Irish Toledo Wedding at El Cigarral de las Mercedes

Planning a destination wedding in Toledo, Spain? Spain is one of those countries that we dream about, sort of like in a fairy tale. Like, how charming would it be to get married in a Spanish finca with tons of history, right? If that’s what you’ve been thinking, you need to read this blog. You may think that the best of Spain is Valencia, or maybe even Barcelona. Thing is, what you can expect from Spain is so much more! You have yet to explore the real wonders of the heart of Spain— which includes this Irish Toledo Wedding at El Cigarral de las Mercedes with some amazing ceremony views.

Planning Your Dream Wedding at El Cigarral de las Mercedes

If you’re searching around Spain for the most charming finca to get married at in Spain, then you’ve come to the right spot! I’ll tell you (and show you) exactly what it’s like having your wedding at Cigarral de las Mercedes, Toledo, Spain. I’ll start by showing you a full day from a real wedding that me and my husband photographed this year, then I’ll give you some handy tips that will be super helpful for you in making your decision. Either way, we’re glad you’re here and that you stumbled upon our photography website. All these photos were taken by us and we hope you love them enough to bring us back here to photograph YOUR Toledo wedding!

Toledo Destination Wedding Venue— El Cigarral de las Mercedes

Toledo is without a doubt one of the most beautiful cities in Spain. If you want a wedding venue in the heart of this charming city you’ll find some pretty amazing fincas, El Cigarral de las Mercedes being one of the absolute best. Not only is it one of the most coveted wedding venues in Toledo, but it’s popularity is sought out all over Spain, making it a hotspot for destination weddings of all kinds.

What we love about El Cigarral de las Mercedes is that it is very well connected to both Toledo city and Madrid city, which makes it super accessible and makes your life so much easier when it comes to transporting and accommodating your guests. That’s just on the practical side of things, though! We also love that they have a lot of services like a wedding-day coordinator, accommodation for guests, florals, catering, and hair and makeup all available on site for your ease in planning a destination wedding. If you’re interested in booking El Cigarral de las Mercedes for your wedding, book through their website and contact them.

Why El Cigarral de las Mercedes is Perfect for Your Irish Wedding

1. Secluded Luxury: This venue is just close enough to the city to make it easy for your guests, but secluded enough to have an intimate and rustic (yet luxurious) feel.
2. Versatile Spaces: El Cigarral de las Mercedes has 8 different event spaces for you to be able to use for your wedding— so the welcome party, ceremony, cocktail and reception can all be close but in different spaces to add variety to your wedding day.
3. Authentic Spanish Charm: The views from the Mirador are hard to beat! You’ll see when you get there, but it will take your breath away.

I’ll let the wedding day speak for itself in the photos, as shown below. If you want your wedding photos to look like these, then contact us and let’s start the planning.

Tips for Having Your Irish Wedding at El Cigarral de las Mercedes, Toledo

If you’re planning to have your wedding at El Cigarral de las Mercedes, hurray! There are some things to consider when it comes to your photos at this specific wedding venue in Toledo, and these are some tips we’ve noticed brings us success:

1. Do a first look! We always recommend to couples getting married here to do a first look. This venue has so many gorgeous nook and corners that if you decide to do a first look, it will look amazing.
2. Have your ceremony later in the day, just before golden hour. If you want the best lighting and weather for your ceremony time, aim for later in the day. Midday is usually (depending on the season) the worst time because the sun is high and will cast ugly shadows on your faces! If you aim for anytime past 4pm, then you’ll be getting much nicer lighting for some beautiful ceremony photos!
3. Leave room in your schedule for at least 30 minutes of portrait photos on the property. El Cigarral de las Mercedes has so much to offer for amazing wedding portraits! This couple intentionally took time out of their cocktail to make sure they got some portraits of just them at the venue. We highly recommend it!

Irish Ceremony at the El Cigarral de las Mercedes City Viewpoint

We’d love to show you how beautiful a ceremony can be in Toledo! At el Cigarral de las Mercedes, the best location to have your wedding ceremony is the viewpoint from the main building (called “el mirador de la casona“). From there, you have a gorgeous pine tree and a view of the Toledo city in the background as your guests enjoy the ceremony. If you’re not convinced to have your wedding ceremony here by looking at these photos, then we really don’t know what to say! 

This particular wedding ceremony was around 6pm in August. It was quite hot and sunny, so that’s why we recommend having your ceremony later in the day. They had an entrance by the groom, then the bride, followed by a prayer, a saying of vows, a short and sentimental speech by the officiant, and then a triumphal exit down the aisle.

Cultural Highlights to Enrich Your Irish Toledo Destination Wedding

Explore the Alcázar de Toledo and Catedral Primada de Toledo

• The Alcázar is a stunning fortress perched on the highest point of the city, offering panoramic views, it is also home to the Army Museum, showcasing Spain’s military history.
• Exploring the city by the tourist train is a fun and easy way to see the city’s highlights while learning about its history.
• Walking around the medieval Jewish quarter in Toledo is one of the coolest experiences!

Taste Traditional Toledo Cuisine

• Try Carcamusas (pork stew), Perdiz a la Toledana (partridge stew), and Mazapán de Toledo (marzipan).
• Visit a historic tavern or local market for authentic flavors.

An outdoor cocktail was held after the ceremony.

Irish Wedding Reception at El Cigarral de as Mercedes

El Cigarral de las Mercedes is a perfect location for destination weddings because you can have everything in one place— there are spaces for getting ready, the ceremony, a cocktail, and reception with a party at the end of the day. On this wedding day, the staff at the venue transformed the ceremony space into a beautiful outdoor candle-lit dinner space. It was enchanting to say the least! The guests were served dinner while watching the sun set across the city scenery. Later, when the sun goes down more you’re able to catch the golden hour for portraits. These are the moments that literally feel magical. Even Jake and I had to pinch ourselves a couple times to make sure we weren’t dreaming!

After the cocktail, the scene changed and a candle-lit outdoor dinner reception followed.

Top Toledo Destination Wedding Photographers

One name: Jake + Genessa Photography! With over 5 years of photographing destination weddings in Spain, we’re you’re dream team and offer wedding videography services as well! We have been put on El Cigarral de las Mercedes’ official recommended vendor list, so we get the privilege of capturing up to 15 weddings a year at this venue. With a deep understanding of Toledo’s beauty and a passion for storytelling, our photography services are designed to preserve every smile, every glance, and every unforgettable moment.

So, we hope this has been helpful for you as you plan your wedding in Toledo, Spain! If you’ve got any questions, drop us a message on Instagram or fill out our contact form. Are you planning a Toledo Destination Wedding at El Cigarral de las Mercedes? Still looking for your wedding photographer? Pick us! We would love to hang out and get to know you better, and you’ll get amazing photos like in this blog! Contact us here.

Bouquet toss with the Toledo night scape in the background.

Spain Wedding Photo + Video Packages

Toledo Destination Wedding photography packages are about so much more than just photography. Our goal is to make it an experience you’ll never forget. We’ve been working together on destinations weddings for years and we know how to take care of you and make sure you get the absolute best photographs! We’ll guide you through the whole process of planning your wedding or elopement in Spain, tips for getting the best photos and planning your timeline.

Our Toledo Destination Wedding packages range from 2.800€ to 5.600€ and include all travel expenses.

All photos in this blog were taken by us, Jake and Genessa Photography.