Destination Wedding Italy
Here are some of the details regarding what makes a Destination Wedding Italy happen and what we will take care of for you:
Group Flight arrangements - your personal wedding coordinator will put you in touch with our flight consolidator for the best prices.
Assistance with Accommodations and Villa or Castle Rentals:
For overall service and ease of arrangements a Villa Hotel is generally recommended. You have the guarantee of constant assistance, full facilities and a top restaurant. Your personal wedding coordinator will have options for all price ranges with web sites and pricing.
Costs to rent a private castle or villa for the reception.
Locations such as castles and other private villas always have an extra rental fee. We have hundreds of villas all over Italy, Tuscany has some of the finest. The fees start at $1,500 USD and go up from there. The top locations are usually around $3,500 USD and can go over to which you must add 20% tax.
Guest Activities
Often, in association with a large Destination Wedding there are 3 to 4 days of exciting activities to enhance the celebration.
* Special picnics and excursions with catering.
* Golfing, hiking, white water rafting, boat excursion (the beach is only 1.5 hours away) followed by fish dinner on the lagoon of Venice.
* Excursions into Venice, Florence or other larger cities.
Rehearsal Dinner
A special rehearsal dinner in a typical restaurant reflecting the region's culinary heritage can be offered to your guests. From 3 to seven course meals starting from rustic local restaurants to luxury 5 star castles. Special wine tasting evenings paired with gourmet menus have been organized to make a rehearsal dinner a little bit different.
Transportation
Destination wedding require specific transportation arrangements from airport transfers to pick-up for the wedding day.
Welcome Package for guests
This can be waiting for each guest upon arrival in hotel and include maps, brochures and welcome gift package prepared for with a
Save the Date Letter
Assistance by staff in furnishing you with details for a "save the date program" with all activities, sign up sheet, directions and hotel pricing and booking form.
Wedding Reception
In Italy the wedding reception includes: 3 to 4 courses plus (if a larger group) a cocktail hour, wines and dessert. Open bar is NOT included. Good quality local wines are included, both red and white plus Prosecco Champagne and other drinks for the aperitif hour. In Italy it is customary to have the following:
1. Welcome aperitif/cocktails with assorted appetizers. These are all set up on an elegant table while waiters circulate with freshly prepared bites from the kitchen. Usually about 1 hour length. A few are laid out and the rest are prepared to order so that there is constantly changing variety.
2. Then you proceed for a sit down meal. The meal can be either a buffet (with fully set tables guests can be seated at) or with a course by course seated meal. Coffee and wines and mineral water included.
3. Dessert, dessert buffet or just wedding cake served after
4. Optional open bar (usually a SET amount and not by consumption)
5. Name cards and table numbers and wedding favours possible. (We offer over 150 wedding favours).
Music for Reception
We use top professionals only. A DJ is the most versatile and less expensive option in that they have the option of playing anything and everything and quickly sensing any changes necessary during the evening. However, we have some spectacular bands. Pricing is best quoted based on your preference as we have 4, 6, and up piece bands that will frankly amaze your guests.
Photographer:
We do work with top photographers. If you want the very best we offer the finest in every region. We need to know what style and preferences you have and realize how important photos are.. You can buy negatives. The cost is based on the number of rolls that are used and depend on the photographer. Here is what a recent bride who was VERY particular said when a prospective future client contacted her:
Sample Response from a client:
Hello Alison,
The wedding exceeded our expectations. Italian Destination Weddings and her team did a fantastic job. Also, just an fyi, I was very nervous about using a wedding photographer that I knew nothing about. Well, the photographs (we just received them back - we were married on August 25th) were absolutely incredible. I have shown everyone up and down the Coast of California and everyone is amazed that wedding pictures could be this good. He just knew what to do and how to take the pictures. I do not know if he is the one which will be used for your wedding (his name is Giuseppe), but if not I am sure you can trust whatever recommendations Italian Destination Weddings provides.
So, to make a long story short - I would highly recommend the company. I literally handled everything via e-mail and a few faxes. It all went off without a hitch (and everyone was really happy to be in Italy so even if something did go "wrong" it would not have mattered because of the location!)
Christine Drage
SAMPLE WEDDING PROGRAM
A Four Day Celebration in Northern Italy
(near Venice)
A 17th century Villa in Friuli
What our wedding coordinators arranged:
1. Took care of All logistics for 120 guests that flew in from 20 different countries: hotels, transportation and relative reservations.
2. Welcome package with gift from bride and groom in every room covering maps, instructions, wedding program list of activities and regional information including shopping, restaurants and daily program.
3. Bus transportation for every activity and staff present for every event
4. Wine region excursion into a prestigious local winery with catered meal in the garden and sampling of 4 different wines.
5. Rehearsal dinner in a typical Friulian restaurant for 90 guests - 7 course menu
6. Menu printing for every meal.
7. Personalized half day cooking course led by the top chef in the region. The meal was then served by waters. Printed recipe booklet
8. All arrangements relative to Catholic wedding in a beautiful 18th century church just steps from the Villa.
9. Aperitif hour in the upstairs ballroom with views of the entire front and back park
10. Opera concert during the aperitif buffet (professional musicians)
11. Sit down reception for 120 in the cellars
12. Midnight dessert buffet with wedding cake
13. Wedding favors for every guest
14. After the candelight dinner in the cellar (12 course menu) a professional DJ led the dancing which lasted until 2:00 a.m.
Sample Menu (Typical of an important Italian wedding)
Welcome Aperitif with Appetizers - Cured San Daniele Prosciutto
- Prosciutto Baked in a Crust
- Frittatine - little frittatas with various fillings
- Local "Frico" with potatoes
- Mozzarelle in Carozza
- Zucchini flowers, eggplant and cauliflower in a golden crust
- Assorted baby seafood tempura
- Aged Montasio cheese with walnuts
- Peperoni, Funghi e Zucchine lightly battered and fried
First Courses - Montasio Cheese sformato with Montasio Sauce
- Hand made Ravioli filled with ricotta and wild Friulian herbs
- Orzotto with duck and seasonal vegetables
Second Courses - Seafood in Brodetto with Polenta
Sorbetto - Lemon Sorbetto
- Filet of Veal with Wild Porcini Mushrooms
- Mixed side dishes
Wedding Cake and Dessert Buffet at Midnight - All top quality wines, Prosecco Champagne,
- Friulian Grappe, Coffee and Mineral Water
Testimonials
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