The Quick Guide to The Wedding Man

Despite the name, the wedding man is not actually a superhero. He’s just a regular person, called James Humber. James is an experienced, articulate and smartly dressed multilingual celebrant who really loves marrying people. To each other, that is.

Over the last 12 years James has married more than 440 happy couples from 41 different countries.

Although originally from England, James has lived in Spain for nearly 30 years. He has two cheeky, but lovely adult children, both born and raised in Barcelona.

In his downtime he’s pretty ordinary too; he reads books, watches films, listens to music, rides his bike and, despite his creaky knees, still plays football, goes running and is an enthusiastic, if somewhat unskilled kick-boxer.

The Wedding Man has over 12 years’ experience as a wedding celebrant in Spain having crafted more than 440 heartfelt, fun and unforgettable ceremonies throughout Spain and beyond.

Whether you’re looking for a wedding celebrant or a wedding officiant (if you’re from the US), The Wedding Man ensures every ceremony feels personal, polished, and perfectly yours.

Short answer: Nope – and that’s exactly why couples love them.

A symbolic ceremony led by The Wedding Man isn’t a legal procedure, but that doesn’t make it any less meaningful. In fact, many couples, whether they’re locals, expats living in Spain, or flying in for a sun-soaked celebration, prefer doing the official paperwork quietly at a registry office and saving the real celebration for their symbolic wedding.

(And just so you know: you need proof of residency to legally marry in Spain, so for foreign couples dreaming of a Mediterranean wedding, a symbolic ceremony is the only way to go.)

Why do so many couples choose this option? Because the symbolic ceremony is the moment where you express your love in front of your nearest and dearest. No bureaucracy, no stiff legal wording, no rushed five-minute slot in a government building. Just a ceremony that feels personal, emotional, and genuinely yours.

And the perks?

• Total freedom: choose any location, any time, any format. Beach at sunset? Vineyard? Mountain views? That quirky venue you love? Done.
• No restrictions: mixed-nationality couples, same-sex couples, non-religious couples, everyone is welcome and celebrated.
• Your story, your way: The Wedding Man crafts a ceremony that reflects your personalities, your journey, and your style — not the standard legal script.
• Less stress, more joy: get the admin out of the way discreetly, then enjoy a beautifully tailored ceremony that feels like “the real wedding.”
• Perfect for locals too: even Catalan and expats already living in Spain often choose a symbolic ceremony because it offers the emotional depth and celebratory atmosphere they simply can’t get at the civil registry.

So while the symbolic ceremony isn’t legally binding, it is where the magic happens, full of meaning, connection, and moments you’ll remember forever.

The Wedding Man officiates weddings throughout Spain, not just Barcelona. So far, The Wedding Man has conducted weddings in Spain, France, Germany, Italy, Ireland, and Wales.

Based in Barcelona, The Wedding Man spends much of his time helping couples tie the knot across Catalonia. This corner of the Mediterranean is packed with breathtaking wedding spots: from the emblematic city of Barcelona to the rugged Costa Brava, the charm of Sitges, the golden coast of Tarragona, and countless country houses and castles scattered across the region. If it’s romantic, scenic, or downright magical, chances are The Wedding Man has officiated at a wedding there.

While most of his ceremonies take place across mainland Spain and the Balearic Islands, The Wedding Man is more than happy to venture further afield and officiate on your big day. Wherever love takes you, The Wedding Man is more than happy to follow!

• an introductory meeting via videochat with the wedding man to see if you like him!
• then, if you do like him… all the contact required to tailor-make your wedding ceremony to perfection (videochats, phone calls, emails whatsapps etc.).
• a questionnaire to help you tell the wedding man about all the fun, sweet and memorable details of your particular love story.
• useful practical advice and creative input on all aspects of your ceremony including the staging, entrances and exits, music, readings, vows and ring exchanges.
• helpful suggestions about the range of traditional, modern and alternative ceremony styles (because there really are infinite ways to celebrate the big “I do” moment).
• lastly, but not leastly; the best wedding, the happiest guests and the biggest newlywed smiles… ever!

The Wedding Man can confidently conduct ceremonies in English, Castellano, Français or Català or a combination of those languages.

Creating truly inclusive wedding ceremonies is central to The Wedding Man’s ethos, ensuring each ceremony is personal, heartfelt and welcoming… and that everyone feels engaged. This is particularly meaningful for Barcelona destination weddings, where guests often travel from many countries and cultures to celebrate the couple’s love.

The wedding man is also extremely happy to have a stab at a phrase or three in any other language to make ceremonies as inclusive as possible. So far, he has been heard speaking snippets of Serbian, Gujarati, Polish, Arabic, Dutch, Gaelic, Icelandic, Basque, Norwegian, Hindi, German, Estonian, Swedish and even some Cockney rhyming slang.

My ceremonies are designed to feel relaxed, engaging, and perfectly paced, never rushed, never dragging. For a monolingual ceremony, you can expect around 20–30 minutes, depending on the elements you include. If you choose a bilingual ceremony, the timing is naturally a little longer to allow each language to shine without feeling repetitive; these usually last 30–40 minutes.

An inclusive wedding ceremony ensures that every couple feels seen, celebrated, and fully represented.

The Wedding Man takes the time to get to know each couple before the big day, helping him craft a ceremony that reflects their story, their values, and their personalities. Every ceremony celebrates love authentically and joyfully in all its glorious forms – bride & groom, bride & bride, groom & groom, or any two humans mad enough about each other to say “let’s do this!.”

As an inclusive celebrant, The Wedding Man is happy to conduct ceremonies in English, Spanish, Catalan, and French. He’ll also happily weave in a phrase or two from the languages spoken by your guests, helping everyone feel included and engaged throughout the ceremony. Some couples also choose to include rituals from their own culture, making the ceremony feel personal for them and meaningful for guests who share that heritage.

Making ceremonies truly inclusive is central to The Wedding Man’s approach, welcoming all couples, all backgrounds, and all expressions of love. This is especially important for Barcelona destination weddings, where friends and family often travel from across the world (and across cultures) to celebrate with you.

Absolutely! The Wedding Man has conducted 30+ same-sex weddings in Spain and Catalonia, making him a trusted and experienced LGBTQ+ friendly wedding celebrant. Every ceremony is crafted to celebrate love authentically and joyfully, no matter who’s saying “I do.”

Check these lovely words from Alex Village who published a 5 star review for The Wedding Man on weddingsonline.ie for his destination wedding ceremony at Mas Casamitjana (AKA This Must be the Place) near Barcelona.

“When looking for an officiant we wanted the best. Charming, confident, professional, sincere, great delivery and the odd cheeky wink. I’m pleased to say that James delivered beyond our expectations and was a crucial part of the day’s success. We actually first met James back in 2020 pre covid. It was a chance to get to know each other and ask questions about our wedding plans. As a same-sex couple I think we were perhaps a little nervous when meeting new people and talking about the wedding. James put us completely at ease and helped to visualise the ceremony from start to end. He had lots of tips and suggestions to help us decide on the format and even the wording of our vows. Covid delayed our Barcelona wedding twice but when it finally came around, everything was just perfect and James was a massive part of that! He even had a tissue ready for my inevitable tears ???? Ever since the wedding our friends have said ?wow where did you find the officiant!? and ?he fitted in so great, was he a family member?!? Such glowing comments, that we couldn’t agree with more. Thank you James!”

Absolutely. The Wedding Man will take the time to get to know each couple, with as many video chats and conversations as needed before they arrive in Spain. This means he can craft a ceremony that’s completely unique to them, perfectly reflecting their personalities and vision.

Having lived in Spain for over 30 years and speaking fluent Spanish and Catalan, he can also offer insider advice on local culture, timing, traditions, and practical details to ensure the ceremony runs smoothly.