Can You Plan a Destination Wedding in Under a Year?

Yes, absolutely! We’ve seen couples plan several years ahead, and we’ve also seen couples organise their wedding in just a few months. In fact, we are one of those couples ourselves. The longest lead time is really getting your invites out, and we did that with only 6 months to go for our own wedding at This Must Be The Place in 2023, so it’s totally possible.

An important part of the planning process is securing a caterer. Most venues have a list of recommended caterers you’ll need to contact for quotes and to check availability, which can take time and feel like a bit of a slog. We did it this way for our first few years too, until we realised it made planning a wedding from abroad much harder. We now work exclusively with an amazing caterer called Caravan Made, who guarantees availability for our couples (and never disappoints!).

For your other suppliers (DJ & sound, florist, photo, etc.), we and most other venues have a little black book of recommended suppliers to share, with enough tried-and-tested options that there will always be great choices, even at the last minute.

So, can you pull it off in under a year? We can confidently say that if you choose a venue like ours, organising a wedding in under a year is no problem at all. We are British and speak English (plus Spanish and Catalan), and our rates include holding your hand and guiding you through the process.

We’d say the most important thing when choosing a wedding date is to check with the 20 or so most important people – family, key friends, etc. And then just go for it. Otherwise, it is easy to overthink this part… you’ll never please everyone. It’s your day, so do it your way.

Many of your guests will also relish the opportunity to tag on a trip to Barcelona, or a few days at a beautiful beach on the Costa Brava. But most of all, they will come because they love YOU… and you’re putting on a banging party they won’t want to miss!

Guest numbers (at our venue at least) vary from intimate celebrations of 40-50 people, up to larger events of 150+. All these sizes work really well here.

Not at all. You will be surprised to discover that it can often be cheaper than a UK wedding. Wedding venues and local accommodation tend to cost less than their UK counterparts, and food and drink are much cheaper here too. That said, catering will still be your biggest spend, but the ingredient quality, service, abundance of food, and limitless alcohol will surprise and enchant your guests.

Just be sure to check whether IVA (VAT) is included when you budget. Some things are at 10% and others at 21% (ours is a mix of the two), and people often quote prices without IVA/VAT.

You need to be a Spanish resident to get legally married here. Fret not, though; we think symbolic ceremonies are way more fun anyway. That way, you can curate the ceremony your way and make it extra special, leaving the legal side to a UK registry office.

This is where a venue’s (or a wedding planner’s) experience and local knowledge become incredibly valuable. In our case, we will share an extensive list of recommended suppliers who know our venue well, and we can even help you narrow it down to the best options for your style and budget.

As big music (and party) lovers here, getting the sound and music right was really important to us. We installed an excellent sound system to ensure the party always kicks, and we only recommend DJs who can adapt to the music you want them to play while also mixing professionally and, crucially, reading the crowd to keep the dancefloor full. No matter which venue you choose, don’t overlook these details. You want your wedding to end with a BANG!

You can also work with UK-based suppliers. We’ve had many fantastic UK photographers and videographers here!

Some people assume they’ll need three or four trips, but that is not the case. In fact, we host 4 or 5 weddings every year where the couple have never visited before! Admittedly, those are usually some of our Australian and US couples, but we recently hosted a wonderful wedding for a UK couple who put their faith in us from not quite as far and had an amazing day.

Most couples visit twice… once to view the venue before booking, and once for their ‘technical visit’, where we walk with them through their plans of what they would like to do where and when (this is usually combined with a menu tasting at Caravan Made, which is just WOW!). We’ve also done both the initial visit and the technical visit over video calls. It is all possible. We also have a video tour available here, so you can get a feel for the venue before planning a visit.

As Brits, we had Plan B firmly in mind when we designed the venue. Our covered barns (Els Graners) are the centrepiece of our venue, not an afterthought, and they’re part of everyone’s Plan A. That said, the weather out here is one reason to choose a wedding in Spain, and the risk of rain is low.

We know flight delays can be a concern, so our simple advice is to make sure no one flies in on the wedding day. Extend this advice to the day before for immediate friends and family/wedding party. When people follow this advice, we haven’t seen any problems.

One of the best bits about getting married abroad is that it naturally stretches over several days, so you get to spend more time with your loved ones. That makes it even more special and memorable, an experience you and your guests will genuinely never forget.

Pre-wedding events are a great informal way to meet up with everyone before the big day. We host fantastic pre-wedding events here, but we can also recommend great (and really good value) options nearby. A post-wedding (late) brunch is also a really nice touch… and Caravan Made’s brunch is to die for!

With our help, we would definitely say yes. We bring tried-and-tested professionals (and we are extremely picky about who we recommend). We also advise on accommodation options for your guests to ensure they align with transport logistics, so this less exciting but essential part of the planning stays simple and high-quality, and you can focus on the fun bits!