Destination wedding in Italy: how to organize the perfect one
What are the things to know and to do to organize a destination wedding in Italy? Here is our guide to leaving nothing to chance.
How romantic is it to decide to get married away from home, perhaps abroad, surrounded only by the people closest to you, and then continue your stay, living your honeymoon directly on site? All this can be summed up in a single definition: destination wedding.
Italy is a dreamed and favorite destination to celebrate one’s destination wedding, as it is full of dream destinations: just think of Rome, the Eternal City, Venice, pure romance, but also of the lakes area located between Veneto and Piedmont, which consists of the most evocative stretches of water – do you remember Lake Como, the scene of the love story between Renzo and Lucia?
But planning a destination wedding is no easy feat. Before setting off overseas to get married, there are some important details to consider. Which? We suggest them below, to ensure that your destination wedding is a dream and … does not become a nightmare.
The destination wedding is beautiful, but how do you organize one? Here’s everything you need to know to plan a destination wedding in Italy.
Hire a wedding planner
Contact an on-site wedding planner who will take care of the entire organization for you. In this way you will avoid wasting time on bureaucratic issues that you are not aware of or looking for suppliers without references. A wedding planner has her trusted contacts, but above all she knows exactly what it takes to make the wedding go smoothly or unpleasant surprises: it’s her job to organize the wedding of your dreams and make you feel safe.
When to organize the destination wedding?
Take into account the climatic conditions of the chosen destination for the destination wedding. If you want an outdoor party, in Italy it is better to organize between spring and summer, the best period in terms of mild climate. Then of course the downpour can be unpredictable! Do you want to reduce costs instead? So you prefer a low season, with an influx of minor tourists: however, also keep in mind that many locations could be closed for the annual rest.
When do I deliver the invitations to the guests?
The save the date should be sent or delivered between 8 and 12 months before the fateful date, while the official invitations 3-4 months before, to allow everyone to organize themselves with accommodation, families and holidays.
Who pays for guests’ accommodation?
Guests are traditionally required to cover their personal accommodation and transportation expenses, but it’s important that you make this clear as kindly as possible. Provide directions to accommodation or booking websites. If you have had rooms reserved in a hotel for your guests, point out that everyone will have to pay for their room. If you have prepared a site for your wedding, it will be the ideal container to put all kinds of technical and logistical information about it.
Should I help guests book travel?
It is not necessary to book the trip of the guests, but it is a nice gesture towards them anyway, if you help them. If you have a site dedicated to the destination wedding, you can insert a chat section where guests can exchange useful information about the trip. By entrusting yourself to a wedding planner, you can ask her to also take care of the support for the guests in organizing the transfer, starting from the booking of flights to that of the hotel.
Choose a location
When choosing a location, make sure it is equipped to accommodate all types of guests: that it has no architectural barriers, that it has enough rooms for all the guests, that it can satisfy every type of request, from food to religious one.
Do an inspection in advance
In principle, it is advisable to visit the chosen wedding location 3-4 months before the wedding to finalize the details. If a second trip is not possible, arrive at least five days in advance to finalize the last decisions and make the last dress, make-up and hair try-ups.
Organize the trip
It is assumed that both your guests and you arrive a few days before the wedding and that they entertain themselves a few days after. Organize activities to entertain them: a welcome party (to allow everyone to acclimatize and get to know each other), tourist visits to make the place known, food and wine tastings, a post-wedding farewell lunch…
Take out ad hoc insurance
When it comes to getting married in a foreign place, it’s best to expect the unexpected. Enter into an event insurance contract to protect your financial investment and any damage or unforeseen events that may occur.
Attention to bureaucratic practices
In order for the marriage to be legally valid in your country of origin, all the necessary documents must be correctly filled in and forwarded to the appropriate offices. Get help from your wedding planner in this.
Pay attention to your passport and vaccinations
Check before departure that your passport has not expired and, above all, find out which vaccinations status is required in the host country. In this moment Italy asks for the Covid-vaccine certification.
Start your honeymoon gracefully
To “conclude” the destination wedding and make the guests understand that your honeymoon is about to begin, we recommend organizing a brunch or a farewell lunch the day after the wedding, so that you can say goodbye and start your life together.
If you want to get married in Italy, together with my staff, we are ready to give life to your dream of love, satisfying your every desire!
