The Sun Came Out Just in Time for This Wedding at a Monastery in Madrid
Beauty publicist Carmen Lambarri Altamira and investment manager Santiago Hernandez Garcia were set up on a blind date, and what was meant to be just drinks quickly turned into a long dinner and then late-night dancing at Barrio Chino in Soho. “It was one of the most fun nights of my life,” Carmen remembers. “We parted ways just before the sun came up, and we have been inseparable ever since.”
The two had been dating for two years when they got engaged—“although I knew he was the one since the first night we met,” Carmen admits. Santi had moved to New York from his home in Mexico City to pursue a career in finance five years prior. “In those first months alone in the city, he would go to Central Park every Sunday to reflect on his move to the United States and envision a future for his family,” Carmen explains. “A little bench in the park became his favorite spot in the city.”
One cold Saturday in April of 2018, Santi had made plans for the couple to meet his aunt and uncle, who were visiting from Mexico, in the park before heading to dinner. “This was obviously a way to get me to agree to go to the park in frigid weather!” Carmen says. But when they got there, his bench was taken. A sweet-looking older couple was sitting on it, and Santi panicked. “I remember thinking how silly he was being!” Carmen says. “We waited for ‘his relatives to arrive’ for a bit, which really meant for the couple to vacate his bench, and finally made it to his sacred spot.” He asked Carmen to marry him right before twilight, with no one around—“I get goosebumps just thinking about it!” she says.
After the engagement, Carmen’s sister showed her pictures of a wedding she had attended many years back in Madrid, and the bride-to-be immediately fell in love with the space. “The aesthetic was dramatic and romantic, and in that moment, my family and I booked a weekend trip to visit Monasterio de San Bartolomé de Lupiana. It took us a total of 10 minutes on the grounds to book it, and it was one of the most impulsive decisions we have ever made,” Carmen says. “But when you know, you know!”
Similarly, Carmen knew she wanted to work with Isabel Nuñez on a custom design for her wedding dress. She had her first meeting with the designer a few months after getting engaged, and soon after, Isabel presented her with three sketches. “I loved the idea of a very flowy dress with lots of movement, but wanted it to have an edge,” Carmen says. “I also knew I wanted to incorporate color, which Isabel did by adding hand-embroidered blush pink flowers on the bustier. The idea of entering the church with a cape rather than a veil also intrigued me, so Isabel created a gorgeous cape made out of organza, the same material she used for my sleeves and collar.” She paired the dress with a headpiece from Teresa Briz, her grandmother’s pearl-and-diamond earrings, and Manolo Blahnik heels.
Being a beauty publicist, Carmen had a very clear vision for her hair and makeup. “My skin-care regimen in the months before the wedding became very streamlined and strict!” she says. Every six weeks, she got facials at Joanna Vargas Salon in New York to keep her skin looking fresh, and only used tried-and-true products. Eva Villar, who oversaw the bridal beauty, was Carmen’s first call after she set a wedding date.
The wedding took place on September 14—one day after the bride’s 29th birthday—at a small church perched on a hill. “That area in Spain is known for beautiful blue skies year long, but unfortunately, the weather predictions were not in our favor,” Carmen says. “A torrential downpour was announced for the day of the wedding, and we had to revisit all logistics. Luckily, we worked with A-tipica to plan every aspect of the wedding—I couldn’t have asked for a better team,” Carmen says. The bride and her father drove to the church in a classic Morgan convertible—“which, thankfully, had its roof on!”
A 12-person choir sang Handel’s “Zadok the Priest” as the bride walked down the aisle. “Once Santi and I were seated and the ceremony started, I was finally able to relax and take it all in,” Carmen says. “I couldn’t stop smiling the entire time! And then when the priest announced we were husband and wife, the most beautiful thing happened—all of the sudden a ray of sunshine peeked through the windows. Santi and I looked at each other and laughed. It was magical!”
