Wedding stories · Alcaufar Vell, Menorca, Spain · July 2018

Menorca Wedding at Alcaufar Vell

Emma and Louis got married under 100-year-old olive trees in Menorca. Sangria, a clifftop sunset and a seafront party that ran till midnight.

Bride and groom in braces hold each other on a rocky shore at sunset, a large yacht glowing on the sea behind them.

I reckon I’ve got one of the best jobs in the world. And sometimes it takes me somewhere like Menorca.

Emma’s brother had booked me for his wedding in England earlier that year. Then Emma and Louis asked me to come to Menorca for theirs. Not an offer I was going to refuse. I already knew how fantastic their family was, and I couldn’t wait to spend more time with them.

Alcaufar Vell

The wedding was at Alcaufar Vell, a rural hotel and restaurant in the Menorcan countryside. It’s an 18th-century farmhouse wrapped in olive trees, only a winding road away from the beaches.

Emma’s dad lives on the island and knew the area well, so he helped them find it. When a couple picks a venue with this much character, half my work is already done.

Five women in white robes chat with drinks on the balcony of a sandstone farmhouse with green shutters, under a deep blue sky.

Emma got ready in a rustic suite with big floor-to-ceiling windows and a fresh breeze coming in from the sea. The mood couldn’t have been more relaxed. I just got on with the natural moments between Emma, both mums and the bridesmaids.

Silhouette of a woman in a striped top spraying her hair in front of an open balcony door, blue sky outside.

The boys in S’Algar

Then I headed off to Louis in S’Algar, a sleepy old fishing village on the south-east corner of the island. A private villa, a palm-lined waterfront, and all “the boys”.

I heard the night before had been pretty wild, as expected. The morning itself was much calmer. Louis had plenty of time to get ready to see his wife-to-be.

A shirtless man seen from behind sprays his spiky hair against a bright turquoise sky.

Under the olive trees

For destination weddings I plan a lot. To make sure nothing got missed, I brought a second photographer along.

It was September, hot, and the sun was beating down. The ceremony was in the venue’s olive garden, the Jardin del Ullastres, in the shade of 100-year-old wild olive trees. Swapping rings under those branches? Pretty special.

Groom in braces and a pink bow tie laughs with the bride, who holds a bouquet of white roses, under the branches of olive trees.

Guests throw confetti over the bride and groom as they walk away hand in hand past an old stone wall, the groom grinning back over his shoulder.

Then a toast to the new Mr and Mrs Borman with ice-cold beer and sangria. Menorcan style.

Sunset on the cliffs

The evening was at the Dinky Bar, a laid-back spot right on the seafront in S’Algar. Guests arrived just as the sun was going down over the Mediterranean.

While everyone settled in, Emma, Louis and I sneaked off to the top of a nearby cliff. I love that light just before and after sunset. And it’s always good to give a couple a bit of time on their own, away from the buzz.

Bride and groom walk arm in arm along the rocky seafront, laughing, a thatched beach umbrella out of focus in front of them.

They soaked it all in. I ran around trying to get the shots.

The party

Here’s something I’ve noticed about destination weddings. People laugh more, celebrate louder and party harder.

Bride dances with her arms up among her friends in front of a bar lined with bottles.

We partied till midnight, and I kept shooting right to the last moment.

Lori and I loved the island so much we stayed an extra couple of days to explore. I’m pretty sure that’s where I’d like to retire. Ice-cold beer in hand.

Venue: Alcaufar Vell. Flowers by Art I Flors, Sant Lluís. Emma’s dress was by Grace Loves Lace, flown over from Australia.

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