RACHEL AND ROB Venue 19 6 July
This London couple had completely fallen in love with one of our favourite boutique hotels. Tucked into the side of a mountain in the north of the island, this beautiful 18th century olive finca has amazing views of the valley and tantalising glimpses of the sea in the distance. There are 15 beautifully-restored rooms, an olive press mill dining room and delightfully rustic public spaces for breakfast and relaxation, surrounded by vibrant gardens and terraces.
On one of the lower terraces, there is a large semi-permanent Arabian nights-style tent for weddings which provides welcome shade from the summer sun during the ceremony and later, is the location for the party.
The festivities began with a day-before evening welcome party at a chilled venue overlooking the sea in the nearby port. The spacious upper room and terrace are a perfect setting, with twinkling chandeliers, huge carved mirrors, distressed white wooden flooring and chic Provencal-style furniture.
The next day, our hair and make-up team met up with the bride and five bridesmaids and we introduced them to our new steamer. Then, we got to work to set up our white wooden benches in the tented ceremony area. White pillars and urns of pure white hydrangeas, rustic jam jars of roses and baby´s breath and fresh white rose petals to line the aisle completed the picture.
White roses, freesias and eucalyptus made for an elegant wedding bouquet. Photo: Aimee K
Up on the terrace for the dinner, the couple wanted simple flowers for their tables so groups of pure white hydrangea florets in tiny frosted tea light holders were placed around a hurricane vase and candle in the centre of each table.
The Arabian-nights style wedding venue with rustic white benches and pew ends of baby´s breath. Photo: Aimee K
The ceremony was a heartfelt personalised service with the couple´s choices of music and readings and afterwards, guests enjoyed cava and canapes with panoramic views of the mountains.
The wedding dinner began with a starter of prawn carpaccio with pine nuts, rocket salad, pesto and avocado mousse, followed by fillet of beef in a port wine sauce with gratin potatoes, sugar peas and a puree of cherries. Dessert was a chocolate mousse with a coulis and orange sorbet.
Sunset over the mountains on the terrace before the wedding dinner. Photo: Aimee K
The couple had taken great care to prepare their playlist of their favourite music and after a gourmet dinner, the wedding guests moved to the lower terraces and the delightful tent with bistro tables and dedicated bar and the party began in earnest, continuing in style until well into the early hours.
All photos by Aimee K
