Are you thinking about holding your wedding in Italy? Read my guide on how to plan a wedding in Italy, packed with great tips to make your special day perfect:

Italy is a beautiful place to get married being the romantic capital of Europe, bringing plenty of sunshine and great value for money when compared with venues in the UK.

Below are some tips on how to plan a wedding in Italy:

Find a wedding planner

There are many legalities involved with getting married abroad and challenges to be encountered such as the language barrier and discussing issues with suppliers.  A wedding planner can take this stress away.

Set a budget

Decide how much you can afford to spend on your dream wedding and have a budget put in place.  With destination weddings you need to factor in currency exchange rates. The exchange rates change constantly and it is very likely that they will be different when it comes to paying your suppliers. Using an exchange rate calculator will help with this.  It is always advisable to have a contingency in place.

Decide on your top priorities. Maybe it’s the food, the music or the photographs.  It will be easier to stick to your budget if you know your priorities.

Visit Italy

After your initial consultation I can send you some venue options to look at.  If fees allow it then it makes a fun trip to take a few days and fly over to Italy for some venue visits.  I can organise this for you and even meet you onsite. If visiting Italy is not an option for you then I can update with photos and videos via Skype/face to face meeting.

Guests

Think about who you would like to invite and take their travel and accommodation requirements into consideration.  If your family and friends are happy to fly to Italy for your wedding and you have given them enough notice then they will be more than happy to make a holiday of it.

Having a wedding website to send out save the dates in advance with all logistical details is a great help for you guests.  Feel free to browse the website I did for my own wedding.

http://lisaandadamsitaliancastlewedding.gettingmarried.co.uk/site

Organisation

Once your venue is booked it is time to get organised.

I will prepare a timeline, budget, start sending supplier recommendations, liaise for the best rates, help you organise accommodation, music, catering and legalities.

See my fairytale packages page.

Italian Traditions and creative fun

If you want to follow Italian tradition, sugar almond tables are a beautiful arrangement and gift.

5 almonds signify health, wealth, happiness, fertility and longevity.

Tableau d’marriage is the seating plan.  Your florist/wedding planner can arrange all kinds of plans to fit with your theme.

It is always nice to have added extras at a wedding.  If you are having a wedding in a sunny destination think fans to cool guests down which double up as an order of service/favours, flip flops, water on the guests chairs.

Catering

It is no secret that Italian food is to die for.  What better than to have your guests wined and dined on the best food in amazing scenery!  Weddings in Italy are usually started with an “Aperitif” which is 1.5-2 hours of the finest amuse bouche (finger foods) accompanied by Prosecco and Aperol Spritz.  This is before the sit-down dinner and not to mention the fruity heart-shaped Millefoglie cake as shown below.   Italians love to eat at their celebrations.

Entertainment

Think about what type of music you would like.  At the ceremony, it is nice to have a saxophonist or string quartet playing whilst you walk down the aisle.  Would you like a band later or perhaps we just put together a playlist on your iPad?   There are many options which can be discussed.

And finally, it is nice to go out with a bang.  Fireworks will have your guests leaving with only the best memories of your Italian dream wedding!

Contact Me and using my experience and contacts I can show you how to plan a wedding in Italy.