The 5 things US couples planning an Italian Wedding must know.
Photographer: James Frost
Planning a wedding abroad isn’t always plain sailing. But Italy has it’s own little quirks that make planning a unique experience. We’ve highlighted the 5 things you need to know from the start, if you’re a US couple planning an Italian wedding.
Let’s start with being really clear – you really go big on weddings in the US. Your expectations of what a wedding is and how it will look and feel is often a little different to most Italian weddings. Many planners won’t have experience of planning a US wedding. So…
1. Be clear on your vision
The likelihood is if you’re going for an Italian wedding, you’ve given this some serious thought. It’s really helpful to be able to articulate your vision and your expectations to a planner to make sure not only that you’re in the right partnership but that your budget planning is right from the start.
Photographer: Fabrizio Vigano. Venue: Terrazza Palestro
2. Choose the right planner
Your planner is integral to your wedding day. They affect every decision you make, who and what you have access to, what things cost and somewhat how you will feel towards your wedding for 18+ months.
As you may not make a trip to Italy pre-wedding, or even if you do, this is likely once you’ve secured some major vendors - hiring the right planner is more important than ever.
They are absolutely an extension of you and must be:
Responsive
Detailed
Experienced
Make you feel heard and excited from the first call
Venue: Villa Balbiano
Photographer: Aliciana Centa
3. Trust the process
Accept that things work differently in Italy, especially if you’re looking for something a bit outside of the ordinary.
It takes time to gather quotes, get in touch with people (sometimes planners literally have to go visit people to get answers!), things just work differently. Know what you’re getting in to – make sure your planner explains how things work and what’s urgent/when. Trust your planner to manage all of this for you. Build trust by having zooms and building a rapport.
Photographer: Joey Reger. Venue: Hotel Villa Cipressi
4. Transport
Really consider how transport is going to work and the ease of this for your guests. Especially after a long flight.
Where are guests flying in to?
Is it easy to get to the venue from there?
Is there ample (air-conditioned) accommodation near the venue?
What will it cost to provide transport to your events?
Transport is expensive. Try and get these estimates before locking in your venue to help enable your decision making.
Photographer: D&A Photography
Venue: Borgo Stomennano
5. You’re all travelling far, a three day celebration is a must.
Make sure you factor this in to your budget from the start. Costs are changing and you can’t just get a 20 euro pizza anymore. For full events with quality food and drink, we’re talking 40 euro + pp. Make sure it’s in your budget from the start so you’re not scrimping later. And don’t forget to add a little budget for music and décor.
Photographer: Miki Studios
And don’t forget to over-communicate to your guests.
More is more when it comes to communicating with your guests. Providing as much information as you can when your Save The Dates go out will save you time in the long run. Build a good website with accommodation, travel info and more and field all enquiries through to there.
Website by: White Vines Studio
If you’re looking for more expert advice, supported by Q&As directly with the planners behind La Lista, check out The Club - our membership - launching soon.
You won’t want to miss it.
Written by Lucy White, Founder of La Lista & Wiskow & White, with over 7 years and 150 Italian weddings worth of experience.
