I WANT TO GET MARRIED IN ITALY! WHERE DO I START?
6 ESSENTIAL TO DOS BEFORE PLANNING A WEDDING IN ITALY
Having a destination wedding in Italy requires a lot of planning and early preparation. In addition to that, there are many other details you will need to consider when marrying abroad.
Here are 6 Essential To Do’s for making an unforgettable wedding experience in Italy!
1. CHOOSE THE ITALIAN REGION WHERE YOU WANT TO GET MARRIED
When you picture your wedding in Italy, what do you see? Do you see rows of Cypress trees, beautiful vineyards, and lots of Chianti Classico for you and your guests? Then Tuscany is the region for you! Florence, Pisa, Siena, Arezzo, and Lucca are only a few of the wonderful locations that are situated in the Tuscan region. While Amalfi Coast, Lake Como or Sicily, are some of the location options for those who wish to indulge in a wedding by the water. I highly recommend checking out the Italian Tourism official website in order to learn more about what Italy has to offer!
2. CHOOSE YOUR WEDDING DATE
Unless you prefer a colder climate (and lots of rain!), then you would probably want to choose a wedding date between April and October. This is the “wedding season” here in Italy, and is preferred by Italian couples because of the warmer temperatures throughout the day.
Something to keep in mind when choosing the wedding date is that venues in Italy offer varying prices, depending on the month and the day. Each venue typically has a different charge, for weekdays vs. weekends, and in-season dates (May-September) and out-of-season dates (October-April). While weekends and in-season dates are usually more pricey, weekdays and out-of-season dates tend to be considerably less costly.
A wedding in late November may not be the best for those considering an outdoor wedding, but if you are looking for an indoor wedding, you can save a lot on your budget by opting for this out-of-season date!
But remember, during the month of August everything in Italy slows down, this is a holiday month! Venues are usually double in price, especially in areas close to the beach. Many shops and businesses are closed during August.
3. DECIDE WHAT KIND OF CEREMONY YOU WOULD LIKE TO HAVE
a) Religious Ceremony: In a temple.
b) Civil Ceremony: In the Town Hall or in certain authorized outdoor venues that have the permission to conduct a legally binding ceremony.
c) Symbolic Ceremony: An important aspect to remember is that in Italy, a wedding that does not take place in either a Catholic Church or in the Town Hall aren’t legally valid. But don’t worry, you can choose to have another type of ceremony in the location that you prefer.
Here are two ways to make your symbolic ceremony legal:
To make everything simple, many couples decide to have a civil ceremony in their home country. This way, they can make sure that they are legally marriage. Then, when the couples come to Italy, they prepare a ceremony, but in reality, the ceremony doesn’t have any legal validation, it’s just symbolic.
Instead you may choose to get married in a Town Hall here in Italy, so you can be legally marriage. Then, you can have a symbolic ceremony at the location of your preference, and continue the celebration with your friends and family.
4. RESERVE THE CHURCH, THE TOWN HALL OR THE CELEBRANT
Especially during the high season, churches, town halls, and celebrants can be difficult to acquire, if left last minute. This is why it is so important to make reservations at least 10 months before the big day, to guarantee your spot.
When choosing your church or town hall, keep in mind the distance to the accommodation of you and your guests, as well as your wedding venue. The closer everything is to one another, the easier it will be to get around!
5 . RESERVE THE WEDDING VENUE
It goes without saying that reserving your wedding venue is an important step to take, both in high and low season.
Once you choose your wedding venue, whether it be a luxury villa or a quaint farmhouse, it is important to know the rental basis of the location (one day rental, 2-3 days minimum stay, weekly stay etc.) what is included, and any restrictions to be aware of.
Many venues offer a “wedding package” option, in which they may provide vendors for your wedding (i.e the catering) while other venues only rent out the space, and do not provide any vendors.
6. HIRE A WEDDING PLANNER
If you are considering having a destination wedding in Italy, hiring someone local to bridge the gap caused by language and cultural barriers (not everyone speaks English in Italy) is a MUST!
Not only can the right wedding planner help you save time and money, they can also help make the process of planning your destination wedding easier, stress-free, and give you the best advice in all things technical, legal, and creative, which will impact your big day.
Professional wedding planners offer a high level of service, and truly know how to prevent those big and expensive mistakes from happening, helping to create a genuinely special day for you and your family, while taking all the weight off your shoulders!
I hope these tips have helped you to move closer to a phenomenal destination wedding experience in Italy, and of course, if you have any questions of doubts send me an email or write a comment below.