A THREE-DAY DESTINATION WEDDING AT CIGARRAL DE LAS MERCEDES IN SPAIN
After living in New York City for a couple of years, Jennifer Wuebbolt decided it was time for a change of scenery. Having grown up skiing and visiting Colorado with her family, she ended up making the move to Vail, where she was eventually introduced to her husband, Jacob Lammert.
“My coworker, Amanda, is married to Jake’s best friend from kindergarten,” Jen explains. “For months and months, Amanda was telling me she had the ‘perfect guy’ for me. I was not necessarily looking for a serious relationship at the time, as I wasn’t expecting to stay in Vail, Colorado for long. However, things changed when Amanda set me up blindly with Jake!”
In June of 2018, Amanda invited Jen to the annual Block Party in Eagle, Colorado, where Jake was planning to be as well. Jen wasn’t expecting to meet him that night; but it only took a few beers and some dancing to live music to spark their connection.
Traveling the World Together
Jen loves to travel as much as possible, while Jake had never been out of the country before they met. After being “attached at the hip” for two months after meeting that summer, Jen decided to take the initiative by booking a trip for two to the Philippines. Two weeks later, the couple was traveling the world together.
“I have always thought that to find out if you’re really compatible with one another, you must travel together.”
“I have always thought that to find out if you’re really compatible with one another, you must travel together,” Jen shares. “I quickly got over how slow Jake walks in an airport, and we had the best time exploring a new culture and country together. We quickly learned we are both go-with-the-flow and loved adventure. The second week into the trip, my sister Emily and her friend Bella flew into El Nido, Palawan to meet up with us.
Emily and Bella were traveling across Asia for the summer while teaching English and wanted to meet the infamous Jake. Coming from a household of four sisters, I knew that this was a big test for Jake. He needed to get the OK from my sisters, otherwise it would be a long trip back to the states. Jake and Emily quickly hit it off while drinking numerous lychee martinis in the pool while I hid in the air-conditioned villa (it was HOT!) Seeing how much my family love and respect Jake makes me love and appreciate him even more.”
Four years later, in February of 2022, Jen’s family was planning a trip to ski in Jackson Hole. During the trip, they decided to take a day off from skiing and snowmobile to a hot spring. While snowmobiling past an idyllic waterfall, the couple stopped to take pictures. After snapping a photo in front of the waterfall, Jake got down on one knee and proposed, with Jen responding with a surprised and elated “YES!”
“It had always been super important to me that my family was there for this moment,” Jen adds. “It couldn’t have been a more picturesque day with the blue skies and snow on the ground. We all celebrated with champagne and a soak in the hot springs before meeting Jake’s dad in the village for a night on the town.”
Planning a Destination Wedding in Toledo, Spain
In the early days of their wedding planning process, the most difficult decision to make was where the couple would celebrate their nuptials. Jen always knew it’d be a destination wedding; but factoring in details like the wedding venue, budget, logistics, and guest count proved to be overwhelming.
“I was all over the place – from Europe to the Caribbean,” she says, “and tensions were rising in our household. In comes the savior – JoAnn Gregoli with Elegant Occasions. JoAnn’s expertise and insight into the wedding planning process was invaluable. She was quickly able to assess our needs and narrow down the venue search to Cigarral de las Mercedes in Toledo, Spain. Once a date was set, the fun of planning began! JoAnn’s contacts from all over the world helped us create a magical three-day weekend that we will never forget. It was exactly what I had always dreamed of.”
Celebrating a Three-Day Wedding Weekend at Cigarral de las Mercedes
Despite some woes about potential weather mishaps, the skies of Toledo, Spain cleared just in time for Jen and Jake’s wedding celebration at Cigarral de las Mercedes. The bride and groom exchanged vows during a magical outdoor wedding ceremony, with breathtaking views of the Spanish countryside and romantic music adding to the love-filled atmosphere.
“JoAnn and the team at Cigarral de las Mercedes did a wonderful job creating an elegant and fun atmosphere for our guests,” says the bride. “From the whimsical flower arrangements to the added touch of olive branches picked from the olive trees on property that morning, there wasn’t a detail left untouched. The idyllic countryside setting provided a serene backdrop for the ceremony and cocktail hour while the Casona offered guests a historic place to dine. After the reception, we went straight to the Lake House where the space was converted to an ‘underground discotheque’ – complete with disco balls and red velvet – where we danced until 4:30 a.m.
The following day, most of our guests were late to waking, so we offered a pool party during the afternoon. They we were able to swim, play yard games, and enjoy each other’s company over another fantastic meal while laughing over stories from the night before. At night, we invited all of our guests to join us for a movie night. Our guests were astonished when they walked into the Salon de la Luz which had been converted to a glamorous movie theater! Everyone enjoyed pizza and drinks while watching Top Gun. It was a very special touch that was very unique to our wedding weekend.”
The Friendsmoon and Honeymoon
After their three-day wedding weekend in Toledo, the newlyweds and their families – plus 20 of their closest friends – took off to Mallorca for a “friendsmoon.” It was a special opportunity to spend more quality time with loved ones for a couple days on a beautiful island.
At the end of their friendsmoon, Jen and Jake departed for their official honeymoon in the Seychelles, where they enjoyed ten days of honeymooning bliss.
“We entrusted Elsa Pfaff King, a travel agent with KK Travels Worldwide, to plan our trip,” says Jen. “Elsa went above and beyond to deliver the highest level of service. The Seychelles were just what we needed to have a memorable honeymoon with a mix of relaxation and adventure. While we were sad that the trip to Spain and the Seychelles had come to an end, we were full of wonderful memories and were excited to begin our lives together as husband and wife.”
WEDDING TALENT
Location: Cigarral de las Mercedes, Toledo, Spain; Planning & Event Design: Elegant Occasions by JoAnn Gregoli; Planning Team: Anna Lidia CernaChef de Jamon: Jose Alberto Fernandez Chinchon; Cake: Caprichosa; Invitations: Hello Invite Design; Calligraphy: Public House Co.; Entertainment: The Sparkle Band, Camerata Venezziola, Barcelo Flamenco;Cigar Roller: Rincon Habano; Engagement Ring: Betteridge, Vail, CO; Wedding Dress: Mira Zwillinger; Bridal Salon: Little White Dress Bridal Shop, Denver, CO; Stylist: Beth Chapman Styling; Reception Dress: SIMKHAI; Hair: David Rodriguez; Makeup: Sagrario Cano Lorente; Groom’s Attire: Hugo Boss; Travel Agent & Honeymoon Planner: KK Travels Worldwide; Cinematography: Nick Ricci, Chris J. Evans; Photography: Chris J. Evans Photography