Sorry for missing out last Wednesday with my last post on destination weddings, I was too busy enjoying our Indian summer (we have been waiting since April!) You gotta make the most of it when Sammy Sunshine comes out in this country judging by the torrential rain at the weekend! So for the last destination on the whistle-stop tour of my search for fabulous wedding venues around Europe, today we’re in Italy.
Image source: Traveldk.com | Travel Planners
There are so many truly beautiful and different areas in Italy: the Lakes (Garda, Como — keep an eye out for George Clooney!), the beautiful cities of Rome, Venice and Milan, the Amalfi coast, the list is endless.
A lot of these stunning areas can be VERY expensive though, particularly the Amalfi coast and Lake Como, favourite of the rich and famous, so it’s worth looking around and maybe not going for the most well-known places if you do want to get married in Italy without taking out a mortgage for it!
Tuscany
Tuscany is an inland area in the North of Italy, accessible from Pisa, Florence, Perugia, Rome and Bologna, with an abundance of stunning venues for a beautiful wedding. The first venue I have found is Castello di Modanella, tucked away in the Tuscan countryside.
Image Source: Castello di Modanella
This venue is ideal for a wedding, particularly for an Irish couple wanting to get married abroad with minimal fuss, with pretty much everything you need in one place. With a minimum of 60 guests the castle can be rented out exclusively. This venue has a beautiful 12th century castle, surrounded by a cluster of Tuscan farm houses, a school and a church, forming a small picturesque village, overlooking vineyards and the Tuscan countryside. A fantastic location for amazing wedding pics!
The simple but charming 16th century church is right on the grounds and can hold about 100 people standing or 60 people seated (and I’m sure a few of the Irish blokes wouldn’t mind standing outside in the sunshine if necessary!). Alternatively a wedding ceremony can take place with the local Mayor in his "Comune".
The beauty of Modanella is there is there plenty of accommodation within the village: there are a wide selection of apartments and houses all located within 1 km of the Castle.
All the wedding details can be looked after by Castello de Modanella, through the in-house wedding planner (for a fee) which is exactly what you want to hear when you planning a wedding from afar. They can organise every supplier you need if you want or you can have as much input as you like.
The canapé and prosecco reception takes place on the beautifully manicured lawns, followed by the wedding meal in the beautiful castle courtyard or in one of the halls inside the castle. Music is only permitted outdoors until 1.00 a.m. but the wedding party can then continue on in the ground floor dancing hall.
At peak periods (July, August) Castello di Modanella can require a week stay but usually a two or three night stay is sufficient at any other time of the year.
Accommodation on Site: Yes / Seats: Various, depending on where the wedding meal takes place
Image source: Borgo di Tragliata
Another similar venue but close to Rome is Borgo di Tragliata, a beautiful rustic medieval village in the Italian countryside. This rustic gem has a church on site and lots of guest accommodation so it would make for a truly relaxing and atmospheric wedding day with minimal fuss.
Similar to Castello di Modanella, the wedding reception can be held outdoors in the gorgeous courtyard for a big wedding party, on the beautiful covered terrace for smaller numbers, or indoors in one of the halls. The indoor rooms are a bit dated and “European” in style but it’s good to have a back-up plan in case of rain.
Again, the Borgo provides lists of suppliers and contacts and they are happy to assist in planning the wedding but you are free to source your own suppliers too. This is a popular spot with Irish couples so it would be easy to find some honest reviews and good tips if this looks like your dream wedding venue.
Accommodation on Site: Yes / Seats: Various, depending on where the meal takes place
Image Source: Zainoo | Castello di Duino| wg.aegee.org
Down south in Trieste, close to the border of Slovenia Castello di Duino perched on a cliff top is a fantastically dramatic location for a wedding abroad, complete with a WWII bunker! Can you imagine what the boys would be up to…
The castle is a tourist attraction in itself but can be rented out for weddings and other functions.
Picture yourself strolling along the romantic paths, taking beautiful wedding portraits in the stunning gardens and then clinking champagne flutes with your family and friends on the beautiful terrace, gazing out to sea. The meal can be held in one of the elegant rooms indoors or outside in the courtyard under the stars.
The little town is just outside the castle walls which is really handy for all your guest accommodation. They can stroll down to the beach for a dip the morning of the wedding and wander up the hill for the wedding ceremony later that afternoon… simply perfect.
Image source: Relais & Chateaux Il Falconiere Thesan Spa via Flicker | Relais Il Falconiere via Trip Europe
The last venue I have to show you is a real gem. Relais Il Falconiere is in the sun-drenched countryside of Cortona and is full of Tuscan charm. This 17th Tuscan villa surrounded by vineyards and olive groves has twenty rooms, a Michelin star restaurant to wow your wedding guests and a beautifully relaxing spa.
Cortona is packed with churches and there is even a quaint 17th century chapel on the grounds of Il Falconiere, decorated with beautiful frescos and paintings.
The stunning restaurant terrace would make for an exclusive and intimate wedding feast and there’s always the option of having the meal inside the relais restaurant.
Il Falconiere runs cooking courses too so you can make your H2B a very happy man and become an expert Italian cook before you leave.
Seats: Approximately 100 people / Accommodation on Site: Yes, 20 rooms
This is just a sample of the type of venues in stunning Italy and maybe it will give you food for thought if you are hoping to travel abroad to get married…
Italy is popular with Irish couples as you can hold your full marriage ceremony in a church in Italy without the need to have a civil ceremony before you go. It’s also easily accessible from Ireland, has stunning scenery, yummy food, great wine and a truly romantic place to honeymoon. It’s certainly not as cheap for a wedding as people may think for a wedding so don’t be under any illusions.
Happy venue shopping!
And watch out shortly we'll be getting the inside track from the experts on how to plan a destination wedding in Italy - Naoise
