A VENUE OF VALUE

Make history with your wedding

Location is everything. But so are the heartstrings that equate memory with a sense of belonging to a place. Nothing is as iconic as Malta’s sand-coloured ramparts and limestone bastions sweeping down to the deep blue promise of the Mediterranean beyond. Our history and those horizons are indelibly etched in the fabric of our Maltese identity. We are a nation of stone and sea, of resilience and reinvention.

Selecting a historic backdrop for your wedding is about celebrating the past in your future. It anchors your special day in time and tradition, and coats the occasion in a unique patina of nostalgia, culture and elegance.

With a portfolio including neolithic temples, baroque auberges, churches and palaces, forts, a maritime museum and paleochristian catacombs thrown in,for a quirky dose of gothic inclination, Heritage Malta offers unique, exclusive venues for every taste and budget.

Every couple has their own personal reasons for choosing a wedding venue. One couple made Fort St Angelo their chosen location because their first date was played out against a harbour luminescent with a full-moon. For Benton Grech Mifsud and his wife Ylenia, who tied the knot on August 15 this year, there was never going to be an alternative locale. Born and raised in Birgu, Benton recalls exploring Fort St Angelo as a kid, and cavorting with his friends in the underground tunnels below.

The Grech Mifsuds’ big day had to be postponed as a result of the pandemic fallout, and the number of guests halved. The remaining guests were relieved that the open expanses of the fort meant they could party with peace of mind, and maintain social distancing. Having just officially become Mr and Mrs, entering the fort, a permanent fixture of his childhood, was a sentimental highlight for Benton. “After all the stress of having to shift the date, going up the steps of the fort made me forget everything. In itself, the grandeur of Fort St Angelo makes you feel special. It was such a happy moment knowing that we had made it there,” he said.

Throughout history, control of this fort meant effective rule of the Maltese Islands duringat least the past thousand years. Indeed, no other fortress has been engaged, with the same intensity,in the shaping of Malta’s destiny. Again,in similar vein to St Elmo, couples are spoilt for choice with the variety of venues available at Fort St Angelo.

The picturesque sunset views of the Vittoriosa Marina on D’Homedes Bastion make for memorable wedding portraits. And, having served as a theatre and cinema for the entertainment of the British troops, the Egmont Hall, has its own raised diais.

In the historic heart of the country, the majestic front courtyard of Vilhena Palace is conveniently situated just a few steps away from the main gates of the Silent City of Mdina. The 18th century palace,reconstructed in 1726 by Grandmaster Antoino Manuel De Vilhena in the Parisian Baroque style, offers an exquisite setting for a summer wedding.

Travelling back through the annals of time to pre-history, the neoilithictemples of Ġgantija in Gozo, and those of Ħaġar Qim and Tarxien in Malta,make for UNESCO World Heritage settings that are unparalleled and are sure to leave many a foreign guest openmouthed.

Back in the Capital, the palatial, Baroque Auberge d’Italie in Valletta, mostly built in the tenure of Grand Master Gregorio Carafa, yields its couryard and the ‘Camerone’, a former refectory. Heritage Malta’s portfolio also includes the church dedicated to Our Lady of Pilar adjacent to the Auberge d’Aragon and the Chapel of St Anne in Fort St Elmo,where couples can get married. A Valletta location adds an irresitible dash of panache to any nuptials. The city is perenially dressedfor the occasion. The happy couple are not simply booking a venue, but also a slice of history.

At the tip of the peninsula, the 16th century starshaped Fort St Elmo, provides plenty of possibilitiesfor socially distanced gatherings in greater numbers with its vast piazzas and large open spaces. With its brightly lit windows and maroon diamond floor tiles,St Elmoalso features an equipped conference hall ideal for the exchanging of vows in a civil ceremony.

And for those couples deprived of a large wedding because of this year’s pandemic measures, there is always the opportunity to organise the reception they originally dreamed of, fora first-year wedding anniversary in 2021. Brides willhave the opportunity to weartheir dress for a second time. After all, so much thought and detail went into it, that it deserves to take centre stage once again.

The magnificent parade grounds opposite the chapel of St Anne in Piazza d’Armi are surrounded by buildings which served as barracks during the British period. The spacious Cavalier Piazza is more secluded, with giant spaces for wall projections. Meanwhile, fronted by the imposing Porta del Soccorso, the barrel vaulted Casemates Area,which overlooks the mount of the Grand Harbour, presents all-yearroundshelter from the elements.

A location like no other, the strategic west terrace enjoys spectacular views overlooking the Valletta promontory and Marsamxett Harbour, while the Upper Museum spaces afford an unrestricted view of the horizon.

Across the water, dreamily romantic at night, the esplanade and gardens of the Ex-Royal Naval Hospital at Bighi, now the premises of Heritage Malta’s Head Office, also offer panoramic views of Valletta, Fort St Angelo and the Grand Harbour lit up and iridescent in the evening.

Nearby in Birgu, the garden within the Inquisitor’s Palace, an early modernpowerhouse, makes for a novel and unexpected venue. For those with seafaring connections, St Angelo’s commodius hall inside the Malta Maritime Museum, housed within the old naval bakery, with its terrace overlooking the Birgu Marina caters for both indoor and outdoor seating arrangements. Whatever the venue you go for, make a historical statement that guarnatees your wedding is one to remember. I DO 23

DREAM WEDDINGS all it takes

BIG, BLING, BEAUTIFUL CELEBRATIONS ARE OUT OF THE QUESTION THESE DAYS, BUT YOUR WEDDING COULD STILL BE THE BEST DAY OF YOUR LIFE. HERE ARE SOME WAYS THIS CAN HAPPEN.

Firstly adjust your priorities. There’s a lot of truth in the saying small is beautiful. Check the regulations as far as you can and try and anticipate making adjustments to your plans if necessary. Find a wedding organiser who shares your vision or, if you want to do it yourself, research the services you will need and establish an understanding with them. They will all want to play their part in making your wedding celebrations the very best they can be.

Highlight the areas that are ‘Covid exempt’ and one, of course, is your dress; no reason why you should compromise on your heart’s desire here. Add gorgeous shoes and accessories and that’s one dream come true.

Think how you can make the basic things different. Travel in a car with character, even a karrozin or a quad bike.

Exchanging your vows will be extra special if your write your own acknowledging the situation. It is part of your new life together, sharing the good with the bad and overcoming obstacles together.

Include meaningful and personal music favourites, recorded if necessary, for the sentimental reasons that are so important on a wedding day.

Sharing your day withfamily and friendsis one of the most important aspects of your wedding so find as many ways as possible for them to join in. For example ask them to wear outfits representing their favourite century or decade. You can state formal or smart casual. Who knows what fascinating creations may reappear after years spent saved in a wardrobe. And your guests will love such freedom of choice. Another idea is to offer prizes for the wedding guest/s with the best mask. Booking a venue with an exceptional aspect or history, and paying great attention to every tiny detail will turn your ‘small’ wedding into a really lavish occasion. Using your theme and colour scheme create clever effects with flowers, potted plants, lighting, mirrors and message boards. Stage picturesque focal points and photos of yourselves and special family members. Finally, have one really amazing arrangement to display your wedding cake. Set sanitizing stations to look attractive perhaps onvintage tables with posies of flowers, art deco drinks trolleys with interesting shaped bottles, or in attractive baskets around the venue. And have suitable containers nearby for used wipes and tissues.

Catering for smaller,seated weddings gives you the chance to stage a mini banquet. Find out your guests’ preferences, for vegetarian and allergies only, not just fussy eaters, then plot with your caterer to create an absolute feast. There’s no need to avoid clusters on your cake either. Flowers, figurines, frosting– fabulous is what you’re aiming for.

The same goes for drinks. A good cocktail barmanwill certainly shake up some decorative and delicious stunners, with original nonalcohol options too.

Welcome your guests with a souvenir personalised gift box or basket containing a miniature sanitizer, a mask, custom-made in your wedding colours if you like, and alcohol based wipes for guests who cannot resist handing their phones around. Remember to add an individual, hand-written, personal message thanking them for being there and saying what it means to you.

On the entertainment side involve your guests as much as possible. Ask each one to prepare a few words about the first time they ever met the bride or groom, or both. Take advantage of the increasing popularity of speeches by appointing someone to collect messages and print out emails from guests who are unable to attend, and read them during the celebrations.

Find a friendly photographer who will cleverly make sure everyone has their own special wedding souvenir photo, because group shots are not a good idea. Sharing your video will help absent family and friends feel part of it all as well. Honour distancing dictates by hiring a magician, stand-up comedian, fire dancers and eaters or an artist who can make quick sketches or gentle cartoons of each guest to keep as a memento. Choose musicians with the personality and talent to stir up a lively vibe or a romantic atmosphere throughout. Then light up the sky with fireworks.

And to celebrate just how personal a smaller wedding can be consider opening it out to all, via live streaming; or, depending on the venue, extending the invitation to all family members and guests who arrive on four legs, thus abiding by the number rules and ensuring instant amusement.

Tradition may be a huge part of a wedding and great importance is put on the way things are done. But none of this is cast in stone. Now you have a chance to shake things up a bit and customise your wedding even more, so it really reflectsyou both as a couple. There can be no better way to start living happily ever after.