Firstly, welcome to my wedding diary. I'm guessing that if you're reading this then you have some interest in weddings in Italy-either because you are getting married there yourself or are considering doing so. Perhaps you already did and are hoping to rekindle some of the memories of your own special day. Or maybe you are getting married somewhere else and simply have an intesest in weddings? Whatever the reason, i'm delighted you have decided to join me and i hope in some way my tales of planning, organising and dieting for my wedding on the Amalfi Coast will help you or entertain you just a tiny bit!
Okay, formalities over with. Lets get down to the real nitty gritty. I got engaged to HWSRN (he who shall remain nameless) about 2 years ago on a romantic trip to Kilkenny! Yes Kilkenny. None of your top-of-the-Eiffel-Tower rubbish for us! After all, who needs the romance of Paris when you can have a few days break in a four star hotel in what's known in Ireland as the 'marble city'? In fairness to HWSRN, just the fact that after 5 1/2 years together he finally planned and did the deed, and got down on one knee was enough for me and to be honest, when you're in love it's true-who needs Paris? Besides, we went there for our first Valentines day (so we do 'DO' romance sometimes) together and it really isn't all it's cracked up to be...although it is pretty nice.
So anyway, we're engaged. A situation i wasn't really sure i ever thought i'd find myself in, given that i was never a white-dress-and-walk-down-the-aisle-dreams kind of girl. But i guess love does funny things to you and i think it'll be pretty nice to be married to this man, (even if it means living without proposals on top of famous land-marks) and to show the world (or at least 20 of our close friends and family) exactly how we feel about each other.
Since then i've been doing loads of research on weddings in Italy. This is mainly because i have this disease called madaboutitalyitis which i just can't get rid of! I love the place, seem to always have done-even before i had actually visited! And as i don't do churches and don't want a big white wedding with 200 drunken, vaugely familiar guests, going to the world's most romantic country (see, i told you we did romance) seems like the perfect answer.
First it was going to be Rome. Who doesn't love Rome? I've been twice, the first time was to attend a wedding of a friend over there, and i adore the place! But before i had even gone there i had already moved on to Tuscany.
My love affair with Tuscany began when i started to read books written by people who had at some point managed to relocate there, you know the sort. They buy a run-down old villa, spend the summer renovating it with help of various local 'charcters' and throw in a few local recipes as they recount their tale of discovering paradise. I lap it up! Love it all! Dream of the day when the woman plucking olives from one of her own vines to toss in a fresh salad with her own sun-riped tomatoes will be me! I visited Florence and Chianti, saw the olive groves for myself and couldn't wait to book a gorgeously run down yellow villa to hold my wedding. But then i started to research venues and found web page after webpage filled with beautiful dark old rooms with historic tapestries and crumbling stone walls and i knew i couldn't go all the way to beautiful Italy only to spend my wedding day in darkness.
And that's the problem you see, because the wedding has to be legal. And in order for it to be legal it must take place inside a legal building, with the authority to hold weddings. You can hold a symbolic ceremony just about anywhere-and believe me i looked at some amazing places-but you'd still have to hop down to the dreary old town hall beforehand to have the 'official' legal wedding. Where's the joy and excitement in that?
So i was getting closer. I knew it had to be Italy. Rome was out, mainly because it's appeal lies in it's beautiful churches and as i have already stated churches unfortunately are not for me. If they were-and if anyone out there wants to have a beautiful traditional church wedding in Italy-then Rome is your man for sure!
And Tuscany, beautiful Tuscany, was also unexpectedly a none runner because i need to feel that Italian sunshine on my skin as i make my vows to know i'm really there! So what to do? Where to choose? Lots more research was to follow. Months of reading wedding planning websites and Lonely Planet-style travel guides, contacting wedding planners and my biggest help of all-Trip Advisor website. I wanted to get married out-doors and i wanted it to be legal. After much reading, checking and questioning it became obvious. There is really only one building (well perhaps two which i will explain later) in which you can hold a legal, out-door ceremony in all of Italy-the Town Hall of Positano.
And so my decision was finally made. With it's beautiful, panoramic terrace with views of the pretty town and sea below this simple town hall has got to be it! I have read and re-read so many wonderful reviews of the town and weddings held there that i feel as if i've already been, and i can't wait to go over there for our wedding on the 24th June!
So that's it, booked! With the help of my wonderful translator Rosa who i will tell you all about soon. I'll also fill you in on how i picked my fabulous reception venue and where it is, what other decisions i've made so far and how the 'credit crunch' almost forced us to cancel our dream wedding.
This week i'm beginning my paperwork (complicated due to the fact that we have to deal with 2 different embassies both here in Ireland and In Italy to our different nationalities) so i'll keep you posted on that too.
Happy reading!
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