"Our family was strong even without marriage!"

It has been 6 years since this special wedding, but we have only just received this interview. Thank you Jurga for your words and for placing your trust in Toni Seguí's team.

(Interview translation) The couple celebrated their civil marriage on 30 June in Blanes. A much more colourful and romantic ceremony was held in the old convent of Blanes. "Valery and I once talked about getting married on a beautiful island.

But it was a long time ago... I had this vision for a while that I would like to say ‘I do’ in a beautiful and romantic setting overlooking the sea. And that's what I found.

We thought it would be fun to share this joy with our closest friends. It was a wonderful opportunity for everyone to come together and enjoy themselves," said Jurga Šapokaitė-Stankevič. Link to original interview.

Wedding planners in Barcelona helped organise the celebration, and the couple could not do without help from Lithuania. After all, according to Jurga, it is not easy to arrange everything in a foreign country, because there are nuances and technical aspects to consider. "One of the leading event management companies is Toni Seguí  S.L., headed by the charismatic Toni Seguí, the founder of the agency. The company has hosted many famous weddings in Barcelona.

“He knew exactly how everything should look. I was involved in the selection of every single detail, and he knew how I wanted the venue to be decorated and the music was to our liking. Toni helped to implement my ideas and his advice on the party was especially helpful," said Jurga.

She wore a dress by designer Zuhair Murad and wore a ring by the jewellery company Graff. Valery's wedding ring was from the Cartier collection.

Who felt the need to marry, Jurga?
We lived beautifully together before marriage because we respected family values as if we were a married couple. It was as if we had made a vow to each other. Perhaps that's why little has changed in our everyday life after the marriage. The only thing I had to change was my passport, because I now have a double-barrelled surname. We always knew that we would get married sooner or later.

You travel a lot, so are there any other places in the world left for your honeymoon?
We're not going anywhere immediately after the wedding. We may visit Asia later on because we have never been there. But it would be a big, long trip, and we're already planning to go to Miami with the children for a month. We travel a lot, so we have to balance everyone's schedule. Even if the two of us can't get away for an extended trip, we will at least go to Paris for a romantic break.

Do you travel a lot? Where is your home?
We have been living in Barcelona for the past year. During our years of friendship, we managed to live between Lithuania and Marbella, and for half a year in Miami. That's where we plan to settle, but Valery finds it difficult to fly and coordinate her work schedule. As the children grew up, Marbella became too small to live in. But we still have a flat in Marbella. We thought about London, Geneva... but for now we have stayed in Barcelona. Hopefully, the family's main home will be here.

The age difference makes people feel inclined to talk about the situation with irony.

Jurga, are you one of those people who can boldly refute the myth that age difference can be an obstacle when it comes to reaching agreements with your couple?
This cliché is over for good. We have a 12-year age difference, and in the modern world there are many couples like this.

Are you in touch with Valery's daughter, Simona?
Of course we are in touch. And so are all the children. As soon as she can get away, Simona comes to see us. We can't imagine it any other way. Simona studied in England from the age of fourteen. She graduated in political science from Columbia University in New York. She now lives in London and is trying to settle down.

Have the children changed schools as they have progressed?
The children have been studying in international schools from the age of three. They speak four languages. The main language of the school is English, but there is also Spanish, and this year, Oscar will start learning Catalan. French or German still await in the future. We speak Lithuanian at home and we have a Russian-speaking nanny. It was our decision to learn Russian as well. Children pick up everything so easily. The eldest has been playing tennis for three years and is now interested in judo. This year he will also start playing football at the famous club in Barcelona. The children have been used to travelling from an early age. Oscar flew for the first time at the age of 4 months, and we travelled with the little one even earlier. We dream of raising happy, honest, responsible, educated and knowledgeable children. I really want to implement good values so that they understand love, respect and responsibility. Our children are like our reflections, and so it is very important that they see a good example at home, and that is what we try to do. - Valery was inseparable from sport in his youth. He broke the national triple jump record and collected medals one after the other.

Are these awards on display somewhere or do they stay in your memory? Does Valery just play sport for fitness now?
His victories remain in my memories, but Valery is always exercising to keep in shape; he plays paddle tennis, cycles and walks long distances.

Link to original interview