Locations
ROME WEDDING
Rome is the Eternal City. It is a treasure trove of history, art and the dolce vita. It is the city that I fell in love with and could not bring myself to leave. With a Mediterranean climate and diet, Rome is inviting all times of year.
Aside from its beauty, there are logistical advantages to a wedding in Rome. It is the most convenient city in Italy for a destination wedding. From abroad, more flights arrive in Rome than in any other city in Italy. So once your guests de-plane, they have pretty much arrived at their destination. Being a city there is a wealth of things to do and see and places to stay. Your guests will have the maximum amount of independence with a wedding in Rome. Aside from any planned events, they can be off to explore on their own and you should be sure to leave them enough time to do so. For lodging my recommendation is to select an area, such as the Spanish Steps, and suggest that everyone find accomodations in that area, suggesting, perhaps, one or two hotels but letting everyone choose the type and price of accomodations that best suits them.
In Rome all types of wedding ceremonies are possible including Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Symbolic, Civil or other and we can arrange any of these for you.
Catholic Weddings: Together with the Vatican, Rome is the seat of Catholicism and the Catholic churches here have no rival in quantity and majesty. The styles range from Ancient Roman, Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque. No matter what their size they are breathtakingly grandiose. In Italy all Catholic weddings must take place inside of a church. Priests are not allowed to celebrate a Catholic wedding in a garden, in the countryside or in any location that is not a consecrated Catholic church.
Symbolic Weddings: Since they are not legal weddings or adhere to a specific religious doctrine, they can be celebrated by anyone and be held anywhere. There are no restrictions and the sky is the limit!
Protestant/Non-denominational Christian or Jewish Weddings: These can be held anywhere your heart desires unless your religion has particular restrictions. For most non-Europeans these ceremonies are symbolic and are not legally recognized. To make them legal, you will need to do a civil ceremony as well, either in your home country or at a civil hall in Italy prior to the ceremony.
Symbolic Ceremony: This can be of a religious nature or not at all. Since it is not a legal ceremony and may not adhere to any specific religious doctrine there are no restrictions and this type of ceremony can be held anywhere and celebrated by anyone.
Russian Orthodox: There is a beautiful new Russian Orthodox Church in Rome. The priest presiding over the church is young, friendly and accomodating, having just returned from several years working at a church in Manhattan. A very special experience for the right couple.
Civil Ceremonies: In Rome there are two locations dedicated just to civil marriages. Ever the romantics, Italians take civil weddings very seriously and usually celebrate them in beautiful and historic locations. Civil ceremonies must be held at the designated civil halls. In Rome every day except Tuesday they are celebrated in an Ancient Roman house that was converted into a church in the earliest days of Christianity and then converted back to a secular structure which is now owned by the state and situated in the heart of Rome but in a wooded area that almost feels like the countryside. In photos the building can look austere but in person I find it very charming. On the weekends there is the additional option of a civil ceremony at Campidoglio. This central piazza was designed by Michelangelo and one of the buildings houses the Roman city government. The civil hall, as with the rest of Campidoglio, dates to the Renaissance.
The weather is one of the best parts about Rome. It is usually mild and sunny. But there are four seasons and January and February can get rather chilly. The summer months can get quite hot and humid. October is perhaps my favorite month in Rome and the Romans even have a special word to describe the mild, sunny October climate—the Ottobrino Romano. Depending on the special circumstances of your wedding we can help advise you on what would be the best time of the year for your wedding in Rome.
Get married in the Eternal City. The memories will last a lifetime.
TUSCANY WEDDING
Tuscany has a certain magic all its own. Maybe it’s in the soil, maybe it’s in the wine, maybe it’s the special sunlight that basks on its hills. What is for sure is that it is one of the most intimate ways to celebrate your marriage, bringing together your closest family and friends to live and play side by side among the olive trees and vineyards.
When marrying in Tuscany I would suggest finding the right size villa for your group and, if at all possible, having everyone stay together at the villa for three nights. If you can only manage two nights then I would suggest choosing Southern Tuscany which is closer to Rome and easier for people to get to and back, even on their own. You can plan to have some of your group stay for more than three nights but that is usually difficult and most guests will pick and choose among the days and only stay two or three nights anyway. Better to stipulate a core three nights with planned events and most guests will follow your lead to stay on those days. I would avoid properties where you have to rent by the week and there are many, perhaps even the majority in high season. With Tuscany it is imperative to have flexibility, particularly when accommodating a group.
Although Italy looks small on a map, the locations are not so close once you start traveling on narrow, winding country roads. And most Tuscan villas are deep in the heart of nowhere, surrounded by little other than olive groves, vineyards and rolling hills as far as the eye can see. This means that many locations will be difficult to get to for your guests on their own. You may want to have us organize a bus to take everyone from Rome to the villa at the beginning and then to take everyone back to Rome the day after the wedding. If your guests are coming from the U.S. this is always greatly appreciated. Depending on the location of the villa we would make recommendations on the best way to handle transportation.
Wedding Ceremonies: In Tuscany there are Medieval castles and monasteries that have been converted into villas and there are traditional stone farmhouses as well to choose from. Some villas will have a Catholic church on site where the wedding can be celebrated and for many others there will be a charming country church or spectacular Cathedral for the ceremony in the near vicinity. Usually a symbolic ceremony can be arranged on the lawn of the property if you prefer to go that route. For a civil ceremony you would need to go to a civil hall in a charming, historic town nearby which would give you the opportunity to bring your guests on a sight-seeing adventure in addition to your wedding ceremony. Each option has its particular charms and all are unforgettable.
Most Tuscan villas are only open from April 1 through October 31, with May through September being high season. If you want to hang around the pool and be reasonably assured of dining outside then the summer months are ideal. October is frequently gorgeous and sunny during the daylight hours but chillier at night and unlikely that you could dine outside unless specific arrangements were made for a tent with heat lamps. It has a glorious Indian summer feel about it, though, and October, when the olives and grapes are harvested, is perhaps my favorite time of year in Tuscany, as well as in Rome.
VATICAN WEDDING
For a Catholic what could be more special and memorable than a wedding at the source of all Catholicism—St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican. The Vatican is a country of its own nestled in the heart of Rome, Italy.
REQUIREMENTS–To be married at the Vatican you must, of course, fulfill all of the Catholic requirements. Each application is reviewed individually by the Vatican marriage office and accepted accordingly. Both persons do not necessarily have to be Catholic but Catholic protocol for marriages must be followed in addition to other requirements by the Vatican. We can help guide you through all of the steps. The requirements are more tedious rather than difficult but professional assistance for getting married at St. Peter’s is highly recommended.
SETTING THE DATE–About 6-9 months in advance of your desired wedding date you will submit a request to the Vatican weddings office with your first three choices of dates for your marriage, in order of preference. They will confirm your eligibility for being married at the Vatican and give you the date that is available from among your choices.
DATES, TIMES OF WEDDING–Weddings take place in the Chapel of the Choir, which is a small side chapel within St. Peter’s. It is accessed by entering St. Peter’s as you normally would. Weddings take place at 10:30 a.m. every day except for Wednesday and Sunday and certain holidays.
DRESS CODE–There is a very strict dress code for weddings at the Vatican. Failure to comply could result in your not being allowed to be married in St. Peter’s even if you have complied with all the documentation and procedures up to that point. The bride must have her shoulders, upper arms, back and knees covered. The veil does not count as covering and any bolero or shawl that does cover cannot be too sheer. Since the overwhelming majority of wedding dresses these days are strapless, most brides resolve this problem with a bolero or wrap, which can be made of lace as long as it is not too transparent. The same dress requirements apply to the guests.
GUEST REQUIREMENTS–As of late the Vatican has not been accepting weddings where there are fewer than 15-20 guests in attendance. The reason being that they do not want to be viewed as an elopement chapel. They desire that the couple is surrounded by their most intimate family and friends on this most special of days. They have not entirely grasped the destination wedding concept. You are welcome to bring your own priest to celebrate the wedding or we will be happy to find you an English speaking priest here in Rome to celebrate your wedding at the Vatican.
RECEPTION AFTER THE CEREMONY—After the ceremony we arrange for the bride and groom to go off on their own to have their photos taken while we arrange transportation for all of the guests from the Vatican to the reception location. Afternoon, luncheon receptions are very festive and fun and there are several excellent locations in Rome that are perfect for this, on top of a hill or on the top floor of a palazzo with excellent views over Rome. In fact if you are not getting married in the warmer, summer months, then a morning wedding with afternoon reception allows you to use the best part of the day for your celebration. Many people are concerned that an afternoon reception will be less special than an evening celebration but I can assure you that this is not the case. It does tend to be a little less expensive, though, depending on the location selected for the reception, which is always welcome.
Do not be frightened off by what seems to be a difficult process of getting married at the Vatican. With the right guidance it is not a difficult process, as long as you meet all of their requirements. If, in the case that you are not approved for a wedding at the Vatican, we can arrange a wedding for you on that same date in one of Rome’s gorgeous, historic churches.
FLORENCE
Florence is synonymous with the Renaissance. It was the birth place of Michelangelo, Dante and Donatello and is an incomparable city of the arts and the capital of Tuscany. No wonder it is one of the most beloved cities the world over.
In Florence all types of ceremonies are possible—Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, symbolic and civil. There are more restrictions than most elsewhere in Italy on where a Catholic ceremony may be celebrated and the civil hall only celebrates weddings on Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday. With patience and flexibility we can work around these obstacles and find the right situation for you either in the heart of Florence or in the hills surrounding Florence where there are a variety of spectacular castles, villas and gardens.
Florence has the added benefit of being only 90 minutes via high speed train from the center of Rome making it relatively convenient for you and your guests. Your guests can have a high degree of independence and most of historic Florence is accessible on foot. In addition the cuisine is hearty and sumptuous and the wines from the surrounding Tuscan countryside are among the world’s best. The spring and the fall are my preferred periods as July, August and even September can be quite hot and humid.
AMALFI COAST WEDDING
Legend has it that Hercules was in love with a nymph named Amalfi, When she died he buried her in the world’s most beautiful place and, in her honor, named it after her.
From a logistical point of view, however, the Amalfi Coast is not easy for your guests to get to on their own. It is easily worth the effort since, at least for me, it is the most spectacularly beautiful stretch of land that I have ever laid eyes upon. In addition the locals are charming, the climate is mild and the food is delicious.
When choosing whether and where to get married on the Amalfi Coast, which includes the island of Capri, good planning and local knowledge is imperative. Choosing the right logistics will reduce the stress leading up to the event and make the days spent there flow smoothly for you and your guests. If your guests are not relaxed then you will not be relaxed. We are here to make it all look easy.
It is possible to have all types of weddings on the Amalfi Coast—Catholic, Christian, Jewish, symbolic or civil and we will arrange for an English speaking celebrant to perform the ceremony.
The biggest restriction on the Amalfi Coast is on music. In most locations the music must end by midnight if not earlier. There are a few exceptions where the music can go until 1:00 or even 2:00 but they are very rare. If this is an priority for you then be sure to choose the right location or consider another region.
Almost all hotels are open only from April 1 through October 31 with high season being May through September. Special offers may be available for some locations in April and October. And, if for some reason it does not work out as your wedding location, the Amalfi Coast is one of the world’s top honeymoon locations.
LAKE COMO, LAKE MAGGIORE, LAKE ORTA AND LAKE GARDA
The northern Lake Region of Italy at the foot of the Alps and on the border of Switzerland provides a spectacular display of natural beauty. Most locations are directly on the lake with snow capped mountains in the background. There are three primary lakes—Como, Maggiore, Garda plus the tiny but charming Lake Orta. In some cases it is even possible to arrive to the ceremony via private boat.
All of the lakes are best reached by flying into the Milan airport. Lake Como, Maggiore and Garda are about a one hour train ride from central Milan. Lake Orta is a little further away and more difficult to reach via public transportation.
The region was prominent during the Art Nouveau period around the turn of the 1900’s and many of the important villas and hotels date to that period. Lake Maggiore is famous for its three tiny Borromee islands in the middle of the lake—Isola Bella, Isola Pescatore and Isola Madre—that were acquired and developed beginning in the 1600’s by the ruling family Borromee. Lake Como was carved by glaciers and has been a popular retreat for aristocrats and the well-to-do since Roman times. Lake Garda is the largest of the lakes and furthest east placing it near Verona and the Austrian border.
Over the centuries a number of opulent villas have been built along the shores of these lakes by their illustrious guests and residents and, fortunately, some of these are now open to the public as hotels or locations for weddings and events.
All types of weddings are possible in the Lake Region. Given its northernmost position in Italy on the edge of the Alps mountain range, the best months for a wedding are from May through September, with the summer months being particularly agreeable.
People always ask me where is the “best” location in Italy to get married. That is impossible to answer since all of the above and even others are spectacular, each in their own way. Every location has its pros and cons and so with professional, experienced guidance you can choose with confidence. All the above locations are highly recommended and will provide you and your guests with cherished memories that will last a lifetime.
