In case your dream wedding means saying “I do” in a jaw-droppingly beautiful location, sipping chianti through the reception, and having an assortment of enriching cultural experiences between events, consider a destination wedding in Italy. The sublime wedding venues on this iconic country can accommodate an intimate wedding, a luxury wedding, nuptials by the ocean, and more. To make it easier to determine the best venue for you, and methods to navigate the strategy of getting hitched abroad, we’ve rounded up all the things it’s essential start.
Suggestions for Planning a Destination Wedding in Italy
Listed here are some ways to be certain your Italian destination wedding planning is as smooth as possible.
Select the best time of 12 months
May and September are two of the very best months to wed in Italy, because the weather is gorgeous and the crowds are thinner. June, July, and August are also prime decisions for those who want warm weather and a low probability of rain, but touristy areas like Rome might be more crowded this time of 12 months.
Arrive a number of days before your guests
To present yourself time to settle in and have some quality solo time together with your partner, plan to reach in Italy a number of days before your guests. Whilst you’ll likely be taking good care of many last-minute wedding details during this time, make sure you slot in some sightseeing and a few couples’ spa treatments.
Hire an area wedding planner
Your wedding planning endeavors might be much easier for those who hire a marriage planner who works where you’re planning to tie the knot. Their knowledge of the language, local customs, and best vendors in the world will increase the possibility your wedding day goes off and not using a hitch. A marriage planner may even be invaluable if you ought to get legally married in Italy, and never just have a symbolic ceremony, as they’ll make it easier to navigate the sometimes confusing process.
Create a marriage website
As a destination wedding in Italy means communicating a good amount of logistics together with your guests, consider creating a marriage website. An internet site will make it easier to complete quite a few wedding planning to-dos, from sharing travel suggestions and the marriage itinerary to sending digital invites and accepting RSVPs.
The Best Wedding Venues in Italy
Listed here are a few of the very best wedding venues in Italy, positioned within the loveliest pockets of this romantic country.
Florence: Villa Gamberaia
The historic Villa Gamberaia, positioned within the rolling hills of the Tuscany region, was inbuilt the early 1600s and provides a picturesque setting in your destination wedding. The design of its acclaimed gardens is so spectacular that it’s been studied by architecture historians and landscape architects.
Unsurprisingly, the gardens are where most couples prefer to say “I do.” From these expertly manicured spaces, you’ll be able to look out onto spellbinding views of Florence and the Arno valley, as you engage in probably the most monumental moments of your life.
After the marriage ceremony, you’ll head contained in the villa for the reception. This elegant structure includes two halls, an internal arcade courtyard, and a wide range of other spaces that might be used in your celebration. A favourite option is the lounge on the bottom floor that opens onto the garden. It’s also possible to decide to host an alfresco reception on the sprawling lawn beside the gardens.
Typical Cost: $19,000-$29,000
Capability: 200
Bonus: The villa includes a wide range of rooms and apartments that may accommodate as much as 40 people.
Find Villa Gamberaia on Facebook and Instagram.
Lake Como: Villa d’Este
A famous five-star hotel on the exquisite Lake Como, Villa d’Este has been a favourite for royals and celebrities because it became a hotel in 1873. That is the best venue for couples wanting an opulent, fairy tale wedding that leans into opulence. Considered one of the trickiest parts of planning a marriage at this palace-like venue is determining which event space to decide on, as they’re all so dreamy.
When you go for the gardens, situated on the hotel’s 25-hectare private park, you’ll enjoy a marriage with views of Lake Como and stretches of verdant grass interspersed with delicate centennial plants and sculptures.
A marriage within the hotel’s interior exudes old-world charm, because it features historic architecture, glimmering chandeliers, antiques, vintage artifacts, and acclaimed art from the French and Conova schools. The Column Room is ideal for a smaller wedding, while the Imperial Salon is right for a bigger event.
Typical Cost: Starts at $305/per person
Capability: 210
Bonus: The villa has 152 rooms and 4 private villas you’ll be able to rent. It also encompasses a spa, wellness and fitness centers, and two world-class golf courses.
Find Villa d’Este on Facebook and Instagram.
Rome: Villa Aurelia
The majestic Villa Aurelia in Rome, believed to have been built between 1650 and 1667, offers a formidable mix of indoor and outdoor event spaces which can be unique and supply spectacular backdrops for a memorable wedding. These spaces, together with the remaining of the villa, were extensively renovated for 3 years, before reopening in 2002. They now offer a gorgeous mix of historic charm and modern conveniences. Adding to that charm is the villa’s position on Janiculum Hill, which sets it high above western Rome.
Popular event spaces include the Secret Garden, Italian Garden, and Lemon Garden, along with the terrace, Sala Aurelia ballroom, and dining room. Many couples decide to tie the knot in the straightforward yet elegant Secret Garden, before having fun with an outside meal within the Lemon Garden, which is adorned by lemon trees. Couples also enjoy hosting wedding receptions within the grand Sala Aurelia ballroom, or within the intimate dining room, which encompasses a crystal chandelier.
Typical Cost: Starts at $12,500
Capability: 200
Bonus: The villa only hosts one event per day to make sure privacy for couples and their guests.
Find Villa Aurelia on Facebook and Instagram.
Venice: Ca’ Sagredo
Considered one of the grandest options in your Italian wedding, Ca’ Sagredo is positioned on Venice’s Grand Canal and wows with a pink facade. Inbuilt the fifteenth century, this impressive structure was purchased by Venetian nobles within the seventeenth century and used as a palace. It has since grow to be a National Monument and a luxury hotel that appears out onto the Rialto Market and offers exquisite event spaces for a ceremony and reception.
Larger, symbolic ceremonies might be held within the ornate Music Ballroom, while a more intimate wedding ceremony might be hosted within the Portego, Amigoni Hall, on the outdoor patio on the Grand Canal, or on the Rooftop Terrace. For the reception, most couples use the Music Ballroom, which has soaring ceilings covered in murals, chandeliers, and wall sconces that create a romantic lighting effect.
Typical Cost: Starts at $175/per person
Capability: 120
Bonus: The hotel has a finely appointed bridal suite where you’ll be able to enjoy your first night as a married couple.
Find Ca’ Sagredo on Facebook and Instagram.
Positano: Santa Caterina
Positioned on the Amalfi Coast, the chic Santa Caterina is a hotel with spectacular views, laidback vibes, olive groves, fruit orchards, and liberty-style architecture. You possibly can exchange vows on the open terrace with views of the perennial-blue waters of the Tyrrhenian Sea, or pledge your love within the cliff-side garden that’s alive with bougainvillea. For the reception, head to the beachy veranda or the light-filled dining room, each of which look out onto the water.
As for accommodations, you and your guests won’t be dissatisfied. This five-star hotel has 38 rooms, 15 balcony suites, and a close-by nine-room villa you’ll be able to book. The interiors emulate late-nineteenth-century style with a pale, pastel palette that’s complemented by pops of color from potted plants and flowers. The term “easy elegance” involves mind when wandering through this enchanting hotel.
Typical Cost: Starts at $3,500
Capability: 100
Bonus: The chef, Giuseppe Stanzione, crafts meals inspired by local recipes and Mediterranean flavors.
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Portofino: Belmond Splendido Hotel
Savor the very best the Mediterranean has to supply as you are taking in views of the Bay of Paraggi from Portofino’s Belmond Splendido Hotel. Your big day at this seaside getaway might be held poolside, within the terraced gardens, or within the La Terrazza Restaurant that features views of the Bay of Portofino. For cocktail hour, you’ll be able to reap the benefits of the fashionable cocktail bar that has hand-painted partitions in cool tones and black-and-white marble floors.
With regards to food, you and your guests won’t be dissatisfied. Chef Corrado Corti can whip up fresh pizzas, sumptuous seafood and pasta dishes, and other regional specialties.
The hotel includes 70 rooms and suites, ensuring it may accommodate a small-to-midsize wedding.
Typical Cost: $147-$205/per person
Capability: 140
Bonus: When not immersed in wedding events, you’ll be able to benefit from the hotel’s two restaurants, heated outdoor pool, tennis court, and water sports, including boat excursions within the hotel’s Chris-Craft Corsair 36.
Find Belmond Splendido Hotel on Facebook and Instagram.
Siena: Villa La Foce
Infuse your nuptials with the timeless Renaissance style by selecting Villa La Foce in your Italian destination wedding. The crowning jewel of this venue is the formal Italian gardens, which have dazzling views of the Orcia and Amiata mountains and were restructured by acclaimed English architect Cecil Pinsent. The gardens were designed to be geometrical “rooms” composed of box hedges, grass, and lemon trees in terracotta pots.
You’ll also find travertine stairs resulting in the rose garden, a wisteria-covered pergola, and a lavender hedge, along with garden terraces crammed with cherry, pine, and cypress trees that grow amongst thyme, rosemary, and an assortment of greenery.
Unsurprisingly, most couples decide to tie the knot within the gardens. However the interiors of the structures on the estate don’t disappoint either, as all of them feature sophisticated colours and decor.
Typical Cost: $65,000 for a ceremony and reception for 60 guests and three-night accommodations for twenty-four guests
Capability: 100
Bonus: You and your guests can decide to stay in onsite apartments or in free-standing farmhouses which have swimming pools and personal gardens.
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Capri: Capri Tiberio Palace
Perched on the Capri hillside, the recently renovated Capri Tiberio Palace is a luxury venue that features contemporary decor, retro decor, and Mediterranean architecture. Top wedding venues include the rooftop Mojito terrace and the Terrazza Tiberio restaurant. Each provide sweeping views of Capri and the ocean and have the ultra-chic ambiance present in the remaining of the hotel.
As for the food, the expert chefs have an incredible menu with strong Caprese and Mediterranean influences. Additionally they use as many seasonal and locally sourced ingredients as possible. A number of signature dishes include the Caprese ravioli, spaghetti with clams and parsley, and lemon-scented sea bass escalope.
The hotel has 60 rooms and 17 suites, which might accommodate a moderate variety of guests. And these are usually not basic lodgings; each room is different from the subsequent, using an eclectic mixture of vintage items, tapestries, and partitions in hues starting from dusty blue and turquoise to saffron yellow, neutral, and coral. You’ll also find installations by the renowned artist Giampiero Panepinto throughout the hotel.
Typical Cost: $50-$500/per person
Capability: 150
Bonus: You possibly can unwind before or after your special occasion within the hotel’s Spa Tiberio, which offers a wide selection of treatments.