Destination weddings are always fun, but getting married overseas can sometimes lead to a couple making compromises on their style, their choice of suppliers, or the finishing touches on the day. Not the case for Stephanie and Tom! Their atmospheric Spanish wedding at Casa de Los Bates near Nerja was not only loads of craic (the groom sourced the Guinness especially), but it also hit the aesthetic jackpot too. Incredible style (you will not believe Steph's mam made her dress!), contemporary rustic décor, and an idyllic villa setting, all captured by beautifully Keisy & Rocky Photography. Even when this bride broke her leg, just weeks before the wedding, she found herself some fabulous flats, and pressed on with having her best day ever, crutches and all!
If Stephanie looks familiar, you might know her from the 'gram! Her travels and her wardrobe are ridiculously covetable in equal measures! Stephanie tells us she and Tom had been going out for 15 years when they got married, “We met through friends in school so are, as you would say, childhood sweethearts!” This dress is just beyond dreamy - more on Stephanie and her mum's collaboration below, but let's just swoon for a sec, shall we?
Getting married close to Nerja had special significance to the couple as it’s where Tom proposed. Because of this, the couple tied some of their celebrations around their engagement story, “We had a lovely beach walk and went down the Balcon de Europa, where Tom popped the question,” recalls Stephanie. “After we went for dinner in one of our favourite restaurants Carabeo 34 where we had our rehearsal dinner. It was the perfect evening and just what we both imagined. I'll never forget the full moon that night it was huge in the sky!”
As well as Stephanie’s supportive bridesmaids and skilled mum, other women in the family gave a helping hand to the ceremony, “I hopped down the aisle with my nana who passed on her old walking stick, so my something old and borrowed was very functional. Tom’s sister Michelle also sang throughout the ceremony which was a great personal touch.”
With such a long history together, Stephanie and Tom’s wedding was always going to be serious craic! “The vibe was so fun! All of our friends have known each other since we were teenagers and some had not seen each in years so it was a massive reunion and party,” says the bride. “Everyone danced the night away and it was a really fun day in general.”
Stephanie kept her wedding party look neutral with stunning champagne bridesmaids' dresses in mix and match styles. She describes the look of the wedding as 'slightly rustic with lots of greenery'. "The colour palette was simple gold, white and classic green to keep it timeless. My flowers were special and added a slight relaxed boho feel. I added white pampas grass to the bouquets which I loved!"
Working in fashion, Stephanie clearly knew her priorities from the moment she started wedding planning! “Hair, makeup, photography and video were the first things I researched and booked. Clearly I'm all about the vanity and the organising of paperwork etc, was the last thing on my mind. However in my defense, all the best of the four above get booked out two years in advance so I wouldn't change anything!”
Of course, the location was a highlight for the couple, “Frigiliana and Nerja, where we based ourselves, was such as special place in my family’s heart that it was great to have all our friends and family there,” says Stephanie. "Even though the wedding was in Spain, Tom had to make sure there was a Guinness offering for the boys, so that was his baby and it went down very well.”
The pair had a strong gut feeling about Casa De Los Bates, their venue. “The gardens are simply amazing and the moment we saw it we both knew it was the relaxed but Spanish style we were looking for. It had a lovely authenticity about it as it is a Spanish guesthouse with only five rooms that are still family run,” explains Stephanie. “When we went for our second tasting in March, after the dinner the chef left us there for the evening and we had the entire house to ourselves. It was pure bliss and I can't wait to go back to visit again.”
Stephanie’s talented mum made her breathtaking wedding dress, “My mum making my dress for me had to be the highlight and it was something we will never forget together. I got my fabrics in Paris and Roisin Cross Silks. I wore Converse Comme de Garçon on one foot due to having a broken leg which was interesting!”
Steph has a few wise words to bestow on other brides or grooms-to-be, “Try not to let other people make you stressed and try relax (although I should have taken my own advice as I was a nervous wreck!). LOTS of things will go wrong but it's how you handle them, I had neon signs arrive smashed to Spain, signage in the wrong place and a cloudy start to the day with a broken leg and it was still the best day ever!”
After planning such a gorgeous bash, she says it’s important to stay true to your style, “Plan far in advance as you never know what might happen. There are so many options of styles, colours, planners out there to confuse you so try not to get caught up in trends or what your planner says is common practice. You have to stick to your guns to make it special to the couple and sometimes people try push the ‘one size fits all’ wedding!”
When it came to styling and decor, the couple came up with the table plan idea which Steph collaborated with the stylist on, “We had used wine bottles as our table plan and then chose funny names for the tables that we felt sat best with the guests’ personalities. We had cork place name holders as well which I got from Etsy to tie the wine theme together.” The couple added a few more personal touches to their gorgeous venue, “We made a 'Reeling in the Years with Tom and Steph' photo collage which we hung throughout the gardens sharing memories of me and Tom for the last 15 years. We had a cheeseboard instead of a cake as well, which was more in line with our style.”
With sun into the evening, Steph and Tom were able to have the al fresco party they'd been dreaming of.
The newlyweds changed up their minimoon plans on account of Stephanie’s injury, “We had initially booked a flight to Barcelona to explore the wine region, Priorat, but decided against flying unnecessarily. We stayed at a boutique hotel near Malaga called La Royal Bobadilla. We are planning to go to South Africa in Spring for two weeks to fully enjoy safari, wine and Table Mountain - that will be our real honeymoon where Tom doesn't have to run around after me on crutches!”
Thanks so much to Stephanie and Tom for sharing their incredible Spanish wedding with us - and to Keisy & Rocky for documenting it so beautifully. Hit the gallery below for even more shots - it was too hard to narrow them down!
Did you fall in love with the dreamy destination wedding? Check out everything you need to know when saying 'I do' abroad below:
