Choosing your wedding venue for sentimental reasons makes your big day that little bit more special. This was certainly the case for Justine Schembri and Jose Torrebalanca.

“Jose and I met in a bar in Paceville,” says Justine. “Yes, sometimes meetings in bars do work out.”

The two immediately connected and after dating for almost a year, Jose popped the question.

The couple often visited Jose’s family in Spain while they were dating. However they were committed to raising their family in Malta.

“I wanted to get married somewhere that would capture the sentimental value of the day,” says Justine. “Since we would live in Malta, we also wanted to experience some of the precious moments of our life in his country.”

Jose grew up in Sax, Alicante, a beautiful old Spanish town with rustic buildings and long winding roads. Since they planned to tie the knot so soon after meeting, it was also the perfect way for Justine’s family to be introduced to Jose’s family, his background and where he grew up.

During one of their trips to Sax, Jose’s family invited the two to visit Asador La Casona, a rustic farmhouse tucked away in the rural outskirts of the town.

“I immediately fell in love with the gorgeous gardens, the tall pine trees and rolling green hills in the backdrop. I was overwhelmed by the perfection of the place, as I never imagined I would have my wedding in such a dream setting, and at the same time with such excellent cuisine. I was overcome with emotion and even the owner of La Casona shed a tear. I didn’t need to see another venue. This was it,” Justine says.

“We wanted a small Spanish countryside style wedding, as opposed to the big do that is typical of Maltese weddings. I knew Sax would give us the romantic atmosphere we wanted.”

The essence of the couple’s wedding came together thanks to the playful creativity of the bride and groom.

Justine and Jose finalised the plans for their wedding during a trip to Sax a month before the big day. Justine already knew what palette she wanted for the wedding and worked with the local florist to find orange flowers. The bright orange popped against the pale blue dresses of the bridesmaids and the lush natural green tones of the natural surroundings in Sax.

“Even though Sax is such a small town, we managed to find all that we needed for our wedding in the local area or other towns close by. I taught myself Spanish when I met Jose and this came in handy when working with the florist, photographer and baker.”

The couple planned an intimate affair with over 60 family and close friends joining them in Spain, many of whom flew in from Malta. Their stay was organised at the only hotel in Sax – this brought all the family and friends under one roof and added to the intimate atmosphere.

“We organised a pre-wedding party at a farmhouse belonging to Jose’s grandfather Joaquin, to introduce the families and friends. Even though none of the Maltese guests spoke Spanish and very few of the Spanish spoke English, the families mixed effortlessly, with a spattering of English and the occasional Italian sentence. The fiesta even ended in a cheerful session of karaoke. It was a magical start to the celebrations,” Justine says.

The wedding was a complete family affair.

“My two sisters Emmeline and Julienne were my bridesmaids, my son Jack was the pageboy and Jose’s daughter Eva was our flower girl. My best friend and her daughter were also part of the bridal party. Jose’s best friends Luis, Borja, Isidro were the groom’s attendants and his cousin Emilio was the pianist.”

Justine and Jose also combined Spanish and Maltese traditions. The Mass was held at La Iglesia Nuestra Senora de la Asuncion. Fr Mark Montebello, the bride’s uncle, celebrated the Mass in Spanish, the readings were in English and the bidding prayers were in Maltese.

The couple exchanged rings and also incorporated an old Spanish tradition: the exchange of arras. Jack, Justine’s son, held the arras and Jose’s daughter, Eva, held the rings.

“We exchanged 13 arras, seven of which were old Spanish pesetas, while the remaining six were special edition euro coins. I love this tradition as it signifies a future of prosperity for us as a couple. The arras are now framed and hanging in our home,” explains Justine.

As the newly-weds left the church and drove through the streets of Sax, there was a sense of blissful joy in the air.

“Everyone was so happy and even strangers in the street cheered ‘Que vivan los novios’ wishing us a long and healthy life together. It made me feel so warm and at home,” says Justine.

“Our guests were welcomed to the reception and enjoyed the outdoor garden. However, since it was the end of August and it was already chilly, for dinner we moved indoors. Although this was slightly disappointing, the exquisite food served at Asador La Casona was another highlight of the day. It was a luxurious blend of Spanish cuisine and fine dining,” says Justine.

The day continued with dancing, laughter and the coming together of two families, two cultures and of course a lot of love.