The Southern Charm of the Amalfi Coast on your Wedding Day

Are you planning to pop the question and change the rest of your life, forever?? Great, it’s a big thing!

There will probably be so many moments and ideal ways to make your proposal throughout the year, but nothing compares to the magical atmosphere of the New Year coming.

When the countdown starts, the past year will bring back to your mind every single memory and at the stroke of midnight everyone will be mesmerized by the fireworks show, with their eyes staring at the stars and their mind towards the future. Such a unique moment! And… the clock ticking from 23:59 to midnight will set the rhythm of your heart and your desires. It’s not an everyday thing, just like a marriage proposal!

A new year has just started symbolizing the beginning of a journey… and why not embark on it? Grab the moment and run with it, wait for the midnight and get down on your knees! But, wait! Don’t forget to choose a meaningful location to you two – the place where you met or you first kissed – work on your speech, simple but effective, emotions could trick and since it will be an epic moment to your beloved make sure everything goes smoothly. If you want to give a romantic touch: lanterns, candles and flowers will make the atmosphere dreamy all around!

In order to make your proposal-moment even more romantic and breathtaking, involve your family members and close friends in a proposal-party. People are not used to waiting for the New Year alone, so make sure the other guests know all about your proposal-plan in advance. Once the ‘3-2-1’ moment arrives, ask to your relatives and friends to freeze… an unexpected silence will completely surprise your better half, then you will pull the engagement ring out and pronounce the fateful words: ‘Will you marry me?’ … on the ‘Y es, I will!!!’ let the party begin! With this flawless setting, the toast will taste more sparkling this year!

A funny-tip for all those who are forgetful: you’ll hardly forget your anniversary day if it’s on New Year’s Eve!

At last, I wish you a new year full of ‘ Yes, I will’ and a #destinationlove to plan together…

Alessandra

“One of the most enchanting spot of the Amalfi Coast is Ravello, where many rich men live; one of these was extremely rich and his name was Landolfo Rufolo… ” (G. Boccaccio). As we see in the 4th novella in the 2nd day of the Decameron, the scenery and the monuments of Ravello, which was founded by a roman colony in the 6th century A.D., were already famous centuries ago. Perched on a 350 ft high cliff overlooking the blue sea of the Amalfi Coast, it has conserved its historical monuments through the ages in a natural setting which has few equals in the world.

One of the most important monuments in Ravello is the cathedral, a XI century church, founded in 1086, where one can admire the ambo and the pulpit decorated with Byzantine mosaics, relics such as the bust of Sigilgaita Rufolo, the splendid bronze doors by Barisano da Trani and the museum situated in the crypt.

Villa Rufolo

Villa Rufolo’s today looks come mostly from the arrangement carried out by the Scotsman Neville Reid, who owned the Villa in the second half of the 19th century. But the site is much older, as it is given evidence by the remains from the 13th-14th century period of the building. The Rufolos’ splendour reached its peak from the half of the 13th century to 1285 when, according to Wiedemann, the Rufolos were completely ruined because they sided against Angevins during the Sicilian Vespers. During Norman times the Rufolos were already wealthy merchants, well placed in the commercial and cultural exchanges of the Mediterranean, from Northern Africa to the Eastern Greek and Arab speaking countries, which influenced constantly the Southern Campania’s art and architecture.

The Rufolos helped the Angevins to come to Southern Italy and they were rewarded with particular privileges. When their power reached its peak, they built again their “house”, which represented their new political power and therefore, it was gorgeous, princely, rich; at that time it extended as far as the sea. The Rufolos succeeded in finding, out of the Arab and Byzantine influences, an architectural language able to express their social status with an architectural image which had no connection at all with the new sovereigns’ artistic culture, as if it could stress their political autonomy from the Angevins.

These circumstances made Villa Rufolo something unique, creating an image which was handed down by the popular imagination as the “one hundred sixty-five rooms villa”. In the following centuries the Villa slowly fell into decay because of the property subdivisions and of the collapses due to earthquakes and to negligence. Many parts were then lost and some rooms still lie under the present floor. In the 19th century the Villa was bought by Neville Reid, who carried out its restoration, according to the culture of the time, deeply influenced by the romantic taste for ruins. He restructured the principal building for housing, arranged the gardens to create a series of terraces, which often rested on the ancient structures. It is well known that the beauty of these gardens was such as to influence R. Wagner. In 1974 Villa Rufolo became part of public heritage thanks to the Ente Provinciale per il Turismo of Salerno and nowadays it hosts several musical events; it is the headquarters of the European University Centre for Cultural Heritage and of the Piano High School directed by Michele Campanella.

Obsidian stones collected in Africa during one of his climbs were used for Jenny and Zac’s wedding rings.

Extremely in love, their promise of love at Palazzo Suriano is a milestone in their life. An intimate atmosphere at the presence of their children and surrounded by the beauty of the Amalfi Coast.