Barcelona has no shortage of beautiful wedding venues, but Serab and Shane chose This Must Be The Place, just outside the city, because they fell in love with it’s Mediterranean countryside vibes. They wanted a day that felt personal and effortless and the rural location was perfect for that.

“We wanted the day to be joyful more than anything else”, Serab said. “We didn’t really have a theme but I suppose Mediterranean chic could cover it! It was minimal and clean and the team did a great job executing it!”

Rather than hiring a celebrant, they asked one of their closest friends to lead the ceremony, which was held against a white drapery backdrop. They wrote the words themselves and included quotes from favourite films. As guests took their seats, Beirut’s Scenic World played for the processional.

Emotions ran high before the ceremony had even begun. “Most of the audience thought the groom would faint as he was so emotional as he stood waiting” Serab laughed. Once they were officially married, MGMT’s Time to Pretend kicked in and the newlyweds headed through a shower of flower petals they had spent a year collecting and drying themselves.

Food played a major role throughout the day and catering was the biggest investment, one the couple never questioned. During aperitivo hour, guests were greeted by musicians playing Turkish songs on a darbuka and kanun while canapés, food stations, caviar and vodka circulated through the crowd. Natural wine flowed freely, chosen because it was what the couple enjoy drinking together.

They avoided elaborate floral installations or lots of decorations and instead focused on the small details. Place cards were handwritten onto doilies and there were no favours or an elaborate, tiered cake. The tables were set up in one long curved arrangement, making it feel more like a family dinner than a wedding.

After dinner came their favourite part of the day – the party! The DJ played old-school favourites and electro tracks and the dancefloor was rarely empty. “The party was incredible! It was full from beginning to end and we ended up shirtless on our friends shoulders screaming into karaoke mics (there wasn’t even a karaoke box we just loved holding mics!) Everyone was so into the tunes which weren’t wedding classics – we went more personal to our own style.”

Looking back, there is nothing they would change and their advice for engaged couples is to focus on yourselves and stop looking sideways. “Forget what you see on TikTok and Instagram. You don’t want a day that looks like everyone else’s”, the bride concluded. “It’s absolutely fine to say no to everything you are suggested! It’s your day so do whatever you want with it.”

“Also, don’t waste your finite time organising loads of photos with every pose and combination of family members. The candid ones are the best! Find a photographer that will do this effortlessly (huge shout out to The Richters who are the number one pioneers in this! Our day our way captured so perfectly with zero forced wasted time!)”