Casey and I met in India a few years ago. Since then, we have traveled the world together, visiting more than 20 countries and spending long periods of time in Canada and Spain. On our most recent trip to Canada, while spending a snowbound Christmas in a cabin with Casey’s family in Hudson Bay, Saskatchewan, Casey decided to brighten up my -40C New Years morning by making a sly proposal, and suggesting we get married. I was elated, and said yes!
After the initial emotion of the moment passed we began to imagine how we hoped to celebrate the special day. We agreed we wanted something intimate but, above all, it had to be in our beloved Mallorca (Casey was also pretty insistent that there be a guy slicing up the best jamón ibérico for our guests).
“Sa Roqueta“, as the Majorcans affectionately call it, attracts many couples, Spanish and foreigner, keen on celebrating their big day on the island, and is becoming one of the most popular destinations for weddings in Europe. The island is far from undiscovered, but away from its touristy spots it still offers the quite and tranquil island life of yesteryear. And if you’re able to spend some time exploring its less traveled paths you’ll find an island with an authentic and charming soul, a bohemian touch, and locals that proudly preserve their traditions. Combined with its Mediterranean climate, exquisite cuisine and natural beauty, these things make Mallorca a perfect destination for a wedding. I mean, who wouldn’t like celebrating under the sun of the Balearic Islands?
Dreamy locations
Mallorca meets all the requirements for a dream wedding. No matter what you’re looking for, whether it’s an intimate celebration or an all-out party, the island offers endless venues for all tastes and budgets.
Romantics can find a wide range of venues from distinguished luxury hotels to unique, one of a kind spots, like in the mountains of the Sierra de Tramontana, surrounded by nature. For the more hippy inspired, there’s the option to get married barefoot by the sea. And I should say options, with an s, because with more than 400 kilometers of jaw-droppingly beautiful coastline littered with white sand beaches and crystal clear water (many of which are the most beautiful in Europe), it seems like everyone who wants to be by the sea should be able to find their own special spot to tie the knot!
For those looking for a simpler ceremony, Mallorca also offers a lot of truly wonderful venues in rustic, agroturismo type environments. If you’re like us, nothing will beat celebrating the day amid the likes of an olive orchard or a vineyard from one of the seemingly millions of traditional Mallorcan fincas scattering the countryside.
Mediterranean weather
Visitors flock to the rock for many reasons, but the climate is often the biggest draw. With over 300 annual days of sunshine in the heart of the Mediterranean Sea, it’s easy to see why it’s a winning destination. This is especially true when taking into account the important role of weather during weddings.
The best time to get married in the Balearics is from May to September. These, however, are also the busiest months. April and October are also great options as they fall outside of the high season, and are slightly less hot, but still reliably nice.
Local gastronomy
The island’s exquisite gastronomic offerings are undeniable. Following this tradition, there is a wide selection of restaurants and catering companies that will help you tailor a personalized menu suiting your needs. But we recommend going for the typical Mediterranean cuisine with traditional recipes and local products brought directly from the sea and the orchard. Options for the latter include tumbet, frito mallorquín, arròs brut, trempó, Majorcan soup, porcella (roasted suckling pig), empanadas, cocarrois, or pa amb oli with Mahon cheese and sobrasada, and for dessert, why not a classic ensaimada with some local cava? ¡Buen provecho!
Convenient connections
One of the things that couples often worry about when getting married is whether the logistics of getting to and from the festivities will be convenient for their guests. In this regard, Mallorca shines again. Being one of the most important tourist destinations in Europe, its accessibility is comparable to the biggest cities in the world. Many European airlines offer direct flights from most of Europe’s major cities, and even some minor ones, and there are numerous inexpensive connections to mainland Spain, both by sea and air.
The increase in air traffic and routes over the last few years has made it easier than ever to have a destination-wedding in Mallorca. And people coming from outside Mallorca are often excited at the opportunity to visit this Mediterranean paradise. For many, an invitation to wedding here can an unbeatable excuse to pack the bags and get to know a dream destination!
Professional services
Mallorca is a popular destination for any type of event, as such, it offers a wide range of professionals that can meet all your specific wedding needs, and the number of companies specializing in planning and organizing a wedding has increased markedly in number recently, and the quality of the services can be top notch.
We have collaborated with some professionals from the island to help us organize our own wedding. This first phase of planning involved making lots of decisions, and we could not be happier with the assistance we’ve received. For this, we want to give special thanks to the following professionals:
– Susan Ros Photography: We have only heard good things about this talented Mallorcan photographer, so we feel very lucky that Susan will capture our wedding. When we were looking for a photographer we were worried about style and formality. Casey doesn’t like to pose too much, and we’re not very formal. Casey even suggested we skip hiring a photographer altogether because he thinks they can get in the way, and “there’s always hundreds of photos anyways”, he said, (you can imagine my mother’s face when she heard this) but Susan made him change his mind. “You will have to pose for some photos, but I believe capturing the magic of a wedding requires photographing the moments that nobody expects“, these are some of the words that sold us. Not only does she have exceptional references, but her photos speak for themselves. We are looking forward to seeing how her natural, simple and spontaneous style will capture the day.
Photo by Susan Ros at the wedding of Marta and Jaime from “Banquete de Ideas”
– Saal Digital: Once again we have trusted this German company to see our best memories come to life. A few days ago we received our wedding invitations and we could not be more pleased with the result. Thank you, first of all to the talented Philippa Kuligowski for her gorgeous design, and to Saal Digital for their excellent job printing them. The quality of the paper is fantastic and its matte finish gives a beautiful Mediterranean feel to it. As well, they are passing a voucher on to any of our readers that want to try their services. A generous 20€ off on orders valued 39,95€ or over. To use the voucher, enter the code RUTAS20 at the checkout (ends 30th June 2018, can be redeemed once per customer).
– Variat Mallorca: Elena and Andrés, the creative minds behind Variat Street Food Mallorca, look for hosts who want to surprise and be surprised. With their help we have designed our own personalized menu. Something we hope will please all tastes. Their stylish food truck allows them to adapt to any situation and location, so not only do we not have to worry about the complications of holding a wedding on a farm, but our guests will be able to enjoy a little live cooking show. We are already counting the days to enjoy the delicious dishes, and we would like to thank them for their availability and patience answering all the questions of two wedding newbs, even now while they are immersed in the renovation of their kitchen in the Coll d’en Rebassa.
Photo by Jan Hillnhütter – http://www.janhillnhuetter.de
Our wedding
We wanted a Mediterranean style wedding in the countryside, surrounded by olive, orange and almond groves, with a small group of family and friends. Conveniently, S’Establit, our farm, offers exactly that. It is a typical Majorcan finca of 1,200 olive trees (an assortment of arbequina, picual and empeltre) where free-range chickens happily roam when not being harassed by our two otherwise lovely dogs. Also, with it being both next to the pretty town of Sa Cabaneta and close enough to quickly nip back to Palma, the location is perfect.
There is still a lot to plan for the wedding, but we are over the moon about being able to celebrate it in a place that means so much to us. As Leonne, my Irish second-mother, told me recently: “Having already been to your olive grove, I think you couldn’t find a nicer venue for your amazing wedding! It will be very very special. I’m sure”
If you dream of a relaxed wedding on a beautiful Mediterranean island, Mallorca is your place! We will keep you updated on how our wedding plans are coming along. In the meantime, please feel free to reach out to us in our comment section below.
