Indian wedding in Italy

Inject some colour in to your wedding day! 

Today I looked towards India for inspiration for a beautiful couple getting married next year. 

This vibrant bride and groom would like to create something spectacular. Something rich, evocative and most of all lots of fun! 

I am thinking Bollywood in Italy! 

Over the past decade, many Indian families have choose European locations for their weddings, especially Italy.

Last year,  Mr Jindal organized the wedding of his daughter at Il Borro, the Ferragamo family estate in Tuscany.  200 high profile guests flew in from around the world, to celebrate with the Jindal family.  

This year, in May, it was the turn of industrial Indian billionaire Pradon Argawal to host the wedding of his daughter Vinita with high profile tycoon Muquit Taje, in Venice.

The wedding ceremonies lasted for three days and one of the main venues was the ultra luxury San Clemente Resort. With 800 guests, elephants (yes in Venice), live performances by Shakira and Gotan project, fireworks over the lagoon and of course the magical back drop of Venice. 

Now I am not suggesting elephants, but I am proposing an injection of colour and something very decadent! 

2012 is going to be a lot of fun!

Personal Thank You cards

As the hight of the wedding season is coming to an end and our brides and grooms are starting their married life together, there is one final task for them to do... write their thank you cards!

While many couples order their thank you cards with their wedding stationary others wait until they get their official photographs and select a photo to be made in to a card.

A few weeks ago I was very honoured when I opened my mail to see that one of my bride and grooms had chosen this photo I had taken of them on the front of their 'thank you' card! 

A couple of years ago, we organised a wedding just outside of Venice with lots of different events including cocktails in a local rustic bar. The Couple sent the owners a very personal thank you card, with their photo on the front, which is to this day still sitting on the bar!...

There is something lovely about receiving a personal thank you and in the age of technology sending cards with a photograph of your special day is such a sweet and easy way to say THANK YOU! 

Venice...

Last night I went to for dinner with friends in Venice. No matter how many times I come in to Venice, or have walked down the same street, I find myself having to pause to look at something that takes my breath away.

Yesterday it was the light of the setting sun on the buildings as we crossed the Rialto bridge, gondolas gracefully paddling along the grand Canal, couples smiling at each other and the feeling that there must be love in a city so magical!

Venice just feels... romantic, making it a fabulous backdrop for your wedding in Italy.

Please contact us for more information on hosting your wedding in Venice.

Glamorous wedding weekends in Italy

This look is great for a formal party that located at near beach or formal pool party.

Chanel Spring Summer collection 2011

A destination bride does not just have to think about her Wedding dress but she also has to think about all the outfits for the other events surrounding her wedding day. After all, everyone has traveled to spend the weddingmoon with bridal couple and all eyes will be on the bride!

This year we have several  wedding's where timeless elegance and glamor are the key elements. One of out bridal couples, getting married in Venice, have invited their guests to a host of events including  a black tie rehearsal dinner on the Grand  Canal  and a day on a yacht cruising the Venetian lagoon!


It has me thinking about old fashioned glamorous wedding weekends in one of the most glamorous countries in the world, Italy! Be it a high society wedding in Venice or a chic wedding in Ravello, a country wedding in Tuscany or a intimate wedding on Pantelleria let's bring back Glamour!

Collette Dinnigan is one of my favourite wedding dress and formal wear designers.
Issa London's beautiful vivid colours in the 2011 collection are stunning mixed with feminine tailoring .

Issa Spring 2011

Audrey Hepburn style cigarette  pants by Lara Miller are a timeless dress up or down wardrobe must!

D&G spring/summer 2011 offer a fresh floaty maxi dress for 2011

Heidi Klein is your one-stop destination holiday shop for bikinis and swimsuits to flip-flops and kaftans

Heidi Klein

With exquisite designs and bold styles Caterina Zangrando offer key pieces that will dress up any outfit and add a quirky sense o fun. Definitely one to watch!

Let us not forget.... Shoes!

These perfect summer strappy sandals in chic patent leather are a new addition for CHOO
I think I will have to do a blog just on shoes!

Winter wedding's in Italy

Amanda Holden's winter wedding

Weddings in Italy are predominately in the summer. People think warm weather, al fresco dinning, summer dresses etc, but in recent years we have been called in to help organise and design winter weddings in Italy.

Cortina

I am currently planning a wedding in one of the most beautiful ski resorts, Cortina. Set amidst the stunning Dolomites, the scenery surrounding Cortina compliments the attractiveness of the traditional town making the resort a truly desirable winter wedding and sports destination. Although the town has an upmarket, glitzy reputation there is a relaxed and friendly atmosphere and plenty of bars and restaurants to frequent in the evening keeping your guests entertained. The skiing is fairly extensive and has something for everyone and there are plenty of other activities to do off the slopes. Some of the hotels in Cortina are a throw back to days gone by, where waiters serve cocktails in splendid uniforms, in opulent suroundings.

Winter wedding

For me Venice is the perfect winter city wedding. Let yourself be carried away by the slow rhythms and enchanted atmosphere of a timeless city suspended between land and water.

Salma Hayek and Francois-Henri Pinault tied the knot in the La Fenice theater in Venice

Be seduced by Venice’s fragile melancholy beauty. Discover the art, the history and the allure of Venice which is both romantic and mysterious. Whose very stones, waterways and richness of its palazzi evoke the glorious past of the greatest sea power in the Mediterranean and thoughts of indulgent Carnevale!

Hotel Danieli Venice

Venice has so much to offer, with her rich ball rooms and grand dames of hotels. Hotel Daniel is one of my favourite locations for winter and summer weddings in Venice. The breathtaking entrance and staircase plus the rich reds and murano glass mirrored restaurant create a warm and vibrant backdrop for any time of year in Venice. Oh and the views from the restaurant which is located on the top floor, are spectacular!

Guide to a weekend long extravaganza!

photo courtesy Thorsen Photography

Hosting your wedding in Italy allows you to offer your family and friends a fun filled mini holiday! Remember it's no longer just a wedding -- it's a weekend-long extravaganza. Here's a Friday to Sunday guide to keeping guests out of trouble.

Warming Up the Crowd

You have sent out the save-the-date cards, set up a web site, given your guests all of the information to make the trip to Italy as easy as possible for them. Your guests arrive and the party begins!

Cocktails on the Grand Canal in Venice

The Prewedding Party

On the Friday night, a welcome cocktails or a BBQ is a great way to break the ice and your guests to meet each other. If you can make this the Thursday night even better but if time does not allow for that then Friday is fine.

However if your guests are arriving on the Thursday then use the Friday for a intimate immediate family and wedding party members dinner party.

Playtime...

Photo by Alfonso Longobardi

Schedule some extra events... Vespa tours, cooking classes, wine tasting, golf days, spa days to name but a few of the possibilities! Send out the ideas to your guests in advance to get the numbers together for people who are interested in taking part. Usually guests are expected to pay for these outings themselves. Just be sure they know who is financing the escapades before you sign them up.

The big day

Offer your female guests the option of booking a hairdresser; again let them know the costs involved. Normally the person paying for the wedding covers the cost of the hairdresser for the bridesmaids and mothers of the bride and groom.

Photo by Milestone images

Put on transport not just to and from the ceremony to the reception but back to their hotels at the end of the nightif not all of your guests are staying at the venue. It is for this reason you want to try and keep your guests staying in the same hotel.

The post wedding brunch

Brunch on the beach

Every spectacular needs a grand finale, think fireworks and operas! The post wedding brunch is a perfect chance to go over all of the events of the day before, to spend time talking to the guests you did not have a chance to talk to on the big day, relax and before you know it you are saying  good bye as everyone heads home....