Planning a wedding in Ibiza

Hi ?

Welcome to hitched! and Congratulations I havnt been to Ibiza however I have seen online these that look good:

https://www.amanteibiza.com/index.aspx

http://www.eat-ibiza.com/en/eatibiza.php

Some general info about organising a wedding in Ibiza

https://www.ibiza-spotlight.com/weddings/

I hope thats ok some help!

Claire

Not sure how much help this will be, but we're getting married in Bali and I started off by looking at the websites of the travel companies and going from there.

I also googled for wedding planners on the island and got some fantastic ideas for venues from the various sites even though I wasn't planning on going through a travel company or using a planner. Once you start looking, you'll be amazed at how much info comes from some very random places - I can't even remember where I first found our venue now!

Trip advisor was also invaluable as there was ideas for places to go/eat at, as well as the usual stuff on hotels and resorts.

Happy hunting and keep us posted. We love a good venue flash, you know ?

Thanks guys!

I am spending hours searching online and my brain is feeling a bit frazzled! I will keep at it and I'm sure once I go in April I'll probably already have made my mind up( good excuse for a holiday eh??)

I had seen Amante actually... it is my fave so far. The views and photos on their website are beautiful, I have emailed them to ask for prices for the food and drinks etc. Will have to see how much they come back with!

Will defo post pics once I get some of the venues!

Hi, we have booked our wedding in Ibiza for 12 July 2012. We are getting married and having our reception at Cas Mila in Cala Tarida which is a lovely restaurant in a stunning location. We visited Ibiza several times last year and had initially entered in to discussions with a different venue, but because we were organising it ourselves I was getting very frustrated with the lack of communication, and I speak Spanish so language barrier couldn't be blamed.

Anyway, we then started researching other venues when we came across cas mila so we emailed them asking for some details. It turns out that they have their own in house planner, Candida who also has her own wedding planning company. So we met with Candida last October and visited the venue which is the perfect, we have since discovered that both Thomson and First Choice use Candida as their planner and they both use Cas Mila. So we booked and now we can't wait.

We looked at Amante, which was first on our list because we stay in Cala Llonga. It is a stunning venue but to be honest it is very expensive, the owner seemed a bit dodgy and I have heard some terrible reviews. There are lots of other places to consider which are equally as nice but without better prices.

If you want any info just let me know.

Good luck and congrats!

Sarah x

Hi Sarah

Thanks for the advice it is really helpful to hear from other people planning a wedding in Ibiza.

I actually have an appointment with Candi in April as we are going out to look at venues, Casa Mila is on the shortlist! The prices seem quite reasonable( for Ibiza!) Are you getting married there or in a church? Also is Candi arranging the table decorations, dj, etc for you? Is she charging you?

We are also going to look at chirringuito, pura vida, and a few villa options. We are hoping to go and look at Malibu and Amarant and I'm just waiting for them to get back to me. Is there anywhere else you would recommend having a nosey at whilst we are there? I don't want to come back and find somewhere online and wish I'd seen it!

Sorry for all the questions!

Hi Emma,

Firstly, congratulations!!!

We are having both the ceremony and the reception at Cas Mila. Candi is arranging absolutely everything from transport, flowers, cake (cupcakes), dj, table decorations etc, which is all in a set charge. The price will only change if we go over/under the number of guests we have said are attending.

We have been going to Ibiza for many years now and always stay in Cala Llonga which is why Amante was the first venue we looked at. Wed used to know it as Sol Den Serra but still went to meet with the new owner David. He probably is a lovely bloke but I just didn't get the right vibe from him so decided to look elsewhere. Amarant was the venue we were in the process of booking, we were speaking via email and then arranged to meet in May last year. When we got there we were really impressed and loved the location so started negotiating prices, well tried. I sent several emails to their events manager Sara but either got a short reply which didn't really answer my questions or no reply at all. After a couple of months of getting no where we started looking again. For me it was between Pura Vida and Cas Mila, Cas Mila won because we got on really well with Candida and because Cala Tarida is on the West side of the island which means that the sunsets are spectacular!

As for price, we have booked a full package at great price. If you let me have your email address I will forward you the quote which Candida gave me (and some pics), which we have booked.

I bet you can't wait to go over in Ibiza, I have to wait until July! Let me know how you get on and where you end up booking. Sarah x

Thanks guys!

It is really useful and I certainly intend to have a good look around once I'm there in April.

Sarah- I am so excited to visit in April- I really can't wait!!!! Will update this page once I have some pics of where we choose.

x

There is a really small village called Sant Agusti in between San Jose & San Antonio. It is beautiful, There's a really pretty church and a gorgeous restaurant opposite (and that's about it) called Can Berri Vell. I can honestly say that it was one of the best meals I have ever had!

The staff are lovely, food is amazing (think thre is also a berri vell bar next door - but really there is nothing else in the village). A friend went to a wedding in the church and then they had a drinks reception in the restaurant terrace. I would certainly recommend the food, might be nice for a ceremony and food, you could always have night do somewhere with a bit more nightlife.

x

Hi there,

I am also getting married next year in Ibiza. I wont be going out till september to look at places and book somewhere. But i've already got a shortlist (although it's been getting shorter by the day!). We have had prices, and will be going to see:

Amante

Pura Vida

Cas Mila

Sa Punta

Another venue I seen online but won't be viewing thats nice is Cap Des Falco (sp?). You should look it up. The venue charge was just too expensive for us. Especially since we're getting married right at the end of season in October.

I've also been talking with Candi, she seems really helpful and we will probably go with Cas Mila. Pura Vida looks nice, but all those charges for seats and stuff for the ceremony?! It was over-priced.

I just wanted to ask the bride that's getting married in Cas Mila, I also got an example of a package from Candi aswell as the price of just the menu per person. Did you have the option of taking anything out that package? Like the cars and dj, i could do without. Also is it close to Ibiza Town?

Thanks

x

Hi Girls

Another Ibiza bride here to add to the conversation! I am getting married in May of this year and actually work out there during the summer so I have a multitude of great restaurants and can help answer questions if you have them. I still dont have my reception venue sete in stone but recently got back from Ibiza and met with Rafa at Cas Mila and I was very impressed. He is super nice and up front and can pretty much cater a menu to your budget. I am getting married in a church so we are thinking of having the meal at a restaurant and hopefully the entertainment in the same place as we thought that might give us more clout when it comes to the price per head if they know they have us for the rest of the night drinking at the bar! I am planning the wedding myself because I dont have a big budget and having worked out there for the last 12 years I am pretty sure I can source contacts etc for myself.

If anyone is looking for a caterer I can highly recommend Vicki and Alex at Eat-Ibiza (google them) and they also include wedding planning as part of their service. They also have a list of recommended venues if you are looking for one; obviously this would not suit those looking for a restaurant as most restaurants will not allow outside caterers in. I am not using them as we decided it would be a better solution for us to go with a restaurant but their food is amazing and Vickki is simply lovely.

I noticed someone recommended a restaurant that they had been to but I would just offer some advice when talking to restaurants in Ibiza. Depending on the size of your wedding party I would make sure that they have experience with weddings because as much as I love Ibiza (it is my second home) I know only too well that some people out there will promise the earth just to get the 'sale' and then come up short when it comes to delivering their promises. I will put a list of restaurants at the bottom of this post whom I know are skilled and experienced with weddings and those that have come recommended to me by locals and friends alike.

I still havent sorted out flowers and nor have I any recommendations as yet but if I come across any with my planning I will let you all know and likewise if anyone has any thing to share please do I have a contact for wedding cars, if you want her email address just let me know!

Without further ado, here are some restaurants I know that are good choices for wedding parties and came recommended to me

Sa Capella (San Antonio)

Cas Mila (Cala Tarida)

Ses Illes Des Bosc (Cala Conta)

We were originally thinking of using the Landhotel Calador at Cala Carbo and are still thinking of staying there anyway as the grounds are lovely and I hear they decorate the gardens absolutely beautifully.

If anyone is having a church wedding or looking for someone to sing in church or afterwards we are in talks with Sam and Johnny who have lived out there for 20 years and are very experienced in wedding party and entertainment. She is also organising all the legal paperwork for me as we are having a legal catholic ceremony out there. If you want her email just PM me and I will pass it on.

Hope that has given you food for thought and if you have any other questions or come across any nuggets of info then I cant wait to hear them!

Jessica x

Hi,

I think Candi can and would customise the package to suit your requirements, just send her a quick email to check.

Jessica, you are absolutely right about some restaurants which will promise you the earth but then can't cope with actually holding a wedding, we have heard this from other brides who have left comments on tripadvisor.

Jessica do you know anyone who can arrange transport for guests?

Thanks

Sarah x

Hi Mcdoo

Just sent you an email with her details

xxx

Thanks guys, that was really helpful! Sarah would you mind emailing me the quote you got? I just want to compare if there is any difference in price for July and October. We would be getting married at the time that most places are closing for winter. We mainly chose October based on thinking it would be cheaper.

My email is ********@*******.***

x

Hi there

Just wondered if any of you have had any thoughts on a dj? Are you having one and if so have you found one? How much are they charging?

Also wondered about make up and hair... I have found a couple online and the prices seem quite high- but if that is what they are then I guess I'll have to pay it or do it myself!

Hi Emma

I am using the people who are doing the music for my ceremony, they have a keyboard synthesizer set up and have heard good things about them. They are a husband and wife team called Sam and Johnny Hocking and play 2 sets with a break in between and then the husband can also DJ using computer software for the last part to keep the party going. She quoted me 600 EUR which I think is quite good. We have decided to do party cheesy route as none of our guests are particularly into house music but if you wanted a house DJ I know several who would probably do it, but I have no idea how much they would charge. If you want I can ask them? The guy I am thinking of can play very eclectically and has a vastt range of musical taste, if you wanted showmanship he is the best at scracthing! lol

There is also a guy on the Trip Advisor Forums who claims to do many of the weddings in Ibiza......just do a search on there for Ibiza wedding dj and you will come up with his name, he is very active on the forums there.

Good Luck!

J.x

Hi, can I ask a question, are you all actually legally getting married in Ibiza? I ask because we looked into getting married there as we love Ibiza and go there every year but we were told that people who did not live on the island could not get married there unless they were religious i.e. Catholic. Civil Ceremonies are not recognised in English law so we would have to get married in the UK first and then have a 'blessing' instead in Ibiza. We were gutted, we would have loved to have done the whole thing in Ibiza. We were looking at getting married on the cliff top opposite Es Vedra and then having our reception at Landhotel Calador at Cala Carbo as we know the owners very well.

I'm not a catholic either. You need to sign the wedding certificate here. It's just a formality though and it doesn't bother me to quickly do the legal stuff here. I'll be taking 2 people to sign it with us at a registry office a few days before Ibiza, and probably wont even be telling people we've been and done it.

D

x

Hi Sarah,

love this post and have also seen your one on tripadvisor. I also am looking to get married in ibiza in september 2012 and Cas Mila is looking like the first choice. I have emailed them for prices etc but they are yet to get back to me, and as we won't get the chance to go out and visit due to budget restrictions I'd appreciate if you could please email me how much you were quoted for your wedding, dates, guests etc.

Thanks again for all your help and good luck with your wedding

Alex xxx

Hi!

Could you please send the car details and church info to me too.. I cant figure out how to PM...

We're also looking at June 2012!

x

Hey, I'm getting married at cas mila on the 27th september this year soooo excited!!!(as you can imagine)I booked through first choice and deal solely with Candida, she is amazing!!! Always answers my emails promptly and is helping me keep my costs down I can't recommend her enough!! I haven't the budget to fly out there first and I was initially nervous about booking without seeing but she's had so many positive reviews and dealing with her directly has put my mind at ease. If u need to know anything let me know and when the big day has been (eeek sooo frickin excited) I'll post pics so u can see exactly what cas mila is like xxxx

Hi ya, what date are u getting married in September I asked candi about the dj and she said give her the list of music and she'll liase with the dj, so I'm pretty sure you can have what u want. Xx

Hi Sonia,

I bet you can't wait for your wedding! Eeek! Mine seems so far away, (September next year!) but I'm trying to plug away with the planning, as were on a budget we're doing it all ourselves and unfortunatlely won't get the opportunity to go out there before hand to look at venues etc. I really like the look of Casa Mila and have emailed for a quote but they are yet to get back to me. If you don't mind I'd really appreciate if you could let me know how much it would be (if you know) for a wedding party of about 40 and how much you have been quoted.You can PM me.

Thanks in advance

Alex xxx

Woo its so exciting to see all these Ibiza brides!

My fiance and I are hoping to book a date in June 2012 and have just bought Easyjet tickets for only £45 each return so are going for a long weekend vist to see venues and meet photographers etc. So exciting!!!!

Something I was thinking about is how do you decide what time to have your ceremony? We are having a catholic service and our reception at a TBC location but definitely outside... any thoughts? really feel a bit lost on the running order of the day.

Thanks

Tam

Hi Tam

Congratulations on your wedding date! I too am having a catholic ceremony - which church are you getting married in do you know?! I chose Es Cubells for the stunning view!

We were originally going to get married at 1pm because I didnt want to be hanging around all day to get nervous but when we were planning the reception we have decided to try and push it later at 4pms (the Priests all observe a strict siesta so any time between 1 and 4 is out!). It also makes sense if you are trying to keep costs down because then you only have to provide one meal and the drinks bill will be less! haha

Another thing to think about is the heat. I am getting married in May so its not too much of an issue as it is stills quite fresh, but by June it can get very hot so the later the better really and then you get the sunset for your photos Lighting in Ibiza is fabulous but shooting pics in midday sun is a nightmare and they can come out over exposed (so tells a photogrpher friend of mine), the most flattering light for photos is just as the sun is starting to go down before it starts getting dusky so late afternoonish.

Are you having Sam and John help you with the ceremony and legal side of things? If so, She is always happy to advise on timings and such.

Hope that helps and good luck with the reconaissance trip!

Jessica

Hi Jess

Thank you so much for your reply it was really useful - though goodness the idea of not seeing my lovely man until 4pm on our wedding day makes me feel like I might faint from giddiness. J

We haven’t actually started any of the church panning – where did you find the list of the islands churches and how did you mange to visit them, did you need to make appointments? I was looking at the Santa Eulalia church but only because it is closest to our TBC venue. Not a great reason considering we haven’t decide our venue either all very hypothetical! The man is supposed to organising the church details as he is the religious one out of us but I can’t help getting involved J. Oooh I just googled ES Cubells and it is LOVELY!

I haven’t contacted Sam and John but am thinking that I probably should…Have you found the process of arranging the religious ceremony difficult?

Sorry for so many questions - venues, flowers, travel, colours I can do churches and services I struggle with!

xx Tam

HAha, I dont know what I am doing about the night before yet, I might buck tradition and just leave him in the morning! tempting fate maybe...? whats everyone else doing?

Churches were easy because I live and work over there in the summer so I just went round the island in my car and searched a few out. They are all lovely but the one in Es Cubells definitely has the best view (Santa Eulalia is up high and is pretty too though) Sant Agustin is another one on a hill but the view is mainly green fields as it is inland, very picturesque and quaint but i wanted a sea view

Sam and Johnny have been a godsend with regards to information and she is organising all the paperwork for us. Basically you have to do a marriage preparation course in the UK (which you get a certificate of completion for) and visit your priest here to discuss your plans. He has to organise everything as if you were being married in a church in the UK, so he needs baptism and birth information as well as info about all the parishes you have lived in to check there are no records of you being married before. When he has all that information he puts it all into a form and sends it to the Bishop to get permission to marry you. I think there is a piece of paper that comes back from the bishop which then needs to be translated and sent to the bishop in Ibiza. Along with the certificate thingy from the church you also need to make an appointment at the registry office and declare your intention to marry, they advertise it and give people two weeks to object after which time you get a "Freedom To Marry" or "Certificate of No Impediment" (CONI) certificate. So all three certificates/documents (Marriage prep course cert, church document and CONI) need to be sent to Ibiza before you get married. After the marriage Sam is sorting out the International Certificate of Marriage for us which we will get a few weeks after. It sounds like a lot of paperwork but all you need to do is chat with your priest who will arrange the church stuff, chat with the local registry office who will arrange all the civil stuff, and do the marriage course (google local ones in your area). Sam does all the rest. They charge about 900 EUR but that covers the church fee (which is nomally around 350), the certifcate of marriage and music during the ceremony.

The organising isnt that difficult but if you dont speak SPanish it could be. You need to get the timing right too a the civil document (CONI) has an expiry date and cant be older than three months old on the day you get married so dont do it too soon!

Hope I havent bamboozled you with too much info!

Jessica.

I am having a mini panic here today....I just heard from my priest and he told me that the papers from the Bishop here left his office on the 11th Jan and were sent to the bishop in Ibiza! As the papers needed to be translated I kind of assumed that I would get the papers sent to me to do that and I was planning to send it all together (The CONI and the marriage prep certificate) via registered post after having taken copies of everything just to be on the safe side!

Now I am fearing the worst, especially having encountered on many occasion the incompetence of the Spanish Postal Service and dealing with the "Correo" in Ibiza on a weekly basis when I am working there.....grrrrr. Has anyone else who is getting married in a Church out there had their papers sent yet? Does anyone know if the bishops write them in Latin as par for the course?!

On the positive side I confirmed with Cas Mila yesterday so at least thats another box ticked.....i still feel like so much is disjointed and nothing seems to be coming together yet. I have less than 3 months and am supposed to be going on holiday for two weeks at the beginning of next month (It was booked before we decided to set the date - i know, terrible timing! lol)

So now I am just a bit EEEEEK!

Sorry for the rant!

Jessica.

Hi Jessica,

I am looking to get married in Ibiza in September next year. What Church have you chose, we are thinking Saint Agustin, as I've heard its very pretty but have not actually been out there to look at Churches myself. Have you managed to do all the paperwork yourself, I have been given details of a couple who work in ibiza to help out with that side of things but as i'm on a tight budget it's one cost i could do without, however i haven't a clue where to start!

I'm also nearly 100% positive we are going to go with Cas Mila, it looks gorgeous on the photos. Is Candi arranging everything for you? She's been great have you made any alterations to the packages she offers or any extras?

Thanks in advance

Alex

P.S Good luck with your wedding, hope everything goes OK, and keep me updated

xxxxxx

Hi Alex

We are getting married at the Church of Es Cubells in San Josep....it has a stunning backdrop of the sea and some pretty arch features which I thought would be good for photos. I have visited many of the churches on the island and we went to Sant Agustin and it is indeed very pretty, its in a tranquil little village high up so you get a great view of the area and greenery. To be honest all of the churches inside are pretty much of a similar theme (mainly white with pictures and holy statues acattered around) and all very pretty. The one in the main town of San Jose has an ornate (I think gold) altar if you are into that sort of thing but is in the middle of quite a busy town so the surroundings are not quite as picturesque.

I am arranging everything myself with Cas Mila because I work out there so have some contacts in bars and restaurants and managed to get an appointment to see Rafa when I was there last. We have since been conversing by email and he told me he basically just needs a 20% deposit a couple of weeks before and we are able to go and tast the menu before the day to make sure everything is to our liking. I didnt get any package options because I just went and told him the type of thing we were after (A salad starter, beef main and sorbet/wedding cake dessert) and he gave me a price. He is very reasonable and straight with people which I liked.

As for the paperwork......i am afraid I am not sure what the first step would be but I should imagine that speaking to your priest here would be your first port of call. My priest basically took some information from the two of us and put it all into one document which was sent to the Bishop (I think it is asking permission to allow us to marry after checking we have not already been married). The bishop then sent this document (after signing) to the bishop in Ibiza but you need to make sure it is translated into Latin or Spanish first. I just found out that our papers were sent untranslated and had a bit of a panic but when i told Sam, she went to the Bishops office in Ibiza town to check on things and managed to get a few things changed so I didnt have to do it all over again! Phew! So if you are doing it yourself just make sure that you stress to the priest that you need the papers translated and if that cant be done automatically then to have them sent to you so you can do it yourself (I think you have to pay a fee normally and would need to contact the Foreign Affairs Office in London for more info - look it up online) So, once the church formalities are done you need to declare your intention to marry not more than three months beofre your wedding date at the local registry office. They interview you and your partner and you pay a registry fee (about £33 each!) and get a CONI certificate after 16 days. This also has to be sent to Ibiza but I am not sure where that needs to be sent because Sam is sorting that out for me. Another final piece of paperwork required if you are marrying legally in a catholic chhurch is a certificate to say that you have completed a marriage preparation course. This is easily done and usually involves a couple of evenings in your local community hall with a local priest or deacon completing group and couple exercises after which you receive a completion certificate. There is no pass or fail so you dont have to worry too much about it!

I found a link to the Foreign Commonwealth Office advice for marriage in Spain: http://ukinspain.fco.gov.uk/en/help-for-british-nationals/living-in-spain/births-deaths-marriages/marriage/

i do not have a contact for the civil authorities in San Agustin but if your budget allows it might be an idea to go out to Ibiza and visit the priest in the church you wish to marry. They may speak English and be able to help you with the paperwork and provide you with the necessary documents to take to the Civil authorities and legally register your marriage there. Sorry I cant be of much help on this one because I decided to pay Sam and Johnny to do it all for me! I just thought it sounded like a lot of hassle and would rather have someone on the island keeping on top of things.

I am probably not going out there again now until the week before the wedding but if I can find anything more out for you when I am out there I will! Oh nd I look forward to giving a run down of the Cas Mila reception!

Good luck with your planning Alex!

Jessica

Hi Ladies

How are you all doing? Its been a while since I checked the thread because I have been busy at work and just been on holiday for two weeks. It has suddenly dawned on me that my wedding day is 7 weeks away this weekend - EEK! I think most of the important stuff is sorted though with the exception of wedding rings. I know we are leaving it very late but I am hoping it really doesnt take as long as everyone says it does. If anyone has any information on this I would greatly appreciate it.

I just got finished photos through of my photos and though that some of you ladies might be interested to see them. I have gone for artificial to take away the stress of organising real flowers in Ibiza with the heat and I am sure the cost will be extortionate just as most things are in Ibiza! So the lady that did mine is fabulous and very reasonably priced, she listened to my ideas and added her own according to the photos of the dresses i sent her and they turned out exactly as I wanted. You can see them here and other arrangements that Michelle has done on her website:

http://www.upsadaisybridalflowers.co.uk/products/gallery-designs-2/jessica-l-flowers

Let me know what you think!

How is everyone else getting on with their planning?

J.x

Hi Jess,

Those flowers look great!! I haven’t even thought about flowers yet… ok I lie, I have a bit but I’m trying to focus on the big things first! Are you taking them across with you? Silly question, perhaps, but how are you getting all your things across I had a thought this morning that I was getting all excited about buying candles and decoration etc but not sure my 15kg Easyjet allowance would be that useful or accommodating Did your papers come through ok then?

In terms of our planning we are heading across to Ibiza on the 30th March to confirm venues and dates. We do have a tentative date (June 2012) booked in with our favourite venue but still have appointments with a few other venues as back up plans. I have also found my photographer, who is doing an engagement shoot for us when we visit, our car and two great options for hair and makeup. We want to use our visit time to have a look around hotels, villas etc. close to our venue so we can recommend places to our families to stay. It’s all so far in advance but friends and family are coming from as far afield as South Africa, Australia, Dubai, USA and New Zealand so I am already getting loads of questions re travel and accommodation!!

As destination brides – have any of you set up wedding websites? Who have you used?

So any other flashes of the wedding plans???

Good luck on the rings!!

X Tam

Another quick question - what have you done about reception music? Do you have a DJ?

any advice reccomendations gratefully received - I have heard about the wedding couple who also help with paperwork so any others besides them would be cool!

I am hoping for someone who is open to various sorts of music and is not to prescriptive!

Thanks!