Lauren & Darragh

A chic destination wedding at Anantara Villa Padierna in Marbella, Spain.

Editorial & style forward documentary wedding photography on film and digital format

A Weekend at Anantara Villa Padierna

Some wedding venues are beautiful. Others hold years of memories.

For Lauren, Anantara Villa Padierna had been a special place since childhood. Long before the planning began, she already knew where she wanted to get married. Bringing friends and family together in a place that meant so much to her made the entire celebration feel even more special.

Set amongst the hills of Marbella, Anantara Villa Padierna, heavily inspired by a 19th-century Tuscan palazzo, provided the perfect setting for a wedding that felt elegant, chic and full of life. The celebrations began the evening before with a welcome gathering on the terrace, where guests arrived, settled into the weekend and enjoyed the warm Spanish evening together.

By the time the wedding day arrived, there was already such a lovely atmosphere throughout the venue. Familiar faces filled the terraces and courtyards, conversations flowed easily and excitement followed everyone throughout the day.

From the architecture and gardens to the carefully chosen details, everything felt beautifully connected to the setting. It was one of those weddings where every part of the day worked effortlessly together and everything felt like it was so true to the couple!

Getting Ready with Darragh

A few doors away, Darragh spent the morning with his family and closest friends enjoying champagne on the terrace before the celebrations began.

The atmosphere felt relaxed and easygoing with everyone simply enjoying the moment together before the ceremony. Between conversations, music and laughter, the morning naturally unfolded without ever feeling rushed.

Before heading to the ceremony, we explored a few corners of the venue for portraits, making the most of the beautiful surroundings and architecture that make Anantara Villa Padierna such a unique place to celebrate.

Getting Ready with Lauren

The morning began slowly and calmly as Lauren spent time with her closest people while putting the final touches on her bridal look.

One of my favourite parts of the morning was photographing the details that had been chosen for the day. Her inherited art deco diamond bracelet immediately caught my attention and felt especially meaningful amongst all the other beautiful pieces. These smaller details often become some of the most valuable photographs over time.

Lauren wore a structured two piece gown that suited both her style and the architecture of Anantara Villa Padierna perfectly. Combined with soft glowing makeup by Frankie Darling and timeless accessories, the whole look felt elegant, modern and effortless.

Throughout the morning there was such a relaxed energy. Lauren was literally glowing and everyone was so excited for the day ahead and it made the entire atmosphere feel so fun and calm from the very beginning.

A Ceremony in the Amphitheatre

The ceremony took place in the iconic amphitheatre at Anantara Villa Padierna.

As guests gathered beneath the Andalusian sun, the atmosphere felt both grand and intimate at the same time. Wedding planning by Marbella Weddings had made sure that the whole day felt so chic and was so lovely to see them really enjoy their work while running the whole show so effortlessly. The stone architecture, elegant floral design by Pedro Navarro and warm Marbella light created a setting that felt timeless and beautifully considered.

Lauren walked down the aisle wearing a delicate veil that moved softly through the space. One of my favourite photos was when the brother of Darragh was looking at the future grooms reaction while Lauren was approaching in the stairs. Everything was so beautiful just like the bride and groom and their friends and family.

Portraits at Anantara Villa Padierna

After the ceremony, we stepped away for a short portrait session before returning to cocktail hour.

Before the wedding, I spent time exploring Anantara Villa Padierna and carefully choosing the locations we would use throughout the day. Having a plan meant we could move through the portraits naturally while still allowing Lauren and Darragh to spend the majority of the evening with their guests.

My approach to wedding photography blends documentary storytelling with an editorial perspective.

Most of the day is spent observing moments exactly as they happen. The conversations during cocktail hour, the laughter between friends, the reactions during speeches and all the moments that cannot be recreated.

Portraits are slightly different. While I always want the images to feel natural and relaxed, I also believe everyone deserves to feel comfortable and confident in front of the camera. A little guidance allows couples to settle into the moment and enjoy the experience while creating photographs that feel refined without feeling overly posed.

After all, weddings are about more than simply documenting what happened. They are also about celebrating everything that has been carefully planned and thoughtfully created. My role is to preserve both.

This balance between editorial and documentary photography is something I bring into all of my weddings in Marbella and destination celebrations across Spain and Italy.

The result is imagery that feels genuine while still carrying the elegance and intention of an editorial photograph. Alongside digital photography, I also love incorporating film wedding photography into destination weddings to bring an even softer and more timeless feeling to the final gallery.

Cocktail Hour

The celebrations continued with cocktail hour as guests gathered together to congratulate Lauren and Darragh.

One thing that stood out throughout the entire day was the energy. Guests moved between conversations, laughter carried across the terraces and the whole wedding felt constantly full of life. Scenes were like straight out of Aarons Slims photography books.

Cocktail hour is often one of my favourite parts of a wedding day to photograph. The formalities are over, everyone is relaxed and the atmosphere feels effortless. Friends reconnect, families come together and moments happen naturally in every direction.

For Lauren and Darragh, it was a chance to spend time with the people who had travelled from near and far to celebrate with them. Looking around the terrace, there was always something happening and never a quiet corner.

Reception

As guests made their way into the reception space, the atmosphere shifted seamlessly into the next part of the celebration.

The setting was beautifully designed and perfectly suited the overall feel of the wedding. Elegant details, thoughtful styling and warm candlelight created a space that felt inviting from the moment guests took their seats.

Throughout dinner, heartfelt speeches brought both laughter and emotion to the tables. Looking around the room, it was clear how loved Lauren and Darragh are by the people around them.

One of the things I remember most about the evening was how engaged everyone was throughout the celebration. Guests were constantly interacting, laughing and enjoying every moment.

Evening portraits & Sunset at Anantara

Before the evening celebrations continued, we stepped away briefly for sunset portraits.

One of the things I love most about Anantara Villa Padierna is the variety of locations it offers within a single venue. In just a few minutes, we were able to move between completely different settings while staying close to the celebration.

We made our way through some of my favourite spaces within the property, including a beautiful checkered floor surrounded by classical architecture and several details that had caught my eye during my first visit.

As the light softened over Marbella, Lauren and Darragh took a quiet moment together before returning to the evening.

Within minutes, they were back with their family and friends enjoying the rest of the celebration.

The Party

As the sun began to set over Marbella, the atmosphere shifted beautifully into the evening celebrations. Candlelight slowly filled the reception space while the lights around the dance floor brought a completely different feeling to the night.

Lauren and Darragh shared their first dance beneath the evening sky before inviting everyone onto the dance floor to celebrate with them. Within moments, the entire space was filled with people dancing, laughing and enjoying the night together.

Watching everyone celebrate beneath the stars surrounded by the beautiful architecture of Anantara Villa Padierna felt incredibly special.

One of my favourite parts of the night was seeing Lauren and Darragh in the middle of it all, dancing with the people they love most and simply enjoying every moment of the celebration.

Lauren and Darragh created a wedding that was stylish, welcoming and deeply personal from beginning to end.

What stood out most was the overall feeling of the weekend. Bringing everyone together in a place filled with years of memories, creating a celebration that felt true to them and simply allowing the day to unfold naturally.

From the welcome gathering to the final moments on the dance floor, every part of the celebration felt thoughtful, relaxed and full of life.

This wedding meant so much to photograph and it was everything I had hoped it would be from the moment I first stayed at Anantara Villa Padierna a few weeks before the wedding. Lauren and Darragh brought such a beautiful atmosphere to the entire weekend and it felt so special to document every part of it alongside the people who came together to celebrate with them.

Photographing this wedding in Marbella was such a memorable experience and a beautiful reminder of why destination weddings in Spain continue to inspire me so much. And of course I have to give special thanks to my second shooters who did an amazing job, both in the sense of photos and videos but also in atmosphere which is just as important!

If you are planning a wedding in Marbella, elsewhere in Spain or in Italy, you can get in touch here.

Photography mixed digitals and 35mm film 🎞️

Wedding planner: Marbella Wedding | Venue: Anantara Villa Padierna Marbella

Make up: Frankie Darling | Hair: Elina Visage | Steaming: Coco Steaming Services

Florals: Pedro Navarro | DJ: Soul Events | Second shooters: Ana Pilea Photography & John Jacar Photography