Best pre-wedding event ideas for an Italian wedding
This is how you get the wedding party started! Your guests first look into your Italian celebration, perhaps the first time of meeting other guests and catching up with old ones; now is the opportunity to set the tone of your wedding and really kick back and enjoy yourself!
Don’t worry if your actual wedding day has taken a good proportion of your budget, we do have some less spenny suggestions. And remember, your guests are in Italy, with you and all your loved ones, the sun will be shining (hopefully!), chilled vibes with an air of anticipation for the big day - don’t put pressure on yourselves to deliver an overly expensive event! Our biggest advice here is to be well-organised, ensuring guests know where they need to be, for what kind of event, what time and how to get there and simply showcase the best of Italy!
During your initial planning stage, it is a good idea to consider how much you want to budget for this event; which will need to include transport if you are going to be providing shuttles for guests. Perhaps the budget will indicate whether this is to be a more private affair, like a true rehearsal dinner with just the bridal party or whether you are extending the invite to all.
Photo: Benjamin Wheeler; Venue: Villa Il Pozzo
You have this incredible Italian venue, so make the most of it!
Hosting drinks at your wedding venue can be relatively economical. We would suggest buying drinks in from a supermarket if your budget is tight; alternatively you could hire a bar company. Their team will arrive with a fully stocked bar, which will be erected wherever you wish. A tip here is to consider the areas where your guests will be for your wedding day and if space allows use other parts of the venue for the welcome drinks. This means that everyone will still get that wedding day wow moment when they arrive the next day. Check out La Lista's trusted bar suppliers.
If you don't want to spoil the venue surprise and have guests there before the wedding day, then meeting in a local bar is a relaxed and very Italian-way to host a welcome event.
The logistics of this very much depend on where your guests are staying and the proximity to a local town. Be aware, it is surprisingly tricky to book an area or hire out a bar in Italy. And bear in mind that most places will require a minimum spend per head, which is normally around 25 euro. But for this you will get the full aperitif treatment - drinks and the little nibbly snacks which accompany.
It is worth clearly highlighting to guests that this is drinks only; a nice touch is to recommend a few closeby restaurants for them to make their own dinner reservations at for afterwards.
How to stop people going too hard on the first night and 'ruining' themselves for the main event - this is a common question with a pretty simple answer! You obviously can't stop people from drinking or being hyped about being out in Italy for this special occasion, but what you can do is have a drinks window of a couple of hours, ending at a decent time for people to go on and get food. What they do from there is their choice, but a good thing about Italian weddings is they start later in the day, so more time to sleep off the first night antics!
What is more authentically Italian than wine tasting...you are definitely in the place for it! And given that many Italian venues make their own wine or it is produced locally, you are in luck! Trust us, it is going to be good and will certainly add such a talking point to your wedding and a wonderful Italian touch to your guest experience.
Surprisingly wine tasting sessions are not that expensive (starts around 15 euro per person). And if your venue does make the wine, then this is a wonderful way to introduce your guests to the history and culture of the location as well as enjoying some exceptional wine!
This can look as casual or as formal as you wish. A classic pizza party hosted at your venue, or perhaps at one of the other venues (if your wedding location has multiple villas or farmhouses on site) is a fun way to kick off the celebrations. With catering prices rising, a catered pizza party will cost a minimum of 30 euro for a 2-3 hour service of food. But, those pizzas will be the best you have eaten! If you're looking to keep costs down here, then organising a pizza delivery is a good option.
Alternatively, a more formal dinner can set the tone and be a wonderful way to treat guests from the start - exceptional food, delicious wine, you know the drill! Very much dependent on the number of courses and which catering company you choose, but you'd be looking at approx 50-60 euro per person, excluding drinks. Here you have the option to hire a bar company, as suggested earlier in this article or buy in from a supermarket or have delivered from a drinks retailer.
Kicking off your wedding celebration with a traditional Italian meal is a more expensive option, it does not require as much organisation on your part, freeing you up to just enjoy these moments. Food options could include a buffet or a sit-down dinner. This works wonderfully well with a smaller group, so perhaps just immediate family and the bridesmaids and groomsmen. A special way to personally thank them in a more intimate setting. Wine could be served during the meal and additional drinks as a cash bar.
If you are in Puglia, then consider one of the Lidos for this event - fresh fish with a sea view is a stunning way to create some memories with your nearest and dearest.
What better way to have guests experience true 'La Dolce Vita' vibes than a boat trip? Obviously this only works if your venue is in fact close to the sea! But for an Amalfi, Puglia, The Lakes and parts of Tuscany this could really be epic!
A boat trip may initially sound far more elaborate and costly than a meal, but considering the current high prices of catering, this will not cost much more.
We love a good party here at La Lista, but we know what makes a good party great are the trustworthy suppliers you use. Selecting the companies who will be part of your wedding is a big decision, so do check out our directory for our ride or dies.
