Know
Before
You Go
Event Attire
Attire for each event can be found on the CELEBRATIONS page.
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What does black tie preferred mean?
While we would like to maintain the style and elegance of a black tie event, we understand that obtaining a tuxedo may be difficult for some guests. "Black tie preferred" is our way of recognizing this difficulty. If a tuxedo is within your means, you should still consider this the right approach. However, if it is not feasible for you, opting for a nice dark suit and tie is acceptable. Women should follow traditional black tie attire etiquette.
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Granada is a walking city. Please remember to wear comfortable shoes, or bring a spare pair that you can walk in. Bins will be available to store walking shoes at both the ceremony and reception sites. It is guests' responsibility to remember their shoes at the end of the night.
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*The bride kindly requests that guests refrain from wearing white ensembles to wedding events.
Plus Ones & Children
While we would love to say "the more the merrier" for our wedding, we unfortunately need to restrict our guest list due to the size of both the church and reception venue. Generally, this means we are only giving plus ones to those with long-term partners (over one year together at the time invitations are sent). If you have been given a plus one, it will be noted on your invitation.
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We look forward to having our guests relax and enjoy an evening of celebration—our wedding will be an adults-only occasion. Moreover, safety concerns prohibit allowing children at the reception venue. We politely request no children at this private, intimate event. If your child has been invited to participate in the ceremony, please speak to Margaret and Shand if you have any questions regarding the sitter they have organized for the evening.
Passports
& Visas
Passports are required to travel to Spain from the United States. It is recommended you have at least six-months validity remaining on your passport before you travel abroad.
You do not need a visa if you possess a U.S. passport. Spain is a member of the Schengen Zone, alongside 25 other European member countries. Once you enter the Schengen Zone, internal border checks have been largely abolished, and you can move between member states freely. However, it is still highly recommended to bring your passport with you whenever you travel between countries within the Zone. To qualify for visa-free travel, your stay within the Zone must be limited to 90 days within a 180-day period. If you plan to visit countries outside the Schengen Zone, please check whether a visa is required.
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Some travelers may be wondering about the ETIAS program, which went viral on social media as a new "visa" required to visit the European Union. The ETIAS requirement to enter Europe has been postponed until 2025!!! Guests do not have to worry about this pre-security clearance when planning travel.
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If you possess a passport from a country besides the United States, please check with your nation's travel agency to find the rules and regulations which apply to you.
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is recommended for any trip abroad. Though we hope no one will need medical assistance during their journey, it is better to have insurance than wish you had gotten it! Margaret's mother can attest to this, as she fell down the stairs and ended up in the hospital while on a normal visit to her brother's house in Switzerland one time. Travel insurance can be purchased through your regular health insurance provider (not including Medicare for those 65+), through EUROP Assistance, or through a variety of other providers you can find online.
We suggest your insurance plan cover your travel costs, medical coverage, and repatriation. Premium plans may also cover lodging expenses for travel companions in the case of hospitalization, and other additional services. More information can be found on the U.S. Department of State's Your Health Abroad and Insurance Providers for Overseas Coverage pages.
Money
Spain is in the Eurozone. Bank cards and credit cards may be used, with Visa and Mastercard most widely accepted. If you plan on using a card, many vendors will require you to show photo ID, and likely will prefer your passport. Thus, we recommend keeping your passport on you whenever you plan to pay by card. For your card to function abroad, you will have to alert your bank or credit company. This is often easy to do and can be accomplished through your online account. Additionally, many cards may charge a fee for being used abroad, so we suggest checking with your credit card company or bank before traveling.
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Most vendors will prefer payment in cash. US dollars can be exchanged at your bank before your trip (call ahead) or when you get to Spain. You can also withdraw cash from ATMs abroad, but are often charged high exchange and ATM fees. We recommend requesting smaller denominations as the low cost of living in Granada often means vendors like tapas bars or taxis may not break large bills.
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Margaret and Shand recommend using a card for larger purchases, like the deposit on your hotel. For all other smaller transactions, we recommend carrying a couple hundred euros in small denominations on your person for daily expenses plus emergency funds. Once you arrive and settle in, we do not recommend carrying all your cash on you at once. As with any travel abroad, be careful not to flaunt your cash or valuables and keep them secure.
Vaccin-ations
No special vaccines are required to travel to Spain. However, travelers should be up to date on all vaccinations regularly administered in the United States (including chickenpox, flu, and COVID). For a full list of vaccinations recommended by the CDC, click HERE.
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Margaret and Shand will continually monitor COVID protocols, but as of January 2023 all restrictions have been lifted and no COVID-19-related documentation is required to visit Spain
Tipping
in Spain
Tipping is not common practice outside the United States, as those working in service industries are highly-paid professionals. Tipping in Spain may confuse some locals, while others will not accept a tip at all. Here's a quick guide for tipping in Spain:
Generally, the more informal the setting, the less you are supposed to tip. This means that tipping at bars and restaurants is not necessary. Additionally, instead of tipping taxi drivers, it is normal just to round up to the nearest euro. Some Spaniards tip drivers extra for tasks like carrying luggage, but this is appreciated rather than necessary as taxis typically have luggage fees per bag.
Tipping is more common in hotels. Consider tipping porters 1€/bag; housekeeping 2–5€ euros per day (left in the room after your stay or paid up front); the concierge for exceptional service; as well as 2–3€ to room service delivery; and 2-3€ to the doorman if they help you with luggage or hail a cab. If you visit a spa or hammam, tipping is also not necessary. However, if you feel inclined to tip, 10% should be the max.
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One area where tips are expected is tours. The smaller your group and the better your guide, the more you should tip. This is especially true for "free" walking tours. These guides work exclusively for tips, so be sure to have your cash ready at the end of the tour. A normal tour tip averages about 10–20€.
Spanish Language
If you do not speak Spanish, do not fret! Granada is a tourism hub, and anyone connected to the industry will speak English. This includes hotel staff, tourist police, and shopkeepers in tourist areas. If you venture further into the city, the younger a person looks, the more likely they speak English. Everything associated with the wedding will be in English, or have an English option.
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Regardless, it is always useful and polite to have a few phrases handy in any local language. Click HERE for phrases Margaret and Shand think are good for any visitor to know. Additionally, this book is a great tool any non-Spanish speaker can slip in their suitcase. Lastly, free translator apps can be very helpful to download to your phone, though you will need cell service or wifi to use them.
Phones & Internet
Most phone plans have international service which can be turned on for a daily fee. To do so, contact your service provider and inform them of the dates and locations of your travel. For extended travel, a more labor-intensive but economical model is buying a pre-paid SIM card at your destination (however this also comes with the downside of receiving a new international phone number others might not know).
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It also is not necessary to have cell service at all. Most places in Granada will have free wifi available. An alternative is to keep your phone on "airplane" mode and rely only on internet for your trip. If you opt for this plan, we suggest downloading important materials before your trip, as well as downloading any directions or Spanish phrases you may need before leaving a wifi location.
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A third option is a combination of the previous two. Plan to use airplane mode and wifi as much as possible, but still alert your phone service provider of your travels. If you really need cell service, just turn airplane mode off and use it. Your phone company will only charge you for the days you actually use cell service, not the whole period you tell them you are traveling.
Weather
As with any trip, our first suggestion is to check the local weather forecast prior to packing.
One of the best things about Granada is the sunshine! With over 300 days of blue sky a year, we have our fingers crossed for beautiful weather. That said, it rains an average of five days in May, so precipitation is not completely out of the question.​
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May is also temperate, with daily highs in the 60s and 70s (18–24ºC). Since the city sits in the foothills of the mountains, the temperature often drops quickly after dark. We suggest packing layers you can easily take on or off, including light jackets and scarves. If you arrive and see Spaniards bundled up to their noses, do not despair! For these warmth-loving people, 65ºF feels like 35º. Margaret's loving host mother used to wrap her in scarves and insist she zip up her jacket before she left for school even when it was 70ºF out!
Packing
List
Before packing, don't forget to check the weather! Next, check the Celebrations page to view the attire for each wedding event. Finally, remember the two rules of Spanish dress: fashion and function. Spaniards take pride in always looking well-dressed and put together. However, since your days will likely be jam-packed with activities, don't just choose form over function. Bring comfortable, casual, but styled clothing. Here are some things on our must-bring lists:
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A good camera with extra batters and SD cards (though phone cameras are amazing these days)
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Headphones for traveling
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Cash and at least one credit or bank card
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A copy of your itinerary and important information, like tickets, travel insurance, your hotel address, etc.
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Comfortable walking shoes (or even multiple pairs!!!). Consider good insoles.
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Layers, including a light jacket. As Granada is in the foothills of the mountains, the temperature can drop quickly after dark.
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Sunglasses and sunscreen (at least facial sunscreen). Consider bringing a nice sun hat (suitcase permitting) or buying one there. Baseball caps and visors are never appropriate.
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A daypack or travel purse
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Lotion—Granada can sometimes feel arid to those not used to the climate.
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A reuseable water bottle. Tap water in Granada is safe and delicious mountain springwater. As it is a drier climate, and travel dehydrates you generally, we suggest bringing a reuseable bottle to keep your hydration up and your plastic consumption down. Additionally, you will see certain springs (pilares) in the city which people drink straight out of. These pilares are like beautiful water fountains. Just place your head below the spigot and catch the water in your mouth. Do not do this at large decorative fountains, which recycle water.
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Medications. Local farmacias will have anything you need, but we highly recommend bringing any prescriptions (including a few extra days) and some Advil, stomach medicine, and bandaids just in case.
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Men
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Nicer pants including khakis, chinos, or more formal jeans and shorts. Avoid cargo shorts and basketball shorts.​
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Nice t-shirts, collared shirts (button-up or polo), light sweaters
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Women
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A scarf or lightweight shawl. This may also be useful to cover your shoulders if you are touring a religious site.​
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Generally, most clothes within your wardrobe are appropriate in Spain. However, there are a few Spanish fashion faux pas we recommend against:
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Flip flops (nicer sandals are ok)
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Anything too revealing, like skirts, shorts, or dresses that are too short (it is technically a Catholic country after all...)
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Bathing attire is reserved only for the beach or pool. In some towns, you can even be fined for wearing beach attire in the city center.
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Baseball hats
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Super loud colors or patterns.* Colors and patterns are fine, but super bright colors and crazy patterns are reserved for festivals and special occasions. Neon is never appropriate. That said, *fun colors and outfits are welcome at special events, so would be appropriate for wedding events.
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If fashion is your thing, consider shopping in the city center. There are lots of great stores for any type of clothing you could want. Browsing after a day or two of inspiration from locals can be a fun activity. Just make sure you have room in your suitcase to carry things home!
Lastly, don't let the faux pas scare you. At worst, you will just be a more obvious tourist. Be comfortable, and be authentically you—after all, you are invited because Margaret and Shand love you just the way you are!
Safety & Security
Granada is a very safe city. Besides being a tourist city, it also has a large student population, with the University of Granada attracting tens of thousands of students, many thousands of these from countries outside Spain. Margaret and Shand had no fears about walking home alone late at night while living there. However, all cities possess unsavory characters, and anyone with bad intent will likely target tourists. Therefore, we suggest not flaunting cash or valuables, and keeping belongings secure. The three places where there may be a small chance of pickpockets are at the Mirador de San Nicolas, Calle Elvira, or the Alcaicería. However, this is because they are great locations to visit! Therefore, we do not recommend skipping these places, but rather being extra aware while there.
This is a greater issue in larger cities, especially Barcelona (watch your phone, watch, cash, bag, etc. there!). If you have any worries, consider a money belt, a thief-proof backpack, or leaving very valuable jewelry at home. We still recommend people bring their nice cameras if they have them. The likelihood of crime in Granada is so low, it is not worth losing out on all the amazing pictures you will take.
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As with any travel abroad, be wary of strangers approaching you on the street, and keep up with your travel partners (if just not to get lost on your own!).
Travelers may also wish to enroll in STEP, a free service allowing U.S. citizens to receive the latest safety and security updates in your country of travel directly from the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. Additionally, the U.S. government can help citizens abroad during an emergency. Before traveling, it is always smart to look up the information for the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. The State Department can also be reached 24/7 by calling the D.C. office at 888-407-4747.