US couple enjoy 'authentic' Basque wedding in San Sebastian

When Californian Bob Badal and his wife Deirdre decided to get married, they wanted a location for their wedding that offered both "exquisite surroundings" and "an amazing cultural experience" for their guests. San Sebastian, a picturesque city on the Basque coast, "quickly rose to the top of our list," explains Bob.

Bob and Deirdre were married in an intimate ceremony (40 guests) at San Sebastian's San Maria del Coro Basilica, a baroque-style church completed in 1774 and located in the old quarter. It is famous for its stunning entrance and tortured figure of the city's patron, St Sebastian.

The reception was held just a walk away in the Gastronomiazko Euskal Anaiartea (known locally as La Gastronomica), a forty-year-old award winning gastronomic society that offers views of the city's most ancient district.

Bob first fell in love with the Gipuzkoan capital in 1995, while his new wife Deirdre was first introduced to the city three years ago.

Almost every summer since first discovering it, Bob has travelled to the Basque Country "to meet family and friends in Pamplona for the San Fermin Fiesta and then relax in San Sebastian following the exhilaration of the running of the bulls," he says.

Both Bob and Deirdre have become very familiar with the many aspects of Basque culture including the food, which naturally played a key role in their wedding, especially since the dinner was prepared by a Sociedad famous for its culinary tradition.

"We provided our recommendations regarding the food, but only in general terms," explain the couple. "The local chefs did all the hard work and brought a wonderful sense of creativity to each and every meal. There was literally not one single menu item we would have changed.

"The hake was perfectly prepared, the steak melted in your mouth and the pintxos represented a wonderful blend of so many different tastes... literally an explosion on the palate."

To achieve the kind of authentic Basque wedding they were hoping for, for Bob and Deirdre it was crucial to find wedding planners that would bring their expertise to the organization while also incorporating the couple's own personal insight into the culture of the Basque Country.

They employed the services of two companies: Oh, How Charming, run by Creative Director Lisa Vorce and Floral and Event Designer Mindy Rice.

"Deirdre and I had the benefit of knowing San Sebastian well... and Mindy and Lisa brought the expertise to translate that knowledge into a beautiful affair."

Bob and Deirdre say they are still beaming about the way their big day turned out and are full of praise for Mindy and Lisa's ability to build upon simple ideas that far exceeded their expectations.

"To name just a couple of examples," says Bob, "upon departing the church following the wedding ceremony, we were welcomed by a local dance team that did an authentic Jota for us. Then during the reception, members of the gastronomic society entered the room to sing us a couple of authentic Basque wedding songs... they brought tears to our eyes."

But just how authentically Basque was Bob and Deirdre's wedding? "A Basque friend of ours said that our wedding was 'the Basque wedding she always wanted for herself.' A wonderful compliment and a true testament to the amazing event," says Bob.

Their marvellous wedding, however, by no means marks the end of Bob and Deirdre's relationship with San Sebastian: "We anticipate returning every summer... for the rest of our lives," they say.

Meanwhile, from all at eitb.com, we wish them "Gora ezkonberriak!"