Melissa & Adrián
are getting married!
June 4, 2022
Barcelona, Spain
Why Barcelona?
Because we fell in love with the city.
Barcelona is a special place for both of us. It's the city where Adrián said ''I love you'' for the first time to Melissa and it has many good memories that we created together.
The city is beautiful and the surrounding towns and landscapes are gorgeous. We're actually having the wedding in a town close to Barcelona called Sitges with incredible views to the Mediterranean and amazing places to eat and enjoy your visit to Spain.
We understand the cost to travel and time off from work may be too much for some. Please join us if you are able, but we completely understand if you cannot. We will gladly accept your regards and warm wishes from afar.
THE WEDDING VENUE
We'll be hosting the wedding on Saturday June 4th 2022 in a Spanish villa called Almiral de la Font, located in Sitges, a small and beautiful coastal Mediterranean city 30min from Barcelona city center.
The wedding is going to be an outdoor event. (We have the possibility of being indoors too if weather dictates, but the landscape is way too good to just be inside.) We hope that you fall in love with the place as much as we did when we visited it.
Spain has a great wine and tapas culture and we expect you to dive into it and enjoy it fully while you're visiting!
THE WEDDING WEEKEND
from Friday June 3rd to Sunday 5th, 2022.
STARTING WEDNESDAY JUNE 1ST.
We'll be arriving to Barcelona on Wednesday 1st. We'll be exploring the city and hope that our friends and family do the same!
Check out our section below of Things to Do in Barcelona.
WELCOME DINNER,
FRIDAY
JUNE 3RD.
We'll be hosting welcome drinks at the Sky Bar at
Hotel MIM Sitges,
7-9pm.
We hope to see you there to meet up before the main event!
(Guests will pay for their own food/drinks at this event, though the first $500 is on us!)
WEDDING DAY, SATURDAY JUNE 4TH.
The main event will start at 5pm in Villa Almiral de la Font, Sitges.
Transportation to the venue will be available starting at 4:30pm from in front of Pic Nic restaurant, across the street from Hotel Calipolis (the wedding hotel). Look for a wedding coordinator, who will be gathering folks ahead of the private bus arrival (it's a large 40-seater bus, which will make 2 trips to the venue). Taxis are also available in the area via Cabify (the local version of Uber). A bus from the wedding venue back to the wedding hotel will depart at 2:00am. Feel free to chat with any the wedding coordinators if you have any questions during the wedding!
GETTING THERE & STAYING THERE
Different options for every kind of traveler
PLANE
Barcelona-El Prat Airport (BCN) is the only international airport in the city. We recommend making time to explore the beautiful city of Barcelona while you are here!
TAXI & CAR RENTAL
Taxis and Cabify (local version of Uber) will cost around 70€ one way depending on the number of people.
Car rental is an easy way to get from the city to the venue. Rates start at about 80€ for 3 days in a small car. (NOTE: Spain drives on the right side. Also, be sure to request an automatic car if desired, since manual is the default.)
TRAIN
The best way to get to Sitges using public transportation from the airport is to get into the subway line L9S (Orange line) to El Prat Estació (13min, 5 stops).
From there, you should get into the train (Known as Rodalíes, the image is a white R in an orange background). Take the train to Vilanova i la Geltrú, but stop at Sitges Station.
(27min, 6 stops)
F.A.Qs.
How will I receive my invitation?
We are sending out email invitations since there are so many international invitees to the wedding and paper invitations would be a hassle. Please see the RSVP section to submit your RSVP. We will be sending paper thank you cards after the wedding, so please provide your mailing address when RSVPing.
When is the RSVP deadline?
By the date listed in your invitation, 11:59pm in your local time zone. Your speedy and accurate RSVP is appreciated so we can have an accurate idea of who will be able to attend in-person.
Can I bring a plus one to the wedding?
Due to the limited amount of people we are allowed at the venue, you can only bring a plus one if it is explicitly noted in your invite email. Thank you for your understanding.
Can we bring kids to the wedding?
We would prefer to keep this an adult-only event (age 18+). The venue and our wedding planner assures us that experienced babysitters can be hired if needed for the duration of the event; let us know if you would like more information!
What is the dress code?
The dress code is Formal Mediterranean, which means come dressed with your best attire (since we'll be in ours), but keep in mind that it will be an outdoor wedding in a Mediterranean villa and warm weather is to be expected.
What will the weather be like?
Be prepared for warm, Mediterranean summer weather, though storms are known to appear (and disappear) quickly.
Should I bring a gift?
We would like to minimize the number of physical gifts as we will have to ship anything back to the U.S. and have already established much of our home items together. We have setup a honeymoon fund on our registry, so feel free to contribute there or via card, if you feel so inclined!
Can I use my phone during the ceremony?
We will be having an unplugged ceremony - no phones, tablets, etc, so we can see clearly the faces of those we love in that special moment. After the ceremony, feel free to capture the moments as much as your heart desires. If you take and post pictures and/or video at the reception, include #TheSalazarSmiths so we can find them later!
What currency does Spain use?
The currency of Spain is the euro (€), so be sure to get some in hand if you prefer to use cash! Though all restaurants, stores, etc. accept major credit cards, so cash is not necessary.
Will Melissa be changing her name?
No, she will remain Dr. Melissa Smith :)
OUR STORY
From Melissa:
Adrián and I met via a dating app when I was visiting Tenerife for vacation. I had never heard of Tenerife before, but I had wanted to get away from cold Zurich and had wanted someone local to show me around. We literally bonded over a shared love of System of a Down, who was playing when he picked me up. After a great 4 days in Tenerife, we kept in touch, meeting up in various cities around Europe and growing together as a couple. After dating for a year long distance (Switzerland to Spain), my job brought me back to the US and Adrián made the leap to join me. One pandemic, one house, and two new jobs later, we are stronger than ever and cannot wait to enjoy this joyous celebration with our friends and family!
From Adrián:
I met Melissa when she was a stranded visitor in a tourist trap in Tenerife. We spent a few lovely days together while I showed her my home island and we enjoyed the views, weather and food. I discovered that I had found a woman that I never got tired of speaking to, smart, witty, funny, with an incredible good taste in music and the most charming smile... After this trip we just kept talking and seeing each other any time we could around Europe. We had many trips and adventures together and I kept wondering how much fun would life be by her side. At a certain point her job in Google offered her to go back to the US and I wasn´t going to miss the opportunity of a lifetime of being with my better half, just because she happened to move overseas. I'm a classically-trained Chef and that allowed me to keep improving my career in the US without missing a beat. Now, after 1 year dating long distance, more than 1 year living together (Quarantine included) I cannot wait to keep spending the rest of my days waking up by her side and seeing that stunning smile everyday. She said: Yes, I do! - When I asked the important question, so... Now we´re throwing the most epic party to celebrate!
Things To Do in Barcelona
Sagrada Familia Cathedral
You've heard of cathedrals, you've probably been to some really good ones, but we promise you've never seen a building as stunning and masterfully designed as the Sagrada Familia by Gaudi. Even though it is technically still under construction (136 years and counting!), many parts of it are open and available for exploration. If you have to visit only ONE place on your trip, this is it. An absolute MUST. Be sure to book tickets well in-advance to ensure you can visit at the time you want.
La Boqueria Food Market / La Rambla
La Rambla of Barcelona is a long street full of markets and quirky stores that leads to the Marina. On a side of La Rambla you can find the famous food market of La Boqueria, which has plenty of places to eat really good food and will provide some cool pics.
Gothic Quarters / Catedral de Barcelona
Want to see how it looked in Barcelona 400 years ago? Have a walk around the Gothic Quarters and explore all its hidden corners. You can make a route from La Rambla, through the Gothic Quarters and see some other beautiful cathedrals and old buildings of Barcelona.
Parc de la Ciutadella
A nice park that has a beautiful fountain, a small lake to boat in, and a lot of events all year around. It's a nice outdoor place to visit and is located by Barcelona's zoo.