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Pre-Wedding Planning
What made you choose Italy as your destination for your wedding?
Living abroad, it’s very important for us to stay connected to our Italian roots. We also wanted to be close to the sea, that’s why we chose not only Italy as our destination but also Sicily, the birthplace of my grandmother.
What was the inspiration behind your wedding location in Italy?
We were looking for a venue that was a masseria, with the typical courtyard layout to host dinner and guest rooms all around. The moment we saw our venue, the Commenda di San Calogero in Brucoli, we immediately felt its authenticity and rustic beauty—exactly what we were looking for, and something hard to find elsewhere.
How did you select your venue? Did you visit multiple locations before making a decision?
No, it was love at first sight.
Did you hire a wedding planner, and if so, how did they help with the planning process?
Yes, we relied on the recommendation of a local friend and hired a wedding planner he knew. She was fundamental since we lived far from the wedding location. However, many decisions are personal, and the couple's involvement is still very much necessary.
What was your budget, and how did you manage it while planning a wedding abroad?
Our budget was around €50,000, but we ended up exceeding it by 25%. During the planning, an Excel file proved extremely useful in evaluating every extra and understanding which aspects had the biggest impact on the wedding costs. It helped us make conscious decisions and rationalize the value of each service, beyond purely emotional choices.
Wedding Day Experience - Destination Wedding in Ortigia
If you had to choose one, what was the most memorable moment of your wedding in Italy?
The moment when, right after dinner, during our first dance, all our guests joined us to sing and dance together.
How did your guests react to the location and the overall experience?
They’ll have to tell you themselves! The guests’ comments were incredibly enthusiastic—they were speechless at the beauty of Ortigia, the venue, and the wedding itself. Everyone appreciated the ‘Destination Wedding in Ortigia’ experience for the opportunity to share moments and experiences together over several days.
Were there any challenges or unexpected situations? If so, how did you handle them?
The challenge of having to travel to Sicily frequently for appointments and menu tastings. An unexpected situation, was my mother! My mother made me change the church two months before the wedding because, after visiting the location, we realized that the logistics would be more complicated. So, we decided on a church in the center of Ortigia, where the guests were staying.
Did you incorporate any local Italian traditions into your wedding ceremony or reception such as rituals or live food corners?
We are Italian, so the entire wedding was full of Italian rituals, the church ceremony, the rice throwing and so on... The entire menu was Sicilian, to savor the local delights offered by the wonderful Sicilian cuisine.
In what time of the year did you get married and how was the climate?
We got married in the early days of September, and the weather was perfect (despite the concern, as the days leading up to it had been very hot). It was warm enough but pleasantly breezy.
Post-Wedding Reflection
Looking back, is there anything you would have done differently in your planning or on the wedding day itself?
I would have made different arrangements with the catering to keep the food for longer during the after party, but we didn’t think about it during the planning. Also make sure there was different lighting during the aperitivo, considering that in September the sun sets earlier. And about my dress, I wished I had a dress for dancing and some flat shoes.
What advice would you give to other couples that are considering a destination wedding in Italy?
To gather plenty of information and turn to someone who knows the Italian territory well, has connections with various suppliers, and is unbiased, unlike many wedding planners! And most importantly, don't have ANY expectation on the day, this allowed me to live that day I only lived the emotions of that moment, not focusing at all on what I might have imagined before.
How did you and your guests handle travel arrangements?
Everyone reached the city using the most suitable means of transportation for them. We arranged the transfer from the church to the venue and from the venue to Ortigia, with different time slots for the return journey.
Are there services you gifted your guests with?
We organized a welcome aperitif for all the guests the evening before the wedding to ensure everyone got to know each other and to create a fun, vacation-like atmosphere right from the start!
How did you get on with your suppliers?
Good, absolutely.
Would you recommend a destination wedding in Italy to others, and why?
You would give your guests the greatest gift—the chance to live a mini-vacation full of emotions and joy!
What was the best piece of advice you received during the planning process?
Our friends and family's advice on the songs that framed the different moments perfectly. And don't get stressed on every little detail - really.
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