Inside: Emily Blackwell And Jordan Oldershaw's Sun-Drenched Balearic Wedding

From a Florence proposal to tapas and a Cuban band at a family friend’s Majorcan villa, step inside Emily Blackwell’s wedding to Jordan Oldershaw.

The story so far

I actually didn’t see the engagement coming, which surprised me because I’m normally a bit of a detective and tend to know everything. I’d never been one to send photos of rings saying ‘this is the one I want’. I choose most things in our relationship, so I felt the engagement ring was the one thing he really got to choose – I love that it’s a way for them to create something just for you.

He proposed with a ring he had designed himself, working with a jeweller. He organised the whole thing in Florence, when I was 16 weeks pregnant. The only reason I had any inkling was that everyone had been acting so strangely beforehand – even the hotel staff seemed a little odd – and then I spotted a photographer hidden in a bush capturing it all.

The pictures are incredible, with the whole of Florence spread out behind us. It happened at Belmond Villa San Michele, which sits high up with the most beautiful views. It was boiling, easily 40 degrees at around five in the afternoon, just as it was turning dusky, and afterwards we went for dinner and spent the evening in our own little engagement bubble.

We had quite a long engagement, largely because we had our baby girl in between, but it never felt rushed or stressful – I really enjoyed that year. After she arrived, I added a ring beneath my engagement ring engraved with her initials and date of birth, and my wedding ring sits on the other side, so it’s a lovely stack now. Our wedding ring is engraved with the date we married.

Venue

We got married in Majorca, which was one of the first places we visited together as a couple. We’re lucky enough to have wonderful family friends with the most incredible villa there, and they very kindly offered to let us marry at it. We hold so many special memories at that villa, so it linked in perfectly and just naturally became the place.

Fashion

I wore a Sassi Holford dress, a strapless style that felt simple but effective and that I knew would suit me. What I loved most was how versatile it was to style – you can add a lace bolero, or, as I did, a floaty silk scarf that trailed long at the back. I actually preferred the scarf to my veil and swapped the two the moment I’d walked down the aisle. The veil was Sassi Holford too, a single tier finished with a little lace for a Spanish touch, since we married in Spain. My shoes were Jimmy Choo, in ivory silk with a diamond ankle detail, just glitzy enough to lift an otherwise pared-back look.

Jewellery

I kept my jewellery classic with pieces from Boodles – earrings and a necklace from the Be Boodles range, with its little bee motif that almost looks like a butterfly. It felt quintessentially British, which tied in with the Sassi Holford dress.

Bridal party

I had four bridesmaids, and honestly the gift bags were one of my favourite parts of the whole thing – I love a little touch like that. I put together matching pyjamas from Chelsea Peers, who do a lovely range for brides and bridesmaids, personalised slippers from Gigi & Olive, and Jo Malone perfume, because I wanted a wedding scent. I gave the same one to the groomsmen, so that whenever anyone wears it now it takes them straight back to the weekend. I also did personalised hairbrushes and eye masks from The Go-To, which is a brilliant site for cool, personalised wedding gifts, and little sentimental poems to finish.

On the day, the bridesmaids wore Maids to Measure in sage green – I’d originally planned yellow but changed my mind at the last minute, and the sage worked really beautifully. They’re all different shapes and sizes, and some had just had babies or were breastfeeding, so I told them they didn’t need to wear exactly the same thing, they could pick whatever they felt comfortable in.

Our flower girls and page boys were my daughter, my niece and nephew, and a couple of second cousins – the only children at the wedding, as we didn’t have any other kids there. The girls wore little dresses from John Lewis and the boys were in mini suits from Next.

Transportation

Everyone came and went by taxi rather than staying on site, so people could dip in and out as they liked.

Tablescape

My brief was basically a Pinterest board of everything I’d been saving. I wanted something rustic so we brought in lemons and small, simple flowers, then layered in lovely lighting and loads of candles. Crisp but rustic, rather than glam. For favours, we gave everyone a passport-sized fan with our initials on it, which was a lifesaver in the heat – people used them all weekend, and they’re from The Go-To too. The loveliest part is that guests still message me photos of themselves using the fans on holiday months later.

Food & drinks

When you’re somewhere hot, you don’t need a big formal sit-down so we did lots of tapas, family sharing-style. There was salad and fish, potatoes and chicken, all simple but really good; no one wants to sit through three long courses when they’ve already filled up on canapés. Later in the night we sent round mini burgers. Instead of a traditional cake, we had an enormous mille-feuille – cutting it was a real moment, and then we served it as dessert, because let’s be honest, no one ever eats the wedding cake.

For the drinks I was a bit selfish and picked what Jordan and I actually like: Aperol spritz, champagne, sangria to keep the Spanish theme going, red, white and rosé, and plenty of beer, with an open bar after dinner.

Entertainment

With such a range of ages in the room, I wanted the music to cover everyone. I’d built a playlist across the whole year, adding songs as I went, and handed it to the DJ as a rough steer. We also did something a bit different: rather than the usual singers or entertainers, we brought in a Cuban band to keep the Spanish feel, who played for about 45 minutes before the DJ took over. I handed out sombreros and props for it, and everyone loved it!

Beauty regime & wellness

For make-up we used Charlotte Tilbury, who are genuinely the best for bridal. We did briefs and trials beforehand and they were so well organised, which really matters – you want to know exactly what your make-up will be. I’m fussy and usually only trust myself with it, and I don’t like a heavy look, but they gave me exactly the brief: natural glam.

My hair was by Dylan McConner, and we did a trial too. I think your hair really depends on your dress – with a high neck I’d always wear it up, but mine was a bandeau style, so we went half up, half down, working from a few Pinterest looks I liked. Beforehand, I had a couple of Sarah Chapman facials, which I love.

Favourite wedding gifts

We actually asked people not to give gifts. With a destination wedding, guests are already spending a lot to be there, so we felt their presence was the present – we didn’t have a list at all.

Honeymoon

We haven’t taken it yet, actually. We wanted something to look forward to later in the year, and with a little one it’s hard – we wouldn’t want to leave her for a week just now. We’re lucky enough to travel to lovely places anyway, so one day down the line we’ll go away together and call that our honeymoon.

Advice

Don’t let anyone frighten you. Everyone had warned me that planning a wedding would be the most stressful time of my life, but I found it genuinely relaxed and even fun. I kept thinking, I don’t know what everyone’s worrying about – so try to enjoy it rather than dread it.

A longer engagement takes the pressure off. Ours stretched out partly because we had a baby in between, and having that time meant nothing ever felt rushed.