Real Jewish Wedding in Spain: Talia & Nadav

Talia and Nadav’s Jewish wedding in Spain had a selected temporary: organic, contemporary design, an elevated ‘summer camp’ atmosphere, and dozens of non-public details. Living within the US but with heritage in Israel, they wanted to search out somewhere to bring all their family members together that had direct access by air and allowed everyone to remain together. We devised a ‘two-centre’ wedding starting in Barcelona, and here we’ll share this logistically complex, multi day destination wedding in all its beauty and heartfelt touches.

After we found Castell d’Emporda within the La Bisbal region of Spain, it ticked all of the boxes. Just about all Talia and Nadav’s guests could stay on site, and this beautiful historic castle has an enormous variety of gorgeous spaces available to make use of for various events. There was just one small hitch: Castell d’Emporda’s closest airport is Girona, but all guests can be flying into Barcelona. Quite than asking their family members to get straight onto a 2 hour transfer after their transatlantic flights, we decided to create a ‘two-centre’ wedding.

A Gaudi Experience for a Jewish Wedding in Spain

On arrival in Barcelona, we treated Talia and Nadav’s guests to a Gaudi experience to start their Jewish wedding celebrations in Spain. The thought was to permit them to remain for one night in Barcelona and luxuriate in a warm welcome before making the journey onto Girona the next day. Private tours were arranged at the long-lasting Gaudi constructing Casa Mila (also often known as La Pedrera), ending within the wonderful Cafe La Pedrera which we had exclusive use of for the evening. They were greeted with tapas and drinks, and it was the proper strategy to begin the festivities.

After an early finish and an excellent night’s rest in Barcelona, we took all guests to La Bisbal by coach at lunchtime the next day. On arrival they received welcome bags and were shown to their rooms, before being invited to Castell d’Emporda’s Dali pool within the evening for a paella party featuring toasts and speeches.

The Wedding Day

This Jewish wedding in Spain didn’t adhere to a strict Jewish wedding timeline, and included so many small, thoughtful details that we are able to’t wait to share with you. The driving force behind much of this was Talia’s wish that it felt as if everyone was gathering together at an elevated version of a ‘summer camp’ experience – so it was essential to her that she got the possibility to spend as much time as possible along with her family members.

On the morning of the marriage she desired to spend time along with her friends before the ceremony, so we arranged for a bigger team of hair and make up artists than usual to enable the ‘preparing’ to start at lunchtime, freeing up her morning. During this time she arrange a painting session for guests to attend along with her, showing her highly creative streak.

The ‘first look’ between Talia and Nadav was not done within the official bedecken but reasonably privately, a while before the ceremony. They met on top of the castle tower with incredible views and shared a number of special moments before the marriage begun. Guests were all then invited to a pre-chuppah ceremonial, where Talia and Nadav signed their ketubah. The bedecken followed, with Nadav being led ‘pied piper’ style by the Matzoh Boys who we brought from the UK to fill this wedding with music.

Talia’s wish was that the decor at the marriage felt as organic and natural as possible, while still having a recent design aesthetic. Their ceremony took place within the olive grove, and the chuppah was designed to look as if it was growing out of the bottom. The chuppah table containing all of the items needed for the ceremony was an old tree trunk, and we were also lucky enough to make use of a centuries-old table as a memorial station.

The ceremony of this Jewish wedding in Spain was led by Talia and Nadav’s brothers, so it was very personal and wonderful. Afterwards, the band played on the drinks reception and the dancing begun without hesitation – even Nadav’s 90 12 months old grandfather was letting his hair down!

As with many Jewish weddings the dancing went on well into the morning, in Castell d’Emporda’s underground wine cellar, ‘the cave’.

Design & Details for a Jewish Wedding in Spain

Talia and Nadav’s Jewish wedding in Spain was designed with a contemporary, unique aesthetic in mind – pared back, detail-focused and non-ostentatious. Their dinner under the pergola was dressed with draping and lighting, providing a comfortable cover under which to execute their vision. Listed below are a few of our favourite details:

Floristry and Art

The florals at this wedding could higher be described as art and sculpture, and we brought in Jordi of Montana el Teller to design these unique tablescapes. Alternative styling included runners of salt wandering down the center of the tables, into which were placed candelabras with deliberately melted wax, single flower stems and lone candles.

Bouquet

Talia’s bouquet was also very unique, featuring bleached amaranthus. These were used throughout the marriage, draped across the candelabras and hanging from the chuppah, an aesthetic constant throughout the day.

Stationery & Signage

Being a creative, Talia was very keen to create her own illustrations for her Jewish wedding stationery in Spain. Every bit of stationery had its own unique illustration, which was handcrafted by Talia before being produced into the finished product by Bigday Designs.

Signage hung from trees, in step with the organic feel of the marriage, and was provided by Higher & Co.

Talia and Nadav also took the time to handwrite notes to each individual guest, which were put into envelopes and have become place name cards on the tables. The words inside were so heartfelt and private, we could see the emotion on guests’ faces as they opened them.

A Jewish Wedding During Sukkot

This whole Jewish wedding in Spain took place in the course of the Jewish holiday Sukkot. During this time Jewish people take their meals inside temporary structures, and as a surprise for Talia her mum asked us to create one among these in a covered pergola with fabric drapes hanging from the partitions. Every guest had been sent a small square of cloth and asked to place a message or piece of artwork on it, and throughout the wedding everyone brought their fabric squares with them and pinned them onto the drapes.

We’ve a helpful guide to the dates for all of the Jewish holidays which is updated annually – you could find it HERE. Whenever you work with us we’ll guide and advise you on learn how to work with and around these special dates on your wedding.

The handfuls of details included on this wedding truly made it so special, and each moment and element was considered to provide Talia, Nadav and their family members the time of their lives. Whatever your vision on your Jewish, Jew-ish or non-religious wedding, we sit up for helping you work out the strategy to make it a reality.

You possibly can CONTACT us here to rearrange your free destination wedding planning consultation. Listed below are another articles chances are you’ll be all in favour of:

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