Wedding photography in Italy: A guide to weddings in Italy

Informative

April 15, 2022

Our studio was born from our love for beautiful and clean fine art wedding photography. Since the first day we are seeking to create timeless photographs for all the couples who are choosing us for their wedding day, so they can enjoy their photos for the rest of their days as husband and wife. We love doing things together, our wedding studio is one of them. Being partners in life and work allows us to work great as a team and always deliver breathtaking images inspired by our couples’ love.

Since day one we’ve been working in Italy we’ve fallen in love with the unparalleled beauty of the landscape and the historical value of the country. Whether you’re opting for a lake wedding or a destination wedding in Tuscany, Italy features some of the prettiest locations for a wedding day. Is it Florence with its stunning architecture, Lake Como and its green magnificence of the Amalfi Coast, Italy is sure to charm your every fiber. From the sea to the mountains, countryside, vineyards, and wine museums to beautiful and elegant lakes and wild nature, Italy offers a wide choice of settings for your destination wedding celebration. Let us share what we’ve found out as destination wedding photographers in Italy! We hope we help you with your wedding journey!

Destination Wedding in Italy

Italian weddings are known to be colorful, vibrant, and fun affairs. From the food to the atmosphere to the lively music, there’s plenty on offer. It’s only natural that a wedding celebration would take place in a country where celebrations are taken seriously. Italy holds a special place in the heart of many couples, whether they met there, have family there, or have been on a romantic Italian trip. With its beautiful villages and towns steeped in history ( hello Val’ D’ Orcia!), it offers a bounty of lovely locations from rolling fields, scenic vineyards, villas, and castles to a vast array of breathtaking cathedrals and churches. You can choose to marry anywhere from the beautiful lakes to Shakespeare’s romantic Verona.

When is the best time to get married in Italy?

The weather in Italy can vary from region to region and obviously north to south. Italy’s southernmost parts are right in the middle of the Mediterranean, whereas the north is close to the Alps and has a more northern European climate. For instance, Lake Como lying more than 400 kilometers to the north of Florence, has very different weather from central Italy. Being close to the Alps, the weather on Lake Como can be unstable all year long, so if you consider having an outdoor wedding there, you always need to check your wedding venue has a backup plan for rain.

Most couples avoid the winter months, which in central Italy are from November to March. April and especially May can be beautiful, but there’s still quite a risk of rain. Italians would opt to marry in June and July, but July and August are the hottest months here. Bear this in mind when setting a date as these months can be sticky and could create discomfort for children and older guests. This is more noticeable in the larger towns such as Florence, Rome, and Venice. Smaller hilltop towns, such as Volterra and San Gimignano get a good summer breeze and are wonderful throughout the summer. September and October are also great months – warm, and mostly dry. Remember that there’s always a risk of rain no matter what month it is, so you must have a fall-back ‘poor weather’ option! Amalfi coast is stunning from Spring to early autumn, with a more easy-going microclimate than locations in the North of Italy. In any case, hiring a wedding planner in Italy will help you in making the right choices when it comes to wedding venues and wedding locations!

Wedding photography in Italy: What makes it unique

For a taste of La Dolce Vita, Italy makes the ultimate wedding destination. Italy is world-famous for its art, history, culture, architecture, stunning sceneries, and overall general beauty which, when coupled with the mouth-watering food and wine, good weather, and welcoming people make it a very desirable wedding destination. Every year thousands of couples choose to have a romantic wedding in Italy, and it’s easy to see why. From the historic and beautiful architecture of cities such as Rome, Florence, and Venice, to a diverse range of stunning landscapes – Alpine, coastal and lakeside, all dotted with picturesque villages, Italy has the charm to spare. It’s easy to see why so many couples get married in Italy every year. From a wedding photographer in Italy’s point of view, the country offers some of the most stunning locations in the world to get married to. All wedding ceremonies or elopements in Italy are bound to look and feel regal and beautiful.

Te best wedding venues in Italy

In Italy, you have a wide selection when it comes to choosing the wedding venue.  Italy is celebrated for fine wine, amazing food, and warm hospitality, and because Italy grew up as a selection of city-states there’s a rich variety of customs and cuisine from region to region. From the lush orange groves of Sicily to the unequaled scenery of the Alps, it offers enormous variety in its natural and historical backdrops too. With its rich history and beautiful, art-drenched cities, Italy is one of the great romantic venues for your wedding and honeymoon. Trends will always come and go, but the experiences that make you two who you today make you one of a kind! So take all of who you are, mix it up, shake it, stir it, and pour it into an epic day to celebrate the beginning of this next chapter in your adventure.

Food for thought: Catch up with our checklist with things to consider when searching for your wedding venue in Tuscany.

set up at villa montanare wedding car for a destination wedding in Tuscany set up at Tuscany

 

What do you need to know before getting married in Italy?

Italy legally recognizes religious and civil weddings. Couples are also free to pursue secular symbolic ceremonies, although they’re not legally binding. The majority of Italian weddings take place in a church, due to the country’s overwhelming Catholic majority and the proximity to The Vatican. However, Italy recognizes religious weddings from all faiths, including Jewish, Hindu, and Muslim religions. In most cases, the marriage process under these religions is similar in any country, including Italy. For non-Catholic religious weddings, a civil ceremony must be incorporated into the marriage before a wedding is officially legal. You’ll be required to prove you’re civilly married before you can celebrate in a religious house of worship. For non-religious couples in Italy, symbolic ceremonies and blessings do take place. The couple should follow the civil administrative procedure prior to the ceremony if they wish for the marriage to be official and legal. For same-sex couples in Italy, civil unions are officially recognized, but same-sex marriage is not.

set up at villa montanare Tuscany set up at villa montanare Tuscany

Getting married in Italy: the Paperwork

You will need to prepare all necessary paperwork required for a civil, religious or symbolic wedding in Italy. Plan to have the following documents at hand:

  • A valid passport or national ID card for both parties
  • Original birth certificate for both parties
  • Divorce papers or death certificate if you have been previously married and divorced or widowed
  • An affidavit, Nulla Osta or Dichiarazione Giurata sworn before a consular office of your home country, stating that there’s no legal impediment to your marriage in your home country
  • An Atto Notorio signed by two witnesses, further confirming no legal impediment to your marriage
  • A declaration of intent to marry will go to the civil registrar

A Catholic wedding may also require some or all of the following documentation:

  • Baptism certificates
  • Confirmation certificates
  • Letter of no impediment to marry
  • Proof of attendance of a premarital course
  • Local bishop’s permission to marry abroad

 

bride in beutiful Tuscany light

The process

Your first step should be to contact your home country’s consulate in Italy. They will advise you on the specific steps you need to take, including the preparation of the atto notorio.

You’ll submit your declaration of intent to marry to the local marriage office in the city’s town hall where your marriage will be performed. This declaration will go to the civil registrar. A translator should attend if you don’t speak Italian. You’re officially invited to set the date of the wedding after this intent is declared.

You should plan the do this at least three weeks in advance of your wedding. Civil notifications must be posted for two consecutive weeks, including two Sundays before a wedding can take place. If neither party is an Italian citizen or resident of Italy, you may contact the office to waive this requirement. You might be able to expedite your waiting period to as little as a day, depending on the local town hall regulations.

For Catholic weddings specifically, you may have to conform to the rules of your local parish, as well as the parish where you intend to marry. Plan to submit all of your religious documents to the local Italian marriage documents no later than seven weeks prior to your wedding date. They must be processed at your consulate and with the Bishop. Contact your local parish and the parish where you’ll marry for specific advice.

At the wedding, you’ll sign your legal marriage license. You will be given an official marriage certificate that’s authorized by the mayor in the municipality where you marry. After the marriage, you should plan to visit the town hall again to present the marriage certificate. There you’ll receive an Apostille stamp which verifies the document and contains a translated copy of the certificate into English.

Food for thought: Wondering how to make your destination wedding more meaningful? Check out our thoughts on how to have an intimate and meaningful wedding!

What should couples know about wedding ceremonies in Italy

Civil ceremonies can occur in any location that’s been approved by Italian authorities, indoors or outdoors. Many villas, castles, public gardens, and town halls are approved for use. In smaller locations, a civil ceremony will be performed by the mayor or a town officer. An interpreter is required if neither person in your party speaks Italian, but they don’t have to be an official translator. The amount of time required between declaring your intent to marry and your actual wedding date will vary by location.

The only church ceremonies that are legally performed without a civil component are Catholic weddings. One person in the couple must be Catholic. You should anticipate a longer planning period for a Catholic wedding, due to coordination between your local church, the Italian church, city officials, and consulates. It’s a good idea to start planning six months before your anticipated wedding date.

Take a look at your home country’s consular or embassy website for more information:

Food for thought: Catch up with our Destination Wedding Advice!

Wedding Photographer in Italy: we’ll make it magical

Our philosophy on wedding photography lies in capturing your most authentic moments with beauty and style. We want you to have an unforgettable celebration and heirloom photographer that’ll remind you how perfect your wedding day was! We will travel by your side to where your love takes you, whether it’s Italy, Portugal, Greece or whenever feels right to marry your favorite human! All you have to do is smile and we’ll make the clicks!

Planning a destination wedding in Italy and looking for photographers to capture your beautiful celebration? It sounds like us! Contact us!

tags

You may also be interested in...

WE GO ABOVE & BEYOND, GIVING YOU STUNNING PHOTOS & AN UNPARALLELED EXPERIENCE

at les anagnou

yiota & paul anagnou

HELLO, WE'RE

As partners in business and life, we specialize in creating heart-stirring photographs. For us, there’s nothing quite as enticing as a destination wedding overflowing with style, elegance and luxury details. And we cannot wait to embark on the journey to capture yours.



we turn one day into lifelong memories

work with us

Pin It on Pinterest