Getting Married in Mallorca: A Practical Guide

Getting married in Mallorca usually means choosing between three landscapes — the mountains of the Serra de Tramuntana, the farmland of the interior and the coast — and then accepting that the day will run later than it would at home. Both decisions shape the photographs more than any single venue does.

This guide covers what we would tell any couple at the start: where to marry on the island, when, how the ceremony generally works, how guests get around, and how photography fits into a day that runs on Spanish time. For the light month by month and the places we recommend for portraits, see our Mallorca page.

Three islands in one

The Serra de Tramuntana runs along the north-west coast: steep mountains, terraced olive groves, stone villages such as Deià, Valldemossa and Sóller, and a coastline of cliffs and small coves. It is dramatic and green, and the mountains throw long shadows across the villages in the evening, so the light leaves the valleys earlier than the coast.

The interior is flatter and quieter: almond and olive country, dry-stone walls and old fincas, many of them restored as wedding venues, with courtyards, chapels and long views. The light here is open and even, and the evening glow across the fields lasts a long time.

The coast offers everything from sheltered coves in the east to hotels and villas with terraces above the sea. And Palma, the capital, has its cathedral on the waterfront, an old town of narrow streets and courtyards, and an easy city atmosphere for a welcome dinner or an urban ceremony.

Fincas, villas and churches

Most destination weddings on Mallorca take place at a finca: a country estate with a main house, outbuildings and gardens, often with space for the ceremony, dinner and dancing all in one place. It is practical for guests and generous for photographs, because there is usually a courtyard, an olive grove and an open view within a few steps of each other.

Clifftop villas and hotels suit smaller weddings and couples who want the sea in every photograph. Church weddings are possible in the villages and in Palma, and the island’s old churches are beautiful and, like churches all over the Mediterranean, dark inside.

When to marry

The most comfortable months are May, June, September and October. The weather is warm and dependable, the sea is pleasant and the island is less busy than in high summer. July and August are hot, with strong midday light and the island at its fullest, though evenings are long and warm. October often keeps summer weather with softer light and quieter roads.

For a summer Saturday, booking nine to fifteen months ahead is typical. Weekdays, late spring and October are easier to secure at shorter notice.

Legal or symbolic

Civil marriage in Spain is generally difficult for non-resident foreign couples to arrange, so most destination weddings in Mallorca are symbolic ceremonies, with the legal part completed at home before or after. A Catholic church wedding may be possible with the right paperwork. A symbolic ceremony has one real advantage: it can take place anywhere and at any hour, so it can be set for the light. Your planner or the local civil registry will confirm what is possible for you.

A day on Spanish time

A Mallorca wedding usually starts later and ends later than couples from northern Europe or the United States expect. The ceremony is often in the early evening once the heat eases, followed by a long cocktail hour, a late dinner and dancing well past midnight. Many venues are used to this rhythm, and guests settle into it quickly.

For photography, that timing is a gift. The hour after the ceremony often falls in the golden light, and a long cocktail hour gives time for portraits without taking the couple away from their guests for long. The trade-off is that the day is long, so coverage hours need to follow it. We look at your schedule and suggest where coverage should start and end, and it is usually later than couples first assume.

Getting guests to the island

Palma airport has frequent flights from across Europe, particularly in summer, and ferries connect Mallorca with Barcelona, Valencia and the other Balearic islands. Once on the island, a car or organised transfers are essential. The mountain roads of the Tramuntana are winding and slow, so a venue there should be chosen with guest accommodation nearby. Many couples arrange shuttles from a couple of hotels, which also means nobody drives after dinner.

Combining Mallorca with Ibiza or Barcelona for a longer trip is straightforward by flight or ferry.

How we photograph a Mallorca wedding

Couples marrying in Mallorca book across our range. A finca wedding with an evening ceremony and a late dinner is usually our Full Day coverage, from €2,250 for up to ten hours with one photographer, or our Destination Wedding commission, from €2,950, which covers the full day. Travel and timing are planned around your wedding: when it helps, we can arrive early to see the venue at ceremony hour, and that is agreed per inquiry. Before the day we look at where the light falls in the courtyard and the grove and agree the timing with your planner. A welcome dinner or a morning-after session can be added.

A second photographer is available as an addition, which helps when preparations are in separate houses or the guest list is large. Smaller weddings can book Half Day coverage from €1,450 for up to five hours, and couples eloping on the island can book our Elopement commission from €850, with help choosing the place and the hour.

These are starting figures: travel and accommodation are quoted separately, itemised and at cost, and the exact price comes in reply to your inquiry. You receive a preview set within seven days and the complete edited set within eight weeks, in a private online gallery with full-resolution downloads and a personal print release. The full detail is on our investment page, and our Spain page covers the rest of the country.

If you have a date or a finca in mind, tell us about it. We will check availability and send an itemised quote.