"You helped us to create the perfect wedding! Everyone said it was the best they had ever been too." Erin S. McMinnville, Oregon

Frequently Asked Questions About Getting Married in Italy

On this FAQ page we hope to answer some of your initial questions. Because we understand about the numerous initial questions that arise when you are considering a wedding in Italy, we also send brides and grooms a more extensive FAQ page once they sign on with us.

In Italy do weddings take place only in town halls or churches?
Civil ceremonies almost always must take place in a Town Hall to be legal. We have a few situations where a civil ceremony can take place in a castle or villa. Catholic ceremonies take place in some of Italy’s beautiful and historic churches, while Protestant ceremonies can take place in villas and gardens as well as in a Protestant Church.

Can I get married outside?
You can be married outside in Italy in the following ways:

• Have a Protestant ceremony
• Choose one of the locations we can offer where a civil ceremony can occur on a the grounds of a castle or villa
• Have a symbolic ceremony where a non-official person leads your ceremony.

Will my wedding certificate be accepted in my home country?
Yes, we take your certificate through a process where it receives an apostille making it valid worldwide.

If one of us is divorced, can we still have a Catholic ceremony?
If you are divorced you cannot re-marry in a Catholic Church, in a full Catholic wedding, in Italy. You must have an annulment recognized by the Catholic Church. If you are divorced you may be eligible for a mixed Catholic ceremony (also known as a blessing), which requires a civil ceremony prior, but to find out, you need to see if the bishop of your church in your home country, will grant the "no objection".

Are there any hidden charges?
No, all charges are spelled out on your quote. However, prices on the quote are subject to change, particularly if you receive the quote at least 6 months prior to your wedding. There is always the possibility that a vendor or a location, such as a town hall, could raise their prices.

Can we talk to past couples who’ve used your services?
Certainly. We are happy to send you lists of past clients with their emails addresses on request.

I have heard that August is a national holiday in Italy; will it be a problem to get married during that month?
Italians adhere quite devoutly to the August holiday. It is challenging for us to orchestrate weddings that month because many of our vendors, assistants, and even some of the priests are away for much of the month. It also is a very hot and crowded month. Once in a while we can accommodate an August wedding but we recommend July or September over August.

Can you book my hotel?
Yes, we offer a free hotel booking for the bride & groom. If the bride & groom and/or their guests would like our assistance with other hotel bookings we charge a nominal fee.

Do I really need a photographer/videographer?
The backdrop of the places we offer weddings makes for fabulous photos, unlike any you’d get in a more modern country like the US. If you have to pick and choose the services, the one we most recommend would be a photography package with one of our excellent Italian photographers. Videography too, is very worth it because brides and grooms are able this way, to relive their weddings and often are able to see things that they missed during the big day.

What is the difference in having my reception at a trattoria, ristorante or villa?
A trattoria is usually a lively, casual place where food is “home-cooking” style. The service will be informal and price reasonable. A ristorante will have a more formal style and the cuisine may be more creative. Service is likely to be formal and prices will be higher. A meal at a villa will be a catered meal and this will probably be priced a bit higher than ristorante prices.

How far in advance should I sign on with you to start planning?
If you wish to plan a large wedding with a lot of services, as well as having us provide extra services such as wine excursions, itinerary planning and hotel bookings for you and your guests, then it is ideal to book with us a year to 9 months in advance. If your wedding will be moderate in size and moderate in the amount of services you require, we can begin with you 6 months in advance. Due to paper work requirements and our payment schedule, it is hard for us to take on a wedding with less than 3 months notice.