Spain felt like a natural choice for Melody and Alberto’s Barcelona destination wedding because it is where the groom and his family are from. “Even if I hadn’t have married a man from Barcelona I would still have chosen the city for its great weather, food and accessibility. I find it to be a very romantic city,” says the bride.

The couple’s friends and family responded well to their decision to exchange their vows abroad and were very supportive of the pair. “We made sure everyone was involved by holding an engagement party in my native Taiwan and a legal wedding ceremony in Chelsea, London where we lived at the time,” says the bride.

In order to include all of the bride’s family in the festivities, the newlyweds held an engagement party in Taipei. “The Taipei event was really for my family there, but Barcelona was very much our event,” the bride says. “It was my fairytale!”

With the help of a wedding planner, Melody and Alberto say they didn’t run into any planning issues and found the process to be easy, fun and relaxed. “Hiring a local wedding planner guaranteed us that we wouldn’t have any issues, and we were always just a short plane ride away,” the bride says.

Even travel logistics were a breeze for the pair, and the bride admits she didn’t need to do any of the planning for her guests. “Barcelona is such a tourist-friendly city and nowadays there are so many resources online,” Melody says. “Guests actually enjoyed planning their Barcelona trip. It was important for us to consider the accommodation options for our guests and in this city there are thousands of options.”

Although she didn’t have to deal with many planning issues, Melody got creative with her contributions to the wedding decorations. She designed the seating chart, menus and invitations herself, though she was initially planning to create even more. “I originally planned to make my own dress too (I am a bridal fashion designer) but decided to opt for the local brand Rosa Clara instead,” she says.

While planning was easy for the couple, they found it was very important to get things done in advance. “It was important to trust our wedding planner and also lock down the venue at least 12 months in advance,” the bride says. “We actually had to change our wedding date because I fell pregnant and all of the vendors were very understanding and flexible in that sense.”

To ensure everything runs according to plan, the bride recommends having a hair and makeup trial and trying your food in person beforehand. “And don’t be afraid to blow your budget on whatever is important to you,” she says. “I spent my entire decor budget on florals and I have no regrets. I loved everything about them — the colors, the big and dramatic arch and my bouquet. Having the right flowers was so important to me.”

Overall, the event was everything the newlyweds envisioned and more. “I believe it would have been much less special if I hadn’t had the wedding in Barcelona,” Melody says. “When you have a destination wedding, you get all the guests out of their everyday life and in one place ready to celebrate and enjoy themselves.”

Vendors: Photographer: And I Love You So, Wedding Planner: Barcelona Brides, Ceremony/Reception Site: Castell de Sant Marçal, Florist: Pepe von Strudel, Cake: Platitos de Azucar, Hair & Makeup: Erika Gisbert, Gown Designer: Rosa Clara, Groom’s Clothing Designer: Hugo Boss, Bridesmaids/Groomsmen’s Clothing Designer: ASOS, Catering: Merces Catering & Videographer: Eduard Granell