Wedding in Italy, a true Italian affair

Italy is a country where matrimonial union is the fundamental cornerstone of the family, and constitutionally, the family holds a significant role in Italian society. There are numerous considerations regarding the institution of the family, viewed as a society within society itself, upon which the lives of a group of individuals intertwine and share their daily experiences. The wedding day thus seals a choice of love that in Italian society represents one of the constitutional foundations. For this reason, wedding in Italy are enveloped in an aura of charm, community importance, and also highly emotional moments. The Bel Paese is not only a globally significant nation from many perspectives but also boasts cities, locations, and breathtaking natural landscapes admired worldwide.

Therefore, it is an important choice, but one of great beauty as well. Italian cities, with their history and breathtaking views, thanks to the extensive coastal stretches, are the ideal settings to fulfill a dream that, in everyone’s imagination, is an event to be experienced as protagonists and remembered for a lifetime. The wedding day holds deep significance in Italian culture, and the distinctive characteristics of each population are immediately perceived, especially during the celebrations and rituals. Getting married in Italy is the epitome of a ritual, and celebrating it is an ancient custom that has undergone unique and interesting evolutions.

Italian history is rich in culture and centuries-old wedding traditions, and celebrating one’s marriage in Italy is an added value capable of truly creating unforgettable emotions and moments encapsulated in indelible memories. It is no coincidence that the Italian “Grande Stivale” is one of the most sought-after tourist destinations, visited by countless tourists from all over the world every year. Southern Italy, in particular, is abundant in dreamy settings and locations, thanks to the natural shape of the peninsula, which is rich in seaside cities, bays, and highly evocative panoramic views that are truly unique in the world. A natural reservoir of history, wonders, and incomparable customs, Italy truly is the Country of Love.

Organizing a wedding in Italy and the bureaucratic process to follow

Realizing the dream of love and getting married in Italy is possible for everyone, even for those who do not have residency in Italy. While Italian residents or domiciled individuals only need to go through the official publications, those without residency can present a declaration from the competent authority in their country of origin, attesting to their eligibility to marry, known as the “nulla osta al matrimonio” (no impediment to marriage). This document certifies that there are no legal obstacles to the marriage according to the laws of the individual’s home country. Generally, the document should be issued by:

• The Consular Authority in Italy
• The competent authority of the individual’s home country

A simple attestation is required to certify that there are no impediments of kinship, affinity, adoption, or affiliation between the future spouses, nor any other impediments outlined in the Civil Code. While there are various specific cases outlined in the code, marriage in Italy, except in the presence of impediments, is guaranteed without obstacles due to its constitutional importance, in adherence to democratic principles.

Apart from the bureaucratic procedures, marriage in Italy is open to all, whether one chooses a civil ceremony alone or also a religious one, within the recognized religious denominations in the national territory. The latter is fully valid for civil purposes as well. With these simple rules, the marital union can be sanctioned by the State and celebrated by all those who wish to live a true dream of love, entirely made in Italy.

The locations for weddings in Italy, the Divine Amalfi Coast

The celebration of marriage in Italy is so deeply felt that it would be enough to fulfill the desire of many couples from abroad to get married in Italy, in order to give their wedding a profound emotional experience. The emotional charge of marriage in Italy spreads from the very beginning, from the ceremony itself, the participation of Italians, the cultural significance it holds, the sociological importance attributed by the community, to the symbolic elements of the rituals, the beauty and gentleness of the gestures and ritual phrases during the celebrations. Undoubtedly, Italian weddings are authoritative, but even more relevant are certain unique characteristics of Italy that are famous worldwide: taste, musicality, harmony, and interiority. This imaginative energy continually reveals a story of exceptional places, romantic settings, and unique atmospheres, in a whirlwind of emotions. Simply visiting southern Italy as a tourist means being catapulted into an astonishing tour, filled with good food, breathtaking landscapes, traditions waiting to be discovered, and captivating experiences that will leave you in awe.

This is Italy, and especially southern Italy, with its marvelous coastal locations. Known as “the Divine,” in Campania extends a stretch of coastline south of the Sorrentine Peninsula, overlooking the Gulf of Salerno—the renowned Amalfi Coast. The Divine Amalfi Coast is famous worldwide for the wonders it offers: cliffs, beaches, coves, bays, terraces of citrus groves, scents, and natural colors typical of places kissed by sea breezes and sheltered by mountains. In these locations, there is also a natural fertile condition for the production of raw materials and typical products known worldwide. There are many cities and characteristic villages along the Amalfi Coast, each known for elements that immediately bring to mind the beauty of Campania. The Amalfi Coast has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997, undoubtedly filling Italians with pride.

There are numerous coastal beauties in Campania, but if you’re looking for a location for your wedding in true Italian style, we can identify four well-known places, scenes of dreamlike settings:

• Ravello
• Positano
• Sorrento
• Amalfi

These four gems are all waiting to be discovered.

Ravello, the diamond of the Amalfi Coast.

Nestled on the coast, Ravello is a beautiful town rich in cultural and musical traditions. In fact, it has been hosting a renowned Italian music festival for years. This city, dense with harmony due to its musical heritage, overlooks other towns along the coast, offering an extraordinary panoramic view of the Gulf of Salerno that is enchanting and evocative. The seascape is the closest to an ideal vision, accompanying the emotions of the wedding day, where the atmosphere and surroundings frame the feelings, fueling that scenic effect that only the sea can provide. At Photò Studio, we specialize in wedding reportage, photography, and videography, and in Ravello, we strive to create original and emotionally charged works. The locations in Ravello have the power of expression, as if their immense solemnity and beauty speak to all who lay their eyes upon them. The geographical formation of the area allows for expansive views from above, and from the mountains, the gaze directly overlooks the coastline that stands out against the sea. Looking at this spectacle immediately instills a sense of eternity and vastness that only the coastal locations of Campania, and a few others around the world, can bestow.

Ravello has been an inspiring place for many artists and intellectuals of the past. It is one of the most important tourist destinations along the coast, housing a Gothic-style cathedral with a fascinating museum right in the center of the city. In Ravello, one can find marvelous terraces, gardens, and villas that leave little room for words and are known worldwide. These villas and historical residences are perfect venues for organizing a wedding, truly bringing fairy tales to life.

Villa Cimbrone

One of the most renowned locations in the entire Mediterranean, Villa Cimbrone is a prestigious hotel with rooms and spaces dedicated to the most important events. The villa, with its terrace and various event areas, boasts one of the most beautiful gardens on the Amalfi Coast, adorned with floral compositions that enhance the enchanting atmosphere. Another unique aspect of this location is its versatility: it can accommodate various types of ceremonies.

At Villa Cimbrone, you can experience an authentic Italian wedding while admiring the natural beauty that attracts thousands of visitors from around the world each year. It’s the perfect setting for an Italian-style wedding, a truly memorable celebration at Villa Cimbrone.

Hotel Caruso

Hotel Caruso is housed in a historic building that blends contemporary and ancient styles. It offers magnificent rooms and terraced gardens where you can experience your wedding day amidst wonder and history. It is an elegant choice that combines two aspects: incomparable locations of great value and the breathtaking view of the Amalfi Coast, renowned for its unmistakable colors that have brought glory to the shores of Campania.

Its famous infinity pool, renowned worldwide, provides the sensation of being “suspended between heaven and earth.” It is a place that evokes immense emotions and has inspired the visions of many intellectuals and luminaries who visited there to “face the great beauty” of Italy. Hotel Caruso is known as “a paradise between heaven and earth“.

It is an excellent representation of Italy, blending millennia of culture with aesthetic beauty.

Villa Eva

Villa Eva is another fantastic setting in Ravello for a wedding surrounded by nature and elegance, allowing you to personalize the entire reception. The richness of the garden, which overlooks the sea, creates a unique emotional impact.

One of its special features is the ability to make use of many elegant spaces to organize a “roaming” wedding event, with different moments in different locations, each with its own style. The beauty of the colors enlivens a rarefied and crystal-clear panorama, offering extraordinary views. Villa Eva is a location that allows you to organize a diverse and completely personalized wedding. Italian taste, warmth, and the enchanting Amalfi Coast—a special mix for a true Italian wedding.

There are many wedding locations in Ravello, each with its own unique characteristics, while maintaining the common feature of allowing you to experience your Italian wedding in the splendor of the coastal scenery. The Divine Amalfi Coast is the most characteristic place in all of Italy for the fateful day of “I do.”

Positano, the Pearl of the Amalfi Coast

Positano is a small jewel on the Amalfi Coast, renowned worldwide. With its trails, breathtaking views, the famous Emerald Grotto, the Path of the Gods, and beautiful beaches, Positano offers not only landscapes that are immediately recognizable everywhere but also a rich tourism experience with numerous activities that are seamlessly integrated into the scenery, allowing visitors to unwind and connect with their spirits.

Positano is the place where the soul finds balance with the cosmos, in a reciprocal correspondence—a connection that has been praised by thinkers throughout the ages as the true key to happiness. From every perspective, Positano may very well be “the gateway” to happiness.

The town is structured with small intertwining alleys, creating a unique and original urban framework to explore. That’s why it attracts a large number of visitors every year, seeking the true beauty of Italy among its sunlit streets, terraces, and gardens. Everywhere you turn in Positano, you encounter Italy and wonder.

Known as the most beautiful postcard of Italy, with its characteristic pyramid of colorful houses descending from the top to the sea, Positano is also a mythical city in the culture of the past, inhabited and visited by the sirens that came from the surrounding islets. The figure of the siren is a recurring myth in Campania, including Naples, because it is said that it is in these places that the sirens have left their eternal beauty.

Culture, ecstasy, nature: Positano is the pearl of the Divine Coast. Getting married in this place immediately gives the sensation of living a dream, and the locations contribute to making the landscape spectacular. They are perfectly harmonious with the natural treasures of the area, designed to enhance that invaluable richness.

Hotel Marincanto

Located in front of an 18th-century villa, with gardens and terraces overlooking the sea, Hotel Marincanto is a mystical place completely immersed in nature, where everything seems to fall into silence and admiration of the infinite. The location offers elegantly designed indoor spaces that are fully available to all guests.

At Hotel Marincanto, weddings can be organized in a versatile, intense, and participatory manner. You can choose the reception according to your desires, from an intimate and cozy moment to a wedding on the terrace, or even a private ceremony in the ancient villa called “Incanto” with a suspended garden where you can admire the panorama. Ancient and modern: the villa teaches us that everything changes except for the eternal beauty of the sea.

Hotel Marincanto is a place where you can truly tailor your wedding to fit your dream. A complete staff will guide you through the entire process, involving the couple in choosing the most suitable and heartfelt options.

Villa Magia

Located in the center of the city, at Punto Reginella, along the famous staircase of San Giovanni. Thanks to its position, it offers views of the two most renowned beaches of Positano. Villa Magia combines beauty with comfort. It is one of the few locations that can be reached without having to climb stairs, making it very central and convenient.

At Villa Magia, you are guaranteed wonders as it sits atop the pyramid of Positano. The view stretches out in a serene and inviting atmosphere. It boasts one of the most exclusive panoramas in Positano, making it ideal for those who want to organize a wedding in a relaxed setting, surrounded by one of the most beautiful places in the world. Villa Magia is truly enchanting, nestled in the heart of a paradise that will make your wedding truly memorable.

Le Sirenuse

A very unique and suggestive complex with excellent traditional Neapolitan cuisine, Le Sirenuse is a hotel with event rooms and terraces, located 70 meters above the sea. It is an unparalleled oasis of peace and incomparable silence, giving you the sensation of being catapulted into a parallel reality of immense and spectacular visions. The particular organization of the complex has a distinctive feature: 400 candles illuminate the terraces in the evening, making the infinite horizon of the sea even more admirable, while clearly inviting reflection and relaxation. Le Sirenuse is also a location for a typical Italian wedding: surprises, taste, the music of the mandolin, and a typical Positano atmosphere. A true Italian experience.

Sorrento, the Inspiring Muse of Culture

Sorrento is perhaps the queen of all Italian destinations. It has always been an inspiration for artistic, literary, and musical compositions, rightfully earning its place as the most inspiring muse among the best-known Italian locations worldwide. With ancient origins dating back to the Greeks, it was the birthplace of Torquato Tasso.

In the 18th century, Sorrento became a reference point for intellectuals and philosophers during the Grand Tour, including Nietzsche, who wanted to get to know the Mediterranean in depth, discovering its secrets and beauties. Perched on a hill overlooking the sea, it serves as the gateway to the beautiful Sorrentine Peninsula. Rich in history and culture, the city of Sorrento is designed in such a way that its picturesque center adds even more color to the spectacle of the sea. The natural combination of nearby mountains and its coastal location makes it one of the most sought-after and complete destinations in Italy. In fact, staying in Sorrento is fantastic from all points of view, as it offers guided tours, itineraries, and sensory experiences.

Sorrento has one of the most significant hospitality and tourist heritages in the world. It is a welcoming city that immediately invites you to immerse yourself in a monumental world, with basilicas and churches showcasing Gothic and Baroque artistic influences.

The Campanian atmosphere is immediately perceptible in the excellent gastronomic culture, the customs of the local people, and in all the facets that make this place a natural hub offering the best panoramas in Italy: Mount Vesuvius, Mount Faito, and the Gulf Islands. Its rare beauty was undoubtedly born in Sorrento and remains intact.

Sorrento is also a creative and sports-oriented city. Thanks to various organizations and facilities, recreational underwater activities such as snorkeling, kayaking, fishing tourism, and trekking can be enjoyed.

It is a place where the senses find peace and rejuvenate through the perception of various cultural and landscape aspects, where beauty is truly eternal and imparts its beneficial strength to all visitors.

Getting married in Sorrento is a must both in Italy and abroad, thanks also to some very unique and trendy locations.

Hotel Cucumella

Hotel Cucumella is the oldest 5-star hotel in Sorrento, and it corresponds to the place where intellectuals of all times, such as Freud and Goethe, used to stay, discovering the magical beauty of the Divine Coast. Cucumella is located within a centuries-old park overlooking the sea, surrounded by lush greenery, with gardens of ancient plants and one of the most characteristic sea views along the entire coast. Organizing a wedding in the venues of Hotel Cucumella has great historical beauty as well, as its halls are those of a renovated 17th-century cloister. Every year, the hotel organizes wedding events in an atmosphere of great elegance for those who intend to make a truly refined choice.

Grand Hotel Royal

The Grand Hotel Royal in Sorrento, besides its exceptional location with a lush green park and a terrace overlooking the sea, stands out for its attention to every detail. Located just a short distance from the city center, among the distinguished features it offers is undoubtedly its refined and delightful cuisine. It is a highly classy and intimate place where peace and natural beauty come together to create an exclusive experience for the couple and all the wedding guests. The Royal is a choice that allows you to enjoy the best of what Sorrento has to offer, including gastronomy, beauty, and special atmospheres.

Villa Angelina

Villa Angelina is another guaranteed destination for a true Italian-style wedding. It is an entire green amphitheater where a Roman column from the underlying Temple of Hercules also reigns, creating a paradise where art, history, and captivating vistas come together to create an unforgettable experience. The villa typically hosts various types of events, from institutional gatherings to artistic exhibitions and notable celebrations.

It is a place where the seasons do not change the essence of its landscape: it remains vibrant, whether in summer or winter. It offers a different spectacle every time, for every passing day, in every season of the year. Villa Angelina is one of the preferred destinations for a wedding in Italy, allowing you to connect closely with the deep roots of this land.

Amalfi, the Heart of the Amalfi Coast

Giving its name to the entire coastline, Amalfi is a land of ancient history. It is the oldest Maritime Republic, and its historic center showcases the typical Mediterranean architecture. Urban streets blend with a myriad of alleys and porticos: visiting Amalfi is an all-encompassing experience, as breathtaking views accompany a historic center of great monumental value. The Cathedral of St. Andrew the Apostle boasts a polychrome facade of great beauty, known for its uniqueness and serving as a major tourist attraction.

In Amalfi, it is not only the view of the sea that evokes immense admiration. The paths and guided tours starting from the Lattari Mountains showcase the natural spectacle of clearings, woods, and streams. Amalfi is an ecosystem where a favorable microclimate guarantees an extraordinary variety of flora and fauna. It is a small natural paradise that stretches from the mountains to the sea. The truth is that Amalfi is a city of immeasurable riches, astonishing in its ability to reveal countless small aspects day by day, as if slowly unveiling itself.

Among the many experiences one can have in Amalfi, the multisensory experience is the most powerful. Visiting Amalfi opens up a journey that is not only physical but also internal, discovering visual and olfactory sensations and all those that transport our best emotions. It is an Italian location capable of stimulating an inner encounter with ourselves, immersed in a paradise that truly exists. Moreover, the opportunity to organize excursions and itineraries connecting various cities along the Divine Coast in a real tour is another opportunity not to be missed. A panoramic visit to the cities that always remains in the hearts of the numerous visitors from around the world who flock to the coast every year.

Authentic nature, breathtaking views, unique experiences, and high-level culinary traditions—Amalfi is a continuous expression and symbol of the Divine Coast. Each locality on the Amalfi Coast reminds us of all the others, yet each one is unique in its own characteristics. They resemble stars in a single constellation, and that is why they have contributed to spreading the beauty of Italy as something truly exclusive throughout the world.

Three locations, in particular, in Amalfi are ideal for celebrating your wedding day. You can organize celebrations in the presence of unique views in the world and in highly curated environments that ensure comfort at every level of need, whether for a large number of guests or intimate wedding banquets. The city of Amalfi is perfect for a true Italian and Mediterranean wedding.

Torre Normanna

Romantically nestled along the path from Maiori to Amalfi, Torre Normanna is the center of dreams. The structure can be accessed through its private beach, reaching it by boat, or through the evocative walls of the extraordinary city that hosts it. It is an ancient medieval tower that preserves some fascinating historical features and offers two exclusive sensory experiences: dining tables set on the cliffs in a suggestive atmosphere and the beautiful view of the sky and sea merging in chromatic harmony at a specific time. It is an unparalleled spectacle. Torre Normanna provides an experience in true contact with the marvelous Amalfi territory.

Hotel Santa Caterina

Located just outside Amalfi, Hotel Santa Caterina is a marvelous calling card for the city. It is a luxury complex known for its refined atmosphere, seemingly detached from the daily chaos, and is aptly named “the terrace overlooking the blue.” The restaurant “Glicine” inside the hotel, awarded a Michelin star, is led by a renowned chef in the international culinary scene and offers sophisticated menus and renowned fine dining concepts.

The beautiful location is a Liberty-style villa, elegant and intricately detailed, with the possibility of celebrating directly on the terrace overlooking the sea. Relaxing, serene, and stunning, the Santa Caterina complex is a choice of utmost luxury. It provides a perfect frame that pays homage to the splendor of the surrounding panorama.

Anantara Grand Hotel Convento 

Anantara Grand Hotel Convento is another historic complex where you can organize a wedding of great significance, in a highly prestigious setting, while enjoying the maritime spectacle of the Amalfi Coast. It is a monumental location with a rich stylistic and architectural heritage, as the building was originally a 13th-century convent, of which the structure still preserves the original cloister and church. Thanks to its position on top of an 80-meter cliff, the scenic value of the location is extremely high, providing a magnificent view from above in a unique setting. The structure appears perfectly nestled and harmonious on the coastline.

The Amalfi Coast locations for a dream wedding reportage

Getting married in Italy is a choice to be fully embraced by anyone who wants to be the protagonist, for a day, of a true film, one with real plot twists. Moreover, getting married in Italy is an advantageous decision that ensures excellent organization, immediately accessible, without many bureaucratic obstacles.

The concept of marriage in Italy also symbolically holds significant value thanks to the ancient tradition associated with matrimonial union, which is highly relevant in Italian society and deeply felt by the Italian people. Within this tradition, the Amalfi Coast, known as the Divine Coast, is undoubtedly the ideal destination for organizing celebrations and, from our perspective as professional photographers and videographers, the most enchanting setting that Italy has to offer among its many beautiful destinations. The Bel Paese holds a world record in terms of tourism, thanks to its extraordinary charm.

We are highly experienced with the locations along the Amalfi Coast and have delightedly explored every nook and cranny, immersing ourselves in the rich cultural tradition and being in close contact with their unique characteristics, which are widely recognized around the world and profoundly captivating. The Amalfi Coast is a world that we, at Photò Studio, always invite people to discover, and what better time to do so than through a personal and intense experience such as a wedding.

Wedding reportages along the coast, encompassing images, footage, photos, and evocative moments, beautifully represent a significant part of our expertise, an irreplaceable source of inspiration throughout our careers. Needless to say, the nature in southern Italy has gifted us with unparalleled vistas that, even if only experienced once in a lifetime, will wonderfully be forever intertwined with such a momentous decision on the day of “I do.”

We can confidently affirm that getting married in Italy is truly a sublime experience in life.