Wildflowers, long tables beneath the sunset glow, orange groves as the backdrop and gastronomy that turns every bite into a lasting memory. This is the wedding we dream of this spring — and this is how Gourmet Catering & Eventos brings it to life in its most exclusive bucolic venues. Let’s discover together the concept behind the garden party wedding.
From the gardens of the British aristocracy to an altar beneath the orange trees
The concept of the garden party was born in Victorian England during the 19th century as the ultimate expression of aristocratic refinement. The gardens of grand country houses became the setting for social gatherings where protocol relaxed slightly and nature itself became the host. Queen Victoria popularised garden parties in the gardens of Buckingham Palace from 1868 onwards, and since then they have remained one of the most elegant rituals of the British social calendar.
Throughout the 20th century, the tradition crossed the Atlantic and found its place in the mansions of the American Northeast. Writers such as F. Scott Fitzgerald immortalised their blend of glamour, desire and freshly cut grass in works like The Great Gatsby.
But the real revolution has arrived in recent years, as new generations have rediscovered the garden party and reinterpreted it through a bridal lens. Today, the garden party wedding takes the very best of English tradition — elegance without rigidity, nature as décor, long tables and slow conversation — and fuses it with Mediterranean spontaneity and culinary richness.
Without a doubt, the garden party wedding has become one of the fastest-growing wedding trends of the last two years among couples seeking a romantic yet relaxed celebration where nature takes centre stage. And the Valencian countryside has the perfect answer.
Few places in the world offer what the Valencian huerta does: centuries-old agricultural architecture with traditional farmhouses and estates, orange and lemon groves stretching endlessly across the landscape, and a gastronomic culture that transforms every celebration into a tribute to life itself. For couples searching for exactly this, Gourmet Catering & Eventos — with more than seven decades organising unique celebrations and over 350 weddings every year — has the perfect venues.
“The garden party wedding is not just another trend. It is a declaration of values: nature over artificiality, experience over appearance, memories over spectacle,” says Ángela Cócera, Wedding Venues Director at the company.
What truly distinguishes the garden party wedding from other trends is that it does not impose a style — it reveals one. The venue is no longer a neutral container but becomes a co-star of the celebration. Décor amplifies the surroundings: olive branches, fresh fruit, seasonal flowers, naturally wrinkled linen. And gastronomy, far from being a mere formality, becomes the sensory memory guests will carry with them long after the celebration has ended.
Photo: Angelach Photo
Three dream settings for an unforgettable wedding
Gourmet Catering & Eventos exclusively manages some of the most extraordinary venues in the Valencian Community. Among them are three countryside estates that perfectly embody the spirit of the garden party wedding.
Vallesa de Mandor
Vallesa de Mandor is the only aristocratic country estate in Valencia where weddings are celebrated. A private 18th-century property with more than 15,000 square metres of gardens set within a Natural Park, where rustic-style interiors preserve original furniture and antique pieces that no decorator could ever recreate. Here, the garden party takes on an almost cinematic dimension: cocktails served outdoors beneath centuries-old trees, banquets framed by gardens, and nightfall descending over an estate seemingly forgotten by time. For couples who want a wedding with soul.
Huerto de San Vicente
At Huerto de San Vicente, the orange groves create an atmosphere of intimacy and warmth rarely found elsewhere in the province: sunlight filtering through the trees, an inner courtyard connecting the main building with a restored former barn transformed into a glass-enclosed hall that integrates the garden into the interior without sacrificing a single degree of comfort or an ounce of beauty. For couples seeking a celebration that feels intimate, luminous and deeply personal, this orchard is a declaration of love to the Valencian landscape.
Masía del Carmen
Just ten minutes from Valencia, Masía del Carmen combines historic charm with the practicality every celebration requires. Surrounded by pine trees, it offers expansive outdoor areas and a glass pergola that makes it a perfect venue throughout all twelve months of the year, with nature always present whether it rains or shines. For couples who desire the aesthetic of a garden party wedding without compromising on comfort, this venue offers the warmth and hospitality worthy of the most important day of their lives.
Parque de la Marquesa
In the heart of the Ricote Valley, just twenty minutes from Murcia, time seems to follow different rules. The more than 2,000 palm trees of Parque de la Marquesa, a 60-hectare estate, create their own geography — lush, fresh and almost surreal — turning any celebration into something dreamlike. The 19th-century manor house overlooks the estate with the serenity of a place that has witnessed countless love stories; the newer building, delicately integrated into the surroundings, adds versatile spaces without disturbing the estate’s charm.
The Ficus Orchard, the restored stables, the expansive outdoor gardens and an elegant 350-square-metre indoor hall make Parque de la Marquesa one of the most exclusive wedding estates in southeastern Spain: capable of hosting everything from the most intimate civil ceremony among palm trees to grand-scale banquets, at any time of the year. Exclusively managed by Gourmet Catering & Eventos, the promise remains always the same: a venue worthy of the occasion — and gastronomy to match.
When the menu becomes part of the landscape
A garden party wedding without exceptional gastronomy would be like a garden without flowers. For more than 75 years, Gourmet Catering & Eventos has developed a culinary proposal that combines Mediterranean tradition with innovation: locally sourced ingredients, bespoke menus designed for each couple and a creative approach that turns the tasting menu into one of the most exciting moments of the entire planning process. Clients repeat it time and again: guests are still talking about the food weeks after the wedding.
Within these bucolic venues, gastronomy gains yet another dimension. Cocktails can be served among orange trees, appetisers carried through the gardens on elegant trays, and the banquet transformed into a long Mediterranean summer table where nobody wants the evening to end. Because ultimately, that is what we all search for in a wedding: for time itself to stand still, if only for a few hours.
“More than 350 couples every year trust Gourmet Catering & Eventos with the most important day of their lives. No wedding is ever the same as the one before,” says Ángela Cócera.
