When you are considering a destination wedding or an elopement, you have to choose between so many romantic and dreamy places worldwide. Europe is mostly well-connected by plane and it offers many charming locations… Castles that hide centuries of intriguing stories, amazing views, gorgeous villas, beautiful wineries, warm beaches, and majestic mountains. 

How to choose a country for your destination wedding? Of course, I might be a little bit biased because I have been living in Tuscany for the past 20 years but I have also traveled a lot and I would still recommend Italy for your destination wedding for a variety of great reasons! Let’s see some of them:

1. Art is a way of life in Italy

Italy counts 55 UNESCO World Heritage Sites within its borders, the most of any country on the World Heritage List. You can literally breathe art in this gorgeous country. Even a small village in the middle of nowhere will have its own history, dignitously recorded and passed, as well as something remarkable to see, that according to proud locals stands out from the neighboring villages. 

From the world-famous Sistine Chapel or Florence Duomo to the less famous but amazing Ferrara frescoes or Abbey of San Galgano, Italy will always surprise you with marvelous pieces of art and architecture miracles “next door”. 

The more you learn about little borgos and tiny villages with their unique culture and history, the more you will fall in love with this country.

2. Italy offers a variety of landscapes and locations

From the breathtaking sea views of the Amalfi coast to the rolling hills in Tuscany and snowy mountains in Abruzzo, Italy offers so many beautiful places where anyone can find a perfect location to cherish and to go back to or something new to explore!

Because of this diversity and the interest in the “dolce vita” relaxed lifestyle, Italy has so many beautiful venues Italians themselves and thousands of visitors enjoy during their holidays or special occasions. 

These landscapes are also quite photogenic! If you choose Italy for your wedding ceremony, you can be sure your photos and videos will be truly unique and memorable for you and your guests.

3. Food is a form of Art 

Italy is known around the world for its genuine food and gourmet people. Earlier I mentioned every small village in Italy has something to be proud about. Well, often they also have some local food highlights you can’t miss! Some of them, like pizza or pasta, became well-known, others like fiorentina steak or cacciucco – the fish soup are regional but still extremely tasty. 

Of course, Italy is not the only country in the world with great food, but one of the few where it also means social cohesion and a part of the lifestyle. The slow food movement was born in Italy, food here is a ritual of union, community, and joy. If you have seen at least one family Sunday lunch in Italy, you know what I mean! 

When it comes to food, Italians choose quality and freshness over everything else and this highest standard is most likely what you want for your big day!

4. Wine is one of the best in the world

If you are a wine lover you surely know the famous Italian wine regions, like Chianti or Barolo. Of course, you can have Italian wine for your wedding ceremony also in other countries but it is a completely different story to be able to drink a round, full-bodied Italian wine in the place it was produced? 

The places where wineries are located are usually picturesque and totally worth a visit. If your wedding ceremony is planned for early autumn, you can enjoy the harvest too and try the young wine you made yourself!

5. Sunny days 

Italy is one of the European countries that get the most sunny days in a year. Of course, there is a difference between North and South. 

The South and the Western coastal strip up to Tuscany get 2600 hours of sunshine per year, with an average of more than 7 hours per day. 

This means that your chance of having a sunny day and being able to plan your wedding ceremony outdoors is much higher in Italy than in many other European countries.

6. Italy is very well connected

Since Italy is one of the main destinations for so many tourists, it has many international airports from north to south. In the past years, Italy was receiving over 150 million passengers a year. 

Internal connections are fast and reliable. Three hours by train and from Rome you can get to Milan. In one hour only from Florence, you can reach Rome and in 2 hours Naples. The main highway of the country: A1, called “The sunny highway”  helps those who travel by car to reach the main Italian cities – Naples, Rome, Florence, Bologna, Milan much faster than before.

If you don’t want to travel much and just want to explore the region where you are staying thoroughly, you can do that too: usually, you can reach the borders of a region in 2 hours maximum. 

7. Italians are warm and friendly

Last but not least, Italians! They value traditions, friendliness, and family gatherings, it is quite easy to befriend them and they will go above and beyond to leave you with a great impression about their country.

Their lifestyle seems relaxed, but they actually work very hard in an artisanal and professional way, this is why everything “made in Italy” became so famous worldwide, from food standards I already mentioned to lifestyle and car engineering. 

If you choose Italy for your destination wedding, you can be sure you will have real professionals to attend you.

Did I convince you? Ready to have a destination wedding in Italy? 

Let me know in the comments.