Instagram Influencer Lisa Morales Shares Her Barcelona Wedding Album—Which Was Complete With Surprise Fireworks

Lisa Morales and Jason Duke’s June wedding had all the elements of a classic fairytale—with one small exception: in place of a white stallion, a white Rolls Royce escorted the newlyweds from ceremony to reception.

The social media influencer, who has more than 2.5 million followers on Instagram, tells The Knot that their Barcelona-based nuptials revolved around timeless elements, including a wedding ceremony in an authentic Spanish church (the Tibidabo Cathedral del Sagrat Cor) and a reception in a castle (Castell Jalpi) complete with a fireworks surprise for their guests.

“My vision was a formal, timeless, romantic, classic theme wedding and décor,” Morales says. “White roses, pastel colors and candles.” The couple even gave their 30 close family and friends personalized cava bottles to keep the theme cohesive.

But even the best-made plans can go awry, especially on big days like their wedding day.

“We had a huge wedding snafu during the vows that cracked our entire wedding up, including the priest,” Morales tells The Knot, noting that video of the incident now has “over 115,000 views and counting” on Instagram. “We were repeating our vows from the priest and I was supposed to say ‘With my body I honor you,’ but I heard ‘With my body I own you’ instead. The rest is history.”

“Next thing I know, it was my turn,” he continues. “As part of my speech, I wanted to honor our fathers who were unable to attend. Lisa’s father couldn’t travel from Cuba and my father had passed away almost two years prior. His death naturally weighed heavier on my heart as the wedding approached. My speech was about five minutes long, and honestly all I remember is feeling a few single drops of rain and a warm glow. I was so caught up in the moment. … however, [after my speech], one by one guests approached and explained what they saw and felt. They all felt five to seven single drops of rain, almost like tears, and described how a dark cloud parted in the exact moment I spoke about my father to give way to a ray of light shining directly on us.”

See more details from the wedding day below.

The Ceremony Site

The couple, both lovers of travel, knew Barcelona would be the perfect spot to celebrate their love, what with the “beauty, culture and vibrancy” of the city. “We had dreamed of getting married in an authentic Spanish church and Tibidabo is one of the most beautiful in the world, sitting on top of a mountain overlooking the city,” Morales says.

The Reception Site

For their reception, Morales and Duke knew they wanted to give their guests an elegant experience in a castle. “Jalpi was also the only [castle] that allowed fireworks,” Morales says. “We wanted to surprise our guests with fireworks at the end of the night. … It was a moment we’ll never forget!”

The Planners

For extra help, the bride turned to Your Barcelona Wedding Planner, a local planner that helped her to figure out everything from bouquets to daily logistics.

The Florals

“I wanted a romantic and timeless all-white roses bouquet,” Morales says. “The bridesmaid bouquet had mainly blush and white roses and we added blush pink Astilbe to add a delicate look that would be perfect for my romantic theme. The boutonnieres were small white roses.” Additionally, Morales says, they decorated the church with flowers in white, dusty rose and a touch of light peach in every other pew.

The Photography

Morales and Duke hired local photographer Rares Pulbere to capture their big day, which was largely set against stunning backdrops that included blue skies and oversized stone structures.

The Dress

Morales’ dress was a stunning designer Michal Medina gown with a mermaid silhouette and V-shaped low back. The front featured a deep keyhole neckline with long, sheer embroidered sleeves reminiscent of royal wedding gowns of days past. The fabric from the knees down folded in multiple little pleats alongside the chapel-length train.

The Tux

In keeping with their classic theme for the day, Duke’s look was no-fuss, all style. “A classic black tuxedo, pleated wing collared shirt, bowtie and pocket square,” Morales says, noting that he looked “handsome and charming.”

The Wedding Party

Morales’ four bridesmaids and Duke’s three groomsmen all wore comfortable, classic looks to complete the wedding party’s chic aesthetic. The bridesmaids wore flowy, blush-colored maxi-length dresses and the men donned classic Calvin Klein tuxedos.

The Music and the Entertainment

Morales and Duke wanted their guests to be fully immersed in Barcelona culture throughout the day, and that included featuring a live Spanish guitarist, Spanish style tapas and an open bar at the reception. During the reception itself, the newlyweds wanted to make sure they could keep their guests on their feet, so they requested their DJ play primarily “popular hip-hop, pop and Spanish songs.” “We had a fairly young group, so we wanted to keep it very upbeat and dance-oriented,” Morales explained. For their first dance, the pair swayed to James Arthur’s “Say You Won’t Let Go.”

The Menu

“We mainly chose classic Spanish style tapas for appetizers,” Morales says of the food, which was catered by Castell Jalpi. “Steak and Sea bass were the main dinner options.”

The Cake

Morales and Duke definitely didn’t skimp on dessert; the pair opted for a light vanilla cake with cream cheese filling and candied strawberries and marc de cava for their wedding cake. The concoction was otherwise known as Strawberry Cava Forever.