How to Elope In Italy?

Whether you want to get married in the Dolomite mountains up north, on the sunny Amalfi Coast in the south, or the bustling city of the capitol Rome, any celebration in Italy is sure to be a good one. But how exactly do you begin to plan an elopement? Here’s some inspiration to get your planning started, featuring a recent Florence elopement I photographed below.

*An elopement in Downtown Florence at the Bardini Gardens, a sprawling vista of Italy as the perfect backdrop.*

Here are some things to consider if
you want to get married in Italy:

1) Potential Locations: Where should I Elope in Italy?

I truly believe there isn’t a single corner within the country of Italy that you could not find beauty in. In addition to Florence, these are some of the more widely known wedding and elopement locations in Italy (from north to south):

The Dolomites: Snow capped and grand hills, near the verge of Italy and Switzerland. Great for those with a sense of adventure. Here you’ll find chalets with breathtaking views.
Lake Como: Majestic lake views, hillside villas, often utilising boat tours, famous for venues like Villa Balbiano and upscale wedding spots.
NorthernItaly: Area likes Milan, Venice, Verona, Genoa, etc, for more metropolitan backdrops with old-world charm.
Florence: the birthplace of the renaissance, old world charm meets unmatched architecture, art, and cultural influence. A bustling magical city. Known for its Duomo, Ponte Vecchio, and statue of David.
Tuscany Region: One of the most popular destinations, the Tuscany region is known for its rolling hills, vineyards, countryside farmhouses, and more. An abundance of “agriturismo.”
Rome: Italy’s capital and most populated city, featuring some of the most historically significant landmarks in Europe. The Trevi foundation, colosseum, Vatican City, the Spanish steps, it’s breathtaking at every turn.
AmalfiCoast: Amalfi, Positano, Sorrento, Salerno; here you will find hotels and homes built into the mountains, sparkling blue ocean, more tropical flora and beach-y vibes. Incredible hotel rooftop ceremonies abound.
Apulia/Puglia: On Italy’s southeast coast, another gorgeous beach-filled destination with luxury venues, resorts, and villas with slightly different architecture than up north.
Sicily: Italian’s most southern point, (the toe of the boot!) known for bigger cities like Palermo and Catania. Different regions of Sicily boast views of mountains and ocean together, and because of it’s hotter climate than northern Italy, it even has palm trees!

2) The Logistics: how can I get married in Italy?

The most common way people choose to get married in Italy as a non-EU citizen, is to handle the official civil ceremony and legal signing of their license in their home country (ie. at city hall) and have a ‘symbolic’ ceremony for destination wedding. This removes the headache of paperwork and bureaucracy in a country whose language you may not speak. Otherwise, to go the legal route, you would need: Valid Passports, Birth Certificates,Nu lla Osta, Atto Notorio, Divorce/Death Certificates (if applicable), declaration of Intent, translated and apostilled/legalised.

3) What to do for our day?

When doing an intimate wedding abroad, one major upside is getting to spend so much more quality time with just yourselves and/or any guests. This allows for more core-memory-making, like cooking classes, dinners, pool parties, winery tours, and excursions together. For your wedding photography, you can take portraits around the city centre, local gardens, rent a boat to take you out, grab an espresso or aperitif, see historical landmarks, the possibilities are endless.

4) What should I book for my elopement?

This answer will vary greatly by the vendors you choose, and how layered or minimalistic your day ends up being. In theory, all you need is wedding attire, vows, a location, and (hopefully) a photographer to create an elopement. It’s totally up to you in how you want to tailor the day, but below are some additional vendor costs should you choose to add them on!

5) What does it cost to elope in Italy?

This answer will vary greatly by the vendors you choose, what region your elopement is located, or minimalistic your day ends up being. For the couple featured below, I charged them an hourly rate + accommodations for their specific date in Florence. They saved airfare and any additional costs because I was already in Tuscany photographing another wedding (hot tip!).

But in general, here’s what you may be looking at budget-wise within Florence.

Photographer: A local elopement photography could start at €2000-3000+. Bringing your photographer from home could be $3000-5000+. For full weddings, this cost could $5000-6000 for more minimal coverage or $6-10k for a more comprehensive photo package.
Accommodation: €200-500/night
Transportation: Ubers or a rental car €100+
Bouquet (local): €100–300
Hair/Makeup (local): €200-500
WeddingAttire: Suits, often $500-2000, bridal gowns, $1000+
Celebrant/Officiant: €500–1000 (depending on kind)
Dinner: €100-200+
Flights: $900-1500/person
Photo Permit (if booking private property, gardens etc)
Videographer (dependant on what’s included): €500-2500

If you do decide to go with a planner or elopement company all of this can be included and saves the hassle of hiring individually. Love Gracefully set up this couple’s elopement, and their package included hair/makeup, hotel, a bouquet, transportation, a ceremony space, the symbolic officiant, and a videographer. We were SO incredibly impressed with each vendors expertise.

In summary, your dream destination wedding in Italy is always possible. It may mean a more intimate celebration, but if the Italian dream is how you envision the environment to saying your “I Do’s,” it’s yours.