William suggests

Photographers

Bamboo Photography bamboo-fotografia.com

Dan Birch birchphotography.com

Garrett Walsh algarvephotography.com

Rui Serra Ribeira serraribeiro.com

Venues

Os Agostos In the hills of Santa Barbara, it is beautiful, refined, elegant and creative, a family-run estate with wonderful rooms and outdoor spaces. The in-house florist, Aude, is brilliantly inventive. Parties at Os Agostas must end at 2am but this is hardly a problem. osagostos.com

Quinta dos Eventos in Santo Estevao, Tavira, offers different spaces, a huge garden and orchard. There are a few farm animals, among them a lady pig which believes it is a dog!. Their kitchens work with local, seasonal products. Perfect for people looking for authenticity, it is a true Algarvian experience – very rustic yet elegant and adjustable to personnal tastes. quintaeventos.pt asfontesalte@gmail.com

As Fontes in Alte: Built many years ago originally to stage tourist events such as lunches with folkloric shows, As Fontes feels quite medieval. The village of Alte is stunning and around the venue there are fountains with azulejos, a river – which actually splits the venue into two parts, accessible via a little bridge. Civil or symbolic ceremonies can be held beneath a magnificent old tree, and the local church is also a beautiful option.

Hotel Colégio Charm House, once a school, has a chapel, and is located in the centre of Tavira. Perfect for small weddings, its bedrooms are beautiful, decorated with taste, refinement and creativity. Details matter and there are plenty here. colegio-charmhouse.com fortesaojoadabarra.com

Forte Sao Joao da Barra in Cabanas de Tavira is an amazing fort overlooking the Ria Formosa, within walkable distance of most accommodation in the fishing town of Cabanas. A particular charm emanates from its simple character, where history is omnipresent and reminds us that what makes Portugal so special is not only its European culture, but also the presence of the ocean.

Açoteia das Estrelas in Castro

Marim is very different and quirky. There you feel far from civilization, deeply immerged in nature. There are ten newly built little wooden houses for the bride and groom and probably their closest friends to spend the night. It’s a great place for a cowboy-themed wedding! facebook.com/acoteiadasestrelas/ MY

Favourite Cakes

Rita of Adocar Atelier I like that her cakes are sophisticated but in a simple way. adocar-anaritacadete.com

A Taste of Decadence is the most refined cake designer in the Algarve. Louise’s cakes are elaborate and chic, more like works of art than eats. atasteofdecadencebylouise.com

William suggests a cake covering of Chantilly rather than sugar paste – after the main meal it is a lighter option, he says.

Groom With A View

Beige is popular right now, as are floral prints. The look is definately more casual – sometimes no jacket at all. Cropped trousers are popular, as are shorts, and it’s no to socks.

Themes

Boho chic leads the way, but naturerelated themes, like ocean or forest, are in demand right now.

Chouri O

Fully cured and ready to eat, Chouriço is a rich smoky sausage, heavily flavoured with paprika and red wine. Hugely popular, it can be found in virtually every supermarket and street market. Often served at restaurants in a clay dish filled with alcohol that is lit at the table to warm the sausages and bring out the flavours, chouriço assado makes a great starter, especially with fresh, crusty bread that will soak up the natural oils. At home, slice it and add to soups and stews to up the heat, or add to rice dishes to increase the intensity of flavour. Or be adventurous and chop it up, fry with some onion and then serve alongside creamy scrambled eggs and toast – for a tasty weekend brunch.

FARINHEIRA & ALHEIRA

Created by the Jewish communities to avoid religious persecution in the 16th century, these sausages traditionally did not contain pork but look like any typical sausage. Farinheira gets its name from the addition of flour to the ingredients, while alheira gives a clue to the garlic that is added as a flavouring.

Today, farinheira contains pork fat and wheat flour which gives it a soft texture and less meaty taste when compared to chouriço. You will often find it on restaurant lunch menus, grilled and served with chips, rice and a fried egg.

At home, cook it whole (not sliced, as the doughy inside will expand and leak). Due to the light and sweet flavour, farinheira is ideal at breakfast time – grill or dry fry the sausage, then slice and spread inside a tortilla wrap and top with scrambled eggs and hot sauce. Alternatively, chop roughly and serve piled high on toast with roasted tomatoes and baked beans.

Alheira is a great option and something completely different, made from poultry seasoned with garlic and bulked out with bread. Often containing chili, this is a smoky and spicy sausage that brings big flavours to the table. For a fun and novel nibble at your next gathering, fry the alheira in

Get to know your sausages and the different flavours of each and you'll soon be adding them to dish after dish