Some weddings stay with you forever. For us, Norine and Sergio’s is one of them.
Norine arrived in Toledo on a Thursday afternoon carrying the same mix of excitement and nerves any bride feels the eve before her wedding. But what awaited her as the car turned the final bend in the road left her speechless: the Palacio de Galiana, rising above the banks of the Tagus river, golden under the Castilian evening light. Nine hundred years of history, ready to become the backdrop for her most special day.
Two cultures, one ceremony
Norine is from Connecticut. Sergio was born in Madrid. They met in London, fell in love in Barcelona, and decided to get married in Toledo. The choice was not coincidental: Sergio wanted Norine to discover the most authentic Spain, the one that goes far beyond the tourist clichés. And Toledo, with three cultures woven into every stone, was the perfect place.
Our challenge was to create a ceremony that honoured both families. Norine’s mother didn’t speak Spanish; Sergio’s grandparents didn’t speak English. We worked with a bilingual officiant and designed a ceremony that alternated between Spanish and English, with translations in the printed programme so no one would miss a single word.
The first time Norine’s parents and Sergio’s parents embraced — right after the exchange of vows — was one of those moments that gives this work a meaning that goes far beyond logistics.
Palacio de Galiana: a unique venue in Toledo
Palacio de Galiana is one of the most special spaces in Castilla-La Mancha for a destination wedding in Toledo. Its history dates back to the eleventh century, and its gardens — with their orange trees and stone fountains — create an atmosphere that cannot be replicated anywhere else.
For the decor, we worked with white and gold flowers that complemented the Mudéjar architecture of the palace. Nothing overloaded, nothing competing with the beauty of the space: Marta’s philosophy in these situations is always the same. Let the place speak, and let the details accompany it.
The banquet was held in the gardens under a white linen canopy. The catering was from a local producer: Toledo-style ham, marzipan in the desserts, wines from La Mancha. We wanted Norine’s American guests to go home with the taste of Spain in their memory.
The golden hour photos in the old town
One of the advantages of getting married in Toledo is that the historic centre, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the most impressive photographic backdrop imaginable. We coordinated a golden-hour session with the photographer through the cobblestoned streets of the Jewish quarter, with Toledo’s skyline in the background.
Norine told us afterwards that those photos were everything she had dreamed of. Sergio confided that seeing his bride against that setting, with the city of his ancestors as a backdrop, was the most emotional moment of his life.
If you are dreaming of a destination wedding in Toledo, or anywhere else in Spain, write to us. This is exactly the kind of wedding we love most to plan.