Eloping in Spain — an ultimate guide

Taking your lover for a magical getaway might be a perfect idea anytime, but there are some circumstances, that require even bigger arrangements. If you two are willing to get married soon and classical wedding doesn’t fit to your idea of romanticism, try eloping to Spain! Every year more & more couples who are discovering this idea to find out, that there is nothing more beautiful than witnessing the power of nature with beloved one, and getting married intimately by the golden sunset. Choosing Spain for your elopement will be a perfect decision, especially if you love delicious food and stunning views. Dependent on your preferences, I can advise you, as a wedding photographer, specific regions to visit – Spain is actually a big country that has a lot of various things to offer! Shall we explore them together?

To elope – meaning of elopement

If you are wondering, what does it actually mean to elope somewhere, let me give you an example. Imagine… you and your partner romantically going away for a few days. You’ve been dreaming for a long time to secretly get married alone or only with the closest friends around, in order to keep this moment intimate and unique. You’ve booked accommodation in a Spanish villa with the most stunning views. One special day you say your vows in an evening light, accompanied by the wind, the sun and singing birds. That’s exactly what elopement means – going away to have a romantic ceremony with your beloved one, without unnecessary stressful planning and organization.

Those who are not fond of traditional weddings with hundreds of guests, will surely be thrilled with the idea of eloping to Spain. This sunny and vast country on the west side of Europe perfectly fits all couples that crave magical atmosphere for their wedding ceremony. Furthermore, what is great about an elopement, is that you can plan it according to your own rules! Minimalistic ritual in the nature? Inviting a couple of friends or family? Maybe going away just with your lover, to secretly celebrate your love in a beautiful resort? Find your own idea for an elopement and experience a wedding ceremony by simply following your dreams!

Elope to Spain – get married in most beautiful places

Choosing a perfect location for an elopement might be tricky – there are so many beautiful places around the world, right? Although it is a bit overwhelming, some couples prefer to get married in Europe, as it offers various landscapes and travelling around is really easy! Spain is one of the biggest countries in Europe, so you can easily imagine, that its regions can be really different. These territories vary in so many ways, that you can even spot different dialects and cultures among them – for example in Catalonia, Galicia or Basque Country. Thanks to it, people with many different hobbies will find perfect spots for a mountain hike, a cruise around small islands, surfing, flamenco workshops and much more!

One of the biggest advantages of Spain is not warmth, sun, and the beautiful architecture, but food! Spain is a wonderful destination for all foodies, that want to try real Spanish tortilla, tapas or sangria. If you and your lover dream about exploring the food culture of Spain, visiting Andalusia might be a perfect fit! It has everything – beautiful, wild beaches, welcoming people, best parties, interesting villages and many good restaurants. 

For those of you who prefer to escape the high season and crowds of tourists, I would recommend the north coast. The Atlantic brings a totally different atmosphere to these regions – they are more wild, empty, and full of greenery. If you love to wander with your lover, be sure to visit Galicia, that is known for magical cliffs and unique atmosphere. Sounds like a dream place to get married to your lover, right?

How to organize a small wedding in Spain

If you are wondering, how to organize en elopement in Spain, probably you are a bit overwhelmed with the whole idea of going away and getting married in another country. It might be surprising, but organizing such an event doesn’t even require so much work! As the idea of elopement starts to be more and more popular, it got less difficult to organize such a thing. You can either plan it on your own or hire a special company, that will help you with all the administration. But don’t worry, it is not so complicated – let me give you some details!

If you seek to get married in Spain as foreigners, it might be complicated. Spanish law doesn’t really allow foreigners to officially get married here. At least 1 partner needs to be legally settled in Spain for more than 2 years in order to organize such a ceremony. 

That’s why the idea of elopement is so great – true love doesn’t require any paperwork or officials to witnesses. If you feel like the official way might be too overwhelming, simply follow your heart and organize an intimate ceremony without unnecessary stress. You can even try to write your own wedding vows and make your ceremony one of a kind! 

Unique accommodation for your elopement in Spain

Spain is full of various accommodations – you can easily find there anything you dream of! There are eco-farms, yoga retreat centers, luxurious hotels and minimalistic huts by the seaside. If choosing one spot doesn’t make you satisfied, you can always rent a car and travel around the whole country. It might be a perfect idea for a honeymoon road trip! 

• https://arousaglamping.com/ – glamping becomes more and more popular with every year passing by. It is hard to be surprised – luxurious tents with stunning views are perfect for any romantic occasion. Arousa Glamping is situated on a small island near Vigo, which is famous for its magical landscapes and beautiful nature. Perfect spot for your elopement; especially if you are looking for some calm rest and long walks by the ocean.
• https://www.thelodgeronda.com/ – unique property in the heart of warm and colorful Andalusia. If you wish to bring your closest friends for your elopement, The Lodge Ronda will be a perfect fit. They prepare meals with vegetables that come straight from their organic garden, and the neighborhood is quite beautiful! 
• https://monteholiday.com/casas-en-los-arboles-cerca-de-madrid/ – you’ve always been dreaming about visiting the capital of Spain? Madrid is an awesome city, that fits perfectly for couples that love to discover delicious food in restaurants, interesting museums and… like to have picnics in colorful parks. Madrid might be great for your elopement, especially, that it’s a good base for longer, one-day trips outside the city.
• https://www.massalagros.com/ecoresort/ – you both appreciate ecological solutions? Organize your elopement in Eco Resort Mas Salagros. It is always a great idea to stay in a place that fits your beliefs and values. The property is situated only 30 minutes drive from Barcelona, so you can have easy access to the most beautiful city of Spain, great sea shore and interesting activities around! 
• https://www.instagram.com/la_casa_del_piano/ – are you a fan of nature and undisturbed silence? Choose La Casa Del Piano, wonderful glamping spot. You will easily enjoy nature here and spend romantic time with your beloved one. What’s great about this accommodation, is its reasonable price and possibility of ordering delicious, organic breakfast! 

Best wedding celebrants for your elopement in Spain

As an elopement is not traditional in any way, I always recommend being creative and ask a friend or a family member to conduct the ceremony. If you feel like eloping to Spain only with your beloved one, you don’t have to worry about a celebrant. It is always possible to ask a professional for help! Vocational celebrant can make your elopement even more special, that you can imagine.

I recommend checking the website below; I am sure you will easily find the perfect celebrant for your elopement in Spain!

• https://celebrantspain.es/

Sounds interesting? Let’s move to choosing the perfect location for your Spanish elopement!

Elopement wedding – ideas for an intimate ceremony in Spain

Always dreamt about an intimate wedding ceremony in Spain, but don’t have that much knowledge about its hidden, beautiful spots? Let me help you with that! Spain is full of wonderful places, that can be a perfect fit for various couples: mountains for trekking lovers, wild spots for nature seekers and small villages for people, that want to discover local atmosphere of Spanish neighborhoods.

Wild places to elope in Spain

You and your partner prefer to have an intimate elopement in the middle of nowhere? These places will let you feel like you are alone in the whole world, enjoying the beauty of nature, like it only exists for you at that special moment. Choose one of my favourite wild places in Spain to create cozy atmosphere – you will surely have memorable, unique ceremony in there!

• Bardenas Reales – if you love silence and want to witness the great power of nature, elope to Bardenas Reales with your partner; this location is pretty unique as for Spanish landscape… it is actually a piece of desert in the eastern part of the country. It is not popular among tourists, and you will easily find a perfect spot for your intimate wedding. 
• Gaztelugatxe – you seek a magical scenery, that will make your elopement memorable? Go to Gaztelugatxe, small island on the north of Spanish coastline, that is connected to the land with a bridge, which makes the view really special. This location was used as a movie set multiple times, but not many people know that. If you want to avoid hikers and tourists, be sure to plan your wedding in autumn! 
• Cies Islands – beautiful, small islands close to Vigo. They are not so popular yet and even Spanish people don’t go there a lot! You need to take a boat from Vigo to get there, which can already be a nice experience. Cies Islands are full of greenery, small, hidden beaches and wonderful hills. You will easily find a perfect spot for your elopement, especially if you are a big nature lover! 
• Parque Nacional de Los Picos de Europa – an awesome spot for adventourous couples, that love to explore hiking trails. This park is located on the north of Spain and is known for its beautiful scenery – wild forests and beautiful mountains. Here, you will have an opportunity to see the nature without any human touch. Plan your elopement here and stay in the neighbourhood for few more days to discover romantic lanes with your beloved one!

Elopement on Spanish islands 

Even though Spain has beautiful seaside, eloping to Spanish islands is also worth considering. Each of them is really different and offers unique landscape. You can easily fly there or take a boat from one of Spanish harbors.

Canary Islands

A lot of people dream about a vacation on Canarias – they became famous for a reason: beautiful, white beaches, great cuisine and slow-life going on the streets. Fortunately, beside the main resorts & hotels, you can find intimate spots for your elopement. Choosing one of these islands can be a perfect idea, as you can easily organize a whole honeymoon trip around! 

I recommend taking a closer look at Fuertaventura island, which is completely empty outside the high touristic season (from September till May). It offers unique, lunar landscape, great weather during the entire year and great accommodation in affordable prices. Magical scenery of Fuertaventura will be also be a perfect background for your elopement photoshoot – especially the surroundings of Cofete.

Eloping to Tenerife might also be a good idea, especially if you want to have it all: volcanoes, mountains, and palm forests. Tenerife is the biggest islands of Canarias and you can easily see the different types of landscapes here. Adventure seekers will be happy to go on a hike to Teide (3718 m), the highest peak in Spain! Be sure not to miss the magnetic atmosphere of Barranco del Inferno together with the most wonderful beaches around Masca village. You will find there a perfect scenery for your elopement photoshoot.

Balearic Islands

If you’ve always been dreaming about a roadtrip around one of the islands of Medditerean See, choose Belearic Islands for your wedding ceremony. This archipelago consists of three main islands – Ibiza, famous for its crazy parties, Majorca with its splendid beaches and Menorca, less famous, but surely just as beautiful. Depending on what you look for, you can choose either just one island for your elopement getaway, or decide to go on a cruise around Balearic Islands. Both ideas are wonderful and will be a part of a perfect adventure for you and your partner.

Best cities to elope in Spain

Madrid 

Capital city of Spain, even though it is located in the center of the country (without any beaches around) has a lot to offer. Madrid is famous for its various museums, that bring tourists from all around the world. If you are an art lover, be sure to visit Museo del Prado with Goya, Velazquez and Bosch paintings. Madrid is also known for beautiful parks within the city center, where you can enjoy a nice walk with a delicious coffee from a nearby cafe. It also might be just a great start of your honeymoon trip, as you can easily fly to Madrid from anywhere in the whole world! 

Barcelona

Great choice for couples, that want to experience a romantic elopement in a historique city! Barcelona has a special atmosphere and a lot of people choose this location for their engagement photoshoot or a honeymoon. What is great about Barcelona is that you can either chill on the beach for a whole day or take a tour around the best restaurants – depending on your mood! You can also easily rent a car and go explore other, wild beaches, that are situated really close from the municipality. This region is famous from its cuisine, so all the foodies will be really happy by staying here for couple of days! Barcelona has a lot of great restaurants with delicious, Catalonian dishes and tasty wines from the region. 

Sevilla

Some people say, that if you want to discover the real, spanish atmosphere, you should visit Andalucia. This region is the warmest region of Spain, and it is not only about the weather! Andalucia is famous for flamenco & corrida, so if you wish to have a real, local experience, be sure to take into account these activities. From Sevilla you can easily reach the beautiful coast – Costa Tropical or Costa del Sol. I highly reccommend to plan a trip with your beloved one through Pico del Cielo, a beautiful route that will take you for a memorable adventure full of wonderful landscapes.

Beautiful beaches for your elopement in Spain

• Playa de Barayo
• Playa de Fatares
• Cabo de San Antonio
• Cala d’Urgell
• Cap Norfeu
• Platja Granadella
• Playa de los Muertos
• Mirador de Corporales
• Playa el Madero
• Playa de Esteiro
• Garita de Herbeira
• Praia do Soesto

Elopement photographer in Spain

Such a special event as your intimate wedding in Spain, needs to be immortalized. That’s why I photograph couples from all around the world to offer them the best gift from their elopement – intimate, beautiful pictures, that will always remind you those special moments you have shared. You can either prepare an album with your wedding pictures or use them as a decoration in your home. Spanish beaches and historical villages will be a magical background for your photographs, so don’t hesitate to get in touch with me! 

Check some of the love stories I had a chance to photograph by clicking here.

Spain elopement packages

Decided to elope to Spain? I am so happy for you both! It is also one of my favourite destinations, so you can be sure to count on me with choosing the best locations for a photoshoot! 

Reach out to me for elopement photography packages in Spain. We can spend two days together or even just a few hours – everything based on your needs and wishes ❤️ A one day photo coverage costs 3900€ and has all travel costs included. For information shoot me an email. Let me know how you picture your perfect Spanish elopement and let’s create a beautiful story together!