A Golden Wedding at a Storybook Castle Just Outside Venice, Italy

Wrapped in candlelight and summery florals, a fusion of Italian tradition and Spanish soul

Think a soulful fusion of cultures, emotion, and unforgettable beauty – Mireia and Alejandro’s wedding was exactly that. Intimate and deeply personal, every detail radiated warmth, beginning with a ceremony set against the backdrop of a centuries-old castle, bursting with vivid yellow-orange blooms. As the sun began to set, guests gathered around a long, candlelit table stretching into the garden, glowing with soft lamplight. A celebration where old-world romance met modern soul – and where love, heritage, and artistry wove together something truly magical.

A Golden Wedding at a Storybook Castle Just Outside Venice, Italy

Our Love Story

^{The Day We Met}

We met in November 2016 in Barcelona. Alejandro was coming for an interview at the company where I was working, and I happened to be the one opening the door...To this day, he claims to remember exactly what I was wearing! We sat across from each other for a year, becoming very close friends, until I learned I was being transferred to London. Three months before my move-out date, Ale confessed his feelings. We lived a countdown romance until my departure—and a month later, we were living together in London. Seven years and counting!

^{The Proposal}

It was New Year’s Eve, on the banks of the Nile River, at sunset. After carrying the ring around Egypt for almost a week, through every security scan at the entrance of the temples, Ale proposed while we were bidding farewell to the last fiery sun of the year. Still shaken by the wonders we saw earlier that day in the Valley of the Kings, it all felt very mystical.

^{The Engagement Ring}

Alejandro designed the ring with the brilliant team at Argimiro, in Valencia, Spain. A dark green emerald from Colombia, framed by a rim of diamonds and mounted on gold. The jewellers went above and beyond to find the perfect stone and bring Ale’s vision to life. We were so delighted with it that we also designed the matching emerald earrings I wore on the day of the wedding.

Our Wedding

^{The Vision}

Our idea had always been to have an intimate, very personal wedding where warmth took centre stage—reflected in the choice of lighting, colors, music, flowers, and seating arrangements. We envisioned a weekend of togetherness, where the people we love most could share moments of connection. Choosing a historically charged venue was also important to us, blending the past with contemporary touches, as well as our Spanish character and traditions with the Italian landscape and way of life.

^{Our Team of Vendors}

We couldn’t have planned the wedding without Elisa and Giulia, our Veneto expert wedding planners. They understood our vision from the beginning, introduced us to the best team of vendors, and relentlessly battled through every challenge. A true power team that gifted us the best weekend of our lives. And thanks to the incredible photographers from Olea, we now have a timeless gift we get to keep forever.

^{The Location}

The wedding took place at Castello di Lispida—an old monastery and former home of King Vittorio Emanuele turned vineyard—located in the Italian Veneto, at the heart of the Colli Euganei Natural Park. We stumbled upon this fairy haven while on a road trip from Florence to Venice in 2021. We fantasized then and there that, if we ever got married, this would be the place. Fast-forward three years, and it did come true!

A Golden Wedding at a Storybook Castle Just Outside Venice, Italy

^{The Ceremony}

It was without a doubt our favorite moment. With the castle as our backdrop, surrounded by nature and Cinzia Bettini’s enchanting flower arrangements, our friends Carolina and Guillermo officiated the ceremony, moving us from hearty laughter to quiet tears. They unveiled old messages for the first time, shared collective memories that included everyone present, and remembered those who hold a special place in our hearts. The emotional speeches from our family and friends were the golden thread that tied everything together. It was a magical moment we will cherish for a lifetime.

^{The Cocktail Hour}

The cocktail hour is one of the most anticipated moments at a Spanish wedding. We designed the menu closely with the Rizzi family from Maggiordomus catering to offer a mix of traditional and regional Italian food, along with some Spanish staples that couldn’t be missed—like jamón ibérico. Guests loved the prosciutto cotto sliced live, the handmade local cheeses, and the fritto misto show cooking. Negronis and Aperol Spritz flowed freely, while the groovy sounds of jazz and bossa nova from Smarty’s quintet and Luca Ardini’s saxophone set the perfect mood.

^{The Reception}

We entered the reception to Daft Punk’s One More Time, giving our all as we ran and danced around the imperial table. Few moments are filled with such adrenaline. The table itself was a dream—lit by candles and dim table lamps—extending all the way across the garden. We served risotto and chateaubriand, paired with wines from the Valpolicella region.

A Golden Wedding at a Storybook Castle Just Outside Venice, Italy

We gave flower bouquets to our mums, personalised vinyl records to soon-to-be-married couples, and I gifted my bouquet to my sister. The reception ended with the cutting of a millefoglie cake alla italiana, followed by friends’ speeches that had us all bursting with laughter and jumping out of our seats.

^{The Special Touches}

We put a lot of care into making the whole celebration feel very ours, going full-on crafty. We are incredibly lucky to be surrounded by the most talented friends and family, and their involvement made it all truly special. From a handmade booklet as the wedding invitation, to handwritten notes for each of our guests, hand-painted table numbers and seating plan, a pre-wedding quiz, and homemade paellas prepared by our chef-worthy friends the day after. We also had the privilege of gifting our guests unique artworks by Ale’s mum and artist, Victoria Cano.

^{Our Favorite Moment}

Besides the ceremony, one of our favorite moments happened after the reception, when my brother-in-law Oscar stole the show by singing JET’s dance-floor magnet Are You Gonna Be My Girl with the band. It was a song Ale and I had sung with a live band at a company party shortly after we started dating. The energy was magnetic! Everyone warmed up for the party, where we danced until the early hours with DJ Lorenzo Rigo in the castle’s refectory.

Our Style

^{The Bridal Looks}

I knew I wanted a simple, organic dress—with a twist. Something that made me feel like myself: graceful but at ease. I wanted the dress to evolve with me throughout the night—shedding layers as the energy became looser and more electric. I found all I was looking for in this special Eva Lendel dress. The twist also came from the ivory patent leather statement sandals from Souliers Martinez, in which I danced all night. The radiant bouquet Cinzia designed for me was wrapped in a ribbon that a friend had embroidered with a collection of Ale’s and my shared joys.

^{The Groom’s Look}

Alejandro wore a three-piece suit with a dark emerald green double-breasted waistcoat, tailor-made by Lander Urquijo in Valencia, Spain. His tie—specially designed and hand-painted by Victoria Cano—featured our profiles. It was a true showstopper.

Our Advice

^{For the Planning Process}

Our biggest mantra was always: we need to enjoy the process. A wedding is a celebration of love—an homage to your love story. One of the best ways for us to have fun while planning was to revisit all those moments that felt special—listening to the songs, rewatching the movies, re-reading old messages you sent each other, looking through photo and video archives. They are the best inspiration and remind you how much you like your person.

^{For On The Day}

Just switch off and let yourself get carried away by the magic of the day. Anything not done by then is not worth stressing over. All the hours spent planning and organising the most amazing day deserve that you have a hell of a blast! It will all be perfect in its own way.

^{For Post-Wedding}

We decided to postpone our honeymoon until Christmas/New Year to maximise our holidays and save ourselves the stress of packing before the wedding. Instead, we went on a three-day getaway to Lago di Garda, where we just sunbathed, relaxed, and ate all the food we hadn’t eaten the previous days! We kept receiving all the photos and videos taken by our friends, and it felt like the perfect time to reflect on everything that had happened and relive all the emotions.