Every normal summer around 500 couples from Scandinavia choose Mallorca as their wedding destination. The Swedes that tie the knot in Mallorca are plenty and so are the Norwegian couples as they both have their churches on the island, with priests that make the marriage legal.
There are immense possibilities on the island no matter if you want a posh, romantic, or fairy-tale wedding. The most popular venue has had a waiting list for years in advance and many wedding planners have been pulling their hair for the best spots. Prices vary from top notch to more modest, and I think the island has something to match all needs really. Dates are very important for the actual wedding day as well and as a Spanish tradition has it, the most popular day to get married is a Saturday.
A traditional Spanish wedding starts with the ceremony in the local Catholic church and continues in a countryside restaurant. The guests are expected to contribute to the future life of newlywed with a monetary gift. In families with plenty of relatives the amount can get high. I have attended a wedding with up to 400 guests and these parties are normally held in one of the large restaurants in the countryside where they do a set menu and Porcella (suckling pig) is included in the menu as the main course. The wedding cake is also important and should be big, not necessary as high and decorated as we are used to see when we work with couples from other countries.
I started to do weddings already in 2010, first helping a Scandinavian wedding planner to assist the closure of wedding parties, and making sure everyone had a fantastic time, until I had to pull the plug for the music at the exact time to avoid upset neighbours calling the police.
One day I was asked to do the ceremony as the celebrant who was supposed to perform the ceremony for the couple, had to travel to UK for an emergency on very short notice. I was left with a script and a time and place where I had to go and marry someone.
I had done public speaking before, both with large tourist groups, and companies who requested a speaker for their convention or meeting, so the thought of standing at a podium was something that made me happy. The first ceremony went great, when I pronounced the couple husband and wife, even I shed a small happy tear. I was asked to stay and enjoy the rest of the evening with them and the guests, and I really enjoyed the honour to be a part of one of the most important days of the couple’s life.
Since 2019 I have been in contact with a lovely couple from the south of Sweden who wanted some help with their wedding in Mallorca. They celebrated 25 years together in 2020 and wanted to make it extra memorable and get married on their favourite island. I explained to the bride from the start that my specialty was the actual wedding ceremony. They had decided to get married with the Swedish church but she made it clear from the start that she wanted me to help with the organisation and there would only be around 30 people, and the ceremony should be close to my home, so I said yes. Little did I know then, the pandemic hit. We had been in contact for 18 months, cancelled the original date and the trip to come and check out the venues, just as so many other couples. I was so happy when I got the message that they had landed in Mallorca some weeks ago and even if all the guests could not make it this year, we had a happy group of 15 that would come and celebrate the love of this couple, who now had been together for 26 years.
Twenty-four hours before the actual ceremony I got an email from the original venue saying that someone in the staff had tested positive and was ordered to close for 10 days. I laughed out hysterically when I read the email, as I realised I had 24 hours to arrange a new venue that would be accepted by the couple with a similar menu and hopefully at a similar price. What a challenge! Luckily, I love challenges.
I felt really sad for the couple, as they had planned this day for so long, but I knew of some places which were fantastic to work with and who could put a wedding together in less than 24 hours.
We did make it and Jesper and Marielle got to say “I do” on a beach venue just as their original plan. Food and service was fantastic, and we even got the priest dancing together with the couple and their sons. As the sun set, magic was all around, and I think everyone involved could feel the love that was in the air that night.
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