Did you know that there are so many ancient Wedding traditions? Just like that! From the bouquet toss to wearing an accessory belonged to your grandmother, borrowed or blue…Wedding customs remain popular even today and most Brides-to-be choose one to follow. I’ll reveal you surprising italian rituals that every Bride-to-be should know to give her #destinationlove a bit of italian touch. Ready to discover them?

Sing your LOVE!

This tradition is known as ‘La Serenata’ and usually takes place during the eve of the Wedding Day, the Groom in order to surprise the Bride-to-be goes under her window and with the complicity of friends and relatives waits for the Bride entertaining themselves until she appears. A band of musicians begins to play some of the most famous love songs of the Italian tradition serenading his fiancée. The Bride-to-be surprised by the sound of music, looks out the window and finds her Groom holding a bouquet of flowers inviting her to join him. Once the Bride reaches her Groom…the party begins!

Superstitions, superstitions, superstitions

Bridal dresses have superstitions of all sorts, the Bride is supposed to wear nothing gold on her Wedding Day apart from the wedding ring, it is considered bad luck! Actually, the Bride has to wear something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue and something she has received as a gift. Another funny superstition regards the mirror! It is said that the Bride-to-be shouldn’t look into the mirror with her bridal dress on. If she really wants to take one last look-see before reaching her Groom, she has to first remove a shoe, an earring or a glove.

Shower of rice

After the ceremony, as the newlyweds are leaving the Church, rice is showered on them by their guests to symbolise fertility. Only after this ritual, all guests get closer to the couple and personally congratulate them on their union. In some regions in Italy, the Bride and the Groom have to tie a ribbon in front of the Church, the ribbon represents the Bride and Groom ‘tying the knot’.

Dress your guests

Another important tradition about the Bridal dress concerns the dress code of the guests, it’s considered rude wearing white color for their clothing. The Bride should be the only one to wear it!

The Bouquet toss

According to tradition, the Groom is expected to gift to his future wife the bridal bouquet. Generally, the Bride choose the floral arrangement and the theme she wants, the Groom just must have it delivered to her on the Wedding Day. At the end of the ceremony, the Bride tosses her bridal bouquet to her dearest single friends and bridesmaids… the lucky one who will catch it will get married in a year!

Garters & Ties

In some italian regions, especially in the southern part of Italy, Brides traditionally wear a garter. The garter dates back to the 14th century when it was thought that wearing the wisp of lace would bring the Bride good luck. In Italy, the garter is taken off by her Groom during the ceremony and thrown to the wedding guests, just like the bridal bouquet. Instead, when it comes to the Groom… another bizarre tradition is about the cut of the tie. The best man cuts the Groom’s tie into little pieces and the pieces are then put onto a serving dish and sold to the guests.

Wedding favors

At the end of the wedding celebrations, just before guests leave, the Bride and the Groom give tiny gifts to their guests to thank them for their presence. This sort of present, called bomboniere, is a wedding tradition which dates back to the Romans who used them to celebrate unions and births. They’re made of white sugared-coated almonds and ribbons… the number of confetti is a key thing: it should be an odd number, five or seven as a symbol of good-luck.

The theory goes that the Bride who follows these unique traditions will live happily ever after with her half and something joyful will happen to her loved ones.

I’m waiting for you to live together an unforgettable Italian #destinationlove

Alessandra

For the majority of Future Brides, looking for the flawless bridal dress is the most dreamed moment of the whole wedding planning. As is usual, countless brides-to-be dream about their bridal dress for a very long time!

If you’ve planned to get married during the next season and you’re literally dying to try your dress on, browsing magazines and websites looking for your own style, I’m gonna give you my top-tips to jump into your search really ready for!

Research, research, research

Ball gown, a-line or mermaid?! First and foremost, you should have thought about what kind of dress you want, browse magazines and websites, set your Pinterest board up in order to collect your ideas and show it once in the showroom. The more details, the better!

Schedule different appointments

Once you have a clear idea of what you want, it’s time to schedule appointments! In case, you have specific designers or stylist in mind, find out which showrooms have their bridal collections. The day you first try on a bridal dress, it has to be a stressless one…Doubtless, the best day to try your potential bridal dress is Saturday. Go for it!

Less is more

Just like in the movies, the Bride tends to bring her team of maids or family members. Wait! Less is more when it comes to the most important choice of your life. I suggest to invite your dearest just to your last fitting and surprise them revealing your choice!

Don’t’ forget your Venue

Where and when are you getting married? Your Venue is the key thing and it will be helpful in your search. If you will be having an open-air ceremony on the beach or in a garden, you should avoid ball gowns with long trains…they would be ruined after your first steps. If you’re exchanging your vows in an elegant Cathedral, you should avoid short or backless dresses.

Try on everything

Even if you already have your style set, make sure you give other styles a go at your first appointment. You may be surprised by what you find!

Wear a light makeup

You’re going to try on expensive wedding dresses in ivory, white, champagne… Wear a minimal makeup in order to have a natural and candid look…just as you will be on that special day!

Say your YES out loud

Don’t be surprised if you find your dress at the first stroke! Trying on hundreds of dresses will not make your choice easier, usually it just complicates things. Hence, if you find the bridal dress you love the most, go with it and say your YES out loud!

Have fun

The choice of your bridal dress will be one of the best moment of your life. You’ll surely be the center of attention because you’re…the bride-to-be. Have fun!

For this and for many other important moments… I’ll stand by you for your #destinationlove

Let 2021 be the happy one!
Alessandra

Deciding on the seating arrangements for your guests can be one of the trickiest tasks in wedding planning. Yes, I fully understand it! Usually, invitees like to know where they’re sitting and with whom and if you’re having a considerable number of guests, a hundred or more, you’ll want to make sure everyone sits at the right table.

There are many couples who start their seating arrangements just some days before their ceremony, but I’m sure you will have more important things to think about at such times. Since you have enough time to think about one of the last tasks on your wedding-to-do-list ….Here come my tips on how to arrange the wedding seats!

Table shapes come first

Before you start your seating arrangements, you should have already pick the shape of your tables. The size and the shape of your tables will tell you more about the number of invitees who can be seated at each one. Traditionally, round tables tend to be the most preferred ones… but lately even the imperial tables are in vogue allowing a greater number of seats due to their capacity.

Bear your venue in mind

When it comes to setting tables and guests up, the second most important point is definitely your venue! Older guests, for example, may prefer to be seated a little further from the band or out loud music. On the flip side, your friends may prefer to be given the best seats in the room to join the dance floor with you!

Mix & Match your guests

Once you’re sure about who’s coming to your ceremony, mix and match your invitees according to their relationships and interests creating true and proper small groups of people, such as: family members, old friends, work colleagues, distant relatives and so on. This will help you to make every guest feel comfortable with other invitees during the wedding ceremony having a pleasant chat or why not meeting new people.

Where and with Whom?

Classically, the newlyweds seat at their ‘special table’ in the middle of the room – where everyone can see them – and depending on how large the table is…the Groom and the Bride could sit with the maid of honor and the best man. Regarding the parents of the couple, they often take sit opposite each other at large family tables, with grandparents or close family friends. Considering another option, you could also arrange them at the same rectangular table if it is long enough!

Keep your friends close

Your friends should take a seat at the third-best tables in the entire room. You should bear in mind: the first is the newlyweds’ table, the second is parents’ table and the third nearest table is reserved to your coolest friends!

Don’t forget the kids

If you’re inviting several kids to your ceremony, you should seat them together at the ‘kids’ table’. Do not forget give them some activities in order to keep the kids busy during the lunch or dinner – their parents will appreciate it! On the other hand, if your flower girls and the ring boy are the only kids invited, let them simply seat with their parents.

Wedding tableau & place cards

As soon as you’ve figured out where to seat everyone, you need to decide how to lead them to their seats. Usually, places are displayed by table in a Wedding Tableau placed near the entrance of the reception, listing your guests’ names with their assigned tables. In addition, if you want you can place cards at each table to give clear seats or leave your invitees free to choose how to seat by themselves.

I’m here for these and many other tips on how to plan your #destinationlove together.

Let 2021 be the happy one!

Alessandra

As many engaged couples who are getting married during this year, you are forced to handle a wedding postponement and reschedule your wedding celebrations too. Probably, you’ve already slowed down your planning process and went for a change-the-date, but luckily your invitations weren’t ready and sent yet!

Wedding invitations are one of the key things to focus on during your wedding planning. Here, you’ll find out everything you need to know about Wedding Invitations.

Choose Your Style

Your Wedding Invitations give your guests a first idea about what kind of ceremony your wedding will be, so the style of your invitation will say a lot about your marriage: classic and elegant… or casual and romantic?

Whatever the style of your ceremony is, your invitations must represent it to the fullest! If you want to give a romantic touch you should opt for a classic calligraphy or modern graphic design if you prefer a sparkling look.

Match with your Colours

Never forget your Wedding Colours! In order to give your entire ceremony a cohesive look, you should incorporate your colour palette into your wedding invitations as well. Basically, brides-to-be go for ivory, cream or milky-white paired with a dark color which highlights the texts… You could also opt for lively hues, pastel colours or gold and silver metallic fonts. And then, carry them throughout the rest of your wedding paper such as cards, stationery, menus combining them with your venue for example.

Play with Shapes

If you don’t want to choose the classic rectangular shape for your wedding invitations, you could focus on modern and alternative forms such as circular or squared shapes in order to give your invitations an original look!

Choose accurately Your Words

The wording on the invitations should be accurately thought. Traditionally, the main information to be included are bride and groom’s name, date of the big day, general information about location and reception and finally time of your ceremony. You might use traditional wedding invitation wording such as They celebrate their union or informal invitation wording such as Celebrate our Wedding with us, for example. Furthermore, be sure to give your guests a deadline to confirm their presence at your wedding including a final line such as The favor of a reply is requested by… or a more informal one such as R.V.S.P. Last but not least, do not forget your thank-yous!

Put a decoration

Add some personal touches to your Wedding Invitations such as a wax seal with your initials, a ribbon, a tiny flower or a scented item. Your guests will feel pampered from the get-to!

When to Send

Generally, invitations should be sent 3 or 4 months before the Wedding. You & your Hubby-to-be have been planning your big day for the last year, but your guests need to save the official date on their calendars in advance. Moreover, if you’re having a Destination Wedding, you should send out your invitations even earlier… your guests may also need to ask for time off from work and make hotel reservations.

Book your Wedding Bond!

Wedding Amalfi Team can’t wait to meet you to design, step by step, your destination wedding and your bachelorette party together. As a wedding gift, I will be happy to put at your disposal a Wedding Bond and freeze my fees for the wedded-to-be 2021 offering them the same fees of 2020. My goal is to make dreams come true!

Alessandra

The lockdown is nearly over and nothing can stop us from fantasizing about a dreamy bachelorette party. Your bachelorette is literally one of the most memorable and funny aspects of planning your destination wedding and having your bachelorette party on the Amalfi Coast, makes it even more memorable. As often happens in movies, bachelorette parties generally occur so close to the wedding day, just the night before. This isn’t exactly true, the majority of bachelorette parties happen within the month prior the wedding. Can you imagine anything funnier than your bridesmaids and you, the moon, pizza and the Amalfi Coast as a frame of these hilarious moments? You are Wow.. let’s wow your bridesmaid!

Here’re my tips to have a bachelorette-of-a-lifetime on Amalfi Coast that will make you daydream!

Enjoy Local Experiences

Your first time on Amalfi Coast? Well, you could spend your bachelorette weekend getting to know our Coast with local tours and interactive activities, such as boat rides. While, if you and your crew have an adventurer spirit you could opt for one of the most beaten tracking trails: the so-called ‘Path of the Gods’. No better way to know the breathtaking landscape of our land!

Pamper yourself and your ladies

What better way to get ready for your wedding day than a Spa Day, surrounded by your closest friends? Amalfi Coast offers a number of luxurious spas with all the bells and whistles. Chilling in a Spa or in a private pool is the best idea of relaxation, isn’t it?!

Wine vibes

When it comes to wine, our Coast hosts some of the finest vineyards in Southern Italy and… celebrating your special days with a wine-tasting experience could be the ideal plan! There is a broad variety of wine-tastings all around the hilly area of our Coast featuring delicious Italian wines such as Falanghina, Aglianico, Fenile and more.

A brunch date

Having a brunch with your favourite people is doubtless a great way to spend the day prior your wedding and it’s the opportunity to taste Italian food in luxury places overlooking the sea. Once your brunch is done, you could add that extra touch of sparkle to your bachelorette weekend with a mini-cruise headed to one of the most beautiful island of Italy, Capri, where hanging around and having some maids and bride-to-be time in a gorgeous Italian frame.

Dance the night away

No bachelorette party is complete without a night out. Hence, you and your squad could spend the night in one of the best club of our Coast from dusk to dawn!

Book your Wedding Bond!

Wedding Amalfi Team can’t wait to meet you to design, step by step, your destination wedding and your bachelorette party together. As a wedding gift, I will be happy to put at your disposal a Wedding Bond and freeze my fees for the wedded-to-be 2021 offering them the same fees of 2020. My goal is to make dreams come true!

Alessandra

As the wedding season approaches, more and more brides and grooms-to-be are surely wondering what they’re supposed to do about their wedding ceremony. There’s always so much to think about when planning a wedding day, but sadly this emergency means changing your plans.

Regardless the date on the calendar or if the wedding ceremony will be held in your country or abroad, at this moment in time the only thing recommended is the postponement of wedding celebrations till further notice. Here, what you need to know if you’re planning to say “Yes,I do” in the coming months.

In your country or abroad? Need to re-plan or postpone?

If you’ve planned your wedding in your country, it will be much easier to re-plan your ceremony. Whether your wedding is a destination one, you should consider postponing the whole ceremony until the country of destination will have opened its borders again. Don’t be dramatic, postponing it’s better than cancelling!

Speak with your Wedding Planner

If you’ve already signed contracts with wedding vendors such as photographer or florist, first people to contact are them. Hence, you should talk with your Wedding Planner and try to understand what could be done to keep your wedding ceremony ‘safe’. For example, you should check your venue availability on a new date option and choose a plan B for every detail planned. Probably, you’ll have to tie-the-knot during the winter season, but don’t worry…your Planner will give you even a plan C if needed!

Your guests come first

First of all, inform all your guests of the postponement of your wedding and check when they could be available as soon as possible. In order to avoid annoying questions from your guests and family members, reassure them about your wedding ceremony and keep them in the loop about any changes. Moreover, if you’ve asked your guests to travel for your destination wedding, it’s important to have different travel options for both you and your guests in the coming months, flights have been cancelled and hotels have been closed.

Think about a new date

If you want your nearest-and-dearest to attend your wedding day, you just have to think about a new date on the calendar rescheduling it from six months to one year. It’s not a tragedy, you can postpone now and keep on planning your ceremony until your new date!

Rethink the details

If you’re going to change the date, likely in a new season, your wedding details should embrace the seasonality of your ceremony, from flowers to the food and you will have plenty of time to think again about your wedding details.

Celebrate your day by the way

Now it may sound like a nightmare, but when your wedding day finally comes this unpleasant moment will be just a far memory and you will be sharing your best day with all the people you love most!

We’re in this together,
Alessandra

The new season is around the corner… and talking about wedding celebrations what would be a wedding without flowers? It’s like Spring without blooms. I guess you’re a newbie about flowers and you’re wondering what’s the most important thing to consider when choosing your wedding flowers, you ended up in the right place!

Wedding flowers are one of the key elements of your BIG day. Not only your wedding flowers will set the tone and theme of the day, they will also provide colour and decoration as a symbol of love and growth throughout the entire ceremony.

That’s why, I’ll give you some tips about the choice of the right floral arrangement.

Share your ideas

First and foremost, finding your own inspiration will come in handy when you’ll be describing your vision to your potential florist. There are tons of inspiration around, but collecting everything you especially like will be helpful to set your vibe. I’d suggest blooms such as peonies and roses, they totally suit a classy vibe, while if you’d love to give a romantic touch lush arrangements and big blooms will work.

Pay attention to the season

Yes, your wedding date will play a big role in which kind of flowers you can get. Well, certain blooms could be out of season and become more expensive and harder to find at different times of the year. Furthermore, if you’re getting married during the hot summer months keep in mind you’ll need your flowers to be able to last, such as lavender or roses.

Let your venue influence your floral arrangement

The area where your ceremony and reception take place can help you a lot with choosing the right floral arrangement. If you’re marrying in a park or an open-air venue, you can get your ‘wow’ effect keeping flowers to a minimum and utilising the natural blooms around the venue. Moreover, it’s necessary to keep in mind your table-setting too, round tables or imperial tables, they can influence the shape and style of your floral centerpieces. Hence, your venue will widely influence your decisions.

Don’t forget your colour palette

If you have your colour scheme set, make sure to tell your florist!

Have in mind your dress

Your bridal bouquet is your main wedding accessory and should complement the dress you chose, so you need to think about your wedding flowers also in reference to your dress. Usually, a bride’s dress is to be white and any colour will easily match. I tend to suggest flowers in shades of soft pastels and a lots of lush green foliage.

Recycle Your Blooms

Last but not least, your “Yes, I dos” will probably last more or less one hour, on the contrary your wedding flowers will last longer. Then, you can reuse your floral arrangements such as aisle arrangements or bridesmaid bouquets to adorn other areas of your venue: just like at at the moment of
the cake-cutting.

Let romance blossom on your Wedding Day!

Alessandra

When you’re in the planning process, you’ll probably get asked “What is your colour palette?” and are you going crazy about it? I knew it! Picking the ‘right’ hue and matching it with every details of your wedding day is definitely not a simple matter. The shades chosen will shape the most of your wedding decisions, like flowers or bridesmaid dresses. It will become a sort of guideline.

First things first, you should get inspired by your venue and the general setting of your wedding ceremony. Your venue absolutely need to work with your colours, hence, use it and its surroundings to come up with your shades and your colour-code will highlight what you love the most about your venue. In addition to this, you should think seasonally to bring out your shades, just like you do with your clothes! Take inspiration from the season you’re getting married and set the personal vibe you want to have on your special day: romantic, nostalgic, festive and so on. And… don’t overthink it, I’ll show you some of the coolest colour-combos.

Lavender, Sage & Dusty

Best played with: spring or autumn season weddings.

Tips for pulling it off: this light pastel palette perfectly fits with a sophisticated open-air reception. Inebriate your guests’ senses with the scent of lavender incorporating it into your welcome cocktail and placecards along with other aromatic herbs and eucalyptus.

Navy, Cerulean, Yellow & Pearl

Best played with: summer destination weddings.

Tips for pulling it off: if you’re celebrating your day on a terrace sea-view get inspired by this seafaring colour-combo. Navy and cerulean tones will fully match with the sea…and the yellow will give that bright Italian touch. Thus, you can lean on white blooms placing navy and yellow details everywhere, like table-setting and favors.

Ivory & Antique Gold

Best played with: formal weddings.

Tips for pulling it off: What could be more romantic than a timeless wedding palette? Outfit your tables with a chic blanket of cream tablecloths and arrange garlands of greenery and ivory flowers for an elegant and romantic atmosphere. White candles and golden candlesticks are the ideal! In short it’s your call…you’ll see colours you already love in a new way!

Alessandra

The seaside of our Coast it is not merely a stunning venue to tie the knot, this region has the 35% of the total touristic offer all over Europe. Here, the history calls: Pompei, Herculaneum, Paestum, Capri Island, Naples, Reggia di Caserta, Theatre of S. Carlo. The wellness calls: Spa Resorts,Thermal stations, Mediterranean diet. The food calls: olive oil, mozzarella cheese, wines, pizza, pasta, spaghetti, cooking lessons, parmesan, tiramisu and so on.

Since traveling to Italy for your wedding day is not an ordinary thing, on the contrary, it will be a perfect opportunity to spend time with your families and closest friends in a new country making your destination wedding even richer and more special! And why not think big for your wedding and turn it into an unforgettable travel-experience? Moments that your guests and you will cherish for years to come.

Have a look-see at my suggestions and get inspired. I’ll show you a few tailored activities that will keep your guests busy in the discovery of your location prior the big day.

Wine Tasting

The Amalfi Coast represents the ideal place to experience a wine tasting. This corner of land hosts so many vineyards where some of the finest Italian wines are being produced. Tasting this variety of flavors combined with typical snacks can be a real treat for your guests’ palate. They will have the opportunity to know more about the history of the wine production process and take away a traditional Italian souvenir on their way back.

Cooking Class

Italy is known world-wide for its vast culinary tradition, so what’s better than a cooking class? For those guests who want to test their culinary skills and know the Italian cuisine to the fullest, it will be possible to arrange real cooking classes in which you will prepare the typical dishes of the Amalfi tradition. A genuine taste of the Coast that will involve all 5 senses!

Boat Tour

From wherever you are on our Coast, you can plan boat trips to reach one of the most beautiful island of Italy, Capri, and wandering around narrow streets and go shopping.

Excursion & Daily Trip

Instead, for the guests that will be intrigued by the history of our Coast, between the hills and the seaside are hidden tiny villages surrounded by the charm of ancient myths and legends, just like the myth of the Nymph Amalfi. And again, for those guests with a more sporty and adventurous spirit, you will find many tracking routes such as the famous Path of the Gods, where you can reach points with a breathtaking view enjoying Italian routes and get in touch with the real Italian mood.

Creating dreams is my job, I can make this and more come true!
Alessandra