Atmospheric welcome pre wedding party // Santa Paula Palacio, Granada, Spain
This two-day wedding celebration in Granada was all about stepping into an ethereal dream world—a whimsical, Dalí-inspired vision with space-like art and walls and floors filled with candles. Before the wedding I had already seen the vision boards and planning sheets, but when everything finally came together it went far beyond my expectations. Watching the sun set outside, the light slowly fading until the room was lit only by candlelight, felt nothing short of magical.
The welcome party of Silveen and Dara took place in the Santa Paula Palacio, right in the heart of Granada. That morning I visited the venue to get a sense of the space and was thrilled to discover a little cocktail bar where gothic style met Moorish influence, hidden on the way to the courtyard. I knew instantly that if I could get just a few minutes with the couple, I would need to bring them there.
As the last light shifted from sun to candlelight, guests began flowing in, admiring the décor that surrounded the palacio’s beautiful dance floor. The theme for the evening was “The Spanish night” and every detail carried the mood: the food, the flamenco dancers, and the Andalusian music performance that followed Silveen and Dara’s entrance. When the couple appeared, the energy in the room lifted—every guest’s face lit up, eyes fixed on them. They even surprised everyone with a small dance performance on stage, surrounded by hundreds of candles. It was pure magic.
The night carried on with dancing, delicious paellas, and endless glasses of wine. At one point, I finally had the chance to ask the couple for their portraits. We had prepared glasses of wine waiting at the cocktail bar, and together we slipped away through the courtyard, stopping for photos along the way. I had already chosen my spots inside the bar, and I was so excited to bring that vision to life. Silveen and Dara were an absolute joy to photograph, and it was here that we captured one of my favorite portraits of them—just the two of them, sharing a quiet glass of wine together while the party continued only meters away.
Later, the night gave way to a DJ set with friends and family filling the dance floor. Nothing makes me happier than seeing my couples enjoying their own party and watching Silveen and Dara laughing and dancing in the middle of it all was one of the highlights of the night. After that, I knew something even more extraordinary was waiting for us on the wedding day.
Location: Santa Paula Palacio, Granada, Spain | Wedding planner: @alhambraweddings | Decor & floral artist: @carolinabouquet | Dress: @anniesibiza | DJ: @brooklynborntoolate
