Step Inside: Nadine And Julius' Joyful Spanish Wedding At The Historic La Baronia Estate Outside Barcelona

From a dating app match to a surprise proposal after a 50 Cent concert, step inside Nadine and Julius’ cinematic Spanish wedding at La Baronia, nestled in the hills outside Barcelona.

The story so far

We met on a dating app, but I think our first real commitment to each other came a few years later when we got on the property ladder together and embarked on a complete back-to-brick renovation. It was stressful, chaotic and honestly one of the most bonding experiences of our lives – if you can survive renovating a house together, you can survive anything.

Julius proposed after a 50 Cent concert at the O2, which still makes me laugh. The concert itself was us screaming the Get Rich or Die Tryin’ soundtrack at full volume – and then afterwards, he started acting strangely. He’d insisted we drive and pay for extortionate parking, insisted on a really fancy dinner beforehand, and then wanted to rush straight home. But the second we walked into the living room and I saw it decorated, I knew. He got down on one knee, and I was completely shocked – my family had all been in on it and helped him with the surprise, which made it even more special.

My ring is an oval-cut diamond on a gold band. The carat size is…well, impressive. Boy did good – let’s leave it at that.

Venue

I always thought I’d be a London bride. Getting married in our hometown initially felt really important to me, but once we started pricing up the kind of experience we wanted for our guests, it quickly became unrealistic. We pivoted to a Spanish wedding – which at the time felt slightly less expected than Italy or Portugal, but equally beautiful.

We originally explored finca-style weddings, but a lot of those venues are effectively dry hire and, having worked in PR and events myself, I knew exactly how much work that would involve. I stumbled across La Baronia on Instagram and, honestly, one panoramic photo sold it to me immediately. The venue feels almost cinematic – a historic estate tucked into the hills outside Barcelona, surrounded by greenery with extraordinary views. It has grandeur and romance, but still feels relaxed and warm rather than overly formal.

Most of our guests are Londoners, while our international crowd came from LA, New York, Copenhagen and Dubai, so being close to Barcelona felt perfect. Everyone could make a proper holiday of it and do their own thing, which took the pressure off us needing to host activities across an entire wedding weekend. Our welcome party was on the rooftop of The Hoxton Poblenou – it was an absolute movie.

Fashion

My dress was the Gianna gown by Prea James from The Fall Bride, paired with the removable Grace overskirt. The Fall Bride was the perfect boutique for me – it has such a contemporary approach to bridal: chic and relaxed without feeling intimidating.

I found out I was pregnant shortly after my first appointment, and there was definitely a period where I wondered whether I should choose something safer for my changing body. In the end, I trusted my instincts and stuck with the dress I loved. The removable overskirt became one of my favourite details – it gave me volume and drama for the ceremony, then came off for cocktail hour for a whole second-look moment.

My shoes were custom-made by my best friend, founder of Sadi Studios, who incorporated something blue into the soles. She also surprised me with a matching pair for my baby girl, which completely finished me emotionally.

Jewellery

I kept the jewellery soft and understated – the dress itself was so clean that it felt right. I wore pearl drop earrings and a matching necklace from ASOS; timeless and affordable.

Bridal party

Controversially, we didn’t have one. I’ve never really understood the logic of asking your closest friends to spend the entire day working. On the morning of the wedding, I had the women in my family and my two best friends with me, while Julius had his brother. Everyone else got to fully relax and enjoy the day as guests.

Transportation

La Baronia is around 50 minutes outside Barcelona, so we organised coaches to collect guests from the city centre and bring them back at the end of the night. Barcelona feels relatively compact compared to London, and our guests are city-savvy – we knew they’d have no trouble getting themselves to the pick-up points.

Tablescape

I worked closely with our venue and florist to create something timeless, warm and Mediterranean-inspired: traditional glassware, candlelight and citrus accents throughout, which felt reflective of the setting without leaning too heavily into a theme.

Our florist repurposed the arrangements throughout the day without even being asked – the ceremony flowers were restyled onto the top table later in the evening, which made everything feel cohesive and was a quietly sustainable touch too.

Food & drinks

Food was probably the single most important thing for us, and thankfully the Spanish completely understand hospitality. I’ve been to so many weddings where cocktail hour amounts to three tiny canapés and everyone is starving by dinner – we wanted the exact opposite energy.

During cocktail hour we served a proper Spanish spread: paella, sliders and more substantial bites alongside refined hors d’oeuvres, with refreshing, citrus-forward cocktails.

Dinner was a traditional à la carte set up. Later in the evening we brought in a pizza truck – which, truthfully, I’m not sure we needed, but it was much appreciated. An open bar ran throughout.

Guests still tell us it’s the best they’ve ever been fed and watered at a wedding, and I think that’s exactly why the energy stayed so high all night.

Entertainment

Music was non-negotiable. We flew in two DJs from London because we knew exactly the atmosphere we wanted – and music was a big part of how we could incorporate our cultures into the day. R&B, reggae, dancehall, Afrobeats, UK garage and grime all had to feature heavily; it was important that what was playing reflected us and our guests properly.

I walked down the aisle to Fall by Cavemen. Our first dance was Still In Love by Al Green.

Beauty regime & wellness

I was juggling a 12-week-old baby in the lead-up to the wedding, so the extensive wellness and facial regime I’d imagined didn’t quite materialise. Survival was the vibe. I managed to get to the gym a few times a week and focused more on feeling healthy and energised than on chasing perfection.

I did fly out to Barcelona a month before the wedding for a hair and makeup trial, which I’m so glad I did. My glam team were incredible at making me feel like the best version of myself on the day – particularly after such an intense postpartum season.

Favourite Wedding Gifts

We explicitly asked guests not to bring gifts or money, given everyone had already spent on flights to Spain. Naturally, nobody listened. Getting sprayed with dollars Nigerian-style ended up being one of the funniest moments of the night.

Honeymoon

We did a minimoon in Marrakesh with our daughter and loved every moment. Once she’s old enough to spend a couple of weeks with grandma, we’re planning a proper South-East Asia honeymoon.

Advice

Hire a wedding coordinator, even if it’s just for on-the-day execution. Being able to properly switch off and enjoy your wedding is priceless.

Don’t force traditions that don’t make sense for you. We didn’t have a wedding cake – we were abroad, couldn’t take any of it home, nor could our guests – so we didn’t bother, and nobody noticed.

And ask your florist how arrangements can be moved and restyled throughout the day. It makes a significant difference, both visually and practically.