This Must Be The Place

About This Must Be The Place

Set on the edge of a valley overlooking the rolling Catalan hills and with the foothills of the Pyrenees in the distance, the centuries-old 'Mas Casamitjana' enjoys a stunning location and boasts some of the prettiest sunsets you’ll ever see. It has been lovingly restored in a modern-rustic style, with a light sprinkling of Rock 'n Roll, by British owners and creatives Jo and Duncan. If you are looking for a beautiful, unique, stylish and inclusive wedding venue near Barcelona with bags of individuality, fun and flair, then look no further. This Must Be The Place

Behind The Brand

What was the initial spark for the property and how did it all begin?

After 20 years of living the London life to the full, where Duncan produced award-winning music festivals and ran a record label and Jo worked in film production, the birth of our beautiful daughter Indy prompted a life path rethink. The somewhat crazy idea to relocate to Barcelona, buy an old ‘Masia’ farmhouse and convert it into a wedding venue (and our home) evolved from the initial spark of an idea to a we’re-actually-really-doing-this reality pretty quickly.

Our vision then was to respect and restore what was old – centuries-old stone walls, ancient oak beams, quaint farm machinery, re-using as much original material as we could, but sometimes in new ways. But where the old did not exist we were liberated to add stylish modern touches – say hello to our large windows and bifold doors.

The name ‘This Must Be The Place’ came a bit later – inspired by the Talking Heads song of the same name. And our mission was always to help create magical days for people – better than they could have ever dreamed of – and to also create a magical way of life for our little family.

What spaces do you offer for a wedding or event?

We have several unique event spaces in and around the house for you and your guests to enjoy and they have been designed to give you total freedom as to how and where you would like to experience individual aspects of your day.

The centrepiece of the venue are our lovingly restored stone barns – ‘Els Graners’. Previously three separate structures that were once used to house farm animals over two levels, they have been transformed into two large double-height venue spaces connected by a majestic arch. Forming an L-shape, these buildings fully open out through tall glass bi-fold doors onto our central courtyard – ‘El Barri’.

With all the doors of Els Graners open it combines with El Barri to become an incredible multi-use event and dining space with a perfect mix of sun and shade keeping everyone happy.

The stairs and balcony lead you from Els Graners up to a large open space surrounded by plants, flowers and a pretty stone wall – ‘L’Era’. This is a perfect location for a wedding ceremony with the plants, flowers and our triangular or circular structures beautifully framing the moment. But equally this unique event space is ideal to enjoy some canapés and fizz during the aperitivo, and plenty big enough for your wedding banquet if you’d like to enjoy it under the stars.

On another side of Els Graners, and down some steps from L’Era, you’ll find our green terrace garden – ‘La Feixa’. This spot has great views of the rolling Catalan hills and the Pyrenees mountains and could also be a magical place for any element of your special day – particularly your ceremony or the aperitivo.

Up above L’Era and La Feixa you will find ‘El Mirador’ (which translates as The Viewpoint). This is a very large grassy area that is great for ceremonies, and if you need a large flat space for a big marquee or some giant tipis. Also, as its name suggests, the views are spectacular!

Higher still, above El Mirador, is ‘El Paddock’ – a large elevated area with the most amazing 360° views. This field used to have some horse stables in it (hence the name), but we decided to reclaim this area for use in weddings and install an antique iron gate in the middle of it (obvs). We leave most of the field to run beautifully wild, and then mow paths and a circular area around the gate, to create a truly magical and unique setting for wedding ceremonies (and an extra special spot for your photographer to take you to).

We also have 4 spacious and stylishly decorated guest rooms with ensuite bathrooms, and these occupy the entire ground floor and lower ground floor of the main house. They can hold up to 12 people and have been named after our favourite jazz legends: Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Nina Simone and Duke Ellington.

How many guests can you cater for?

We have hosted weddings from 30 guests up to a maximum of 200 guests, with our multiple venue spaces adapting really well to the size of each event.

What is it that makes your property magic?

We are blessed with a beautiful historic property in a stunning location with some of the prettiest sunsets you’ll ever see. And we have sprinkled our love, care and intricate little details throughout. But actually, we feel it is people that make our property magic. The creative, adventurous and stylish couples who choose to celebrate their love at This Must Be The Place, along with their friends and family, make our little slice of heaven come alive.

Caravan Made, our fantastic exclusive caterer, create a fresh, modern and seasonal take on gastronomy, and compliment that with understated style and impeccable service that makes the whole event sing with well presented deliciousness. We also have an extensive list of other tried and tested supplier recommendations, including a fantastic wedding planner, who will add professionalism and quality to every wedding day hosted here. And we like to think that we ourselves, Duncan and Jo, add a bit of magic to proceedings. We are available from day one to advise and hold your hands whenever you need us, are very experienced when it comes to destination weddings, and are super-busy on the day itself making sure that everything is just right for you and your guests.

What advice can you give couples when selecting their venue?

You can find some incredibly beautiful venues around the world. And while we love and are exceptionally proud of ours, we don’t doubt that there are more spectacular and opulent places to be found. But, and this almost mirrors the answer to the previous question, the experience that you have in the lead up to your wedding, and on the day itself of course, will be dramatically enhanced if you have the right wedding professionals on board. Creative caring people who only have your best interests in mind to ensure that your investment is rewarded with the best day of your lives. This is an area that we pride ourselves on. We dedicate ourselves to you in search of perfection, and we recommend other wedding professionals who seek this too.

Editor’s Notes

Why we love it…

For the couple…

Who seeks an idyllic backdrop of the Catalan countryside. Who longs for an escape into a bespoke luxury farmhouse, complete with panoramic views of natural beauty that fulfil a serene ambience. Carefully curated and customised, and filled with thoughtfully considered yet understated details, like the jazz-legend-inspired room quarters, This Must Be The Place has plenty of style and panache, while also being sufficiently blank a canvas that you can make your own mark and your day beautifully unique.