Inside a magical wedding in Spain with lunch on a beach, a ceremony in a forest and an after-party with DJ Luciano
- A Hong Kong couple held their wedding in Ibiza because the island is ‘central vein of energy for the planet and one of the most magnetic points on Earth’
- Highlights included poolside canapés and synchronised swimmers, private yachts, a ceremony in a forest and gowns by Fleetwood of London and Monique Lhuillier
With weddings on hold around the world, brides and grooms everywhere have an indefinite extension to continue planning their dream nuptials – no doubt a blessing as much as a curse.
For all those wedding watchers hungry for inspiration while the event industry remains on hiatus, here is one grand extravaganza worth envying – even if the proposal, in the words of the bride, was “not that exciting”.
“He proposed while I was asleep in the flat in Hong Kong,” jokes Julie Kim, a director with Hong Kong-based executive-search firm Wellesley. She married Stephen Bamford, a partner with a global private-equity firm, last September in Ibiza, Spain, before a crowd of 160 friends and family.
Whatever was lacking in the proposal the couple more than made up for in the wedding – a whirlwind weekend that involved private-yacht envoys, synchronised swimming performances, a magical forest ceremony and a celebrity DJ set.
“I was having a drink with someone at the top of the Mandarin hotel and Stephen was sitting with someone I recognised. He completely mistook my looks of vague recognition towards his friend as gazes of lust and longing directed at him when, in fact, I hadn’t noticed him at all.
“He waited until I finished my drink to follow me into the lift, where he quipped, ‘These lifts are so quiet, I sometimes come in here to read ’ – which I thought was clever and funny at the time.”
They did the Hong Kong handshake, exchanged business cards, and the rest, as they say, was history.
Throughout their courtship, Bamford and Kim had made yearly trips to Ibiza, a tradition launched during the groom’s younger days. But while the Spanish island is known for its raucous parties and clubbing scene, Kim says there was more to choosing the destination than wanting to create the biggest, best party of their lives.
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“We wanted to create an experience that our guests would truly remember forever. A little-known fact about Ibiza is that the island is a central vein of energy for the planet and one of the most magnetic points on Earth, and we have come to know it for its tranquillity, restorative energy, relaxing vibe, beautiful environment and great food. We wanted to show this to our friends. And it was magical!”
Working with wedding planner Isla & Smith, the couple set out to create an adventure that began with a pre-wedding party at their favourite restaurant-club, Beso Beach, on the nearby island of Formentera.
This was a greater logistical nightmare than the wedding itself, because of Spanish laws that limit the headcount on pleasure vessels to 12.
In the end, 15 private yachts shuttled guests to a day-long lunch featuring platters of fresh-caught carabineros (large deep-sea prawns), lobster paella and mussels. The bride wore a custom-made red gown by Fleetwood of London, and the groom was dapper in a bright blue suit. The guests arrived dressed in white. Speakers blared a bespoke chill-out mix created by close friend and DJ Maricha as the yachts returned to Ibiza at sunset.
On the wedding day, guests arrived at Ca Na Xica hotel, where they were led into a forest clearing for the ceremony. Arriving in a white Rolls-Royce, the bride came down the aisle in an off-the-shoulder Monique Lhuillier with a lace overlay, meeting her husband-to-be under a floral arch as a live singer serenaded the crowd.
Following a simple, elegant ceremony, guests adjourned to the poolside – champagne, canapés and hand-cut jamon were passed around but all eyes were on the entertainment, which included performers on stilts, masked dancers, acrobats, waiters who broke out in song on a whim and, best of all, synchronised swimmers who wowed guests in a stunning showcase.
As the sun dipped behind the trees, guests were seated at the outdoor dinner reception, where, over a three-course dinner of lobster velouté, suckling pig and lemon cake, they heard speeches by the couple’s family, members of the bridal party and the groom.
At the after-party, EDM lovers were in for a treat – celebrity DJ Luciano commanded the decks for a couple of hours, which had even the older generation of guests rocking out.
Though the party buses departed in the early hours of the morning, some guests stayed out to watch the sunrise and to make it to the post-wedding brunch at Beachhouse Ibiza. From there, it was off to Blue Marlin Ibiza, a club where those with the stamina held court at a table behind the DJ booth as superstar DJ Pete Tong played.
“But what made the wedding so special was the people, of course – we had two objectives for this wedding and that was for all our friends and family to fall in love with Ibiza and also with each other, and our endeavour was a success, as so many new friendships were formed.”
