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A Posh Destination Wedding in Spain

Updated Apr 23, 2015

| By Erin Ryley

For an unconventional couple like Kelly Taphouse and William Nah, an exotic destination wedding in Spain was the perfect way to say, “I do.” The two planned an adventure that reflected their unique love story. They met by chance, but the timing wasn’t right, and they didn’t exchange numbers. A few months later, their paths crossed again and “It was undeniably love at second sight,” Kelly laughs. “Seven years later, here we are!” When it came time to propose, Kelly turned the tables on William: “On New Year’s Eve, I popped the question. I’m not sure if he took me seriously at first, but after a few minutes he got tears in his eyes, and he said yes,” she recalls fondly.

A traditional ceremony wasn’t their style, and neither was a typical location. “We wanted to be by the sea,” Kelly explains, “but somewhere like the Dominican Republic just wasn’t for us.” After much research, they decided on a destination wedding in Spain. Marbella to be exact. “We were looking for a place with a prominent local culture and different food and music. In the end, Spain completely won us over.”

On their once-in-a-lifetime journey, Kelly and William were joined by 25 of their loved ones, who flew overseas for the occasion. The celebration started with a civil ceremony on the island of Gibraltar (just to make things legal!), and a memorable rehearsal dinner in the village of Mijas. “We rented out a tapas bar where we listened to live music and indulged in delicious food and lots of sangria,” Kelly shares. The following day it was time for the main event: a beautiful beachside ceremony at the Hotel Puente Romano. Kelly describes her walk down the aisle as one of her fondest memories: “Walking towards the Mediterranean Sea to the sound of a flamenco guitar playing Pachelbel’s ‘Canon in D Major’ was surreal,” she recounts. “My heart was racing, and I was absolutely overjoyed to see William standing there.”

The magic moments continued aplenty at their Spanish-style reception, as a full flamenco troupe engaged the crowd. “They were amazing and pulled some of the guests up on stage to dance with them, which was very entertaining,” Kelly recalls. On a personal note, William had some wonderful surprises in store for his brand-new bride: a touching video—featuring heartfelt messages from friends and family back home—and a romantic serenade. “Six years ago, William re-wrote the lyrics to James Blunt’s ‘You’re Beautiful’ for me. At the reception, his brother Joon (who formerly belonged to an a cappella group) performed the song,” explains Kelly. “I was overwhelmed with laughter and tears.”

Before heading home from this destination wedding in Spain there was one last adventure in store for the couple’s guests: a group getaway to Morocco! Everyone boarded a boat headed for Tangier where they explored the ancient streets by camel. “We didn’t give gifts to our guests,” she shares. “The excursion was our way of saying thank you.” For Kelly, the entire experience of getting married and celebrating with her nearest and dearest was a dream come true: “Everything I’ve imagined for years became reality. I could truly say I was living my dreams. How many people get to say that?”

Kelly Taphouse and William Nah, September 21, 2011, Marbella, Spain.

Photography courtesy of Joee Wong (www.joeewong.com)

Vendors
Ceremony location: Hotel Puente Romano
Reception location: Suite Del Mar at Hotel Puente Romano
Wedding planner: Reviva Weddings & Planning Dress: Essence of Australia
Groom's tux: Hugo Boss
Hair: Kathryn Parr Makeup: Kathryn Parr
Music: Playlist assembled by the bride and groom Cake: Cake Marbella Caterer: Hotel Puente Romano
Favours: Reviva Weddings & Planning
Flowers: Reviva Weddings & Planning Stationery: Reviva Weddings & Planning
Other: Videography by Ramon Cespedes, RC2 Films