Oleg and Katya married at Villa Paula in April 2026. They came to me six months before the date. Oleg had actually first reached out a year earlier, just to understand what a wedding planner in Valencia does and whether they needed one at all. They looked at a few options on their own, and then, through a recommendation, decided to hand the organisation over to me.
The brief was clear from our first call. A small wedding, only the people closest to them, and a day where nobody would stand around waiting for something to happen. They invited 27 guests, and for a wedding like that, Villa Paula was an easy choice.
Why a whole villa worked for their guest list
Villa Paula is a 16th-century house in Manises, on the edge of Valencia. It is about fifteen minutes from the city centre and five minutes from Valencia airport, which is handy for guests flying in from abroad. The house is rented whole to one group, so on the day there are no other events, no strangers around and no one else's timetable to work around.
For Oleg and Katya the deciding detail was accommodation. Fifteen guests could stay the night at the villa after the celebration, and the others came just for the party. For a small wedding that changes how the evening ends: the people closest to you don't have to rush for a taxi, and the night can wind down slowly in the same house where it started.
The space surprised a few people. It is not a huge estate, but it doesn't feel like a backyard either. It is spacious enough that a small group never looks lost in it and never feels squeezed. The aesthetics do a lot of the work on their own, which is exactly what you want when the guest list is short and every corner ends up in the photos.
Is a villa wedding right for you?
A villa like Villa Paula suits couples who want their wedding to feel like a weekend with their favourite people rather than a single evening at a venue. A few things I tell couples who are considering one:
- Think in two numbers. How many people sleep at the villa and how many come to celebrate are two different figures, and the house has its own rules for each.
- Check what the house allows before you fall in love with it. Music, timings, day guests and outside suppliers all come with conditions. It is much easier to agree them before booking than after.
- Plan the programme around the space. A villa has no ballroom to fill. The garden and the lawn become your stages, and a good programme moves people around them.
- Budget for the house itself. As a rough guide, hiring Villa Paula for a wedding costs from around €5,000 to €10,000, depending on the number of guests and how many hours you need it.
Villas and fincas around Valencia are often a more affordable choice than similar houses on the Costa Brava or the Costa Blanca, and there is less travelling between places for you and your guests. That leaves more of your budget for the things people actually remember. I compare the numbers region by region in my 2027 wedding cost guide.
If you are planning from abroad, this is where I can help most. I live in Valencia, so I can visit villas and fincas for you, check what each house really allows, find the right suppliers and even taste the menu before you commit. You stay where you are, and I am your eyes and ears here.
How we built a programme around the couple
Oleg and Katya wanted their guests to always have something to do. Not a packed schedule with a whistle, but a day without dead moments, where people check their phones and wait for dinner.
So most of our planning went into the programme. We went through the day hour by hour and kept asking the same question: what are people doing right now, and would they rather be doing something else? The answers came from the couple themselves: what they love, what they do for work, what their friends enjoy. Once you plan a wedding like that, a lot of the usual template simply falls away.
1. A padel net in the garden
Oleg plays padel, and for him this was not a nice extra. It was a must. So we set up a padel net right on the villa's lawn, and it turned into one of the busiest spots of the day. Guests played between the main moments, cheered each other on and kept coming back for one more game.
I love details like this because they come from the couple, not from a list of wedding trends. Nobody will remember the napkin folds. They will remember playing padel at Oleg's wedding.
2. Wedding games for guests that actually worked
We planned almost no talking games. No long quizzes, no passing the microphone around and asking guests to perform. Instead, the programme was built on active, high-energy games that got everyone moving.
With a small group, this worked beautifully. There was no pressure to be witty in front of a room. People just played, laughed and joined in, and the energy never dropped.
3. Building a dream house, as a team
Oleg and Katya work in real estate, and we turned that into one of the highlights of the evening. Guests were split into teams, and each team had to build its own "dream house" and then present it to everyone.
The constructions were funny, the presentations were even funnier, and it gave us some of the loudest, most genuine laughter of the whole day. It was personal without being sentimental, and it said something about the couple that a standard game never could.
The real estate theme ran through the whole programme. Every guest who took part in a game received a key as a reward, a small and very fitting souvenir from a couple who hand over keys for a living. By the evening, almost everyone had one in their pocket.
4. Two albums for two mums
One of the most touching moments was prepared by the couple themselves. For both mothers they made photo albums with pictures from childhood right up to today, one for the bride's mum and one for the groom's.
It was sincere and quiet, and it did the same job as the traditional family hearth ritual, just in their own way. Small weddings have room for moments like this. Everyone could see the mums' faces as they turned the pages.
The day they simply enjoyed
On the wedding day something switched in Oleg and Katya. They were completely relaxed. They didn't check the timing, didn't look around for problems, didn't worry about anything. They were simply guests at their own wedding.
That mood spreads. The guests feel it, the team feels it, and the whole day becomes lighter. To me this is the point of having a planner: the couple enjoys the moment instead of watching whether a spoon is lying straight or someone chased a fly away in time.
Looking back, this is one of my favourite weddings. Every piece fell into place, and by the end of the evening there was that strong feeling of an invisible team behind the day, and an aftertaste that stays with you.
Want a wedding that tells your story?
Padel on the lawn and keys for the guests worked because they came from Oleg and Katya, not from a list of trends. If you want a day like that, start by telling me about the two of you: what you love, how you met, what your friends would never expect. I'll turn it into a programme, find a house that fits your guest list and handle everything on the ground while you plan from home.
FAQ: Planning a Wedding at Villa Paula
How many guests can celebrate at Villa Paula?
The villa comfortably holds a celebration of around 50 guests, so it is not only for very small weddings.
Is a villa wedding near Valencia affordable?
Compared with many popular regions in Spain, yes. Valencia's villas and fincas usually cost less than similar houses on the Costa Brava or the Costa Blanca, and a whole-villa rental often covers both the celebration and part of your guests' accommodation. The final budget depends on your guest list and the programme, so I put together real numbers for your date before you commit.
How do guests get there?
Easily. The villa is on the edge of Valencia, so guests staying in the city can take a taxi and be there in a short ride. Nobody needs to rent a car or plan a long transfer.
Can guests stay overnight?
Yes. The house is rented whole to one group, and part of your guests can sleep there. The group that stays overnight is always smaller than the group that celebrates, so I check the sleeping arrangements with the villa for your date and help you decide who stays.
How do you make a wedding programme feel personal?
I start with the couple, not with a list of ideas. Hobbies, work, the way you met, the jokes your friends tell about you. For Oleg and Katya that meant a padel net for Oleg and a team game built on their work in real estate. Details like these are what guests remember.
Do we need a planner for a small wedding?
A small wedding has fewer guests, but almost as many decisions: the venue, the programme, suppliers, timings, the little personal moments. When you are organising it from another country, having someone on the ground makes the difference between a stressful year and a relaxed wedding day.
Can we bring our own suppliers?
The villa says it does not work with a closed supplier list. There are extra conditions and fees for outside suppliers and for guests who don't stay overnight, so I always agree these details with the house before a couple signs anything.
What wedding games work for a small group?
Active ones. With 20 or 30 guests, games where people move, build or play together work much better than quizzes or speeches on the microphone. Nobody has to perform alone, and the whole group stays involved.
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