Read this article to find out more about getting married in Italy
5 secrets to know before organizing your destination wedding in Italy
The start of any major event such as a wedding, is an exhilarating yet decidedly stressful period. From the moment you announce your engagement on social media, the pressure is on. And for those planning a wedding in Italy, sometimes even more so - as expectations and cultural differences can affect every one of the planning stages.
Luckily the resounding truth is, this is about your and your partner and no-one else.
Smaller budgets need not fear, a wedding in Italy can come in any range of ideals.
Here are some simple secrets that may give you a better idea of where to start in the process of planning your wedding in Italy.
1) Don’t underestimate the power of help
One thing to keep in mind when planning your wedding in Italy, or well, anywhere – is that help is completely underrated.
For you coming abroad, hiring a wedding planner is ideal for helping navigate through sticky paperwork and contacting local vendors.
For those of you who want to take on the burden of planning themselves, a day-of coordinator is another option. They will make sure guests get from point A to point B, will make sure to follow your time schedule of events the day of (speeches during dinner, first dance, cake cutting) and help call taxis the night of. Essentially take care of details while you actually get to enjoy the day.
For you coming abroad who don’t speak Italian, it is highly recommended to have a point person, like a day-of coordinator, so that you don’t get inundated with questions on your special day.
2) Define a wedding budget.
How much money do you have to spend on your wedding in Italy? Talk to your partner and families and figure out a maximum amount that you can spend on your dream wedding in Italy.
You should also discuss what you are going to pay for. Are you going to pay for the accommodation for all your guests or just some of them. Some people decide to subsidise it, basically, they put some money towards it and this means that the guests pay less. In general, most people pay for the venue and locations for the wedding as well as the food, drinks, entertainment and other things on each day of their wedding festivities. The guests pay for their own accommodation, flights, and transport. There are of course exceptions to this, for example some people rent a villa where they stay with their immediate family and then the other guests sort out their own accommodation.
3) Decide what type of wedding you want.
Do you want to have a religious wedding in a church, a civil wedding, or will you get married civilly back home to take care of the paperwork and then have a symbolic garden ceremony or similar? It is important to decide this as soon as possible as the type of wedding ceremony will influence the selection of the venue.
If you do plan on getting legal ceremony, this is when a wedding planner can be of great help to run back and forth to the offices to file your paperwork and ensure that you get the date you want. Also keep in mind you will need registered interpreter that speaks Italian.
4) Wedding Website is a must!
Far from the days of sending an attachment via email or by letter, it is easier than ever to use technology for your wedding planning. If many of your guests are coming from abroad (or even if most of them are UK ), a wedding website is highly recommended and typically easy to obtain and use.
The primary purpose of the wedding website is to give guests a central hub where they may find information about your big day.
Queries about the location, dress code, registry, travel plans, even your social media hashtag can all be found on the average wedding website, and some also allow guests to share their well-wishes for the happy couple.
The wedding website can serve as a wonderful networking tool for guests, and allow for the couple to post important notifications regarding the event.
5) Why photography is so important
The wedding photographer is an aspect of your Italian wedding that is unique. Besides your memories as a couple, the one thing that remains after the wedding day is over is the photos. For destination weddings in Italy, it can be difficult to choose someone thousands of miles away, but your wedding planner can recommends you the best photographer that reflects your tastes and your budget. Hiring a local photographer not only helps the economy in that country but he/she also is in the know' as far as fantastic photo-ops are concerned.
Your perfect venue or photographer are key aspects of your wedding.
Do you like these 5 secrets for organizing your wedding in Italy?
Angela Salzano
Destination Wedding Planner