Getting married in Italy is a dream bucket list moment for many. Whether it’s Sicily and its glorious shiny sea or Tuscany with its hills and wine, Italy undoubtedly holds a special place in many people’s hearts.

Not everyone is aware of just what it takes to plan a wedding in Italy, so as someone who was born and raised in Italy and often plans events there, let me give you some tips.

Research

Italy is not only Lake Como or Tuscany. It is a country so beautiful that you could get married everywhere and have the most amazing food and the most unforgettable views.

If you widen your geographic search to regions like Piemonte or Trentino, you will be able to organize gorgeous celebrations that will be much more personalized than everything you see on your Instagram feed.

If you love the idea of exploring venues off the beaten path, get in touch and we will find the perfect venue for you.

The guest experience

If you hire a full service wedding planner, they will most likely ask you what experience you plan on crafting for your guests. Do you need help organizing airport transfers? Buses and cars to the venue, or in between your ceremony location and the dinner location?

If you do want those things, but are not hiring a planner, bear in mind that many of these services hire people with less than excellent English. I do not say this lightly and to offend anyone, but as someone who has organized dozens of events in different parts of the country, it is a recurring issue.
If your guests do not speak any Italian and might feel uncomfortable travelling by themselves with people who don’t speak their language, this might be a friction point. Having a wedding planner who speaks the local language makes all the difference.

The weather

While everyone knows about a rain plan for the wedding day, not that many couples reflect on the hot weather day plan B. Italy, like most of Europe, is getting hotter every summer so it is imperative to make sure that your timeline takes this into consideration. Ask yourself:

• Is the ceremony happening in the hottest hours of the day? Is it outdoors?
• Have we budgeted for extra water for guests, sun umbrellas and fans?
• Does the venue have sufficient air conditioning? Do the bedrooms in the venue have it as well? (sometimes, if the venue is old, not every rooms has AC)

Holidays

If you’re planning everything yourself, be mindful of the country’s holidays. At times, I speak to clients who are left annoyed and frustrated about vendors’ delayed responses. This is because when it is a national holiday, Italians often take extra days off and end up having long weekends.
For example: August is when the majority of offices close. While perhaps wedding vendors don’t completely shut down, there will be delays in replying.

VAT

While Italy will not hit you with hidden fees or gratuity charges, be mindful of the VAT. In Italy, this is called IVA and it varies from 10% to 22% depending on the services. Most quotes will include it, but it’s always good to double and triple check and make sure you are not surprised by any additional charges.

Pre-Payments

While this is not always the case in other countries, vendors in Italy will always ask for a complete pre-payment before the wedding happens. Of course, this is all (or should be) outlined in the quotes and the contracts you sign.

So do not count on the gifted money from your guests, it might not come through and in any case, the payments must be all settled before the event.

Contracts

Stay away from vendors who delay the contract signing, or even share it. Verbal agreements might be made on Whatsapp are almost the norm, but be sure to follow up with an email and get everything squared out properly and legally.

While there are many more tips to share, this is what I am leaving you with today.
Wild Dahlia Weddings is here for you if you want to make sure your wedding in Italy is stress free and magical.