Most of the brides I work with do not live in Spain. They write to me from another country, sometimes with the wedding still a year away, and plan from a distance a morning that will happen in a place many of them barely know.
Why most weddings are destination weddings, planned from abroad
Around eighty per cent of my weddings are destination weddings: couples who live outside Spain and choose the Costa del Sol to marry. The main reason is the weather. They usually come from places where it is quite changeable, and what they are looking for is the certainty of good weather on their wedding day. Many reach me through their wedding planner's recommendation, and others find me on Instagram or Google.
What the first conversation at a distance is like
The first conversation is usually by email or WhatsApp, and by video call if you prefer. It covers your wedding, where you will get ready and what worries you most, and from then on you send me the photos you like throughout the year.
When to hold the hair and makeup trial if the bride arrives in Spain only a few days before
Ideally the trial takes place one to two months before the wedding, and many brides use a trip to Spain they already had planned, such as the menu tasting, to fit it in. If you only arrive a few days before, the trial is held during those days, sometimes even the day before the wedding. Then it can do double duty: the hairstyle from the trial is ready for the welcome party, the gathering many couples hold with their guests before the big day.
How the whole organisation adapts to the bride's trips
Everything else fits around your travel. The trial date is set for when you can be here, references are shared at a distance and, when the contract is signed, I ask for the list of your suppliers so I can coordinate directly with the photographer. That way, when the wedding morning comes, you do not have to act as go-between for anyone.
