Wedding planning advice from Wiskow & White

There’s lots of advice out there when it comes to wedding planning. From planning our own weddings and the weddings of many lovely clients along the way, we’d like to share our tips for planning a smooth sailing wedding in Italy.

Start early.

Despite the fact that Italians tend to be laid back, they aren’t when it comes to booking their holidays! This means that venues are often booked up almost a year in advance. If you’d like to find that super special venue, try to start looking 12 months in advance. It is of course possible to find the right venue within 12 months of your wedding but to give yourself every option, we recommend starting early.

Starting early is also very important for your guests. For some of them this may be their annual holiday. They’ll need some notice to plan it and potentially save up for the event. As soon as you’ve booked your venue send out those Save the Dates!

Get the timings right.

It’s important to pick the right time of year for your wedding day. Think about these important questions:

When will your guests be available to come? Are there any bank holidays that you can work your wedding around so that people can have longer off work without using up their annual leave? May and August offer great options for this.

When will the weather be good? I don’t want to burst anyone’s ‘Italian bubble’ here but the weather isn’t always wonderful in Tuscany! For the best possible shot and great weather we recommend going for late May through to late August. However, there is no sunshine guarantee I’m afraid!

Hire a wedding planner.

If you’ve chosen Italy, you need someone to help make sure things come together and run smoothly. This can be for just the major things (like venue and catering) or for the full wedding planning – at Wiskow & White we offer bespoke quotes for however a couple wish to work with us. It’s so important that you get this bit right and you build an open relationship with your planners as they add so much to your experience. Good planners will know the locations inside out, they’ll be able to get things booked for you, they’ll explain the all important details to your suppliers, negotiate to save you money and ensure that everything comes together. Most importantly they’ll make sure the day goes without a hitch.

Relax.

We all know that things can sometimes work a little more slowly in Italy. That’s just the way it is and you’ll have to grow to love it if you’re planning a wedding in Italy. It’s something I found hard when initially planning my wedding and when working here at first.  I was so used to the UK culture of having things done and confirmed immediately. I’d encourage anyone marrying out in Italy to try and take a relaxed approach to the wedding and have confidence in your planners who will do the chasing and the confirmation on your part. Things may take a little longer sometimes but it’s nothing to worry about and things ALWAYS get done.

Have a plan and a budget.

Even if you have a wedding planner, it’s important that you have a plan for the build up to your wedding with the key steps that you and your partner have to take. This may just include the big steps such as booking a venue, a caterer, a photographer and doing the legal paperwork. This, along with a budget is something a wedding planner should provide for you. Costs can be a shock if you’ve not created a budget break down and they can build up quite quickly. If keeping costs down is important to you, make sure you stay on track by keeping a budget up to date with your planner as you go along.

Communicate with your guests.

For some guests, travelling to Italy will be a breeze. For others, it will be a big undertaking and they will feel quite uncertain. Make the planning as easy as possible for them too by communicating with them as much as you can. Give clear locations, timings, even travel and accommodation options to make it simple for those guests that need a helping hand. Wedding websites work really well for communicating this info. WordPress do great free wedding templates and there are many other website options out there for a small cost. If required, your planners can help you find accommodation options, book transport and activities for guests while they’re staying in Italy.

Take some time for yourselves.

If you can, plan in some time for the two of you before your wedding. You’ll need to head over to Italy a few days before your guests to get the marriage paperwork completed anyway but it’s nice to have some time to settle in and let that relaxed Italian vibe wash over you and remove any pre-wedding stresses you may have. It’s also important to have some time just the two of you to take in this wonderful event that’s about to take place! When your guests do arrive you can be nice and relaxed, full of energy and at your best – ready to start the celebrations!

Good luck and remember…relax!!!

Read more of our blogs:

Choosing your wedding catering.

Hiring an English wedding planner for your Italy wedding.

The true cost of an Italian wedding.

And please contact us with any queries.