Maxim and Anastasia married at Bodega Masos, in the Guadalest Valley, on 24 October 2026. It is one of my team’s favourite venues on the Costa Blanca, and this wedding showed why: a working winery in the mountains, a couple who planned everything from New York without a single venue visit, and a small group of guests who flew in from all over the world.
Maxim and Anastasia are Ukrainian and have lived in New York for many years. They have known each other since childhood, growing up in the same small town in Ukraine, but it was New York that brought them together again, and that is where the story that led to this wedding began.
Why we call ourselves Masos’ first planners
Masos sits in the Guadalest Valley, about half an hour inland from Benidorm, surrounded by vineyards and the limestone cliffs of the Aitana and Serrella mountains. From the lawn you see the white houses of Guadalest on one side and the vines running down the hill on the other.
The estate is an old masía with more than 800 years of wine tradition and its own small chapel. Winemaking in the valley disappeared for over a century, and the family behind Masos brought it back, opening the winery to visitors in 2024. My team and I found it just three weeks after it opened its doors, and we have planned several weddings there since. That is why we like to think of ourselves as its first planners.
A villa for the guests, a winery for the wedding
Maxim and Anastasia first came to me with a very common request: a villa where everyone stays, with the wedding held right there.
I always advise couples against this, even when the villa is beautiful. When the wedding happens where everyone sleeps, the set-up happens around your guests, the clean-up happens around your guests, and the day starts with brushing your teeth and walking straight into your own wedding. It never feels like an occasion.
So we kept the villa for what it does best, a relaxed place for the couple and their guests to stay, and looked for a separate venue for the celebration. When I sent them Masos, they fell for it straight away.
How a ceremony at the winery grew into a full wedding
The couple had a clear, limited budget, so at first they only wanted the ceremony at the winery. A few weeks later they asked to add dinner. Then they asked us to extend the host’s time so she could stay with them through the cocktail hour, and then a little longer into dinner.
Step by step, a ceremony turned into an almost complete wedding day. It is a good example of how planning often works: once couples see what the day could be, they want more of it, and a good plan leaves room for that without breaking the budget. If you are working out your own numbers, my guide to what a wedding in Valencia and on the Costa Blanca really costs shows where the money usually goes.
Planned from New York, without a single venue visit
The whole wedding was planned remotely. Maxim and Anastasia never came to see Masos before the wedding: my team and I handled the venue, the suppliers and every detail on the ground, and they made the decisions from New York.
There was something special in that. They checked into the villa first, and on the wedding day they came to the winery early for their first look. Seeing them walk around the estate, filming everything and taking photos of every corner, was the best reward we could have asked for.
Their style suited the mountains perfectly. Anastasia wore a sleek off-the-shoulder gown with a long cathedral veil edged in lace, Maxim a light grey suit with a dark bow tie, and her bouquet came in warm terracotta tones with trailing amaranthus. The ceremony took place under an old olive tree on the lawn, draped in soft white fabric, with the cliffs of the valley behind them.
Three things that made this day theirs
Wine from the vines around you
At Masos, the only wines served are the ones made right there. Guests drink wine from the vineyards they can see from the table, made in the tanks visible from the banquet hall. Tell guests this, and they taste every glass differently.
One language, many countries
Guests flew in from the United States and across Europe, and the Ukrainian language brought them all together. The ceremony was held in Ukrainian, with traditions woven into the cocktail hour and dinner too. It meant the world to everyone there.
Flamenco under the mountains
A singer, a dancer and a guitarist performed live. Living in Spain, we get used to flamenco, but these guests watched every move with complete attention and respect. Afterwards they threw themselves into the Spanish rhythms on the dance floor.
At the end of the evening, Maxim and Anastasia went up to every person who worked on their wedding, from the waiters and the DJ to the host and the photographers, and thanked each of them. Maxim had been quite reserved on all our calls, but once he realised it was all happening, even better than they had dreamed, you could see the joy in his eyes. Couples like this are the reason my team and I do what we do.
What to know before you book Masos
- Guest numbers. Masos is best suited to small and mid-sized weddings, comfortably around 100 guests.
- Ceremony options. You can marry outdoors under the olive trees on the lawn or in the estate’s small chapel.
- Food and wine. The winery runs its own kitchen and serves only its own wines, so the menu and the wine pairing are agreed directly with the house.
- Where guests stay. Guests usually stay in hotels or villas in the valley or on the coast, so plan transport there and back.
- Remote planning works here. You do not need to visit before the wedding. I visit, check the details and send you everything in writing and on video.
Planning a winery wedding in the Guadalest Valley?
Tell me about your date, your guests and the kind of day you want. My team and I will check what the venue allows, build a plan around your budget and take care of everything here, while you plan from home, wherever home is.
FAQ: Planning a wedding at Masos Guadalest
Where is Bodega Masos?
In the Guadalest Valley in Alicante province, about half an hour inland from Benidorm, surrounded by vineyards and the Aitana and Serrella mountains.
Where does the ceremony take place?
Most couples marry outdoors under an old olive tree on the lawn, with the valley behind them. The estate also has its own small chapel.
How many guests does Masos suit?
It works best for small and mid-sized weddings, comfortably around 100 guests.
How much does a wedding at Masos cost?
At Masos the budget depends mostly on the number of guests and the menu, because the winery runs its own kitchen and serves its own wines. For real numbers, book a free first consultation: I will tell you what Masos and other venues would cost for your date and guest list.
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