Vintage wedding in Cortona

When Kyla and Justin first contacted us here at The Italian Wedding Planner asking if they could get married in Italy with less than 3 weeks to plan and prepare all the documents I thought 'I do think this is possible.' It was later that Justin told me that he had contacted several wedding planners on the same night that they decided to get married while on holiday in Italy and we were the only ones who stood up and said lets try! 

Cortona

Although at one point we all thought this might not happen, especially as they are both Australian citizens resident in the USA and trying to get all of the documentation together was at one point a stumbling block. However with their pure focus they took up the challenge to obtain the Australian Nulla Osta and legalising it as soon as they touched down in Rome. 

Town hall of Cortona

Meeting me for the first time, other than on Skype video chats, on a rainy day in Amalfi they handed me the precious document and I hot footed it to Cortona in Tuscany. 

Cortona town hall were fantastic and with the nulla osta in place all we needed was to arrange the witnesses and obtain the Atto Notorio! (Required by law for Australian and American citizens wishing to get married in Italy.) 

The day before their wedding we met with 4 witnesses in front of an official of the state and obtained the Atto Notorio, the wedding was on for the next day less than 3 weeks since the first e-mail! 

Kyla looked amazing in her vintage 60's style wedding dress and her absolutely fantastic shoes! Arriving at the town hall of Cortona, we were all grateful that the sun had come out to shine on this very romantic  Bride and Groom! 

The ceremony was extremely special, the Mayor of Cortona, who's romantic side was brought out by Kyla and Justin holding tightly on to each others hands, obviously very emotional as they took this new step forward together.  It was hard for everyone to hold back the tears of joy as they said their vows to each other. 

The picturesque Tuscan hill town of Cortona, I hope will always have a special place in their hearts. I for one was very touched by their wedding and I shall always have very special memories of their wedding day.

Wishing you both much love and happiness. 

Kelly x

Wedding location: Town hall of Cortona

Photographer: Edoardo Agresti (We can not wait to see the official photos, all photos on the blog were taken by Kelly Hayes)

Florist: Nadia Stiatti 

Hairdresser: Located in Cortona

Translator: Kelly Hayes

Witnesses: A big thank you to Maria and Nathalie who were the witnesses for the Bride and Groom

Last minute destination wedding in Italy

When is the right time to start planning a destination wedding in Italy? In an ideal world I would say give yourself  just over a year, that way you will get the opportunity to visit the venue at the same time of year your wedding will be celebrated.



My advice is book as far in advance as you can, so that it makes it less likely you will miss out on the venue or the photographer of your dreams etc.

Recently I have noticed a higher number of last minute requests from couples wishing to get married in Italy, which is great as we work well under pressure and are very capable of arranging beautiful weddings in a very short amount of time.

If you are booking a late wedding in Italy, unless it is a symbolic or you are already legally married but would like a religious blessing,  give yourself a minimum of 2 to 3 months to get all the paperwork together. If you would like a religious blessing or a symbolic wedding please contact us to discuss you options and possible dates from as early as this May!  

For more information on destination weddings you might be interested to read previous posts:

http://tiwp.blogspot.com/2010/06/destination-guest.html

http://tiwp.blogspot.com/2011/02/top-5-reasons-for-destination-wedding.html

A wedding for two or 200, hosting your wedding in Florence is perfect! Tuscany part 2

Getting married in Florence!  The capital of Tuscany is often referred to as the "Jewel of the Renaissance". With thousands of visitors every year Florence is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful cities in the world and is on a lot of must visit in your life time lists!

Town hall of Florence where civil marriages are celebrated

Florence is a vibrant and fun city full of history and  a lot of heart! In the past we have organised weddings where all the guests are accommodated in a villa just outside of the city, in a hotel in the heart of the city and in apartments dotted around the city. There really is a lot of choice to suit all budgets.

Catholic wedding in the heart of Florence

Florence is one of Italy's iconic cities instantly recognisable by the skyline and the dome of the cathedral, the ponte vecchio and Piazza del signoria....  When I am asked to recommend a city location my preference over Rome is Florence.

There is an elegance to this city and with so many incredible locations to host your wedding celebrations  from a castle over looking the city to a villa owned by nobility or a hotel with views over this beautiful city. It makes it a perfect choice for a city wedding in Italy!



Town hall of Florence

 In Florence there is the American church and the Church of England church in Florence where religious ceremonies may take place. If you were thinking of hosting your wedding celebration at a private villa, both the ministers from these churches would be delighted to come out and perform the blessing.

For non Catholic weddings you would have to be married legally first.

Florence also has a stunning synagogue but please note the synagogues in most cases only marry Orthodox couples who have fulfilled all the religious requirements. If you wish to hold a Jewish ceremony in a villa or castle, we recommend you fly over with your own Rabbi. Although there is a couple of lovely Rabbi's in Italy who are happy to perform your wedding celebration at a private villa.

For part one of our look at locations for weddings in Tuscany please click here

Laura and Chris's Tuscan wedding part 2

Laura and Chris's stunning wedding in Tuscany was split over two days, click here to view their civil wedding in Italy.  Laura is an inspiration, she not only hand made her first wedding dress she also made her bridesmaids dresses! Their wedding was full of beautiful personal touches, Laura's attention to detail and her personal style shines through on her very special day!  Let's not forget the Groom who was looking dapper in an Aquascutum suit and Ferragamo shoes (a nod to the owner of Il Borro!) for the civil ceremony!



Laura looking radiant in a dress by Emma Hope

I just adore her bouquet by  Noosheens’ designs florists from Rome 

Chris and his grooms men wore suits from from Hire Wear Direct. He also bought a waistcoat from Favourbrook which made his outfit different from the others. Laura's mother in law made all the men cravats from the same fabric as the bridesmaid dresses.

Please click this link to view part 1

Beautiful photos by Butler Madden Weddings

Also featured in Before the big day

Top 5 reasons for a destination wedding



Wedding in Rome



Not that you need 5 reasons to have a destination wedding in Italy but we thought we would post this anyway...

1) You Actually Spend Time With Your Guests - At a destination wedding, your guests typically stay a day or two, so there is more opportunity to interact and spend time with them compared to a standard 5-hour wedding at home.

 2) Cost - Destination weddings are not as expensive as you might think. In fact, most destination weddings are considerably less expensive than traditional weddings (assuming you are not paying for travel for your entire guest list). You should also keep in mind even if it compairs to the costs of a wedding at home you get so much more for your money hosting your wedding in Italy!

 3) Every Wedding Requires Travel Now - When was the last time you went to a wedding and nobody had to travel?  No matter where you hold your wedding, over half the guests would have to travel somewhere. So why not have everyone travel to Italy? The location for your wedding shouldn't just be where it's convenient, it should be where you want to get married.

  4) You Like To Travel - If you are a person that wants to see the world, travel and experiance other coltures why not make it a part of your wedding? Few things in this world could be more romantic than a destination wedding in Italy. The country's natural beauty, rich cultural history, and fantastic food lend itself perfectly to a destination wedding.

 5) It Minimizes Tensions - Once you've made the big decision to have a destination wedding, everything else is easy. There's less to fight about with fiancé or parents or future in-laws. Really. I promise.


So, my recommendation to everyone is to have a destination wedding. Take a leap  of faith and be prepared to have the most amazing day of your life!

Canadian citizen getting married in Italy.

Town hall of Siena

Photo by Edoardo Agresti

Couples celebrating a civil wedding in Italy are surprised at the stateliness of the civil ceremony. The Representative of the state wearing the traditional Italian red, white and green sash reads the articles of law governing the rights and responsibilities of married couples in Italian and is simultaneously translated into English.

The ceremony lasts approximately 20 minutes in its pure form but you can personalise the ceremony with your own vows and readings if the town hall agrees to the additions.

You are legally obliged to have an interpreter present throughout the ceremony, even if you or your partner can speak Italian. The interpreter must be a professional who will sign and make an oath to translate accordingly.

Paperwork requirements focus on certification of no-impediment. All paperwork is submitted to the town hall wedding office when you go to sign your wedding promise two or three days before your wedding date. Please note some town halls are happy for you to sign the promise on the morning of your wedding.

Below you will find the legal requirements for a Canadian citizen getting married in Italy.

Do not obtain documents and certificates more than six months prior to wedding date or they expire.

Documents to Bring to the Italian Embassy in Canada:

• Canadian passport


• Proof of Canadian citizenship (Birth certificate, Citizenship certificate, Certificate of Registration of a Birth Abroad, Certificate of Retention of Canadian Citizenship)


• Parents' consent if under 18 years of age.


• Final Divorce Decree or Death Certificate of previous spouse if divorced or widowed.

• Complete details of the future spouse are also required (full name, father's and mother's maiden names, date and place of birth, residence)

• Notice of no impediment issued by the Provincial Vital Statistics authorities in Canada.


• Complete and swear an Affidavit at the Italian Embassy that there is No Impediment to the proposed marriage.

Upon your arrival in Italy:

• A visit to the Canadian embassy is nessecery to obtain a Nulla Osta. This is a sworn declaration by the Canadian citizen at the Canadian Consulate stating that there is no legal impediment to his/her marriage under Canadian and Italian law. After obtaining the Nulla Osta from the Consulate, it must be taken to the Prefecture to be authenticated (legalized), as described below.

• Authentication (legalization) of this declaration by the Legalization office of any Prefecture in any capital city. Office hours are usually from 10am to 1pm, Monday through Saturday. The Italian wedding planner can take care of this on your behalf so you can relax and enjoy the rest of the day.


• A waiver for any woman divorced within the last 300 days, obtained from the Procura della Republica (District Attorney), issued on presentation of a medical certificate that she is not pregnant.

• The Italian wedding planner will then present the legalized Nulla Osta to the Marriage Office of the Municipality, then you can get married!

Town hall of Orvieto

Photo by Edoardo Agresti

For more information please see the links below:

Italian Embassy in Ottawa: http://www.ambottawa.esteri.it/ambasciata_ottawa

The Italian wedding planner: http://www.theitalianweddingplanner.com/

Canada Embassy in Roma


Via Salaria 243, 00199 Rome (Political, Academic, Cultural and Trade Sections)

Via Zara 30, 00198 Rome (Visa and Consular Sections)

tel: (+39) 06 85 25 41

fax: (+39) 06 85 25 43 01

website: http://www.international.gc.ca/canada-europa/italy/menu-en.asp

email address: rome@international.gc.ca

Opening hours: Monday-Friday, 09:00-17:00 (visa section is open Monday-Thursday 08:30-11:30 only, consular section is open Monday-Friday 08:30-12:00 and 14:00-16:00 only)



Canada Honorary Consul in Naples

29 Via Carducci

80121 Naples

tel: (+39) 081 401338

fax: (+39) 081 4104210

website: http://www.international.gc.ca/canada-europa/italy/naples_consul-en.asp

email address: cancons.nap@tiscali.it

Opening hours: Monday-Friday, 09:00-13:00 (call for an appointment)



Canada Honorary Consul in Padova

25 Riviera Ruzzante

35123 Padova

tel: (+39) 049 8764833

fax: (+39) 049 8781147

website: http://www.international.gc.ca/canada-europa/italy/padova_consul-en.asp

email address: consolatocanada.padova@virgilio.it

Opening Hours: Monday-Friday 09:30-13:00



 

Classic Italian style!

After MANY MANY years together Dawn and Darren finally walked down the aisle!
In a weekend celebration they kept the focus firmly on why they were there. Making a decision to invest their energies in the things that are important to them and have managed to cement themselves in my mind as the couple who’s wedding day was not only a true reflection of their personalities but very much about their commitment to each other in front of their friends and families. It was a honour to have translated at their wedding and to have been a part of their very personal weekend of food, wine and much laughter!

Every consideration was thought of to give their guests a wonderful taste of Italia. After their arrived at this stunning villa just north of Venice, they were treated to a wine tasting session by the lovely Claire from Bisol wine

Lots of wonderful wine, lots of laughter!

Bruno 'The king of the BBQ' presents Dawn with dinner!

A very rustic dinner was enjoyed by all in the courtyard before an early night!

  

Guests were surprised by the arrival of these cute little cars to take them to the town hall where the surprises kept coming!

  

A string duet welcomed the guests in to the town hall and played beautifully during the ceremony and cocktails.

Unfortunately as I was translating the wedding this is the only photo I have of the ceremony!

The happy couple exiting in to the town square!

Enjoying drinks and snacks in the local bars hidden garden where the guests were treated to an encour from David Habbin the Tenor from London who brought tears to eyes when he sang in the town hall. 

I can't get enough of these happy little cars!

On the way back to the villa... more to follow!