Wedding | Berta & Francisco
Tell us a little about yourselves!
Fran is from Almería and I’m from Barcelona. We both live in Madrid, where we met through mutual friends. I’m a makeup artist: I co-founded the bridal makeup brand Yo Soy La Novia, and I also work with singers such as Zahara, Emilia, Chiara Oliver and Nicki Nicole, and influencers like Ares Aixalà, Sara Baceiredo and Nuria Blanco. Fran runs his own business in the fitness industry.
His only condition for the wedding was that it had to be in Almería, which I was more than happy with. I adore Cabo de Gata, and I fell in love with La Isleta del Moro, a little white fishing village, the very first time we went. We even had our pre-wedding party at one of its bars.
Once we discovered Cortijo La Loma, there was no plan B: it had to be there. We first found it three or four years ago, and we’ve been together for six, so we’d picked our venue before he’d even proposed!
Why did you decide to get married where you did?
I fell head over heels for La Isleta del Moro the first time Fran took me there, and when we found Cortijo La Loma, that was it. It isn’t just beautiful; it’s special. The estate is incredible, but the landscape… the landscape is magical. It’s so stunning on its own that we didn’t want to add much.
Apart from the tableware, which came from the venue, I organised everything else myself, from the styling and signage to the ceremony setup, the flowers and the games.
How many guests did you have?
Around 132, including us and the kids.
What was your budget?
We didn’t really set one. We were sensible and adapted things where we needed to, but we never held back on anything we really wanted.
Tell us about your outfits.
For the ceremony, Fran wore an oversized all-white look by Willy Chavarria x Zara, which was so him, with slicked-back wet-look hair and sunglasses. His look changed as the night went on: for the cocktail hour he swapped the jacket for a simple white tank, and for the party he switched to all black.
I wore a really simple corset dress by Alberto Palatchi, and the moment I tried it on, I knew. My vision shifted a bit along the way. At first I wanted a long-sleeved dress in fine, completely sheer lace, but I realised I’d feel more comfortable in something simpler, and with all my tattoos, it wouldn’t feel too busy. My second dress was the sheer lace I’d originally dreamed of: comfy, short and perfect for the party. And the Nike x Martine Rose sneakers were genuinely the best decision I made.
Fun fact: I completely forgot my shawl and didn’t even notice until my mother-in-law asked me at the cocktail hour why I wasn’t wearing it. My sister-in-law ran off to get it, so I did wear it for a little while in the end.
What was the most important aspect for you, in terms of planning your wedding?
Our guests. We didn’t want it to feel like a traditional wedding; we loved the idea of it being more like a village fiesta. That’s why we went for a cocktail-style reception, with games and something happening all night long.
Were there any elements that were important for you to incorporate?
The tattoo artist. We decided on that from day one. Our wedding just had to have a mini tattoo studio, with a few custom designs that were all about us.
Live music for the ceremony was another must. My close friend Chiara Oliver sang as we walked in: “Crazy in Love” by Beyoncé for my bridesmaids’ entrance, and “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” by Bob Dylan when I walked down the aisle with my dad. It’s my favourite song, although I fell in love with it through the Guns N’ Roses version.
Any tips for couples getting married?
Have the wedding you actually want, within your budget of course. You can save a lot by doing things yourselves, even if it takes much longer. And most importantly, in our opinion, only invite the people you really want there, not the ones you feel obliged to invite.
Are there any vendors that you would like to tell us a little more about?
Our photographer, Cristina from El Hilo Dorado. We always knew it would be her. She’s a close friend, we’ve worked together many times, and I’d been telling her for years that when I got married, she’d be the one behind the camera. She was literally one of the first people we told after my parents and sisters, and the day we set the date, she was the first to know so she could block it out. Just like with the venue, there was no plan B, so we brought her down from Madrid. We were so happy to have her there.
Everyone is loving the photos, and honestly, they’re the best photos in the world. Neither of us likes having our picture taken (I really, really don’t!), and yet we look great in every single one. I feel beautiful in all of them.
Photographer: El Hilo Dorado @elhilodorado_wedding | Day-Of-Coordination: Trece Petunias @trecepetunias | Styling: Berta Fort @burdampi | Flora: Berta & her sister | Ceremony & Reception Location: Cortijo La Loma by Olivencia @olivencianatural | Celebrant: Berta's best friend | Signage: By Berta | Makeup: Berta did her own @yosoylanovia @burdampi | Couple's Hair Stylist: David López @mr.davidlopez | Catering & Beverages: Cortijo La Loma by Olivencia @olivencianatural | Stationery: @sarrvs @pachangpartystudioes | DJ: @sergym_dj | Live Ceremony Music: Chiara Oliver, a close friend of the bride | Tattoo Artist: Sonia @inkwhit.e | Ceremony Dress: Alberto Palatchi @albertopalatchi | Party Dress: Closet BCN (Neckline reworked by a friend) @albertopalatchi @closet.bcn | Suit: Willy Chavarria x Zara @willychavarria X @zara | Other Jewellery: Swarovski @swarovski | Wedding Rings: @melt.coma | Shoes: (Bride) Nike @nike x Martine Rose & Camper @camper; (Groom) Zara @zara | Bride’s Fan: The Viana Fan @thevianafan
