And so the ball starts rolling and where better to start than Olivella and Casa Felix. Martin and Aneta married here on the most beautiful spring day, absolutely perfect! Ok so one of the benches collapsed just as Aneta arrived at Martin's side and then his best man's wife nearly fell off another one in an attempt to upstage her husband's speech. Apart from that it really was great. I hadn't met Martin until he stuck his head in to the venue looking for me 10 minutes best the start, but I think he was happy with how everything went, as was Aneta. Good start to the year ... lots of weddings still to do. 

Milli and Kane married in Sitges, it rained the day before and looks like it might the day after BUT for us everything was fine. A great day, Kane did what so many butch grooms do ... and with style, while Shane and Dee, Milli's mother and Shane's father, made fabulous speeches. 

If you don't know what the wind called the Tramuntana is you would were you to have been at Diana and Brian's wedding. On the beautiful coast of Llafranc from the Far (lighthouse) with stunning views the wedding was a little windy but nothing was going to dampen their day. Diana was stunning and Brian looked remarkably like Prince William (those are words from Diana). This was a bi´lingual ceremony and all said that it was more or less perfect, I enjoyed myself and I think that they did too.

This was just the three of us and Veronica taking the pictures, well I say that but there was a photo of their dog there too and a promise of starting a larger family soon. This lovely couple had eloped after years together in Canada. In fact they had eloped after sitting, one behind the other, at the tender age of 11 and 10! It was a perfect ceremony in a lovely secluded part of the city ... congratulations.

Back to Casa Felix, this time for Adele and Lee ... the ceremony was warm, friendly, family and lots of smiles. Their vows were wondreful, at least a page each and where the highlight of the afternoon. Lee promised to love thissssss much ... and by the look of them both I reckon he will. Once again organised by Val and Mireia ... fab.

Shobana, Shobi, and Mark, married on an island! This is the first time I have had to take a boat to marry a couple. Facing Cadaqués, S'Arenella, is a dream location. Ok, so there was a bit of wind, but for May 28th I would say that the day was pretty great. A moving ceremony, lots of love and family and all the rest that goes in to making a wedding what it is. They did great and organised, along with Angela, a day to remember, now fingers crossed that Shobi finds a job soon!

I hate to say that any venue is better than anywhere else since really it is the emotion and the feeling and the work and the planning that make a wedding but this place really is something else. Ok so it is very hard to find, the second bus arrived half an hour late, but once you get there what a place. The first wedding I did here was that of the owners, Helena and Servais, I got lost! Today I didn't and thank goodness for that. It was beautiful, sunny, warm and full of happy people, none more so than Michael and Rinki. It was pretty much perfect, a lovely mixture of east meets west, great music and ... oh how I wish I could have stayed, the smells coming from the caterers were out of this world. 

Issy and James married surrounded by their children, some shared and some not, Buzz, Barney and Iylie on a beautiful day in a beautiful place, Mas Isern. The whole thing was great and wonderfully organised by Angela. James, a copper very near to the place I was born and who has chased shoplifters through supermarkets I have wasted time in, was great, Issy was a star. They were quite cool at the actual ceremony since all the emotion had been spent days before at the registry office but nonetheless I think it was a day to remember.

Back to the Labyrinth d'Horta for the wedding of Eileen and Dale, 19 years on, daughter taking photos, son in law and Lara all there too, it was very moving to see a couple who have spent so long together unable to say their vows for all that emotion, a pleasure all in all.

This is, without a doubt, the wedding that I have had more information for than any other. Mails from Mario and Sandra, information from all of their parents, brothers and sisters, I had to work hard to keep it to less than an hour! The last info was a mail from Sandra at 2.30pm (the wedding started at 5.30pm) changing the year that Mario went down on one knee! It was great and they really enjoyed the ceremony, pictures were by Edwin so watch this space. All in all perfect, BTW they had two friends singing them up and down the aisle, perfect. 

Wow, what a wedding, it was all pretty much perfect, at least the part that I saw was. I must admit though that it had all you need for an incredible party after. I was so taken by the whole thing that the photo never got taken and so can't appear here, I do have their order of service though. Once again I was told that the best man was angry at me for taking all his material ... I am sure he will rise to the occasion though. Andrew and Henni were great and I am sure that all will be very memorable! 

So the wedding of Christina and Rick finally arrived. I say finally because we have been in touch since before August last year. Still holding my breath about Brexit and wondering what will come from this crazy choice. It was a joy to have before me Germans, Brits and Spaniards. Together they married, rejoiced and enjoyed, they read, they sweated, they communed, it was great to be part of it all ... many congrats!

Ps: below is the fabulous venue ... click on it for their web!

Imagine my surprise when, as Ignasi came down the aisle he was followed by Patrick who I married in 2013. I suppose it is inevitable. This was a wedding in Spanish for a fabulous couple, once again organised by Mireia and Val, Vanessa from Peru and Ignasi from Barcelona. It is the very first time I have ever had to write the opening of the ceremony from whatsapps received 2 days before at 11 at night from Vanessa but  was great. I had a ball and I have the distinct feeling that they did too. 

Inna and Norman, Alex, Alex, Natalia and Oliver, they were all there and were a sight to see. As was Sasha and Nadia not to mention Sugar and Norman's dad. Ok so maybe Alex swung a little too long on a tree that simply couldn't take anymore but nothing was going to dampen this wedding made in YOP! It was a sight to see and a joy to be part of. I thought maybe I had gone to far in the preamble but they seemed to love it so ... I obviously didn't. Organised by Val and check out the venue, something else.

Alex and Pierre have been together for 14 years, they have travelled the world, lived in many many parts of it, they have blended Spanish, French and American families and come up with a cocktail that had to be shared and celebrated and that is exactly what they did. The rain held off tough we did this ceremony in the tiny chapel they have in the Castell and it was a great way to celebrate a long past and a long and bright future. Yet another fabulous affair by the via Val girls!

This was the weekend of bilingual weddings, both yesterday and today Spanish/English affairs with a very little French yesterday but the icing on the cake was my welcome in Chinese!!!! Never again, the Chinese were happy I tried but had no idea what I was trying to say and we even had a quick debate after the wedding of all possible ways of saying Welcome in Cantonese and Mandarin. It was a great day with great people and the very first time I have ever had a Tea Ceremony during one of mine. Altogether exotic and fun and happy ... as were the couple. First time in La Baronia, try it out, and with Sonia, check her out too.

It was a lovely ceremony on a lovely day in Casa Felix, Val at the helm, all perfect except I think that I managed to loose the pen to sign the wedding book, I am sure they found another one though. All great! 

Karen and Conor, a fine Irish affair with fiddler and all! The wind blew, thank goodness since the heat is picking up again here. It really was a lovely venue, Mas Pou, six readings and the Unity Candle ritual, and Conor was adamant  that it should be no more than half an hour! So we cut a little here and went a little further there and hit the nail right on the head. I think that the guests were very happily surprised by the ceremony, or that is the feedback I got while quietly sipping my champagne ... thank you both!

Hayley and Chris married in a great venue overlooking Barcelona, very special. Hayley was very nearly sung down the aisle by the groomsmen singing and dancing "The Macarena" but fortunately they desisted at the last moment. A great crowd and all looked pretty much set for a great party!

Now I always ask couples to write to me, secret and separate emails, about what they love about one another and somethings that can sometimes drive them crazy as well as their story and maybe some anecdotes. Jordi and Juncal wrote a book, in 5 chapters! It was fabulous. They were married a year ago in Singapore where they live but wanted to do something for friends and family closer to home so Jordi, who runs a restaurante in Singapore, simply had to do it at his partners place here, Mas Albareda! I had my wedding here last year so it was great to go back! A very international crowd so once again the ceremony meandered between Catalan, Spanish and English and was heartily enjoyed, I know that because the couple invited me to stay on for the their cocktail party and what a do. It was a perfect setting for a perfect match ... and what's more with baby on the way ... congratulations! 

This is a truly great venue, organised by Silvia and Angela, Ramon has the Far and I was there too! The last time I was here the Tramontana wind blew but today the weather was perfect and the cocktail party on the terrace overlooking the sea was magnificent. USA meets Ireland with families from Dundalk and Kansas ... a truly great day.

Yasemin, pronounced Yass-e-min, told me two days before how to pronounce her name as it should be with her Turkish roots. I practised, changed the text of the ceremony and had the whole thing well organised until she was walking down the aisle and Jamie told me that she had decided to go with the more English pronunciation. Well the best laid plans and so on. It was very hot but very lovely, Val and Africa and Mireia at the helm and all was well. A lovely spot for a wedding: Can Mora de Dalt.

Now this really was a family affair, Karen and Luke had known one another since they were tiny and, with the help of Paul, made it to their big day. It was a great, Luke all over the place, "do I repeat" or "do you", last minute nerves and wham! Karen, the princess, entered. It was, altogether, a moving family affair.

This is the first time I have finished a wedding with a frozen vodka shot and fig! Wow! Just what the doctor ordered, here the doctor was Laura, and that is what she ordered!

What a setting, you can't get much more "Barcelona" than a stone's throw from the beach at the Hotel Vela. The ceremony was a joy, Simon and Harriet have a two year old girl, Ivy, who was such a good girl throughout. All very emotional and everyone very very happy, another great day and off for another wedding in the afternoon, it sometimes happens, not often, but sometimes.  

Julia and Adam did a very homemade wedding and it was a joy to see. There were bales of hay to sit on and the family and friends were very much there from the start. We did this one in 3 languages, my awful German compensated by my Spanish and English. It had a great feeling to it from start to end.

Lovely wedding, very family, long time coming but well done all round. This couple, though they have made their life in Barcelona, were surrounded by their friends and family in the middle of the Catalan countryside on a beautiful evening, good to see.

Once again in Casa Felix and once again with a girl from Norwich (Val the wedding planner spent a year or so there), he from Windsor! Apparently Jamie even sold his car because it ate too much fuel so he could make the three hour jounrey more often. All perfect except I forgot the picture, will try to get one and add it later.

A hot hot day in the Garraf at the wonderful Casa Nova Estate, I married the owner a couple of years ago! Mike and Martine are a great couple who never quite agree on where it all started but they were very certain about where it would all lead. Family and friends and Scarlett, their 2 year old, present and correct, a little wait for the bride and all done! A great afternoon.

This is the first time I have done a wedding in the Jardins de Can Marc and it really is quite something else! April and Matt and their friends and family were all great and the organisation by Silvia/Angela was just about perfect too.

How can you compare weddings, you can't and you shouldn't! This one was fabulous, all the way from Nashville, a great crowd and an inspiring couple, I will never forget our last skype, just after Charles' stag night, hung over with a huge glass of water and agreeing to everything. Thank you so much for the job that I do, it makes it a pleasure ... a real pleasure.

Australia meets Holland in the beautiful Catalan countryside. Between the four parents present they had 72 years of marriage and by the look of this couple they will match that and beat it! They knew what they wanted with lots of input from them the ceremony met requirements I would say. It was, once again, a joy!

Wow, what a venue. I have lived in Barcelona for almost 30 years and done lots of jobs presenting and as an actor in the Poble Espanyol but never seen the Monastery. It is perfect, with fabulous views over the chaotic but beautiful city of Barcelona. The backdrop of the Monastery is perfect and dinner outside round the back just makes it more so. Here Bridget, New Zealand, married Henrik, Sweden! I even said 3 sentences in Swedish which fortunately the groom's family was far too well mannered to say how awful it was!

Seldom do you get heckled by a 3 year old in a wedding but this was far from a run of the mill do! It really was something else, lots of laughs, lots of smiles and a fair few tears. What might seem amazing is that all of that was to the background of torrential rain and last minute changes of venue.  Met the people who run Mas Torroella, a beautiful venue and worked with Sara the wedding planner for the first time. All great. 

So, it truns out that I am Superman! Little did I know that even when I have a blow-out on the motorway going to a wedding I can still make it. Hurrah! So, having made it, all seemed to go perfectly ... I think that they were happy, meanwhile I am off to the garage tomorrow.

A beautiful Irish wedding, when I say Irish wedding I don't really mean that it was any different from other weddings, well it was, but not in a particularly Irish way. It was a lovely setting and the couple were fabulous, all great ... 

What a stunning couple, a great fun wedding, input from Shivy's father from the outset! Lots of laughs, all in all the prefect setting for a great ceremony. This is very much the first time I have seen the groom go through his "audience" handing out tissues before the start, I certainly felt the pressure was on, but they wept!

The beginning of a long day, the first time I have done 3 weddings in a day and trying to keep everyone as happy as possible. Though it might sound like blowing my own trumpet, it couldn't have started better. Danielle and Matt are a lovely couple and their families as well and all seemed very happy with the end result. The only thing that had to go was staying around for a glass of cava and a toast to the happy couple.

Lucie and Rob made a beautiful couple, supported by Rob's two girls they were all in all great. I made it to their wedding with lots of time and they were happy to see me off in a rush afterwards though we did manage a kiss and hand shake. The day was just about as perfect as they get, beginning of October can mean many things in Catalunya but when it is like yesterday it simply couldn't be better.

The end of my marathon and what a wedding. Portugal meets Britain, thought they actually met in Sitges. So the wedding was bi-lingual, Spanish and English, with a few words in Portuguese and a lovely poem that the couple asked me to read in Catalan which I am posting below. A very international affair all in all and very well received. 

Mester d’amor   

de Joan Salvat-Papasseit

Si en saps el pler no estalviïs el bes

que el goig d'amar no comporta mesura.

Deixa't besar, i tu besa després

que és sempre als llavis que l'amor perdura.

No besis, no, com l'esclau i el creient,

mes com vianant a la font regalada.

Deixa't besar -sacrifici fervent-

com més roent més fidel la besada.

¿Què hauries fet si mories abans

sense altre fruit que l'oreig en ta galta?

Deixa't besar, i en el pit, a les mans,

amant o amada -la copa ben alta.

Quan besis, beu, curi el veire el temor:

besa en el coll, la més bella contrada.

Deixa't besar

........................i si et quedava enyor,

besa de nou, que la vida és comptada.

Master of love   

by Joan Salvat-Papasseit

If you know its bliss, don’t you spare the kiss 

As the joy of love bears no moderation. 

Let yourself be kissed and then, kiss as well 

It is on your lips where love shall endure. 

Do not kiss, do not, as a slave or believer, 

Do it as if going to the rolling spring; 

Let yourself be kissed  -earnest sacrifice- 

The more biting kiss, the more trustful one. 

What would you have done, having died before, 

With no fruit but the breeze on your cheek? 

Let yourself be kissed, on your breast and hands,  

Lover or beloved,  your glass rising up. 

When you kiss, drink, let your glass fix your fear: 

Kiss the neck, the most beautiful part. 

Let yourself be kissed  

                                   and might you still need some, 

Kiss yet another time, because life is too brief.

Fiona and Joe, what a great couple and what a great wedding, lots of laughs, fortunately Fiona didn't loose it, according to Joe she can laugh for team GB! Joe's father wore the best suit of any I have seen this year and it was fabulous all in all! I will have to start to find new ways to talk about my weddings, lets face it they always are a joy ... so ... Joe's writing is beautiful and easy to make a ceremony from what they sent me. I even bought some new shoes for the occasion.

This years pennultimate wedding and according to my numbers the 8th OI have done in Casa Felix in 2016. A fine Swedish/German affair much appreciated by all, the bride, described by her groom as a "time optimist" arrived 20 minutes late but all was perfect. After such an intensive year of weddings it is strange to be coming to the end but I start in January next year so not too lone to go. Lovely couple, lovely day, as so often happens, it has rained all week and the first sunny day there is a wedding!

There is always the last ceremony of the year, it's the way it goes, and this was the last wedding of 2017. An olympic sportsman and his stunning bride. They met while doing altitude training in the Sierra Nevada and haven't taken their heads out of the clouds ever since. It was, once again, a joy. I will miss the weddings but have lots of other things to fill my time until we start again in January! See you then ...