Laura and Doug have been together 14 years and often talked about making their relationship “official.” They did not want a large wedding, so they saved up for an intimate wedding in gorgeous Barcelona.
“Our wedding was just about us, we saved a ton of money and got to travel through the beautiful country of Spain,” Laura said.
Veronica Hansen Photography captured this wedding so perfectly, we simply can’t get enough!
Laura, 30 & Doug, 31
Location: Barcelona, Spain
Wedding Date: May 23, 2016
Number of Guests: None
Wedding Ceremony Location: Parc del Laberint d’Horta
Wedding Reception Location: We had a small get together with family and friends after we announced our marriage at home.
Why did you have an intimate wedding?
We had talked a lot about getting married over the 14 years we had spent together and already made an unspoken commitment to one another; it was time to make it official. Neither of us wanted a big elaborate wedding, nor any of the stress that would come along with it. Eloping was the PERFECT option for us; especially in such a beautiful place like Barcelona. Our wedding was just about us, we saved a ton of money and got to travel through the beautiful country of Spain!
What are some the challenges that you faced planning an intimate wedding?
Keeping it a secret from our friends! We had told our parents and siblings in advance and we were fortunate that they supported our decision. But we wanted it to be a surprise for our friends, which made it difficult to contain our excitement! It was such a great surprise for our friends when we returned home! We kept it a secret until we landed back in Canada and posted an announcement photo on social media. It was so overwhelming from all the calls, comments and congratulations messages from friends and family.
Was it difficult to pare down the guest list?
There were no guests at our elopement. When we returned home, we had a small get-together of about 60 people. Since neither of us have big families, it was super easy!
Did you have any ‘issues’ with the small guest list from friends and family? If so, how did you address them?
We didn’t have any issues, we were very lucky to have so much support from our family and friends! Keeping it simple made this entire experience relatively stress free!
What were the highlights of the ceremony?
Our day was perfect, it couldn’t have been any better. We were surrounded by the most beautiful setting; the sun was just starting to set and we found a gorgeous spot in Parc del Labrint d’Horta to make it official. Although we had never officially met our officiant and photographer before, they really helped make our day extra special. We shared laughs and tears and all shared in a champagne toast once we tied the knot. The day would not have been the same without them both!
What were the highlights of the reception?
The reception we had at home was small and simple. It was a DIY Spanish theme to match our elopement location and was great to celebrate our special day with our closest friends and family!
What was the best thing about having an intimate wedding?
The best thing about our elopement was that our wedding was all about us; the privacy made it so romantic and we loved spending the entire day together. We both agree that it couldn’t have been more perfect and we can’t stop smiling when we talk about our special day.
What advice do you have for couples who are considering an intimate wedding?
Weddings should be all about you and your partner, not worrying and stressing over planning a big day to please other people. If you are thinking having an intimate wedding, consider it! Everyone has a unique situation and it might not be an option for everyone. But there are a lot of pros to eloping; you can save a lot of money, make all the decisions and say goodbye to wedding stress!
Vendors:
Photography: Veronica Hansen Photography
Minister: Toby Harper
