If you dream of getting married in the beautiful hills of Tuscany, the sunny Amalfi Coast or the sophisticated Lake Como, we’ve brought you all the tips from one of the very best Italian Wedding Planners. @federicabeni_ed is a luxury wedding planner based in Italy with a refined vision for the most unique and elegant weddings and projects.
I have teamed up with her to share 10 tips that you need to know when planning a destination wedding in Italy! Scroll through and let me know what you think!
No. 1
How are you currently dealing with weddings in Italy?
Events have started from 15th June and I know also from colleagues of mine and pros that August and September are going to be really crazy months, even October this year. Personally I had a couple of cancellations, moved again some events to 2022 and I have three more events this year. What drives planners and clients crazy is the uncertainty about how some measures need to be managed, for example check of certificates (what they call “green pass” in Italy), emergency management. Our authorities sent out guidelines without specifying how some aspects need to be realised and what really scares us is how much responsibility do wedding planners have and how much responsibility is in charge to the clients. We all know that especially during joyful and gathering situations people let go and it would be hard to control them, although we were told that we are not controller. The main concern now is for the Delta variation which is starting to spread a little bit in our country as well which combined with the wish of people to take back their lives and to the fact that not all the people are vaccinated, can create some problems in late September and October but we are all praying we won’t go through restrictions again in fall and winter.
No. 2
Which region in Italy is your favorite to host a wedding?
Many areas and regions are beautiful and unique. I am a sea lover so I would say Amalfi Coast, Puglia and Sicily are my favourite but as I said it’s hard to pick up only a favourite one. I would probably be able to give a list of preferred venues instead of regions!
No. 3
What is the average cost for a destination wedding in Italy?
There is no perfect answer for this, couples can spend in a different way. Personally, I can tell you that during the years, due to experience and to my wish to create beautiful unique events for my clients, to remain true to my vision and to my aesthetic, I started to give them an idea of what an average starting budget per guest they had to consider according to the size of the event, to the number of events and to the area where they wanted to get married.
During the past three years I have referred colleagues to some couples who had enquired not because I could not earn that much (I have a flat fee so no matter how much they spend on their event) but because of not enough budget.
No. 4
Tips on how to incorporate Italian culture into a wedding?
You can incorporate Italian culture in many ways, privileging foods, music but most of all aesthetic. We do love foods, good music, but most of all beautiful things that can be the way you dress up your table, the way you create perfect sets for every single moment of an event. I have no one only way to do it but I am inspired by the place where the event takes place, by the local specialities, by the local architecture. The environment plays a big role for sure so I would always turn up my nose if a couple asks to have lemons as a main motif for a wedding that takes place in Tuscany or on Lake Como. I think that choosing an area means picking up most of the typical aspect that characterise it.
No. 5
The 3 most important steps when planning a wedding in Italy
I would say primarly look for a planner, she/he can be a really good help for picking up the best area, the best venue and the best vendors also according to the budget that a couple wants to spend on their event. Once the planner has been confirmed, surely pick up a date and a venue and all the main vendors like photographer, videographer and floral designer. When I work I tend not to have a schedule per month for what concerns the different aspects of the wedding to deal with. All aspects are important to me and I tend to manage them all at the same time so that my couples can get the best dates and the best vendors without loosing good opportunities and options.
Especially during these pandemic times, all couples enquirying for 2022 are risking not to find dates and main vendors available so it is absolutely necessary to be quick and look into several vendors at the same time.
No. 6
Who are the vendors that couples should prioritize and secure first?
As I said venue (for ceremony and reception), photographer, videographer and floral designer but also hair and make up is important and if a couple wants to get the best vendors surely several of them have to be prioritised.
No. 7
Which months are the best period for a destination wedding in Italy?
It depends a lot on the area and on the couple’s expectations. As I always say, forget that summer is always dry and sunny, every year may be different from the previous ones. All couples getting married in Italy dream of an al fresco dinner so I would say that if getting married in the Tuscan country side probably the period of time from mid/end of May up to mid August is surely the best. July may be the month where the weather is surely more steady but it may be really hot, especially in South of Italy and August as well. Each area has its typical aspects in terms of weather so check with your planner before confirming any date and venue.
No. 8
How can brides & grooms choose the perfect wedding attire?
I do offer a consultation service to all my brides and grooms, I love everything that is strictly linked to their look on their special day. Surely dreams a tastes, especially for a bride, play a big role in their decisions but I always tell them that the place where they are getting married and the mood of their event affect the choice of their bridal dress and suit, for example and also of the accessories to combine to them.
No. 9
What are your top 3 choices for Wedding Venues in Italy?
I can’t give you only three, I would treat some of them wrongly and actually this could affect my clients’ choices negatively. There are so many in my list that a three list would not be enough!
No. 10
Do you have any other advice or tips?
Well, it may sound biased but having a planner, especially for destination couples, is essential. Many of them think that they can save money by relying only on the vendors or doing everything by themselves, but if they hired a good, talented and professional planner, with knowledge and expertise, they would actually save money and precious time and realise that there are so many little aspects to deal with that can benefit from having a good professional by their side.
One more tip I feel like giving is don’t book a venue before having booked your wedding planner. Thank you to our expertise we can give our clients the best advice on which can be the perfect venue for them, especially in terms of available spaces and services that they will need. On the contrary they risk to have spaces which are too tight for the number of guests they have or a logistics that according to their vision is not good enough and can force them to spend more on other necessary services (transportation, tent, etc.)
