would like to eat and work backwards… factor in an hour for post ceremony cocktails and photos and a half hour for your ceremony and you will arrive at your own ideal start time.

03) Restrictions! Every venue is different and may need to observe local regulations.

Check with your venue about noise – does your outdoor party have to finish by a certain time or can you continue the celebrations indoors?

04) Plan B! Yes we average 320 days of sunshine a year, but we are also at the mercies of strong winds, occasional showers due to the humidity and “calima” sand storms. Ask to see your venue’s indoor option for your ceremony and celebrations.

05) Decide where to contract your legal marriage. 

If you don’t have a Spanish passport, two years residency in Spain or want to marry through the Catholic church, you may save massive potential frustration of trying get married in the Spanish system by hopping over the border to the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar which makes getting legally married as easy as possible for as many nationalities as possible!

06) Make your Wedding ceremony super special

Exchanging rings and saying personal vows are not legal requirements, so these are just two of the elements you can save and do for the first time on your wedding day.

Everyone starts their wedding journey with different influences and backgrounds, this might mean requiring a totally non-religious script or blending two faiths to respect both beliefs.

By investing time in getting to know the wedding couple, a truly professional celebrant can write a bespoke wedding script that includes the customs and traditions you want to truly reflect your personalities and resonate with meaning for both partners. 

If you are considering celebrating a wedding or milestone anniversary vow renewal, what’s the first step to finding trusted wedding suppliers locally?

Debbie says 

“You cannot beat face-to-face contact and personal recommendation. The Costa Women Costa Tropical group for example, was perfect for connecting me with other female business owners in the area. I now regularly refer wedding couples to florists, caterers, photographers, wedding planners and venue owners that I have met through the group – and they refer couples to me!”

Contact Debbie Skyrme at CelebrantSpain.es, award winning bilingual destination wedding celebrant officiating elopements, vow renewals and wedding ceremonies in the Spanish sunshine for more information.

(Feature: Weddings on the Coast)

Keywords: Weddings, Costa Tropical, Costa Women Costa Tropical, Debbie Skyrme

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Reader’s comment: “Great article by Debbie” – Dawn