A destination wedding photographer in Italy for weddings and engagements
Wedding photographers in Rome, Florence, Venice, Tuscany or the Amalfi Coast
Having your wedding in Italy is an amazing idea! There really is no place like Italy for a wedding. Weather it be in Venice in the north, to Tuscany or Rome all the way down to the Alalfi Coast, you really can’t go wrong! The food is amazing, the atmosphere is beyond charming and the culture is to die for. As a destination wedding photographer I have had the opportunity to travel all over the world photographing weddings large and small. Weather it is a simple elopement in Rome or a big festive wedding in Tuscany with all of your closest friends and Family you are bound to have an amazing time. The one thing I would suggest over anything else is hiring a wedding photographer who is experienced and with the same vision as you for capturing this amazing time in your lives. Beyond the ceremony and festive reception it might be fun do do a quick engagement session. The one thing you will find is there are so many amazing places to see and experience you will want to have someone there to capture that for you and of you! You will never regret having amazing photos to look back on your perfect wedding in Italy. Before you jump into planning your big day though, there are a few things to know about getting married in Italy. I have listed some of these below.
If you want a legal wedding ceremony your options will be limited
Forget about ceremonies in front of a tree or an old ruin overlooking the Amalfi coast. Forget about choosing a friend or family member to officiate your wedding in Italy. Throughout Italy you can legally get married in a Catholic church, or in a building that is property of the town hall. Only a priest or a town hall official is aloud to marry you. Now if neither of these options fit the perfect wedding of your dreams there is another option… Many couples will officially tie the knot back home in the US or their respective countries and have a ceremony in Italy in the venue or location of their choosing. This is a great way to have the dream wedding but not have to worry about any of the legal bit in Italy.
Problems in Communication
You would be surprised at how many wedding vendors in Italy do not speak English, especially considering that your wedding location is a very popular destination for tourism. It can also be very difficult to find vendors online who fit your needs. Bringing your photographer out from the US fixes one of the biggest of these problems. For hiring your florists, rentals, venues and everything else on your wedding day it might be a great idea to talk to an Italian wedding planner who specializes in english speaking weddings.
The traditions are different in Italy for a wedding then what you might be used to
In Italy there is typically no rehearsal dinner or bridal shower. Thats not to say you can’t have both but they will perhaps seem foreign to the local vendors.
Traditionally they also don’t have bridal parties with matching dresses, but again thats not to say you can’t do this with your bridal party.
It’s also customary to give guests a bomboniera (a favor), which usually consists of a decor item containing five sugared almonds wrapped in lace. The almonds symbolize health, wealth, fertility, happiness, and long life.
It’s also still widely popular to throw rice at the newlywed couple after the ceremony. I love this one. Its banned at so many venues in the US for fear of hurting birds, but there really isn’t a better way to exit the ceremony then with some rice flying!
DIY is pretty much unheard of in Italy
Most women in Italy cook, sew, and knit. But all the DIY wedding goodness that is so popular in the States and is on everyones pinterest board is not common at all in Italy! So even if you want to prepare tons of DIY projects, it will be extremely challenging to find all the materials you need. You should either get them shipped from the States or use what nature provides, or throw DIY out the window, sit back relax and enjoy the day the Italian way.
Don’t be discouraged about any of the differences of having a wedding in Italy. Embrace them and realize that you will be getting married in a place so beautiful and rich in history that it will make every part of your day perfect. Your photos will be all you have to remember your perfect wedding day. Talk to your photographer and make sure you are on the same page and that he will capture your wedding day to perfection. Your dream Italian wedding is around the corner. I look forward to capturing every moment with you!