It’s quite the funny thing, being on the “other side”.  And when I say “funny”, I really mean “awesome”.

Being in the wedding industry for as long as I have, I’ve always been the photographer…never the bride.  So after getting engaged to the love of my life, it was finally time to start planning my OWN wedding.  Easy, right?!  Absolutely NOT!  Planning our wedding had an extra added twist, since my husband and I decided that we wanted a destination wedding in Barcelona.  For those of you who have never been there, here’s my suggestion – GO.  Do not hesitate, do not think.  Just get out there one day and visit.  It’s without a doubt (and not because I have sentimental attachment to it), one of the most amazing places I’ve ever been.  I mean, just look…

 

So anyway, back to wedding talk…

First, my apologies.  This blog is well overdue however, after returning home from our European excursion (which included our wedding in Barcelona, followed by a honeymoon to Paris, Florence, Rome and Venice), reality eventually set in.  Basically, our clients’ images took massive precedence over my own

Because our wedding was overseas, we knew it wasn’t going to be practical for most of our guests to travel such distances.  Our event was a smaller, more intimate gathering with a total of 14 people.  In all honesty, I couldn’t imagine having it any other way!  We got to do things together as a group – not just the day of the wedding (obviously), but also before and after.  We got to go on a daylong tour and see some of the most amazing sights, we were able watch the World Cup with the locals, we sipped cava at Freixenet, we experienced delicious Catalan cuisine and indulged in a much needed Recovery Brunch.  No matter what we did or where we went, we did it TOGETHER.  To experience Europe is one thing, but to get the opportunity to do it with family and friends is another.

Here we are at one of the stops of our day long tour.  If you ever want to take a private, guided tour through the city, BE SURE to call Barcelona Guide Bureau.  They provided top notch service from beginning to end, complete with your own personal guide who gives all the back stories and history on each of the visited sights.  This image was taken at one of the MANY places we toured.  It’s called Mirador de l’Alcalde, which overlooks the Mediterranean Sea and city of Barcelona…

Our wedding was held on 12-13-14 at a really cool area in Barcelona, called the Gothic Quarter (or as they say in Catalan, “Barri Gòtic”).  So, of all the places…in all the world…how did I find THAT particular area?  Before my husband and I knew we wanted to have our wedding in Barcelona, we did a LOT of online searching.  It’s basically how we found every vendor for our event!  Considering that none of us had ever been to Spain before, finding the right people for the job was a bit of a challenge in the planning process.  But we got through it and did ALL the planning on our own, with special thanks to the internet, email and Skype.

…I digress…

While searching for images of European cities, we kept coming across these gorgeous historic buildings with elaborate “Old World Style” Gothic detail.  Now, anyone who knows me, knows my love for the juxtaposition between “pretty” and “grunge” in photographs.  So just imagine my excitement when we stumbled upon such amazing images of stone architecture in the beautiful city of Barcelona.  It was at that moment I knew our wedding would be in one of Spain’s most beautiful cities.

You’re probably thinking, “Lindsey, could you please stop rambling already and get to the GOODS.  Let’s see some pictures!”.  To which I’d reply “You’re right”.  But first, I have to give a huge shout out to my photographers.  Ever since I was little, I’ve been asked “so who photographs the photographer’s wedding?”  The answer to that – some of the best in the world.  My husband and I knew that our pictures would be THEE most important thing about our wedding.  Pictures are the only thing you get to walk away with at the end of the day, and the one thing you will get to look back on to remember the moments.  Perhaps it’s because I’m a photographer that I feel that way, but in reality, it’s the truth.  In fact, our photographers were the very FIRST thing that we had settled upon before anything else about our wedding.  With that said, we trusted the amazing talents and artistry of Ryan Schembri and Rocco Ancora, both of whom hail from Australia.  *P.S., if you check out Ryan’s website, you’ll see one of our images (aerial view) in the string of wedding photos!*  We were very fortunate to have Ryan and Rocco join us in Spain to document our wedding, as well as join our group festivities.  Our sincerest thanks to the both of them for creating such memorable images.

Without further adieu, here are a few of my favorite images from our wedding…

  

  

Because our wedding ceremony and reception were all held at one location, we opted to do a “first look” or “reveal”.  Hands down the greatest option…EVER.  Embracing one another in that very moment of seeing each other for the first time, is priceless!  And we aren’t ashamed to admit – we both cried.

OH!  And I can’t forget to mention the amazing flamenco company that got the party started.  Because when you’re in Spain, it’s kind of mandatory to have a flamenco group perform, right?!

Those are just SOME of my favorites, but I have a MILLION more!  While a picture says a thousand words, I’ll let this slideshow say the rest.  Here is a highlight video from our entire wedding day, beginning to end.  This show is actually an album design put together by Ryan Schembri’s wife (Jessica), which had been entered into competition at WPPI this past February/March.  If you’re anything like me – grab some tissues.  You might need a few.  Enjoy!

Now that I’ve experienced wedding planning and being a bride, I understand why couples can get a little overwhelmed.  So here’s my advice – Relax.  Enjoy.  Take it all in.  Have fun.  Let’s face it – things may happen, but you’ve hired professionals to do what they do best.  You’ve dotted every “i”  and crossed every “t”, so there’s no sense in worrying about the little things.  You plan your wedding for so long (in my case, 3 years), so now it’s time to just sit back and enjoy everything that’s been put together.  I’ll tell you this for sure – the entire day will go by in the BLINK of an eye.  It’s as if someone hit the fast forward button and somehow multiplied the speed by 1,000.  That being said, ENJOY EVERY SINGLE MOMENT, because at the end of the day, it’s all a memory.

I can say, without a doubt, that I would do EVERYTHING all over again, no questions asked.  The entire trip was a dream come true and I finally get to say I’m married.

 

xo ~ Lindsey (the new Mrs.)

 

*Much praise, kudos and thanks to all of the following vendors who were a part of our day:

Bride’s dress – Vera Wang (Harlow gown in dove grey), New York

Bride’s custom jacket – Irina Sigal Dressmaker, Philadelphia

Bride’s shoes – Jimmy Choo (navy lace)

Wedding gown form – La Yaya Costurera

Bride’s earrings – Tang’s Jewelry, Philadelphia.  Gifts from Mama and Papa Capone

Bride’s hair and make up – Carmina Camps

Groom’s suit – Windsor Custom, New York

Hotel Accommodations – Hotel Bagues

Photography – XSiGHT, Sydney

Wedding Venue – Palau Requesens

Catering – Gourmet Paradis

Florist – Gang and the Wool

Ceremony Officiate – Xavier Ortiz

Acoustic Guitarist – Cris Rodriguez

Entertainment – FestaMusic Grup and Jarana (flamenco)