WEDDING INSPIRATION
Il Nostro Matrimonio
In September 2019, my husband and I were married in the Romagna and Marche regions of Italy. To our surprise 85 Americans traveled to my husband's small hometown to celebrate with us. Many of our guests needed assistance with vacations before or after our event, as well as transfers and other services while in Italy. As a travel specialist, I planned a variety of these additional trip aspects for our wedding attendees.
GUESTS STAYED IN A SEA FRONT VILLA
Hotel Carducci in Cattolica, is a villa from the 1800's converted into a modern sea-front hotel. Placed directly on the Adriatic Sea, this hotel is in the heart of a family-friendly resort town that swells in population during July and August. This is where guests stayed, and where we prepped for the big day.
LA CHIESA DI SAN MICHELE ARCANGELO DI MONDAINO
Our traditional ceremony was held in La Chiesa di San Michele Arcangelo di Mondaino, a small church in the small town of Mondaino (the population is 1200). Colorful renaissance art donned the walls and bright natural light filled the church's interior. Seating just over 120 guests, the church's size was perfect for our crowd.
SO MUCH RICE!
Unlike the US, in Italy throwing rice at a recently married couple is still a tradition. And it is SOOO much fun!
WE TOASTED IN A QUINTESSENTIAL PIAZZA
After our ceremony, guests strolled into the borgo's (aka typical medieval town's) simple piazza. We toasted there, and enjoyed panoramic views of the surrounding landscape (it was all very instagram worthy): #thebroccolinos
IL CASTELLO DI TAVOLETO
Il Castello di Tavoleto is a real castle from the 1300s, and was the site of our reception.
It was fought over by royal families for centuries, until it was finally conquered in 1458. The rulers then ordered the demolition of the castle and rebuilt it under the work of architect Francesco di Giorgio Martini, who finished it by 1474. In 1631 it became the Papacy's domain. In 1885, it was donated to a Count along with its surrounding territories. The castle then held importance during WWII, when battles erupted nearby. It was later sold to a private individual who transformed it into a restaurant in the 1960's and restructured it according to the canons of those years. The current owners later purchased it with the intention of bringing it back to its origins.
AN EPIC BOUQUET TOSS
Celebrating at a real castle means, tossing a bouquet from a real balcony. A surreal experience.
WE ALL FELT LIKE PRINCESSES!
The castle was full of tapestries that were centuries old, antique furniture and beautiful frescoes. It was an incredibly magical venue.
A FIREWORK FINALE
Just as we were cutting the cake, we surprised the guests with a firework show.
