1. What do you love and find unique about organizing weddings?

Creating a perfect wedding means, first of all, to be able to tailor the event to meet the client’s individual desires. The services I provide are customized to reflect the customers’ needs so that each wedding is a unique event, whether it is small and discreet or a large exclusive party. This is my overall goal! Since I live in Italy and personally know the country so well, I am able to offer my clients the largest selection of areas and locations to choose from.

2. How do you customize each wedding?

My ultimate concern as a wedding planner is setting the wedding up to be the most perfect event that my clients could ever dream of.  I assist my clients by becoming both a friend and partner in their wedding preparations.  A wedding is likely the most important day in a person’s life so far.  I find fulfillment in assisting with everyone involved and materializing what a bride has always imagined.  I come up with ideas and find solutions to create the perfect wedding by listening to my clients needs and desires.

I am confident that I can make a wedding the best possible by allowing each bride complete control of their own wedding.  I provide my services, knowledge, and passion to create what my clients want!

3. How do you go about getting to know your clients and building trust?

Planning a wedding is a long process. Usually people contact me 6 months to a year in advance so we start corresponding via email or via phone daily. The families start to share with me so many things- personal stories, economical situations, family identities, etc. Organizing a wedding is a very personal event so it is kind of natural that after a while we become friends. Personally I am always very responsive and passionate about my job and my clients understand this. Obviously this helps a great deal to build a lasting and trustful relationship.

4. We’ve all heard the term “bridezilla”….How do you deal with a difficult bride?

For me a difficult bride is not a demanding one but the type of person who does not know what she wants…the most difficult thing is to tailor an event around someone who is insecure about everything but at the same time does cannot delegate the organization to somebody else…who they have hired.

5. What do you do when the couple’s family interferes with the planning process?

First of all I always ask the couple how much space I should give to them. My first priority is ALWAYS the couple. Obviously in many cases the family tries to interfere, but if you are able to materialize their ideas in a positive and constructive way, then this could be a nice personal and additional touch without offending anybody.

Especially when a bride opts for a destination wedding in Italy, families feel a need to try and assist in the planning. For this reason they try to add their personal touch in the planning, which is also understandable in some cases. They want to choose the wedding theme, voice decisions regarding the table layout, suggest activities to offer the guests because they feel they have more experience, which is not always true especially when you are getting married in a foreign country with another culture and habits.

6. What advice do you have for brides who are thinking of hiring a wedding planner in Italy?

A wedding planner needs to be reliable and responsive. A person that is able to listen and ready to react in all types of situations.

If you are interested in destination wedding then always opt for a local person of the wedding country who knows directly the vendors, the best venues and suppliers, and who is able to negotiate on your behalf. The perfect knowledge of a territory and its logistics is fundamental for a perfect wedding and to make feel everybody comfortable.

7. What tips do you have to ensure all goes smoothly at the wedding?

1.  Always try to be flexible.  2. Take everyone’s feelings into consideration.  3. If you are marrying into another culture, try to study up on that other culture.  4. Remember to wear a smile since this is a day of joy and nobody is working at his or her desk job.  5. Be tolerant.

Then…well…enjoy because it is truly a memorable day.  It is a very important event that brings friends and family together. So don’t focus on the possibility that something could go wrong but simply enjoy and celebrate the LOVE! Maybe am I too romantic??  It could be… But after all, I am an Italian wedding planner!

When planning a wedding in Italy, or a destination wedding in general, there is of course extra travel to take into account. Couples can do their best to offset this factor by limiting the travel necessary once arrived in Italy, and sourcing everything locally for their big day. Italy is famous for its agriturismi, which focus on local cuisine and home-grown ingredients. This could be a wonderful reception alternative rather than your typical extravagant meal in luxury venues. Supporting local business who source the products native to their land is certainly one of the best ways to reverse the carbon foot-print for your wedding!

Save paper and unnecessary printing costs by using electronic invites, and digital photo albums. Place cards, menus, and programs can be made with recycled papers and non-toxic inks, or for the more crafty couples can be handmade with re-used materials. This is also an opportunity to create something that is original and one of a kind.

Even the bride’s gown and ring can be “green”….not only in hue if she wishes…but in practice! Vintage gowns and jewelry has become more and more popular amongst brides these days. Maybe the older generations were on to something with the tradition of passing down these items from mother to daughter! Natural fabrics that have not been chemically treated, and jewels sourced in ethically correct ways are ideal alternatives if the hand-me-down option is not your cup of tea!

There are really countless ways to reduce the environmental impact in all that we do, so why not be as careful during your wedding as you are in everyday life? Tell us how you kept your wedding “green” in the comments!

The Engagement:

Since Medieval times, a wedding gift or payment from the groom would often be given to bride’s family including precious stones. Today, the diamond engagement ring symbolizes the intent to marry. The Bachelor Party has an even long history dating back to Sparta, where the groom-to-be would celebrate with military comrades the night before the wedding. The role of groom’s men or best man has luckily changed since its origin when it was common that a man would forcefully take his wife and needed back-up to fight off any opposing family members!

The Wedding:

One of the most popular sayings for brides today comes from the Victorian Period. Something Old to represent the past, usually a family heirloom. Something New for good luck for the future, usually the dress. Something Borrowed symbolizing the love and support of family and friends. And Something Blue representing purity and loyalty. Showering the newlywed couple with rice, originally wheat and other grains, after the ceremony is a symbol of fertility. In earlier times, the wedding cake was not actually eaten, but broken over the bride’s head in another fertility blessing. Guests would scramble to gather the crumbs, ensuring their own good luck. I think it’s safe to say we are all glad this custom has evolved as well…especially the bride!

The Honeymoon:

What now has become a romantic getaway for a week or two…for those who can take the time off…used to be a month-long retreat for the newlyweds with a very specific purpose! One theory of the Honeymoon’s origin begins in Teutonic times, where weddings were held under full moons, and the married couple would drink honey wine for a month to fulfill their marital duty! Another theory suggests that this month-long retreat served as a cooling down period for the bride’s family after her capture in not-so-consensual circumstances.

These customs, along with many others, have been carried on and altered throughout the centuries. Nowadays, with more and more multicultural weddings, many couples are combining their family traditions in their ceremonies. It will be interesting to see what wedding traditions will be like in the generations to come!

It is a wonderful and fun way to add a little humor and creativity to your typical wedding album. Photo Booths can be rented, instantly printing out the classic strip of photos. Or, if your budget does not permit it, you can easily set up your own station with a digital camera and some props. Old frames, chalkboards, draped fabric and cut-outs can set the stage for your photos. Then let your family and friends go wild with a variety of props and costumes for some hilarious pictures and memories to come! If you have children attending the wedding, this can also provide hours of entertainment for them as well!

Props can range anywhere from a number of hats, wigs, glasses, or themed costume accessories such as pirates, royalty, animals, or anything else that may come to mind. For the craftier couple that decides to make their own, you can make stencil cut outs of mustaches, lips, glasses, and other facial features.

The wedding ceremony was held in a typical Romanic style church in the Tuscan countryside, while the reception took place on a small farmhouse where family and friends could also find accommodation. A no-frills ceremony without your typical luxury car and driver or opulent centerpieces, simply focusing on the important aspects of this day; to share the love with family and friends in one of the most beautiful regions of Italy.

-What is your ideal budget range? This of course will be a determining factor for how elaborate your ceremony will be, the location, how many guests to invite and so on.

-How much time do you have to plan? Picking a date and location is an essential first step so that you can organize all other services around these. For Civil or Catholic Weddings in Italy, certain documents and paperwork procedures require several months to obtain and process, so that should also be taken into account.

Although last minute romantic elopements are becoming more frequent these days, most couples start the wedding planning process about a year in advance, so we have put together a simple timeline of the key elements to secure and when for your wedding!

1 year – 9 months prior:

Again, Budget, Date and Location are key! Who is helping pay for the wedding? Book a location to ensure availability. Start putting together a guest list and forming your wedding party to start letting key people in your ceremony know about your destination wedding plans. If hiring a planner, do so as soon as possible as they can usually cover a lot of ground for you.

9 – 6 months prior:

Start sourcing your vendors from photographers, to caterers, entertainment, florists, and accommodations. Work with your officiant by putting together vows and run of ceremony. Will you want other speakers during the ceremony? Ladies, buy your dresses! Many gowns require multiple and custom fittings along the way, and you want to make sure you have enough time! Start thinking of a honeymoon. The great thing about destination weddings is that you are already in a gorgeous location!

6 – 3 months prior:

Start the paperwork process for Civil and Catholic Ceremonies in Italy. You don’t want to do it prior to 6 months, as they will expire. Send Save-the-Dates so people can start planning the trip and transportation. If not done so already, determine some final elements such as the wedding cake and favors. Depending on the favor, some may take longer to prepare than others, and you want to make sure your guests have a little token as a reminder of your special day!

3 to 1 month prior:

Finalize all details, and confirm all vendor services. Buy your rings if you have not done so already to give yourself enough time for fittings. Plan your bachelor and bachelorette parties! Send invitations with RSVP in order to get a final count of guests. Send as many final vendor payments as possible in order to avoid last minute or day-of payments.

2 weeks – I do!

Pick up your dress, break in your shoes, and pack for your wedding and honeymoon! Create a timeline and delegate responsibilities if necessary to your bridal party so all details of your ceremony are clear.

These are just a few key points and tips to consider even though every ceremony is unique and requires to be customized. But if you follow these general guidelines, most of the work will be done, and all you will have to do is sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride!

Yes, we’re talking about the “feeding tube” diet. Women can pay anywhere around $1500 for a week-long diet of 800 calories per day, promising a weight loss between 10-20 pounds. We find it a bit strange to think that someone would actually pay for something that is typically considered for those who are in serious medical difficulty and are not able to eat independently. Doctors across the world are responding to this outrageous new fad, and we have to agree with them that this is just going too far. When planning your wedding, make sure to include a fitness routine and sensible diet so as to avoid these extreme measures!

Tell us what worked for you when getting into pre-wedding shape in the comments!

Bright yellows, lime greens and pastels can be combined to mirror the delicate blooming of the fruit trees and spring flowers such as peonies, lilies, and freesias. The intense and rich colors of summer can be represented by the warmer gold of the sunflowers, the rainbow of hydrangeas, the turquoise and aqua hues of the beaches, the coral. Deep purples, oranges, and browns help recreate the warm atmospheres of autumn. Let the season and surrounding be your guide when deciding the color combinations and Flower Arrangements for your ceremony.

What are your favorite color combinations or inspirations?