A love Story of Long-Distance and a Destination Wedding in Spain

A lesbian elopement wedding in Sitges, Spain

Michaella and Amelia are a couple who love to travel, explore, and try new foods. They make everyday an adventure, whether they are grocery shopping or taking road trips down the coastline. The couple currently resides in the Bay area, California, but their love story began when Amelia, living in Seattle, was traveling Ireland on a solo holiday in the summer of 2018. Michaella and Amelia matched on a dating app, and they instantly connected on every level.

Michaella is Irish and has a background in TV production. She is currently a photography project administrator for a hospitality company. On the other hand, Amelia is American and works as an injury prevention specialist at a large factory. Their love for each other has always been at the center of their connection, and they spent months video calling every day for hours after their first meeting.

They planned their next trip together to Iceland, where they spent a magical week before returning home. After this, Michaella planned to live in New Zealand on a working holiday visa for a year with a friend. When the friend decided to wait, Amelia jumped in instead. They worked together in New Zealand and traveled in a campervan for a year, but they had to split due to COVID-19 restrictions on entering the US.

After six months of separation, Amelia flew to Ireland to meet Michaella’s family and propose. Amelia proposed to Michaella in her bedroom with a handmade picnic blanket and a book she had been writing in since they met three years before. Michaella had planned a proposal, too, and had bought a ring from Amelia’s favorite jeweler in Seattle. She got a friend to hide it in the suitcase to bring to Ireland and had hidden it in her purse for the perfect moment.

After tears, laughter, and enthusiastic “Yes-es” all around, they told their families and celebrated with socially distant fireworks and a cake! Amelia had to fly back to the US to start the visa application process, not knowing when they would see each other next.

The couple had a 15-month engagement, which was stressful due to visa issues. As a result, they only spent 5 days of their engagement together, in Barcelona, where they viewed the wedding venue. The wedding planning and week of activities were done virtually due to the pandemic.

Sitges, Barcelona, Spain was the couple’s wedding destination of choice. They chose this area because it is known to be the little gay capital of Europe, has 300 days of sun, and they knew they would have no problems with vendors being homophobic. The couple wanted somewhere affordable that all their family and friends could travel to, knowing a destination wedding was a big ask!

The couple stayed in a villa for a week with both their families, and they had lots of fun activities with different guests, including wine tasting, karaoke, and a rehearsal dinner at the villa. The lead up to the wedding was stressful because of the visa process, but it was all worth it in the end to celebrate with friends and family as planned! For many, the first time they met the couple’s spouse was the wedding day.

Michaella and Amelia’s love story is a beautiful testament to the power of connection and the lengths that people are willing to go to keep it alive. Their shared love for adventure, travel, and trying new things has brought them together and allowed them to create a life full of meaning and excitement. Despite the challenges they have faced, Michaella and Amelia have never given up on each other, and their love continues to grow stronger every day.