How to Plan a Destination Wedding in Italy?
So you’re browsing destination weddings. Not only destination weddings, but destination weddings in Italy. Hot weather, beautiful scenery, amazing food… Italy is one of the most desired destinations for a wedding and there is a reason why. The glamour, the variety of venues, the scenic backdrops and the level of hospitality and the cuisine are amongst the best.
But where do you start when planning a destination wedding in Italy? Fear not, we’re here to take you through everything from the less fun parts like cost and legalities to the more fun stuff like locations, venues and wedding photography. Planning a destination wedding can be a bit more difficult than planning a wedding at home, especially with a popular destination like Italy if you’re planning to get married in high season and also if you don’t speak the language.
But this guide is here to help you get organised! If you’re wanting to plan a destination wedding in Italy it’s a good idea to start planning now and book the wedding at least a year in advance. So let's get into it…
The legalities of getting married in Italy
Italy recognises both religious, civil and symbolic weddings. And the good news is that anyone can get married in Italy as there is no legal requirement for you to be a resident to have a wedding! However you do need to be organised as you’ll need to complete a bit of paperwork. You’ll need the following…
The documents you’ll need for religious, civil or symbolic weddings are:
A valid passport or ID
Original birth certificates
If you have been married before you will need divorce papers and if widowed you’ll need death certificates
An affidavit, Nulla Osta or Dichiarazione Giurata from a consular office of your home country (this is the italian version of the UK no impediment) that proves you are legally allowed to be married
An Atto Notorio signed by two witnesses
A declaration of intent to marry that goes to a civil registrar
For Catholic weddings you also need:
Baptism certificates
Confirmation certificates
Letter of no impediment to marry
Proof of attendance of premarital course
A local bishops permission to marry abroad
Make sure you're organised and follow the steps to complete all this paperwork, Wise have a really in depth guide on each document and when and how to do each of them.
Decide on Your Region
First thing’s first, you need to whittle down what region you want to have your wedding in. Decide on what kind of vibe you want to go for. Do you want to get married in a historical city with incredible architecture and atmosphere or do you want to get married in the vineyards in Tuscany or have a glamorous movie worthy wedding by Lake Como.
Consider location, how easy it is for your guests to book accommodation, taste the food of the region and look into travel arrangements and how easy it will be to get to your wedding venue. Is it near an airport, is it easy for guests to get a transfer to the venue and is there suitable and affordable accommodation?
Best locations for a wedding in Italy?
Need a bit of inspiration, let’s delve into some of the regions of Italy and their most popular locations for weddings…
Lombardy
One of the wealthiest regions in Italy, Lombardy is home to fashion capital Milan and the historical cities of Bergarno, Cremona, and Pavia. Not only is it home to historical lands, Lombardy has some of the most magnificent scenery and lakes such as Lake Como, Lake Endine and Lake Garda.
Liguria
If you want breathtaking scenery and the slower pace of life then there are some incredible spots in Liguria. Riviera’s, picturesque villages and world UNESCO sites there are some real hidden gems here. On the west coast lies the beautiful Portofino, arguably one of the meds most gorgeous resorts.
If you’re a lover of botanics and flowers then San Remo, the Riviera dei Fiori has a beautiful array of flowers and the river runs far and wide, perfect for exploring and meandering.
Tuscany
Famous for its beautiful green countryside, endless rolling hills and vineyards, Tuscany draws in people from all over the world. It’s also famous for its renaissance art and culture in its cities like Florence, Siena and Pisa. It’s also home to the snowy Apennine mountains and Apuan Alps so if you’re more drawn to a cosy winter wedding you could head there. If you’re the opposite, head to forte dei Marmi a Viareggio - the popular beach resorts in Tuscany.
Veneto
How does arriving at your wedding in a gondola sound? Veneto is home to the famous floating city, the city of water, the beautiful and iconic Venice. No traffic, no fumes, only canals where you will travel and traverse by either boat or gondola. But don’t let Venice overshadow any other areas of this beautiful region. If you’re a lover of literature, Verona is the setting for Romeo and Juliet and is a wonderful historic town.
Veneto has a 150 mile long stretch of golden sandy Adriatic coastline if you’re looking for a coastal backdrop. Again, if you’re an avid winter sports lover then you should consider heading to the Dolomites and its lush ski resorts.
Lazio
Rome is one of the world’s most amazing cities, mixing thousands of years of history with modernity and class and it is in the region of Lazio. It’s a city full of art, culture and romantic backdrops for ceremonies and photographs.
Lazio is home to some beautiful beaches, mountains and lakes lined with lush greenery. If you’re looking for something more relaxed. Fiuggi is surrounded by quaint towns and if you travel east to Rieti you can sleep in some of the monasteries built by St Francis of Assisi.
Book a pre-wedding trip
This isn’t necessary but if you want everything to go smoothly it’s worth heading to the region you want to get married in and exploring all the potential venues, chatting with them and maybe squeezing in some trial runs with hair and makeup artists so you can have proper peace of mind on the day that everything will run smoothly.
If not then just make sure you communicate your vision clearly with photographs, mood boards and confirm everything with your vendors.
When is the best time to get married in Italy?
Now you’ve picked your region of Italy, what is the best time to get married? June or September are perfect times to get married in Italy. The weather is just perfect, it’s not too hot in the day or evenings so your guests would be uncomfortable and the prices will be slightly better as it is outside of school holidays. However if you are, or have any teachers within your guestlist or your guests have children and this means you need a July or August wedding, it’s best to get married later on the day to avoid any intense heat.
When picking a venue consider the options they have if it (fingers crossed it doesn’t) decides to rain on your special day. Pick somewhere that allows you to have a wedding ceremony just as beautiful inside as you can outside.
Set A Budget
One of the most important things you should do before any wedding is to set a budget. You and your partner will know how much you want to spend on a wedding and what you can afford so make sure you agree on a budget or a range and try and stick to it. Consider these elements:
Venue: This is the thing that will eat up most of your budget and so you need to make sure the venue is perfect for you and your partner. Make sure you thoroughly research a range of venues and their prices so you can find your dream venue.
Catering: One of the main things about Italy is all the delicious food, and you want only the best at your wedding so make sure you research a range of catering companies and what they offer and the various prices. Catering packages in Italy usually come with a complete set up with table decoration, place settings and china, aperitif hours with prosecco and wine, multi course menus, cake and of course all the wine!
Menus are usually dependent on the region you choose but you are free to make special requests.
Lighting & Decoration: This is the fun part. Flowers, Fairy lights, bulbs, plants and trees, and any other lights to create a magical and romantic atmosphere will be the cherry on top of a gorgeous venue. Get browsing pinterest and tik tok for all the wedding decoration inspo.
Depending on your venue you might need a lot of lighting and decor or it might already be included with the venue. Some people like to go extravagant with their decoration and some people prefer to be more pared back, but make sure you consider this in your budget.
Music & Entertainment: Do you want a string quartet, a DJ, a band? Or all of them. Consider the cost of hire, travel and extra vans for instruments in your budget.
Photography: Probably one of the most important aspects of the day as after all the planning, prep and hard work that goes into planning a destination wedding you’ll want to be able to look back at all the amazing memories for years to come.
Make sure you pick an Italy wedding photographer and videographer that fits the style of film you want and captures the atmosphere of your wedding well. Why not take a look at some of the weddings we’ve captured and see if it would be right for your Italian wedding!
Videography: Another most important aspect of your wedding is documenting everything in film so that you can cherish the little moments in the next generations to come. Make sure you do your research and find a suitable Italy wedding videographer who can capture all the details effortlessly.
Hair & Makeup: Hair and makeup in Italy can be considerably more expensive than at home in the UK, it’s part of the Italian culture to pay a considerable amount for professional service and is one of the most important aspects of your day. But there is always the option of bringing a hair and makeup artist from home. It all depends on your budget!
Travel Costs: You’ll need to get to Italy and then to your chosen destination so make sure to factor in the cost of taxis to and from airports on either side of your trip, the flights themselves and then any travel costs whilst you and your party are in Italy.
Decide on your Guests
Destination weddings usually have a smaller amount of guests than your traditional at home weddings. Get some pen and paper and write down exactly who you want at your wedding so you can gauge how many people might potentially attend.
Consider the region you're getting married in carefully and if it will suit all your guests, for example some towns in Italy may have a lot of steps and hills so might not be as suitable for elderly guests so try and pick somewhere that caters to all the guests you want there and you and your partner love!
The best thing about a destination wedding is that it’s like a mini holiday for everyone and they’ll likely stay for around four or five days! So once you have decided on the location and your guest list then you can write your save the date invitations!
Include where you’re getting married, a description of the area, hotels and apartments that are nearby to suit a range of budgets and how much taxis and flights will roughly cost so guests can decide if they will attend or not. Then wait for the RSVPs to roll in!
Final notes…
Make sure you fly out a couple of days before your guests so you have time to go over all the final arrangements, visit the venue to clarify everything and have some fun and spend quality time together before your big celebration.
After the wedding you could even consider having an extended honeymoon and exploring all the beauty that Italy has to offer.
