Crystal and Michael flew from the US to marry last summer in one of our favourite spots in Europe, San Sebastian in the north of Spain. With a team including the invaluable wedding planner by Leire of 20 Eventos and Angel Conde behind the lens, it was sure to be a day to remember. Don't miss the incredible view of the city from their reception venue, Mirador de Ulía, and we have more from Crystal the bride below on the details of their big day and decision to marry in Spain.

HOW THEY MET

"Michael and I met when we were attending La Habra High School at the ripe ages of 14 and 17 years old- he would walk me to my second period Drama class and was always a gentleman holding my books and making small talk as we got to know one another. Michael proposed to me on our 10 year anniversary on Christmas Day. We went up to a lookout point over Los Angeles and with Bruce Springsteen's ' Human Touch' in the background he stated, "Ten years ago today I asked you to be my girlfriend and tonight I want to ask you to be my wife." It was the day I had waited for and said, "YES!"

DECIDING ON THE DESTINATION

During our relationship, we decided to backpack through Europe for four months where we visited 43 cities and 13 countries. It was during this adventure that we stumbled upon San Sebastian in Spain- the most beautiful oceanside city in all of Spain (in our opinion). Everything from the pinxtos, the late night bars, the beautiful scenery and the vibrant Spanish culture enraptured us. When envisioning our wedding, we knew we had to go for a destination wedding because it suit both of our personalities and traveling is just something we always like to do, so we thought- why not ship everyone out to Spain? We found our wedding planner, Leire Ibanez via a random Google search, and she was the best decision we ever made. Her resume listed many destination weddings and events and she really helped create the wedding of our dreams.

CHALLENGES

The biggest challenge when planning a destination wedding is the distance. As a bride in "planning mode", you want to be there to physically see the structures, the flowers, the views, etc and you can't. So finding the right wedding planner and assistant is key because trusting them with your big day takes a lot of faith. Leire had some amazing contacts that she could vouch for, which meant a lot when you are not only planning the wedding of your dreams, but spending a lot of money in the process. Because Leire had worked with these contacts before and had several examples of their work, it put our mind at ease knowing that they were trusted by her and that our money would be safe in hiring them.

THE BIG DAY

My vision for the day was Spanish and traditional with small touches of DIY projects which I love. The mason jars flew across the Atlantic with me, along with a few chalkboard signs. Overall, everything came out beyond our wildest expectations, especially the food. We chose Michelin-starred restaurant Mirador de Ulía, and our eight course meal was to die for! Not to mention the panoramic views from our table. All in all, the best decision we made was choosing a destination wedding, not only for our wedding but for the experience of our guests and the hope that we created memories that will last a lifetime."

Photography: Angel Conde| Wedding Planner & Decor: 20 Eventos | Reception Venue: Mirador de Ulía | Bride's Dress: The Image Bridal | Bridesmaid Dresses: Donna Morgan | Hair & Makeup by: Soler Bmak | DJ: Txingudi DJs | Spanish Guitarist: Nadim Majure | Videographer: The A Photo Studio