Everything You Need to Know About Planning A Wedding in Ibiza
Plan the perfect Ibiza wedding with our guide on everything you need to know about getting married in Ibiza from how much it costs to all the legalities...
Have you and your partner always dreamt of an Ibiza wedding? We don't blame you - getting married abroad often offers things that the good old UK just can't!
Ibiza is one of Europe's most famous party destinations - but this beautiful island has much more to offer than an unforgettable night out. From charming rural villages perfect for a quaint ceremony, to luxurious beach weddings in Ibiza - the opportunities to wed on this island are endless.
destination wedding anywhere comes with questions. Questions that require answers! Can Brits legally get married in Ibiza? Where's the best place in Ibiza to get married? Can you get married on the beach in Ibiza? Luckily for you, we've got the answers to all of your Ibiza wedding planning questions. Our guide to getting married in Ibiza includes ceremony advice, information on the best areas and how much it costs to get married in Ibiza.
Everything You Need to Know About Planning a Wedding in Ibiza
As well as doing our own research, we've enlisted the advice from wedding planner and Ibiza wedding expert Edyta Kroliczek from Bliss Ibiza Weddings. Her years of experience in planning the most incredibly stunning Ibiza weddings enables Edyta to offer expert advice for anyone planning a wedding in Ibiza.
From top tips to advice on the legalities of an Ibiza wedding, we've got all the expert advice you could possibly need to plan a dreamy wedding in Ibiza.
- Can You Get Married in Ibiza if You're From the UK?
- How Much Does a Wedding in Ibiza Cost?
- Where Should You Get Married in Ibiza?
- Wedding Venues in Ibiza
- Expert Tips for Planning a Wedding in Ibiza
Can UK Couples Get Married in Ibiza?
The short answer to this is yes, you can. Brits can legally wed in Ibiza and there are several ways you can go about this.
Edyta explains: "You can legally get married in Ibiza if one of you has been a resident for two or more years. If this isn't the case, the only other way to have your full legal wedding in Ibiza is through the Catholic church. Couples who aren't residents or Catholic can arrange a symbolic wedding. Ibiza has a number of multilingual celebrants which will tailor your ceremony uniquely to you."
There are three ways you can choose from to get married in Ibiza - some involve having the legal part of the wedding back in the UK first, and others allow you to complete the entire legal process in Spain. Here's how UK couples can get married in Ibiza and what each option entails.
READ MORE: The UK Wedding Law Reform and How It Impacts You
1. Legally Binding Catholic Church Wedding in Ibiza
The first is you can lave a legally binding Catholic wedding in Ibiza in the Roman Catholic church. Ibiza, like much of Spain, is known for its charming, white-washed churches bursting with character. Many local priests are English-speaking and can conduct both mass and your ceremony. You can always opt for a Spanish ceremony or a dual-language one if you want to fully embrace the local culture.
2. Christian Blessing Wedding in Ibiza
Whilst getting married in a Catholic church ceremony is the only fully legally binding way to get married in Ibiza, there are other ways non-Catholic couples can tie the knot on the island. If you want a church wedding but aren't Catholic, you can have a Christian blessing with the interdenominational church.
This would require couples to have already undertaken the legal part of the wedding in the UK. Though it involves a trip to a registry office back in the UK, it still allows you to have an Ibiza church wedding.
READ MORE: The Order of Service at a Religious Wedding
3. Symbolic Blessing Ceremony Wedding in Ibiza
If you and your partner aren't religious at all, or merely don't want religion to play a part in your wedding ceremony, fear not - you can still get married in Ibiza. There are several options for couples to have a symbolic ceremony in Ibiza and it actually allows for more flexibility than the Christian blessing.
The symbolic ceremony, which can take place almost anywhere as it's not legally binding, can happen whether or not you have already had the legal part of your wedding. This means you can legally wed before or after your symbolic Ibiza ceremony.
The option of a symbolic Ibiza wedding ceremony also offers couples a huge amount of flexibility on their wedding venue. Choose from a beach, hotel private villa, country garden or castle for your magical Ibiza wedding.
READ MORE: The 32 Best Locations for a Destination Wedding
How Much Does a Wedding in Ibiza Cost?
There isn't a one-size-fits-all answer for this, but with years of experience in planning Ibiza weddings, Edyta from Bliss Ibiza Weddings has a pretty good idea of what you can expect to pay for your wedding in Ibiza: "Ibiza weddings and their prices will always depend on the size of your wedding, when you choose to get married and your overall vision.
"Ibiza weddings can start around €35,000 with larger weddings costing between €50,000 and €80,000. As with weddings in the UK, luxurious celebrations can have budgets of €150,000 and above.
READ MORE: The Average Cost of Weddings in the UK Revealed
"The cost of your wedding in Ibiza almost always depends on your venue. Most wedding venues in Ibiza either have a minimum number of guests required to attend, or a minimum spend - therefore having a small, intimate wedding at a venue, as opposed to a slightly larger number of guests may cost you the same.
"Because of the common minimum spend rules in Ibiza, the number of guests you invite to your wedding won't have a huge impact on your wedding budget until you start to factor in accommodation such as villa hire and flights - if you're planning to cover those costs.
"Of course, you can plan a wedding in Ibiza for much less than €35,000, but, in our experience, to ensure everything is included, this is the number we would look to start at."
As well as venue choice, booking in the height of wedding season in Ibiza will also impact the cost of your venue, suppliers, travel and accommodation - so we'd advise being flexible with dates if you're keen to save money.
READ MORE: Hidden Wedding Costs You Need to Know About
Where Should You Get Married in Ibiza?
Ibiza - though known for being a party destination - actually has several regions that all offer a very different experience. Whether you're looking for a wedding-turned-night-out offering serious sten do vibes, a spot for a luxurious no-expenses-spared wedding or a quiet Ibiza wedding in a tranquil, charming village - Ibiza genuinely has it all.
Ibiza wedding planner Edyta Kroliczek explains: "There is no 'best place to get married in Ibiza' that will suit everybody. Ibiza offers such a huge variety of wedding venues, villas and hotels for couples to choose from and every couple will have their own dream and unique idea of what they want their wedding day to look like.
"When couples approach us, we help them to find the best place to get married in Ibiza according to their vision, number of guests attending, the time of year, their style preference and of course their budget."
Here's the low-down on four of the most well-known regions of Ibiza and what they offer to couples looking to get married in this stunning Balearic island.
READ MORE: Everything You Need to Know About Getting Married Abroad
San Antonio
After almost 2,000 years of being a quiet, calm and peaceful town in the Balearic Islands, San Antonio was transformed into one of Europe's largest and most famous entertainment destinations. Couples looking for lively nightlife, luxurious beach clubs and a promenade of super yachts will love a wedding in San Antonio.
If partying and living the high life is what you and your partner love to do, this party destination will satisfy all of your desires with world-famous clubs such as Amnesia, Pacha, Ushuaia and Ocean Beach - it's like having a wedding, stag and Ibiza hen do all at once.
As well as the bustling and high-end hot spots, San Antonio is also home to some of the largest suburban beaches including the biggest and most popular spot S'Arenal. Perfect for sandy beach weddings, you can have the best of both worlds when planning an Ibiza wedding in San Antonio.
San Jose
Located in the West of Ibiza, San Jose is a charming and gorgeous village surrounded by the foothills of Talaia - one of the island's largest mountains. Though known for housing some ex-pats, the main town of San Jose is still very much known for being a traditional Ibizan village.
If you and your partner are looking for a whimsical and charming Ibizan wedding location, this could be the spot for it.
Known for it's slower pace, San Jose is the perfect spot for an Ibiza wedding if you want to enjoy the beauty of the Balearics without the hustle and bustle of the bigger cities and towns. Far removed from the bright lights of the Ibiza strip, this pretty village has a relaxed, calm and local atmosphere, perfect for an intimate Ibiza wedding.
READ MORE: Dreamy Beach Wedding Ideas
Santa Eulalia
Zooming over to the opposite side of Ibiza, we have Santa Eulalia which is located on the island's East coast. Popular with families and those looking for a quieter Ibiza trip, this stunning town and resort has plenty to offer couples planning their wedding.
Often described as San Antonio's quieter sister, the area benefits from lots of the amenities of the busy San Antonio, but on smaller and much quieter scale. The attitude here is generally much more laid back and runs at a slower pace.
The third largest resort on the Island, Santa Eulalia has a palm tree-lined promenade, an exclusive Yacht marina and a range of lovely bars and eateries. There are also a number of popular beaches with villas lined across it's coast - perfect for a sandy beach wedding in Ibiza.
READ MORE: Coastal Wedding Venues You'll Want to Book Now!
San Juan
Quiet, tranquil and calm, San Juan truly is an escape from Ibiza stereotypes. Located in the North of the Island, San Juan (also known as Sant Joan de Labritja by locals) is dubbed the last village in Ibiza due to it's northern proximity on the island.
Arguably the least affected by tourism, this traditional and rural part of the island offers nearlywed couples a completely different Ibiza wedding experience. The area is known for its agritourism hotels and attracts a large number of travellers and visitors who want to embrace a more spiritual philosophy and healthy way of life.
If switching off and diving into a town where it feels like you've stepped back in time to days where life was simpler - San Juan could be the Ibiza wedding location for you.
Wedding Venues in Ibiza
Beach Wedding Venues in Ibiza
Can you get married on a beach in Ibiza? The answer is yes - if you’re planning on having a symbolic Ibiza wedding ceremony. As mentioned previously, the only legally binding ceremony you can have in Ibiza is at a Catholic church, but opt for a symbolic ceremony and a beach wedding is absolutely possible.
Some beaches in Ibiza will have licenses for weddings and will allow you to hire a part out for your wedding, but bear in mind that having an entire beach to yourself is unlikely unless you hire out the entire thing - which will become fairly spenny!
For a more private beach wedding in Ibiza, there are a number of beach clubs and beach-front hotels that have their own private beaches - this will give you a much more intimate feel and save you some money on your coastal wedding venue.
Church Wedding Venues in Ibiza
Ibiza is well known for its charming churches - some of which date back centuries. There are a number of Catholic churches where couples can get married legally whether they are Ibiza residents or not. As well as that, there are other Christian churches on the island - just as beautiful - where you can have a Christian blessing wedding.
Ibiza is a great place for Christian destination weddings as they allow you to have at least a blessing and experience a religious wedding without bags of paperwork and terms to adhere to.
Many priests are multilingual and are able to conduct your church Ibiza wedding in English, but if you are planning on getting married in a rural, more traditional part of Ibiza, it’s worth checking this first as the less touristy the location is, the less English will be used as the native language.
Hotel Wedding Venues in Ibiza
Ibiza is home to some of the most stunning hotel wedding venues in Europe and the variations are endless. You can choose from party hotels in San Antonio on the famous Ibiza strip, to luxurious beach club hotels, as well as city skyscrapers with incredible views and charming independent boutique hotels.
No matter the style of wedding you’re after, hotel wedding venues in Ibiza are not difficult to come across and with the island being such a popular wedding destination, hotel staff in Ibiza are no strangers to wedding planning and coordination.
READ MORE: Our Favourite Summer Wedding Venues
Countryside Wedding Venues in Ibiza
As well as the big cities and buzzing club towns, there are also a number of gorgeous countryside regions in Ibiza offering some absolutely gorgeous wedding backdrops. The wedding venues you’re likely to find in the Ibiza countryside are old manor houses, converted rustic barn wedding venues and brick-built stately homes.
The white-washed brick Ibiza is famous for is commonly used to build most countryside wedding venues in Ibiza and will look stunning in your wedding photographs. The benefit of getting married in the Ibiza countryside is that you tend to get more for your money, and there is more scope for hiring a wedding venue with accommodation.
If you’re asking friends and family to travel for your wedding, it’s useful for everyone to be able to stay in one place and that’s something a lot of countryside wedding venues in Ibiza can offer.
Villa Wedding Venues in Ibiza
If you’re after a more intimate wedding in Ibiza, consider hiring a villa to get married in. Even if you’re not planning to stay there as your wedding accommodation, hiring a villa as your venue is a great way to guarantee luxury and a high-spec, without having to pay for an entire hotel.
Villas in Ibiza come in all shapes, sizes and styles - but if it’s luxury you’re after, you won’t struggle for choices. Couples after a more charming, quaint wedding in Ibiza will be happy to know that as well as the multi-million euro villas that exude modernity, there are also a number of white-washed brick villas that have a much more charming feel to them.
Expert Tips for Planning a Wedding in Ibiza
Edyta Kroliczek is a wedding planner at Bliss Ibiza Weddings. With her years of experience in planning picture perfect Ibiza weddings four so many couples - who better to give their top tips on how to plan a wedding in Ibiza?
1. Start Planning Early
"I would advise starting your Ibiza wedding planning around two years in advance. Most wedding venues in Ibiza work on a seasonal basis so prices and menus will fluctuate and change."
2. Hire a Wedding Planner
"Start your wedding planning off in the right way by hiring a wedding planner. Choose someone who you feel a real connection with and someone who you feel understands your vision and you believe can bring this to fruition.
"Hiring an Ibiza wedding planner will save you so much time searching for vendors and venues and is especially important if you aren't able to continuously travel back and forth to and from Ibiza to plan each detail."
3. Be Aware of Seasonality
"July and August are the busiest months in Ibiza for weddings. Because of this, it's also the time of year that wedding planners are the most expensive. What's more, with demand being higher in these summer months, prices are also more. It will cost you more to get married in Ibiza in July and August so if you are conscious of budget, consider other months for your wedding as it will be less pricey."
4. Make it Feel Like a Holiday
"If your budget permits - I would definitely advise making your wedding feel like a holiday. Again, if budget permits, treat your guests to a welcome dinner, a secret post-wedding picnic, boat party or post-wedding brunch or pool party. Not only will your guests absolutely love it, you will too.
"It's also a great way to encourage wedding guests to travel for your wedding as it becomes more of a holiday or getaway for them."
Now you have the location, it's time to talk outfits. Whether if's a beach wedding dress or a summer wedding suit you're after - we have a light and stylish style for you!
