The Gardens of April, pure nature
It always happens like this. The million dollar question - will you marry me? - is followed by a million questions. What type of wedding do you want to do, in what place do you imagine, with what light, how many guests will you be, what place will you fall in love with. The couple no longer want the usual, today everyone is looking for that "something" special.
But what makes a wedding venue special? It is not the same to get married in the north than in the south, in winter or in summer, but all the perfect locations share something in common: the fascination factor. And Lara Losada and Laura Melilla, two friends and partners who founded Petite Mafalda in 2010 and since then they have been organizing some of the most special and different weddings in recent years.
“What makes a site special is its exclusivity, which is not the typical celebration that you have already seen a thousand times and of course, the environment. We love spaces with lots of vegetation and the possibility of doing everything outdoors”, they tell us.
Among the most charming places where they have worked there are u n cliff in Cabo de Gata , the ruins of the Ayllón cloisters in Segovia, the Pazo de Segurde forest in A Coruña or an old 17th-century farmhouse at the foot of the Sierra de Guadarrama, called Farm Las Margas , where Lara herself got married in the summer of 2018. “We flee from the already predefined spaces, where they tell you: here the cocktail is celebrated, here the food and here the drinks. We like it much better when they tell us: this is what we have, you can do what you want”, they say
Finca Las Margas, where Lara herself married
The enthusiasm and love with which a wedding is prepared is not comparable to any other event, and perhaps for this reason the organization of all the details can be overwhelming. So we ask them some of the doubts What all boyfriends go through when they start planning their day...
- A wedding in winter… What must there be, necessarily, in the place of celebration?
The first thing we look at is that it has options to do everything indoors, and that those options are not to get out of trouble, but that they are as nice as plan A.
- A summer wedding… What is that detail that makes the difference?
Good organization of space is essential. And if everything is done outdoors and during the day, there must be enough shade for the guests.
- If I get married in the north VS if I get married in the south...
Nowadays, our boyfriends flee from the classic hotel lounges and prefer farms on the outskirts of the cities. The only difference between getting married in San Sebastian or Malaga is that in the north people think about plan B from the beginning (because of the possibility of rain) and in the south... well, it usually happens the week before.
- For a wedding to be perfect, what three things are really essential?
1.That the guests are comfortable. Brides always think about the aesthetic part and we take care of putting their feet on the ground a little. The guests must be able to sit down at any time, they cannot be too cold or too hot, and The most beautiful place in the world is useless if the guests have to walk a kilometer on her heels to get there.
The details make the difference
two. May lunch and dinner not last forever. When they go up for more than two hours, it starts to get heavy for the guests, so we do not recommend showing videos or giving gifts, especially if the banquet is a dinner.
3. Let the dance music be good. Do not trust the first DJ and it is advisable to prepare the songs beforehand with him so that he knows the style of the bride and groom and that of their guests and prevents them from elbowing each other at the bar.
Taking these premises into account, we have selected eight beautiful, charming sites with infinite possibilities from north to south.
** THE CLOISTER OF AYLLÓN, SEGOVIA.**
The Ayllón Cloisters house the restored ruins of a former Franciscan monastery with more than 800 years of history , known in the area as the old convent of San Francisco.
The space of large gardens and green areas is irrigated by the waters of its natural pond and they have 35,000 m2 available to the bride and groom, among which are also the upper cloister, the atrium, a 400 m2 conservatory, a refectory and even a 19 room hotel for exclusive use of the events held here.
The accommodation has a seven bridal, two Junior Suites and 16 double rooms.
Ability:
Up to 400 people.
Address:
One hour from Madrid. Road to Aranda de Duero, s/n. - 40520 Ayllón (Segovia).
The Cloisters of Ayllón, a former Franciscan monastery
** THE LASMARGAS ESTATE, SEGOVIA.**
It is an old restored farmhouse from the 17th century located at the foot of the Sierra de Guadarrama. Have a Tuscan air, the main building is made of stone and has a idyllic inner courtyard and extensive gardens (it has more than 8000 m2 of landscaped areas and 30 hectares of nature), crossed by a river.
It is possible to celebrate civil weddings under centennial chestnut trees and the farm also has 13 rooms where the bride and groom and the guests who wish can stay.
Address:
Located 50 minutes from the center of Madrid. Ctra. de La Losa - 40154 Madrona, Segovia.
Logistics:
Easy connection via AVE and AP61 motorway.
Spaces:
Two large rooms, an interior patio and 13 rooms.
Finca Las Margas, an old farmhouse
two. THE GREENHOUSE OF THE PAZO DE SANTA CRUZ, PONTEVEDRA.
Looking at the Pontevedra estuary, it is a really special place, with 17th century gardens, chapel and woods, and an English greenhouse. This country house, also known as Pazo de Quitapesares, was built in 1659 by Fernando de la Rúa Freire, abbot of Bueu.
It has three shields, a crenellated tower, a granary and a late Gothic style chapel built in 1671 in honor of Santa Ifigenia, with which religious weddings can also be celebrated. In its gardens it is possible to walk among fruit trees, orchards and crops. “ Where the magic of Galician legends endures over time ”, describe its owners.
Ability:
The lounge can comfortably accommodate up to 250 people.
Address:
Rua do Pazo, s/n - 36937 Bueu, Pontevedra.
The Invernadero del Pazo de Santa Cruz has forests from the XVII
** THE APRIL GARDENS, ALICANTE.**
The very name of this farm, located 12 kilometers from Alicante, between San Juan and Campello, warns of its Mediterranean nature: here everything speaks of flowers, plants, centenary trees, gigantic ficus, a pine forest, a pergola trapped by green leaves … It also has a small hermitage where to celebrate religious services and a house with two large rooms.
Ability:
The interior of the house has two large rooms with capacity for 90 seated guests and 220 standing. The exterior is made up of large areas suitable for a large number of attendees.
Address:
C/ San Antonio 149. Bajo - 03550, Sant Joan d'Alacant.
A selection of places that will raise your bilirubin
** MANOR OF SEGURDE, A CORUÑA.**
In this magical property they have lived aristocrats and artists : it dates from the end of the 17th century and has always belonged to the same family, which has maintained the pazo generation after generation, restoring and preserving it until reaching the protection of Historical Heritage.
It is located in a preserved area of Galicia, full of lighthouses and cliffs , and with a breathtaking view of the Atlantic Ocean.
The Pazo de Segurde is located in a beautiful walled Estate, with leafy trees and a well-kept garden that gives access to a four-hectare private forest.
Its owners proudly say that the country house has all the elements of the traditional Galician construction of its time: a large granite granary, a dovecote and the "Casa do Forno" where, in those days, bread was made daily. All of these spaces can be used for weddings and events.
In the gardens there are hydrangeas, agapanthus and bougainvillea, and even a small pond in a courtyard and a large greenhouse. This is one of the most versatile spaces: it is built in glass and surrounded by impressive trees: a precious solution for rainy days and a very romantic corner at night, when its thousands of light bulbs light up.
When it falls they have a plan B already resolved to continue enjoying the gardens, installing a Bedouin tent. Civil weddings can be held and five minutes from the pazo is the Xornes Church.
Ability:
It depends on the assembly that is done, but the maximum is about 300 guests.
Address:
47 kilometers from A Coruña capital. Calle Sergude, 21 Xornes - 15110, Coruña.
The romance, here, is triggered
** PÁRRACES ABBEY, SEGOVIA.**
The Abbey is a 16th century monastery declared of cultural interest and with the category of historical monument . Immersed in the middle of nature, it has large outdoor spaces and is surrounded by spectacular gardens, with pine groves, poplar groves and holm oak groves in its surroundings.
The most representative of the Abbey are the two cloisters: the main hall is in the Renaissance style from the end of the 16th century (which was formerly the Jerónimos monastery), which stands out for its spaciousness (with a capacity of more than 500 people) and for its magnificent 15-meter-high vaulted ceilings, as well as for its walls covered in white, frescoes and brick.
They offer mounts for civil celebrations (valid and officiated by the mayor of Bercial if the couple so wish), and for the nuns, eight kilometers away is the Saint Bartholomew's Church, in the adjoining town of Sangarcía.
Ability:
The cloisters can hold up to 500 people.
Address:
20 minutes from Segovia and 50 from Madrid. 40144 Bercial, Segovia, SG-322 - 40144, Segovia.
Abbey of Párraces, historical monument
** ESTATE LA CONCEPCION, MARBELLA.**
What is now a beautiful farmhouse was in 1837 a small Andalusian village where the workers of one of the first blast furnace foundries in the country lived.
With the closure of the factory, the families left the place, which ended up being a village in ruins until its current owner carried out careful restoration work, turning the estate into a unique place to celebrate events.
Its gardens are full of century-old palm trees, plantations of avocados, custard apples, orange and almond trees, with decorative fountains, and in the heart it houses a stately home whose facade was the entrance of a church built two centuries ago.
Ability :
Up to 500 people.
Address:
Istán road, km. 2,300 - Marbella
Logistics:
Five minutes from the center of Marbella, four minutes from Puerto Banús. 45 minutes from Malaga airport and 60 minutes from the AVE station in Malaga.
** ARBAISENEA, SAN SEBASTIAN.**
The Arbaisenea Palace was built in 1881 by order of the Duke of Sotomayor, don Carlos Martínez de Irujo and the Alcázar.
this style house British cottage covered by creeper -where the heirs to the dukedom of Alba spent their summers- is a hidden gem in the heart of the city, as it is surrounded by 15 hectares of gardens, dotted with century-old trees and long walkways lined with hydrangeas.
The vegetation is exuberant and superlative. The farm allows different areas to be used, civil ceremonies to be held under oak trees, there is a room for the bride and it has two beautiful tents (one Bedouin and the other tense, with a wooden floor) available to the bride and groom in case the weather is not on their side.
Ability:
Up to 400 people.
Address:
San Roque Kalea, 37 - 20009 Donostia - San Sebastian
Logistics:
Located at the top of Aiete, there is an urban minibus stop at the door.
Arbaisenea, a 'cottage' type palace