A windy day that blossomed into a warm winter afternoon, an unusual, stunning wedding dress featuring French lace, and Christmas treats including turkey, cranberry sauce and mince pies. Francesca and Tom Schwalbe tell Veronica Stivala about the perks of celebrating a winter wedding.
Date: December 8, 2011
Mass: 11.30am at the Church of the Nativity of Our Lady, Mtaħleb, limits of Rabat
Reception: Radisson Blu Resort & Spa, Golden Sands
As nice as they are, summer weddings are far too hot for recently-weds Francesca and Tom Schwalbe, especially for the men who have to wear suits in soaring temperatures. Which is why they chose to get married in December – it seemed like a drier month than October or November, and a milder temperature than January and February.
As the day went on, the wind died down and the sun came out. It was nicely warm and guests could spend some time lapping up the sun on the sprawling terrace overlooking the sandy beach and the sea
And yet, the wedding day started with gusts of wind as the guests (this writer included) were driven by shuttle service to the beautiful, small Mtaħleb chapel perched on the edge of a cliff, overlooking the sea. This tiny pilgrimage to the remote chapel set the scene for what was to be a romantic celebration characterised by simplicity, a connection with nature and fun. Mass at the chapel gave the couple a sense of serenity and privacy.
The two had not set a date until April of the same year.
“Where for most people this would seem like a very limited amount of time to plan a wedding, we took a fairly casual approach to it,” says Francesca.
The fact that this was a winter wedding helped greatly.
“As a couple we wanted an intimate wedding. However Maltese tradition suggests that the bigger a wedding is, the better – we therefore felt that having a wedding in a small chapel followed by a much larger reception struck the right balance. At the end of the day, as long as we were married, everything else was secondary.”
I’ll never forget the bride’s gorgeous outfit: an unusual two-piece comprising a skirt and a shirt-like bodice made of French lace and with the collar’s ends joined by a gold chain. The oversized cuffs were joined by Swarovski crystals. Francesca wore no veil and held a bouquet of 14 white roses with tiny pearls in the centre.
“I suppose my overall look was that of a modern bride,” she says.
Speaking about the inspiration behind her dress, Francesca explains that: “I wanted something different to steer away from the normal silhouettes or perhaps current trendy gowns and also something that reflected my character. I knew exactly the style I wanted and trawled the net for dresses fitting that description for inspiration of exact design. In the end my dress was designer-inspired and together with a local skilful seamstress, we came up with the final design.”
The groom had a single white rose pinned onto a smart, black suit, offset by a champagne-coloured tie. Tom felt that tailcoats would be over the top. One cannot forget the bridesmaids who also looked stunning in a silk champagne-coloured strapless floor length dress with folds starting from the lower stomach down to the hips. On top of that they wore a three quarter sleeved bolero with flower design out of the same material in a muted champagne colour, with a high collar echoing that on the bride’s dress.
As for the reception, the Radisson Blu Resort & Spa, Golden Sands was the perfect choice. Not only was it close to the chapel but it also had many advantages for a winter wedding. The interior is large, beautiful and would accommodate all the guests if the weather was not good. However if the weather complied, as it did on the day, the ballroom opens out onto a large terrace with beautiful views over Golden Bay.
“The fact that we had many people coming from overseas made us want to choose locations that displayed the true beauty of Malta,” says Tom.
Francesco and Tom were very lucky with the weather. Despite it being windy at the start, as the day went on, the wind died down and the sun came out. It was nicely warm and guests could spend some time lapping up the sun on the sprawling terrace overlooking the sandy beach and the sea.
Because it was approaching Christmas, Francesca and Tom managed to incorporate a festive theme in some of the food items, including turkey, cranberry sauce and mince pies. For music, the couple opted for a string quartet which added a nice touch.
Looking back, Francesca and Tom both remember feeling an enormous sense of calm and happiness on the day.
For Tom, the wedding was an enjoyable blur.
“Hours felt like minutes and before you knew it the whole thing was said and done. I remember saying “I do” but the rest was a blur. I would advise anyone to take some time out during their wedding for themselves just to sit back, look around and enjoy it.”
What Francesca remembers most is the actual ceremony.
“I enjoyed and took in every minute of it and I can re-enact it all in my mind in detail. I didn’t feel nervous, just happy to be marrying Tom and to be surrounded by my family and close friends. Thanks to Fr Godwin Preca the mass made both the Catholic and non-Catholic guests feel very welcome.”
People had lots of fun at the reception though Francesca does admit that it was more tiring for her. “Being in a big white dress didn’t exactly make me inconspicuous, so I had little chance to enjoy the drink and food. Thank God for left overs.”
Tom and Francesca waited a bit to take advantage of better weather in the United States where they honeymooned in Boston, Longboat Key Florida and Seattle. Tom is an American citizen so he has a close affinity for the country and picked some of his favourite places to visit. They explain: “Each place had its own character and was enjoyable in its own right. The highlights of the trip were definitely the scenery, both man-made and natural, and the exquisite seafood.”
Francesca and Tom’s winter wedding advice
Choose a venue with a large enough and beautiful interior in case the weather turns nasty.
Take advantage of the season, especially the festive part of it with decorations, food items and drinks that would otherwise not normally be suitable at other times of the year. This can really make your wedding stand out and be memorable.
We recommend December as the better month to have a wedding. The storms of October and November will have generally moved on but the colder conditions of January and February would not have set in.