At the start of spring we made our way to the south of Europe for a wedding in Seville, Spain. Though we have our fair share of experience shooting weddings in Spain, this was our first time in Seville or Sevilla, and it was truly one of the most magical places we have ever been in this country! The south of Europe continues to capture our hearts and remains one of top wedding destinations.
The groom, Carlos, is from Seville, and met the bride, Megan, eleven years prior while she was studying abroad in Spain. Megan is originally from the United States, but the couple now lives in Seville together. Their international love story is truly storybook material and made for a fairytale wedding, which was all the more inspiring for us as destination wedding photographers.
Spend a few days in Seville and you’ll understand right away why the couple chose to get married in Spain. The city is so full of life, romance, and color! From the elaborate tiles, to the fuchsia bougainvillea spilling over the rooftops, to the locals mingling in the streets, it’s a place that practically invites you to get dressed up and celebrate love!
Megan and Carlos hosted their wedding ceremony and reception on April 2nd, 2022 at Hacienda San Luis de Mejina, just outside Seville. Haciendas are renovated rural dwellings outside the cities that once functioned as working farms. These styles of gorgeous venues are common places to celebrate weddings in the south of Spain, and this one was especially ideal for a destination wedding, as it is full of history. San Luis de Mejina is actually a 16th century olive mill, which was a beautiful ode to the region’s prolific olive groves, as well as the couple’s love for food!
The ceremony, held in the central patio, was delightfully sunny and incredibly heartfelt. Because Megan and Carlos are an international couple and there were so many international guests, the bilingual officiants translated the entire ceremony. Everyone was included and could fully understand every minute of the couples’ emotional exchange of hand-written wedding vows and encouraging words from friends and family. There was not a dry eye in the house!
The cocktail hour was held in the beautiful gardens of the venue, and the sit-down lunch inside in the arched, ancient dining room where they used to actually crush and press the olives! The dance party opened with a romantic dance from the bride and groom, a fun and funky spin-filled whirl from the bride and her father, and last but not least, a style of flamenco dance (called sevillanas) from the groom and his mother. It was truly the perfect mixup of cultures from this international couple, and a seriously epic dance party.
We pride ourselves on capturing real-life moments for our couples on their special day. And this wedding in Spain was so full of love— so authentic and celebratory— that we didn’t have to look hard to find them. From their parent, to their friends, to the ways each of the international guests interacted with the local ones, there was so much love and pure joy from start to finish.
As destination wedding photographers, we have the privilege of working with some fantastic vendors from all around the world. This time it was Spanish videographer Mario Vega of Phos Audio Visual, who put together an incredible film for the couple. Las Torres in Seville catered the event and prepared some fantastic tapas throughout the afternoon. And the bride’s bouquet was made by the especially talented American, Liz Griffith of Siloh Floral Artistry, who just so happens to be one of the bride’s best friends.
If you’re looking to get married abroad, we absolutely recommend a Spanish wedding celebration! If Spain, or the south of Europe is on your radar, reach out to us. We’d be honoured to be a part of your big day.
From the bride:
“It was so important for us to have every single person present on our wedding day— and that included all the many folks who came from abroad. With the pandemic, an international wedding was a bit challenging, so we actually waited a bit longer, until April 2022. We were so glad we did! It ended up being somewhat of a destination wedding in Spain, and a full-on reunion for so many of our friends and family. Carlos and I knew the day would be unforgettable, but we had no idea it would be so perfect and well, surreal. We have never felt more loved in our whole lives— more surrounded and cared for and known. The ceremony was heartfelt, the venue was magic, the food was just as it should have been, and the dance party was the best one I’ve had in my life. I think what made it all the better was just watching the people we love from so many cultures and different languages mingle, dance, and have the absolute time of their life. It was unforgettable for us, of course. But it was unforgettable for all the guests as well. And with such challenging years leading up to that point, their joy made it all the better.”
