Anu and Jimmy crossed paths in our nation’s capital. Anu was completing a summer internship for school, and Jimmy was working as a summer associate at a law firm. After realizing they shared a unique bond, the pair decided to schedule their first date at a local jazz bar in the city. Upon arrival, they realized they were much more invested in each other than the music. Their next date took them to a fancy restaurant, followed by a few surprise cocktails down the street. The summer fling took a more serious turn when the couple were forced to separate due to working in different cities. Three years of distance and Anu moved to DC for work and obviously to reunite with Jimmy, they’ve been together ever since.

The lovebirds envisioned themselves hosting a large wedding where guests from all over the globe could come together and celebrate. Accessibility remained important for the couple because Anu grew up in India and Jimmy in Spain.

“We wanted to host our wedding in a destination that would offer our guests an opportunity to experience its rich history, culture, food, while at the same time offering the convenience of being easy to travel to and from,” the couple says.

Before the Pandemic, the two decided to host the wedding in Seville, Spain. But, with so much uncertainty for the future, they were forced to postpone another year. They took this time to travel around Spain, visit Jimmy’s parents and tour a few backup venues.

“We toured the first one on our list, and didn’t bother going anywhere else…Real Casino de Madrid had the two things that were most important to us—it was a stunning venue in the center of the city!” Anu says.

The planning process was simplified thanks to the venue coordinator (Alba), help of Jimmy’s parents and amazing local vendors!

“We wanted the history and the ambiance of the venue to shine, so we made selections that would complement the ornate surroundings,” the couple says.

Taking matters into her own hands, Anu ordered invitations from an Etsy shop that illustrated the venue. These photos were then placed around each of the tables next to the day-of stationery that included the schedule of events, programs, escort cards, place cards, menus, etc. In addition, the two of them designed welcome bags for guests to enjoy.

“For the bags, we bought items for the hangover kit, like ibuprofen, and makeup wipes. We also included some local items like Mahon beer and ham-flavored chips from the local grocery store,” the pair says.

Everything about their special day was smooth sailing. With the location of the venue, guests were able to walk to and from everywhere. The ceremony, cocktail hour and reception were conveniently in the same venue just located on different floors to limit the amount of traffic. In addition, they used SimpleTexting as a way to alert guests of any schedule changes.

The wedding truly encompassed their vision of a destination wedding, while remaining affordable.

“The quality of the food and the service surpassed our expectations—something comparable in the United States would have been much more expensive,” Jimmy says.

Reflecting on their positive experience, the newlyweds would like to offer some advice to future brides and grooms:

“Our venue coordinator was incredibly helpful and made us feel calm and at ease leading up to the wedding and the wedding day.  However, I think we could have benefitted from a separate English/Spanish-speaking wedding planner on the ground to help with other elements of the wedding that we ended up planning on our own, like finding a venue for our welcome event, identifying a local stationary company, and coordinating day-of transportation for immediate family.”

Vendors: Photographer: Audra Wrisley; Coordinator: Alba Sánchez; Venue: Real Casino de Madrid; Florist: Floristeria Las Peonias; Stationery: Little Page Paper Co.; Hair & Makeup: Ismael Rodriguez Bachiller; Gown Designer: Jenny Yoo; Groom’s Clothing Designer: Ted Baker; Veil: Noon on the Moon; Bride’s Shoes: Alexandre Birman; Groom’s Shoes: Versace