A three-day celebration at Can Tarranc, just outside Barcelona

A party with friends and family in sunny Spain

Who are you? 

Mina Gholiof Roa and Juan-Pablo Gholiof Roa. We met in Barcelona and hit it off over a bowl of popcorn at a skate bar in the Gothic Quarter one evening in September 2012. We later moved in together in Stockholm and now live in Södermalm with our son Rafael, who is six months old.

What rings did you choose?

Juan-Pablo proposed with a yellow gold solitaire featuring a brilliant-cut diamond – Mina’s dream ring! We chose our wedding rings from Vanbruun. Mina chose a full-band ring in yellow gold set with brilliant-cut diamonds, which complements the engagement ring beautifully, and Juan-Pablo chose a classic ring in yellow gold. 

The planning

What was your vision for the wedding?

We wanted a romantic wedding! We had a look at a few barns on Gotland, but nothing felt quite right. Then we came up with the idea of looking in and around Barcelona – and found our venue, which suited us perfectly. Rustic yet luxurious at the same time, and very romantic.

When you started planning, what was the first thing you decided on? 

We started with the venue – we initially looked at Gotland, where Juan-Pablo grew up, but didn’t find the right place when we visited venues there. Once we’d started toying with the idea of a wedding in the Barcelona area, it was hard to let go of the idea. Then we decided we wanted to celebrate for a whole weekend, Friday to Sunday. 

Did you have a list of priorities, i.e. what was most important to you? 

We prioritised the venue, the food (as we’re both foodies and appreciate good food) and having an open bar. We felt that a DJ was important to really get the party going, and we also booked a troubadour duo for the aperitif after the ceremony – that really set the mood! For Minas, the wedding dress was also important – I’ve been dreaming of it since I was little. I spent a long time searching, accompanied by both my bridesmaids and my mum, and when I found the right dress, my mum said she wanted to pay for it. How generous and lovely – we often watched the programme *Say Yes to the Dress* together when I was growing up, so it was extra special for me to try on dresses with my mum. 

How long did you spend planning your wedding? 

We got engaged in August 2021 and got married in May 2023, so almost two years.

What were your thoughts on the wedding budget?

We can safely say it was exceeded quite early on… We didn’t want to hold back, but we kept track of all the costs in an Excel spreadsheet to stay on top of things. 

The wedding day

Where did the wedding ceremony take place?

The ceremony took place outdoors at Can Tarranc, a so-called masia (a kind of country manor) just outside Barcelona. We were married by the Swedish Church in Mallorca, which also conducts weddings in Catalonia. 

Where did you hold the reception? 

Our wedding lasted three days. On Friday, we invited all our guests to a welcome aperitif with tapas, wine, beer and sparkling wine at a bar by the water along the seafront promenade in Blanes. On Saturday, which was the wedding day itself, we were at Can Tarranc, where the wedding ceremony, reception, dinner and party all took place (along with a Persian ceremony organised by the bride’s mother). The following day, on Sunday, all the guests returned to Can Tarranc for a barbecue and pool party. 

Did you organise any activities for the guests?

We’d hired a photo booth and set up some souvenir crafts for the guests to get stuck into, but apart from that we didn’t have any specific activities. As most people had travelled specifically for the wedding and were combining it with a holiday, we’d put together a list of tips on things to do in the area on our website. There was also a list of our favourite restaurants in Barcelona. Website: https://withjoy.com/minaochjp Password: Barca2023

Did you have a wedding cake?

Yes, but it was a total disaster, haha. The wedding planner had shown us a picture of a cake on a really beautiful stand with flowers and sparklers. What turned up was a cake that looked like the sort of ice-cream cake you’d get from ICA… Oh well, worse things can go wrong, so we chose not to dwell on it too much!

Attire

What were you wearing? 

Mina: On the wedding day, I wore my dream wedding dress, designed by Badgley Mischka in collaboration with Enzoani. Pearl earrings from Kaplans. On Friday I wore a sequinned backless dress from ASOS, and the day after the wedding a cream-coloured silk dress from Revolve, along with a gold necklace and earrings that my mum received as a wedding present when she married my dad.

Juan-Pablo: a bespoke double-breasted navy blue suit from Suitsupply on the wedding day. The evening before, a light beige single-breasted suit and loafers from Suitsupply. The day after, a dark beige, double-breasted linen suit from Oscar Jacobsson.

What did the bridesmaids and groomsmen wear?

The groomsmen wore navy blue suits and light beige ties. The bridesmaids had all chosen their own dresses from a given colour palette, which featured shades of dusky pink and nude. It looked so lovely; you could really see each bridesmaid’s personality in her dress, and I thought the overall effect was absolutely stunning. 

Was there a dress code for the guests? 

Yes, we had a website for the wedding, which also included the dress code for all three days. To help guests who wanted a bit more guidance on what to wear, we’d created mood boards on Pinterest with examples of outfits that would suit the dress code for each day. 

Welcome party/cocktail reception:
Unconventional jacket
. Inspiration for those who’d like it can be found here
. Wedding day:
Mediterranean formal
. This means the following: imagine a more elegant celebration in a Mediterranean setting:
Gentlemen: A suit in any colour and any fabric, such as linen or cotton. A tie or bow tie is optional for those who wish. Suit shoes or loafers.
Ladies: Full-length or calf-length dress or trouser suit, preferably in finer fabrics and in any colour (we encourage colourful choices!).
Inspiration for those who wish to find some is available here
. The day after (barbecue and pool party):
Pool party chic
. Inspiration for those who wish to find some is available here
. Please bring swimwear and a beach towel!

Tips

Top tips for a wedding?

Start early so you don’t have to rush. Feel free to try out different ideas and be clear about your vision. We used Pinterest a lot to create mood boards showing the vibe we wanted for things like the table setting. 

Top tip during the planning stage? 

We created a large document on Google Docs, where we compiled all the information for everyone involved in the wedding. In addition to the schedule, it included an overview of responsibilities and contact details for the people in charge. Overall, it’s a top tip to assign clear responsibilities to people you trust. 

Best tip for the day itself? 

Really try to be in the moment! I’d asked my bridesmaids to remind me that this was my wedding day and that I should enjoy it. I was lucky enough to have incredibly lovely bridesmaids who really took care of everything and made sure I could enjoy the day to the full – I’m endlessly grateful. Among other things, they made sure the tablecloths were steamed, that the seating plan was correct (…) and that there were the right number of corsages.

Is there anything you wish you’d done differently? 

On Friday, just before everything was due to get underway, it started pouring with rain. In Spain, in May!!!! We were just about to go down to meet the guests outdoors at a beach bar (!!!). Right then and there, we both panicked, but it all worked out! The guests had brought umbrellas, there was space indoors too, and after an hour or so the rain let up. The lesson is not to take things too seriously – it’ll all work out! We had wonderful guests who were in an absolutely brilliant mood all weekend, and that does so much more for the atmosphere than the weather ever could. 

Top tip after the wedding, as a married couple

Go on your honeymoon soon after the wedding! We popped home briefly before heading to Lombok in Indonesia for our honeymoon. I highly recommend it – it was lovely just to take it easy, spend time together and enjoy being newlyweds. 

Vendors

What team of suppliers did you have at your wedding?

We had a coordinator who was affiliated with our venue, but who was also briefed on our schedule etc. and worked closely with the toastmasters. A fantastic local florist arranged our floral arch, all the other decorations for the ceremony, as well as the bridal and bridesmaids’ bouquets and corsages. The bride’s hair and make-up were done by a local MUA and hair stylist – I visited her three times before the wedding before I was completely happy with my hair, and even then I ended up with the scissors at the ready on the wedding day because I thought my fringe was too long… haha. We had a Spanish photographer whom we’d booked well in advance for the wedding day. Then we got in touch with the fantastic Johanna Ellen, who came down to Spain with us and took photos throughout the weekend – absolutely magical photos, and we’re so glad we found her! We also had a team of videographers from Sweden who documented the whole wedding weekend on film. On top of that, we had a DJ and musicians for the ceremony and the aperitivo.

Reception venue: Can Tarranc

Catering: Caelum Catering

Flowers: @muscariflors

Coordinator: Anca Stoica 

Wedding rings: Vanbruun

Photographer and videographer: @fotografjohannaellen, @annasvobodova, @videograferna 

Entertainment: (music, DJ, dancers: Pabloevents, as well as my dear friend Moa Granhagen and my husband’s cousin Sandra Roa 

Printed materials: As for menus, place cards etc., we designed our own printed materials and had them printed by a local print shop in Stockholm. We ordered the ‘Save the Date’ cards and invitations via Zazzle, and did the wax seals, silk ribbons and dried flowers ourselves. 

Business directory

Do you need help finding suppliers for your wedding? Have a look at our business directory.

CLICK HERE