Tell us a little about yourselves!
We met while studying in Lausanne in the year 2011; it wasn't love at first sight, but rather friendship at first sight. We clicked from moment zero, becoming friends - and then, within a few months, oops! Love blossomed. Javier was born in Aranda de Duero (Burgos), Spain. He's an IT specialist, working as a software architect and developer in an IT consulting company. Rocío is an illustrator, art director, and mentor. In 2018, she founded her own studio, which is still running strong. She's from Orihuela (Alicante), Spain. After living in Madrid, Alicante, Singapore, and Shanghai during 4 years of long-distance relationship, we settled back together in Lausanne, Switzerland (where we first met), and we've been here together since 2016. We have an apartment in Alicante called Casa Agustina, which we rent out on Airbnb, serving as our escape when we're seeking sun, beach and good food. This new home, built a couple of years ago, was meant to be the weekend getaway for our wedding. It's where we got dressed and had breakfast together on our wedding day.
Why did you decide to get married where you did?
After 10 years of being together, for many years we had discussed the idea of marriage, but we had never mustered the courage to take the plunge and throw a big wedding. During the summer of 2021, after attending a friend's wedding, we spent our days talking about what our "ideal wedding" would be like and compiling a guest list. A few weeks later, during a motorcycle trip through France and Italy, Javi made official the proposal. On June 3, 2022, we had an intimate wedding in Alicante, celebrating with our parents and siblings. On June 3, 2023, we had a big celebration, marking the occasion with our family and friends in Alicante. Our wedding was an eclectic mix of Mediterranean style infused with a blend of French bistro, Italian coast, and Mediterranean cuisine. The concept originated from our motorcycle journey along the French Riviera and Amalfi Coast during the summer of 2021 when we got engaged.
How many guests did you have?
230.
What was your budget?
80-100k.
Tell us about your outfits.
We aimed for ultimate comfort and authenticity, staying true to ourselves. An outfit that could be worn on any other occasion, without feeling like you were wearing a costume. Rocio loves minimalist design with a touch of fun and joyfulness. When she discovered the work of Fabio Encinar, she fell in love. It was playful and featured fabrics with substantial texture that allowed for playing with volumes. The missing piece was a pair of green Nodaleto heels with a very bold design. For Javi, the goal was a blend of classic yet contemporary style, with modern touches inspired by the 1950s-1980s looks of Italian tailoring. Having followed Bahman Tailors on Instagram for a while, he knew their style and professionalism would be a perfect match. Javi wore a custom-made double-breasted suit with a khaki pinstripe pattern, complemented by a vintage-style tie. He added modern Jacques Soloviere Paris loafers with green socks to introduce a more modern-casual element to the outfit.
What was the most important aspect for you, in terms of planning your wedding?
The choice of the venue, the wedding planner, and the catering. Regarding the venue, the locations we looked at were quite standard, coming with predefined restrictions, conditions, specific furnishings, and more. That's why, in the end, we opted for the private venue of one of our best friends, as we could customize it entirely according to our vision. Ensuring seamless decoration and flow on the event day was also a priority. That's why we chose Cordero Atelier; we discovered their work on Instagram and closely followed their projects before getting in touch. It's incredible how they reinvent themselves for each event or wedding that they produce. As for the catering, we both love cooking and eating; we travel to explore gastronomy and restaurants. Just as we do in our home when hosting friends, we wanted to provide the best gastronomic experience for our guests.
Achieving this for large events like a Spanish wedding is challenging. Javier is from Aranda, a region between central and northern Spain where it's typical to enjoy "Lechazo" (suckling lamb). Although we celebrated the wedding in Alicante, from the start, we were clear that we wanted this dish as the main course for lunch. Rocío is from Alicante, a Mediterranean region where seafood and fresh vegetables are staples. In this case, Santa Pola prawns were a must.
The menu we chose from Terre Catering was typically Spanish, combining a bit of Mediterranean influence from Rocío with Javi's regional preferences. As for the wines, we also paid tribute to Javi's region with a Ceres crianza red wine from Ribera del Duero and to his mother's region, Galicia, with a Martin Codax Albariño from Rias Baixas.
Were there any elements that were important for you to incorporate?
The arrival of the guests and the ceremony were meant to be entertaining. In Spain, ceremonies are often quite long, without refreshments or something to eat, and people tend to lose interest, get bored, or disconnect waiting for the ceremony to finish and looking forward to the cocktail to start. In our case, as the guests arrived at the venue, they were led to the ceremony area by a marching band (Charanga), and they had open bars available for cocktails while they waited for us and during the ceremony. Additionally, Rocío's family has a family business that produces potato chips and snack appetizers, so we prepared special packaging for bags of chips and fried almonds. The ceremony, besides being emotional, had a comedic touch thanks to our siblings who acted as hosts and few friends who spoke about us.
Any tips for couples getting married?
In our opinion, our success came from clearly defining what we wanted, what defined us, and what we enjoyed as a couple, and then pursuing it. It wasn't about meeting expectations or clichés, but rather about staying true to our identity and fully enjoying our day. It's like opening the doors of your inner world to the guests, as if they were coming over for dinner at your house. What would you like to happen at each moment? How can you make every part of a wedding uniquely your own? When choosing suppliers, the more aligned they are with your values and ideas, the better.
Are there any vendors that you would like to tell us a little more about?
Cecilia (Dias de Vino y Rosass) was a love-at-first-call situation. Her approach to work and style resonated with us deeply. We weren't looking for posed photos, group shots, or endless lines at a photobooth; we wanted spontaneity and freshness, with a bit of vintage look and she delivered them perfectly. With Fabio Encinar there was also a 100% connection. Rocío already admired his work, so the process was easy and enjoyable. We quickly found what we were looking for. Sara and her team at Cordero Atelier are top-notch. Throughout the process, they provided us with countless ways and ideas to bring to life what we had in our heads but couldn't quite visualize. When it came to execution, it was a WOW effect. We and our guests were blown away when arriving at the venue on the wedding day. A perfect 10/10!
Photographer : Dias de Vino y Rosas @diasdevinoyrosas | Ceremony + Reception Location : La Ballestera - Private venue in Alicante | Celebrant : Ramón and Alfonso, brothers of the couple | Band : Charanga Bongo Band @charangabongoband | DJ: Arnicoco @arnicoco | Planner : Cordero Atelier @corderoatelier | Ceremony Space + Flora : Cordero Atelier @corderoatelier | Makeup : Saule Beauty @saule_beauty | Catering + Beverages : Terre Catering @terrecatering | Stationery : Rocio Egio (the Bride) @rocioegio | Getting Ready Location : Casa Agustina @welcometoagustina with decor and flowers by Studio Sinne @studiosinne | Bride's Dress : Fabio Encinar @encinar_brand | Groom's Suit : Bahman Tailors @bahman_tailors| Engagement Ring : Bucherer | Wedding Rings : Joyeria Suarez | Brides' Shoes : Nodaleto @nodaleto | Groom's Shoes : Jacques Soloviere Paris @jacquessoloviereparis | Bride's Earrings : Suot Studio @suotstudio