We met at BC, studied abroad in London, and took a two-week trip around Europe as friends. Rachel caught feelings first. She maintains this is not a competition. It is, and she won it.
Senior year together, then graduation split us up — Rachel to Seattle for Amazon, Vinh to New York for JPM. Then 2020 ended the world and, inconveniently for our five-year plan, sent us both home. We’ve been in New York ever since.
Eight or nine years in, depending on which one of us you ask. We’re getting married on a cliff in Spain, which feels about right.
Asking people to cross an ocean is no small thing, and we don’t take it lightly. Thank you for coming — genuinely.
02 — The weekend
Two days. Wear white on one of them.
ThursdayJune 24
11:00 AMRehearsal brunch
Wedding party only. Details to come — you’ll know if this is you.
4:00–8:00 PMWelcome catamaran
Four hours on the Mediterranean with drinks, everyone we love, and no way off the boat. All white. Bring flat shoes and sunscreen.
FridayJune 25
4:30 PMArrivals
El Convent de Blanes. Formal dress. The ceremony terrace is stone — block heels are your friend.
5:00 PMCatholic ceremony
One hour, outdoors, facing the sea. No arch, no staging — the view is the whole point.
6:00 PMCocktail hour
Ninety minutes of cava and golden hour on the terrace.
7:30 PMDinner
Long banquet tables inside the stone hall, under a truly unreasonable number of candles.
10:30 PMParty
Through the night. Spain eats late and dances later — nap accordingly.
Dress code
Formal for the wedding. All white for the boat.
Think black tie optional: floor-length or elegant midi, dark suit or tux. Oxblood, deep olive, ivory and candlelight all photograph beautifully against the stone — but wear what you love.
June evenings on the coast drop to about 18°C, so a wrap or light jacket is worth packing. Above all, we want you comfortable enough to stay on the dance floor.
03 — Travel & stay
Fly into Barcelona. Everything else is close.
Barcelona–El Prat (BCN) is the airport. Blanes is about an hour north up the coast, and Lloret de Mar — where we’re putting everyone — is ten minutes past that. We’ve tried to make the journey as easy as we can; anything below that isn’t clear, please just ask.
Hotel Rigat Park
Lloret de Mar · beachfront, gardens, the grown-up option. Our main block — most of the wedding party will be here.
Room block code coming with the invitations
Hotel Marsol
Lloret de Mar · right on the seafront promenade, a shorter walk to dinner and a friendlier rate.
Room block code coming with the invitations
Getting around
Taxis only. Uber and Bolt don’t really work on this stretch of coast — book taxis through your hotel front desk, and book the return trip when you book the ride out.
Shuttles run between both hotels and El Convent on June 25, out and back. No car needed all weekend.
Everything, in order of importance
04 — Make a week of it
You flew all this way.
A short, opinionated list. We’ll keep adding as we scout.
Barcelona — Eat
Quimet & Quimet
Standing-room-only montaditos in Poble-sec. Twenty minutes, no reservation, worth the elbows.
Bar del Pla
Near the Picasso museum. Order the ham croquettes twice; everyone does.
Mercat de Sant Antoni
The market locals actually shop at. Go hungry, go before 2pm.
A vermut, anywhere, at 1pm
Not a restaurant — a national habit. Sit outside, order vermut and olives, watch the street.
Barcelona — See
Sagrada Família
Book weeks ahead, go late afternoon for the west windows. Non-negotiable.
Hospital de Sant Pau
The modernisme masterpiece nobody queues for. Ten minutes’ walk from the Sagrada.
Fundació Joan Miró
On Montjuïc, with the best building-to-art ratio in the city and a view on the way down.
Park Güell & Gràcia
Do the park early, then walk down into Gràcia’s squares for lunch.
Blanes & Lloret de Mar
Jardí Botànic Marimurtra
Cliffside botanical gardens above Blanes with the view everyone photographs. Go in the morning.
Cala Sa Boadella
A pine-backed cove south of Lloret. Quieter than the main beach and twice as pretty.
Camí de Ronda
The coastal footpath linking the coves. Walk one section, swim, get a taxi back.
Blanes old town & Sa Palomera
The rock that marks the start of the Costa Brava, a fish market, and a long seafront dinner.
05 — Photos
Nine years, badly documented.
Boston to Kyoto to Hong Kong to Seville. Post-wedding, the real gallery lands here — send us yours.
Plaza de España · Seville
Seville · Spain
Seville · Spain
Year one · BC
Halloween · foreshadowing
Chestnut Hill · winter
Kyoto · Japan
Victoria Harbour · HK
Quarry Bay · HK
06 — Music wall
Help us build the dance floor.
Add your song request when you RSVP. We can’t promise the DJ plays it, but we can promise he sees it.
Barcelona–El Prat (BCN). Girona (GRO) is closer to Blanes but has few transatlantic connections; it is worth considering only if you are travelling from within Europe.
When should I book flights?
We recommend booking by early 2027. Late June is peak season into Barcelona and fares rise sharply after February. RSVPs are due March 1.
Do I need a car?
No. A taxi or pre-booked transfer from BCN to Lloret takes about an hour, and shuttles cover the wedding day. Parking at the venue is very limited.
Is there a shuttle?
Yes. Shuttles run between both hotels and El Convent on June 25, departing before the ceremony and returning in waves through the night. Times will be confirmed with the final schedule.
What’s the weather like in June?
Warm and dry. High 20s°C / low 80s°F during the day, falling to around 18°C after sunset. The sun is strong on the water, and evenings on the terrace are breezy.
Who should I contact with questions?
Our planner, Jennifer, is handling all logistics — jennifer@crystalevents.eu. For anything else, please reach out to us directly.
What to pack
01Block heels or flats for stone terraces — stilettos will not survive the evening.
02Something white you can sit on a boat in for four hours.
03A wrap or light jacket for after sunset.
04Reef-safe sunscreen, swimsuit, and a European plug adapter (Type F, 230V).
05A card — Spain is card-friendly, but small beach bars still love cash.
Six words of Catalan-coast Spanish
Una caña, por favorA small beer, please
La cuentaThe check
¿Me pide un taxi?Can you call me a taxi?
Soy alérgico a…I’m allergic to…
Bon diaGood morning — in Catalan, which locals love
¡Vivan los novios!Long live the newlyweds — shout it
Gifts
Your presence really is the gift — you’re crossing an ocean, and we’re deeply grateful for it. There’s no registry. If you insist, put it toward a good night out in Barcelona and send us the photo.
