Al and Tony both love the sun, so they decided on a destination in Ibiza. “We are both sun-worshipping beach bums”, the bride said. “I grew up in Australia so the beach and the sea is in my blood, and Tony spent his younger years backpacking and chasing the summer. We go to Spain for a summer holiday every year and Ibiza is a special place for me due to it’s spiritual flavour, so it was the obvious choice for our wedding.”
The couple were legally married in Islington Town hall in London (on Al’s birthday!) a few days before the Ibiza wedding. “We both always wanted a beach ceremony and to be outdoors and close to nature, so La Escollera was the perfect location”, she said. “It had rained a lot that week, but we were totally blessed on the day as the sun came out in its full glory.”
“We had a mixture of all different ceremonies from Native American, Apache and Celtic blessings to Jewish customs, a pagan hand-fasting and even an angel blessing. We chose the best bits of everything and had everyone in tears.”
The pair did all the décor for the wedding themselves. “We had vintage doily dream catchers and constellation table centres and a heavenly star tableplan, all designed and made by me”, she said. “I bought the doilies from Oxfam and on Etsy. I have also collected feathers, shells and crystals over the years so we used them too.”
“Also, Andrea and the team at La Escollera went out of their way to make our day really special. Andrea even stayed up until 3am the night before to build us a beautiful lace tipi out of the goodness of her own heart. It was the showcase of the whole event with everyone wanting a photo inside it. She even went to Amsterdam to get the lace! That was just so special and I got so much more than just a wedding venue by booking our day at La Escollera because I also feel like I have made a friend for life in Andrea.”
“My advice to other couples would be to take some time off straight after the wedding to rest and relax”, she concluded. “We only had one day to unwind before going back to work and I wish we had stayed on the island longer to recharge our batteries and have a holiday. Also, on the day, try to sneak away for even five minutes together just to take in the day. The whole day goes so fast and you’ll be so busy mingling, chatting and dancing so it’s nice to steal a few minutes just to take stock and have a cuddle with your partner in crime.”
