Spain & Weddings

I recently spent a week travelling around Andalusia, soaking up the Mediterranean sun, indulging in delicacies and slurping on sangrias. It's a wonder how I managed to take note of the abundance of bridal stores that lined the cobblestone alleys of Seville.

I've always believed that nothing's too much when it comes to beautifying the bride. Elaborate head-dresses, sparkly stilettos, delicate solitaires, tear-drop earrings and let me tell you, there are more goodies for a bride in Spain than you could poke a stick at!!

Whilst on my travels I learned that Spain's bridal couture and accessories market is booming! According to those in the know, Spanish brides are opting for more expensive and adventurous fashion and this was made clear to me by the wonderful array of options on display in Seville.

When I delved further into my research I also learned that the Spanish spend more on weddings than their contemporaries anywhere else in the EU. Staggering figures show that the bridal sector in Spain is worth 6 billion Euros a year, half of which relates to dress sales.

The high season for bridal fashion is between May and September each year, when more than half the weddings in Spain take place; in 2005, over 209,000 couples celebrated their nuptials. This figure has been steady over the past decade although spending has increased enormously, partly due to the fact that brides and grooms now wait longer to get married … in style. A clear sign that every bride wants her day to be second to none!