A really popular way of organizing your wedding abroad is by renting a villa, finca, mansion or manor house. I can totally see why this way of celebrating is becoming more and more popular. It’s fun, easy and very personal. It’s many times the total opposite of what you would do back home, and apart from a wedding, it’s also a holiday. In the Barcelona region there are many, beautiful and rustic villas for rent.
They are usually old Catalan farmhouses (masias), fincas, mansions and vineyards, or other historical buildings turned into accommodations. Perhaps you are just starting to look into destination wedding planning, and want to know if a villa wedding could be an option for you, then this post is for you. Here below I will give you some general information, and the benefits of having a villa wedding!
Keep reading to the end of this post, because I will give you the name of my favorite villa venues.
Location
Locally known as “masias”, which means farmhouse or manor in Catalan, are usually located on the country side. Many times dating back to the Middle Ages they are often surrounded by wine fields, olive groves, forests or mountains. They are perfect locations for those couples who want a relaxed, intimate wedding venue away from the hectic city. The masias are usually located inlands, which means that they hardly never have sea views. However, the masias that we normally use for weddings are not located too far away from the sea but you would need a car. Besides rustic, countryside venues there are also some seafront private villa venues even if they are not as many.
Accommodation for your guests
A part from being beautiful locations for weddings, these venues are also handy solutions for those who wish to celebrate it all in one place which is really great from a logistic viewpoint. On the other hand, by opting for a venue with accommodation included, you don’t need to think about separate accommodation for your guests or transfer for the guests on the wedding day. If you are planning an intimate wedding for up to 30 guests, the houses can usually accommodate all of your guests. Some properties can even sleep up to 50 guests. This is obviously a huge benefit for your guests and they will be very thankful!
The rooms
You just need to keep in mind that the rooms are usually quite small, and non of them are identical. The reason for this is because they construct the rooms respecting the original building. You might want to ask for detailed information about the rooms sizes. And even if most rooms usually have a en-suite bathroom, there are always a couple of rooms where there wasn’t room for an en-suite and it’s for example placed in the hallway just outside the room. Sometimes it’s only to be used by one specific rooms, and sometimes it is to be shared between two rooms. I highly recommend that you ask the venue of which rooms would be affected by this, because it is good to give this information to the guests beforehand so they can make a decision if they are OK with this. Also check if there is AC available. It’s not always the case because the stone houses usually provide a more refreshing temperature and it’s basically not necessary. Ask the venue owner about this, and how the temperature usually is during the summer.
Other things to think about when planning a villa wedding
It’s important to research if the venue itself allows weddings, and if this is something that they have done previously. It’s of course not a must, but it does make the whole thing much easier because they will most likely have a designated area for the catering, enough bathrooms, reliable Plan B’s and other important things. Another thing that is really good to check are the rules when it comes to sound restrictions. Some properties won’t allow loud music after a certain hour. Also check the street access to the property. Is there room for you and your guests to park?
Another very important thing is that even if the villa owners are used to housing guests and weddings at their premises, it doesn’t mean that they are wedding planners. You can not expect the villa owners to do the same job as an independent wedding planner will do. They will most likely help out with a lot of different things and will be a great source of information and help just as any other venue coordinator. But it’s not their job to make sure that everything runs according to schedule on the wedding day, or take care of the guests. Most venues will directly ask you if you have a wedding planner, specially if you are an international couple.
Seasonal rental fees
Most properties apply a minimum stay depending on the time of the year. In high season (June-September/October) many villas require a minimum stay of 7 nights. In mid-season which will be spring and autumn, they can offer minimum stay of 3-4 nights. During low season some venues offer 2 nights, but it will vary depending on the venue. Private seafront venues with accommodation will have similar rules as the masias.
What does it cost to rent a masia or villa?
The prices will obviously vary. But to give you an idea:
High Season, when the minimum stay is 7 nights (usually mid June, July, August and mid September), prices will range from 19 000 – 26 000 EUR/week.
Mid-season, when the minimum stay is 3-4 nights (usually April, May, September, October) prices will range from 12 000 – 19 000 EUR. Price per night is around 3000-4000 EUR.
The villas always ask for a safety deposit, which will be refunded if there is no damage to the property and premises.
Examples of properties
Rustic style:
Castell Resort (Cal Marqués & Cal Forner)
Other villas:
Xalet del Nin (seafront)
Masia Casa del Mar (seafront)
Casa Nova Estate (natural park, in the middle of nature)
I hope you found this useful! If you are interested in some of the villas, you are very welcome to send me an e-mail to linda@bettertogetherweddings.es, and we can continue the conversation there.