6 key differences between an ‘at home’ and an Italian wedding
What does an Italian wedding mean for you? La Dolce Vita; the unparalleled scenery; a break from the norm; the romance; a family connection; a personal tie. Whatever your reasons for choosing this country to be your wedding location, there are fundamental differences between an ‘at home’ wedding and one celebrated in Italy. Before you dive into planning a destination wedding you need to be aware of what makes an Italian wedding so unique.
A destination wedding puts a whole other meaning to guest experience! You are inviting your nearest and dearest to join you for essentially a mini holiday and it is your responsibility to ensure they have everything in place for an unforgettable time.
Food, transport logistics, communication, accommodation are all areas you will need to embrace control of. And trust us when we say, wedding guests want to know what’s happening and when: when they are eating, where they are staying, event details and timings, weather forecast, advised dress code. Nail your comms plan for guests early so you can take some pressure off!
Photo: Red on Blonde
A 2 - 4 day wedding event is great news for spending quality time with your ride or dies! But multiple days of events, catering and transport will take its toll on your budget! Catering has got pricey and a pre-wedding catered pizza party will still take a hefty chunk of budget. Do consider the non-event / the ‘actually need to eat’ food…guests breakfast at the venues they are staying at, welcome hampers or simply stocking the fridge with drinks and snacks. For 'an at home' wedding, you would not normally be concerned about guests' breakfasts or their travel to your wedding day.
In our eyes an excuse to wear multiple outfits should never be seen as a bad thing, but again, for a 3 day event including a pool party you and your guests will need to work 3-4 wardrobe looks.
And finally, transport is a major factor when considering a destination wedding event. Guests will need to get to and from the airport, shuttles between their accommodation and the venue and you may find yourself orchestrating this.
Photo: Marta Ilardo
An Italian wedding = blue skies and sunshine, or hopefully so! It can of course be hot, but equally the cold, wind and uncertain temperatures can creep in to your day. Firstly, don’t assume or let your guests assume that it is guaranteed to be good weather.
Commonly at a UK or ‘at home’ weddings, venues are better equipped for bad weather as you tend not to take the risk by booking the outdoor option. A Plan B isn't even on your radar! With Italian weddings, the potential for disappointment is high, as you have bought into the sunny days and dreamy evenings when choosing.
Do not make the mistake of avoiding conversations about Plan B and absolutely make sure you are happy with the indoor option at your venue. So, if you require its use, it won’t come as a blow!
Due to the heat, particularly in the hot summer months, ceremonies commonly begin in the late afternoon (around 4-5pm). Then the aperitif is followed by your meal as dusk settles, and your tables come alive with candlelight. Romantic photos at sunset with your Mr or Mrs are also a bonus of a later start.
The rumours are true, an Italian wedding meal is a lengthy affair! But when food is that good and an experience in itself, trust us, your guests will not be bored seated for so long! Fear not, guests will not be too full for the dancing that comes later; the food will be served so cleverly that guests will be eating for a longer period than an ‘at home’ wedding but the food they will enjoy does not sit heavy (if you choose a good menu).
Be prepared to still have your dancing shoes on well past 1am!
Photo: Studio Westlake
For an Italian wedding using a wedding planner is not a luxury, see it more like a necessity!
You will need someone alongside you from the start, helping you shape your vision and steering you through this huge logistical and creative project. Don’t underestimate the amount of work that a planner takes on behind the scenes ensuring everything runs smoothing during the planning process and on the day itself. On average, a planner will send over 1,000 emails whilst planning your wedding - save yourself time, energy and from typing exhaustion and get one!
A destination wedding planner’s role is wide and varied, with their main objective to produce an entire project for you and your guests aka a sensational wedding with unforgettable memories. An ‘at home’ planner does not tend to get involved in travel logistics of guests, managing external caterers at your venue or seamlessly pulling together each and every supplier.
With a destination wedding, you will need to weight more budget towards serving guests. Whether that is for food at the various events you will be hosting or into the logistics of being responsible for the travel, food and accommodation of them.
Whilst an ‘at home’ wedding is celebrated in a day, an overseas one requires the budget to be split across 3 days of events. Clearly the majority of your spend will be assigned for the wedding day, you do need to factor in all other elements before you get too crazy and blow it all on the main event!
Still set on a wedding in beautiful Italy? We hope so - obviously we are biased but they really do make for the best celebrations! Get yourself hooked up from the start and download the Italian Wedding Tracker - this baby really will guide you through your entire planning journey!
