Wedding Italy, Team, Testimonials

CLAIRE LENNY & PETER WARBURTON – Catholic & Civil wedding + reception at Castello), July 27 th 2007

Dear Tina, Alberto and everyone at Wedding Italy

We are now back from honeymoon and are slowly settling into working (and married!) life. We had a lovely honeymoon and it has taken some time to re-adjust to normal life again after a month away from work. We wanted to write to you because in all of the madness of the wedding celebrations we don't feel that we got an opportunity to properly express our gratitude to you for all that you did for us.

How can we possibly thank you for the extravaganza that you organised for our wedding?!! We had a fantastic time and will treasure the memories forever. Everything was just perfect and turned out as good as, or even better than, we had hoped for. All of our family and friends had the time of their lives for the days that they were in Italy and are still talking about ours being the best wedding that they have ever been to. We couldn't have asked for better than that!

Everyone involved in the wedding played their own special part in making everything so wonderful for us. Where do we start...? Everyone at the Castle, Tavernetta and La Boatina could not have been more friendly, helpful and accommodating to ourselves and our guests. Everything that we had asked for was provided so well and everything came together just as we had wanted. Thursday at Tavernetta and Saturday at La Boatina were really enjoyable and memorable evenings for everyone - food, wine, service, music, atmosphere were all perfect. Please pass on our very sincere thanks to Lucia, Sasha, Maurizio, Paolo and all of their staff.

Lucia and Maurizio were a pleasure to deal with on all of our visits to Italy and throughout our wedding celebrations. They were very patient in dealing with and meeting all of our requests and making sure that we were happy with the plans! We really appreciate the effort that they both made and the work that was involved in bringing everything together for us and for our guests. Sasha also was a star. He spent a lot of time providing a taxi service in his own car between the Castle and Hotel Felcaro - how very, very kind of him!

The wedding day itself was fabulous and, from our perspective, went off without a hitch. There are so many people that we would like to thank but very special thanks to Daniele and Giulia (the music in the church was so lovely - there were even tears!!) and to Rosaria for the beautiful flowers. Please pass on our thanks to them and our apologies for not getting a chance to personally acknowledge their contributions on the day. As we expected, it was a very long night (the last guests went to bed at 9am on Saturday morning!) and throughout the day and the night the drink flowed and the staff were always on hand to provide excellent service. We think that poor Sasha eventually escaped sometime around 5am but had the good sense to leave a supply of beer for those who were still standing at that stage! The hairdressers, the photographer, the string trio, the fireworks, the disco, the transport - everything was just brilliant. Thank you.

As for the food, it was simply unbelievable. Tonino did an amazing job both on Thursday evening and especially for the entire wedding day - the canapés, the wedding banquet, the cake and the buffet on the Terrace were outstanding. It has been quite interesting to listen to our guests' opinions of the food. So many of them have said the wedding food was the best meal they have ever tasted - so Tonino's reputation as a master chef is spreading even in England and Ireland! Please pass on our very special thanks to Tonino and his team - the wedding banquet was one of the truly most memorable things about the whole wedding celebrations.

And last, but not least, to all of you at Wedding Italy. We cannot thank you enough. The service that you provided was so professional - we have nothing but the highest of praise for the whole team. All of your helpful suggestions, your assistance and friendliness to our guests, your responsiveness to our correspondence, your tolerance of and willingness to accommodate our ideas, your understanding of what it was that we were trying to achieve for our wedding, your presence in such a discreet and helpful way throughout the wedding day, your kindness in reserving the Castle for our wedding anniversary - everything was absolutely excellent. And, the piece de résistance, our transport to La Boatina on Saturday - what a treat!! Tina, very special thanks to you in particular for everything that you did for us - and, of course, for tolerating bridal stress from time to time....! Now you know what Pete has to put up with in the years to come!!

So that's it then. We hope to see you when we're back next year for our anniversary. Good luck and thanks again, so much, for everything.

Best wishes

SUZANNE & MARK BYRNE – Catholic wedding at the church of Redentore, Venice 9 th of September 2007

To Alberto

Well I'm back in work a couple of weeks now and it's a real reality slap, after my beautiful wedding and Honeymoon. I really want to thank you for all your patience, and all your knowledgeable advice. Our wedding day was something Mark and I will ever forget, or any of our guests, it was actually my dream day, which I didn't realise until the day it self, I hadn't properly visualised what the boat or just having an Italian wedding would be like and I have to say it was absolutely fabulous, as was confirmed by our family and guests. All your efforts and that of your team really paid off on the day, as everything ran smoothly, exactly how we wanted it and so much more,

All along I had expectations that the reception was going to be the highlight of the day, but from the moment I walked down the stairs in the villa to the car there are loads of little favourite snippets of our day, that I just hadn't expected to enjoy so much, the boat taxi across to the church with bridesmaids and my dad, was our own funny exciting moment together that I will remember very fondly especially our attempts to get off the boat which was captured on camera. The church was fabulous, and the priest was so fantastic he created such a beautiful ceremony that everyone loved it , they thought there was nothing like him, he was genuinely eager to make the ceremony so special for us, that it didn't go unnoticed by any person there, even showing us around his precious gardens, everyone got, how special they were to him and for him to allow us to see them, was so touching.

Having the boat as part of my wedding day celebrations was probably the best decision ever, it was worth every penny. The whole goal of the boat for Mark and I was to treat the guests to something different, since they came all the way to Italy, everyone had a  blast, the scenery was amazing on the way back towards the villa and all the guests loosened up nicely with the lovely bottles of wine on board , it was a real party feeling and I remember and one point beaming within when I could see so obviously how much everyone was enjoying themselves, its gas they were enjoying themselves so much that when the boat was delayed because of the accident on the road, there wasn't a mumble of discontent from anyone they were only too delighted to stay on the boat till the accident cleared, if that had of happened at home there would have been bedlam.

Its funny because by the time we got to the restaurant I couldn't believe there was still more to come. As I said earlier we really thought that the only part of the day we would relax and unwind would be at the reception, but that wasn't the case which had really surprised us, it felt like the whole day, was a huge celebration, and things were done our way, the photographer at no point separated us from our families or guests for photos it was all done very naturally as moments presented themselves in the presence of everyone, so we didn't miss out on a thing.

The restaurant was fantastic, the food was beautiful, the management and staff went to a lot of efforts to make sure everything was perfect for us, all guests thoroughly enjoyed themselves, a lot of guests genuinely thanked us for inviting them to the wedding and in their opinion it was the best one they'd ever been to, even those who aren't married yet themselves said that after seeing our wedding they didn't think they could marry in Ireland.

I really didn't picture it the way the whole day happened, I don't know what I had expected because I had made every decision, but I have to say myself and Mark felt for us it was the perfect day, there is not one thing I would change about it. Alberto, yourself and Martina were brilliant on the day, and I would like to thank you and everyone that was involved for a day that I wouldn't change a minute of, We are so happy that we came to you to organise our wedding as you provided us with such a professional service that only experience and intuition of a couple could have enabled us to have the day we had.

Thank you again for everything.

Yours sincerely

Suzanne and Mark.

Kilcock

Co. Kildare

Ireland.

CATHERINE and MICHAEL DI PAOLO – Catholic wedding in Venice, 07 July 2007

Dear Alberto and Ayesha,

It's hard to believe that over a month has gone by since our wedding day! Time has flown by since we returned from our Croatian honeymoon and it seems as though it was just yesterday that we were planning everything and anxiously wondering how it would all turn out. We cannot thank you enough for all that you did. Your organization, planning, and arrangements created an event that was far beyond our expectations. Our entire trip was absolutely perfect and our family and friends keep telling us how magical their time in Venice was.

Our vision for our wedding was to create an unforgettable experience that would bring all our guests closer together as one big family. And with your help, that was the spirit of the whole week. Everything ran so smoothly from the private palace to the rehearsal dinner to the private Murano glass factory tour (please thank Luisella again for the wonderful job she did) and to the actual wedding day without us ever having to worry about anything. You took care of every detail, and even managed to assemble seven extra seats at the reception dinner when we had unexpected friends travel from nearby Asti. One of the greatest compliments was having Cat's mom tell us that our wedding was the best wedding she had even been to, including her own!

It's funny how just months ago we were so concerned with the process of planning a destination wedding. In truth, Michael kept wondering if you two even existed or if we were just sending our money to strangers who would leave us stranded on the big day. But as soon as we met in the airport, you made us feel so comfortable and reassured us that we were in capable hands. During the preceding months, it was hard at times to have to put so much faith in people whom we had never met personally. However, even over the phone and through e-mail, the two of you were a constant source of information and professionalism. We felt that at every step of the way you were able to make suggestions and keep us at budget while making the best possible arrangements with your vendors. One of our favorite things about the wedding day was the Italian jazz duo that you recommended and managed to book at a very reasonable price. They were absolutely wonderful and all our guests have complimented their music. We were so excited that they learned our song preferences for our first dance and father-daughter dance as it really gave it a special touch.

Others said that our ceremony made them fall in love with each other all over again. That is a testament to your careful planning to find the most beautiful church (San Giacomo dell'Orio), arrange for us to read our personal vows in addition to the traditional ceremony, and even speak with Don Aldo Marangoni to allow Cat's grandmother to sing the “Ave Maria” during communion. That was a very special moment that we will always cherish. In addition, it was amazing the preparations you made for Cat's friends, the Gruppo Sbandieratori del Palio di Asti, to perform outside the church on such short notice. Walking through the flags in our first moments as husband and wife was unbelievable. Furthermore, the gondola ride through the canals of Venice right after the ceremony was extraordinary along with the group picture you arranged for in St. Mark's Square. We cannot wait to see how the professional photos and video turned out.

One of the best moments of the entire week was walking into our reception at the “Westin Europa & Regina.” Words cannot even express how breathtaking it was. Every single element was remarkable: the view of the Grand Canal and the Chiesa Santa Maria di Salute lit up at dusk, the beautiful flower centerpieces with rose petals and candles spread across the table tops, the printed menus, the bellini appertif set up, the Murano glass flower and almond favors, the waiting staff that were so polite, and the delicious food (we are still full from the 8 course meal!). It was a fairy tale moment and we feel so blessed to have been able to enjoy everything with our guests while you guys took care of everything.

In addition to the wedding day itself, there were so many things you assisted in planning that turned out beautifully. We asked for our rehearsal dinner to be the complete opposite of the wedding reception dinner. We wanted not to be on the water and wanted family-style dining with long tables and shared appetizers with simple, traditional Venetian food. The “Birreria La Corte” was exactly that and you couldn't have selected a more perfect place. It is almost like you entered our minds and knew exactly what were thinking. Also, we are very thankful that you had negotiated on our behalf and got everything we wanted at such a reasonable price.

In addition to the rehearsal dinner, you booked a private boat for 35 guests to the Isola di Murano while Luisella gave us a guided tour of the island and the magnificent church of Santa Maria e Donato. We were able to take a wonderful group picture during the private tour at Lazzarini that perfectly captures the sentiment of the whole week.

Moreover, how could we possibly tell you how much we appreciate the accommodations you prearranged at the “Palazzo Contarini della Porta di Ferro”? Your suggestion to rent out the whole place exclusively (which fits 50 guests in 12 apartments, each with their own kitchen and living room) was fantastic. It saved us lots of money with the discounted flat rate and if nothing else was the bonding point that brought everyone together. With the welcome baskets you helped arrange, people were able to cook meals together, gather for breakfast each morning, and share drinks and laughs on the noble floor every night. We felt like true royalty with our own palace surrounded by all our loved ones.

Finally, we are so grateful that you booked all our honeymoon accommodations. We had the most romantic, wonderful time traveling together down the Dalmatian coast of Croatia and especially loved our stay in Hvar (the brand new Hotel Adrianna was the right choice). We had a slight mishap on the train to Ancona to catch the ferry across to Split – we forgot to stamp our ticket at the terminal and got ticketed 5 euros, but it was well worth the memory and it just added another aspect of our adventure that we will never forget.

Again, thank you for everything. You both are truly wonderful people with whom we were honored to have met. You made our wedding week absolutely ideal and for that, we can never repay you. We only hope that we remain friends and will definitely be in contact for our next Italian vacation (maybe an anniversary party?). Please feel free to use us as reference and pass along our contact information to anyone who is lucky enough to need your services:

11076 Windsor Place Circle

Tampa, Florida 33626

Home: 813-854-4111 Michael's Cell: 727-235-2306 Cat's Cell: 407-616-5115

Ciao ciao,

Michael and Catherine DiPaolo

Married 07-07-07

BREFFINI LEESON & BRIAN DOWLING – Catholic & Civil wedding in Siena and reception at Castello di Modanella, July 19 th 2007

Sonia, I can't believe it's taken almost a month (married 4 weeks tomorrow!!) for me to email  you.  It's been a busy month - Wedding, honeymoon (Amalfi Coast/Rome) then back to Ireland for 2 weeks and now, finally back in Shanghai.  So, at last I have the time to sit down and send this to you. 

First of all, I'd like to thank you and WeddingItaly for all you did for us since we first contacted you back in January.  The wedding was fabulous and something we and all our guests will remember forever. 

Both Brian and I were so happy with all the services you provided.

The Church: Well what can we say! The church of San Francesco in Siena is amazing and although I got quite a shock at the size and length of that aisle when I first saw it the week before the wedding, on the actual day it was such a fabulous location and created just the mood we were looking for.

The Priest: Fr. Paolo was great! He is quite the "character" but given the fact that he did ont know us, he did a great job.

Nicholas Roland/Interpreter: Nicholas was a really nice, friendly guy and everything went well with the civil paperwork. Nico even hung out with us when Fr. Paolo was almost 1 hour late for our appointment with him on the Tuesday prior to the wedding!

Car Service: Fantastic and our driver Michaela was so lovely - In fact he was so friendly we invited him to join us for a drink (non-alcoholic!) at our cocktail reception!!

Flowers: I have received nothing but compliments on the flowers - and to think they got it so right from just an emailed picture! Both the bouquets and table centrepieces were amazing and added such great colour to the day.

Photographer: Marco Donato did a wonderful job and we are both thrilled with how the pictures turned out.  The prints he sent are great and I can't believe how quickly he got them to us. He also provided  a disk of  all the pictures he took - this is a really wonderful service. I have been told that in Ireland we would be charged lots to have access to all the pictures like this. So, yes, we recommend him highly.

DJ: I would encourage you to suggest his services to future wedding parties. He was fantastic, professional and a really nice guy on top of that.  What he offers for the price is pretty fantastic - He played from 6PM-2AM, during the cocktails, dinner and then dancing. He has thousands of songs downloaded and can play almost anything anyone requests. Also, prior to the wedding we had emailed him a playlist of our favourites, specifying what we'd like played for the cocktails, then dinner, then dancing etc.  The best part is he is also a fantastic photographer and throughout the reception took pictures which he then burnt to a disc and gave us at the end of the night. We cannot recommend him enough!

So Sonia, that's it! Thank you so much for everything. I just want to let you know that I will recommend your services on the Irish online wedding site as there are so many Irish brides asking questions about Tuscan weddings on there.  Also, if you ever want to refer clients to us for a testimonial, feel free to share my email address with them, particularly if they are getting married at the same church, with Fr. Poalo, using the same photographer etc. BTW: We also recommend Mondanella castle as a venue - They did a great job on the day and sure know how to throw a good wedding!

Thanks again,

Take Care and good luck with all your future wedding planning.

Breffini and Brian

RHONWEN BOURNE AND NORMAN SWIFT – Civil wedding in Sorrento, 27 th September 2007

Ciao Tina!

Well, here we are back in England as Mr and Mrs Swift!  I just wanted to say a big thank you to you for all your help and advice throughout the preparation phase - it was very reassuring and I really appreciated your cheerful emails!

In the end, everything was fine and the weather didn't let us down.  Alessandra was great and the slightly late arrival of the florist and photographer didn't matter.  Lunch at the Ambasciatori Hotel was lovely so thank you also for organising that for us.  We continued our holiday at Relais Blu further round the coast which must be one of the most beautiful places I've been to.

We look forward to seeing the photos, and also receiving our original documents back - there was so much to think about on the day that it just didn't occur to me until we had left Sorrento.

Meanwhile, it's grey and miserable here in the UK so we're already planning our next trip to Italy!

Thanks again.

Best wishes and ciao!

Rhonnie

MARC MONTATURO & VICKIE HOWELL – Civil wedding in Positano, 26 th September 2007

Ciao Sonia

The wedding could not have gone smoother. All correspondence between yourself and Betta was very quick and informative. From the meeting we had with Bruno to the driver and all the people in Positano, everyone was very nice, enthusiastic and accommodating to our event. Our driver the day of the event was very nice and stayed a little extra time so that we would not have to walk down to the coast. Massimo was also very nice and seemed to take a little extra time with us to make sure he got the right photos. Giovanna D'Amato could not have been nicer and was an absolute pleasure to have as our site coordinator. Please thank everyone involved with making our day so very special. They were all so very nice.

We can't wait to get our photos from Massimo and look forward to sharing them with our family.

Please let me know when you will be able to send them

Thank you again and we will be in touch if we need any further assistance.

Marc Montaturo

SEAN BERRY & MIRANDA WOOD – Catholic wedding in portovenere (Italian Riviera) 22 nd September 2007

Hi Martina,

Just dropping you a quick note to let you know everything went really well at our Portovenere wedding.

Thanks for all your help. We're still on our honeymoon (in Portovenere at the moment), so I'll write a bit more, and hopefully send a picture when we get home.

Anyway, I'll talk to you soon and thanks again,

Sean and Miranda

DECLAN & LISA MURPHY – Civil wedding in Malcesine, Lake Garda, September 21 st 2007

We looked into getting married in Italy and contacted many websites to arrange our wedding in Malcesine Castle, Lake Garda on a Friday in September and Weddings Italy where the only site that could secure the day for us.

From there Sonia, our wedding planner, sent us the details of what there services entailed, from the documentation, to flowers to photographer. Along with their package, which was extensive, there was number of additional services they could arrange including a boat trip around Lake Garda with champagne and canapés which we duly requested.

We wanted all our guests (50) to stay in the same Hotel and Sonia made enquires on our behalf and arranged the accommodation, there were a number of changes that had to be made on the run up to the wedding at our request and Sonia sorted them all out for us brilliantly.

Through all the planning Sonia kept us updated, let us know what details she required from us and when, and ultimately kept us at ease, in that all the arrangements were going to plan.

The hotel Sonia booked, Hotel Olivi, was stunning, with a swimming pool, tennis courts and more than enough facilities for our varying age group.

The day before our wedding Sonia rang to ensure we were happy with all the arrangements and all was going to plan. That just shows the care and attention to detail we received. We also met Anna, or interpreter, who went through the details with us and on the day was on hand at the ceremony, organized a bar for a few drinks for the guests before the boat trip and ensured everything was to our liking at the restaurant where we had our reception.

The restaurant Sonia suggested was perfect. It was a great size to accommodate us, with a lovely interior and was located up on a hill with a stunning view of the lake. The presentation, menu and service were immaculate with many of our guests not experiencing such quality.

We can not find words to show how much we are thankful to Weddings Italy, Sonia and Anna for organizing the most important day in our lives and making it the most beautiful and memorable day not only for ourselves but for our guests.

Declan & Lisa Murphy,

Dublin, Ireland

MELISSA SODA & JOSEPH CORDARO – Civil & Catholic wedding in Santa Margherita Ligure, 14 th September 2007

Ciao, Tina!

I apologize that it has taken me a while to respond - Joey and I just got back from our honeymoon Sunday night and I spent all day yesterday busy at work trying to catch up on the last three and a half weeks!  Joey and I couldn't be happier.  We cannot say enough good things about the tremendous job you did for our wedding.  It may sound cliche, but our wedding day was truly unforgettable and I am positive there is no way we could have done it without you.  Everything was perfect!

Our translator in Milan was an absolute charm (her name escapes me right now).  She was very professional, efficient and so nice!  She even offered to help us find good shopping (is there anything but good shopping in Milan?) 

Loredana was wonderful, too.  With her help (and undoubtedly yours) we were able to meet with the Town Hall to do our declaration even though we missed our train and the woman there agreed to issue the declaration even though the date was off on the Nulla Osta (which Joey, the translator in Milan and I checked over twice!).  Loredana also made sure every detail was in place on our wedding day - she organized my bridesmaids, our parents (these are not easy tasks), and made sure everyone was inside before my car pulled up.  Speaking of, what a cool car!  I think the fact that the car was so cool kept my dad calm while he picked me up and Joey was totally fascinated.  The minibus was really nice, too - my oh-so-charming (not) bridesmaids were less than thrilled that they'd be riding in a bus and they actually liked it! 

As I climbed the stairs to the church I could hear Canon in D and see the lights twinkling.  It was a moment I will always remember.  The musicians were so good and the church was so beautiful and everything was just so perfect, Tina.  Our priest was so kind, too.  It would have been nice to have met with him the day before (Father Marco was wonderful but I think a lot was lost in translation) but the comedy of the disorganization with Father German helped keep Joey and me calm and laughing during the ceremony. 

I cannot say enough about Annalisa and the Imperiale.  Joey and I were stunned the day before at our luncheon (which was so nice and romantic - a perfect afternoon before the wedding day).  We could not believe how much food they prepared for us and how GOOD it was!  They baked us a whole cake just to try and make sure it was okay!  They even made a sugar sculpture for the two of us!  We met the head barman, had two waiters - the executive chef even came out to meet us!  We felt like movie stars - it was amazing.  We also could not believe that we had two terraces, two lounges and even our own bathroom!  What a beautiful, perfect location for our reception.

The flowers were incredible.  I was very sad I could not take them home with me.  My mother and the bridesmaids loved them and Isabella really liked her basket (I did too - I put it in the box with my wedding dress to be shipped home!).  The centerpieces and candles were so romantic.  I just cannot rave enough about how amazing the day was.  My wedding day was so perfect and so beautiful - I dreamed of that day my whole life and it surpassed my expectations and even my dreams - it was just so wonderful.  I honestly have never been so happy - Joey and I are so pleased. 

Please send our thanks to Loredana and Daniella (there!  I remembered it!) as well as Annalisa and everyone at the Imperiale.  We are truly grateful for everything that you all did to make our day unforgettable.  Please feel free to share our thoughts on your website and Joey and I would be more than willing to be in contact with any other couples that may ask.  Also, should any couples request to see pictures or video, we are more than happy to share!  Our day was just amazing and we'd be happy to help other couples so that their day may be as happy as ours!

Speaking of pictures and video, my family is very curious (as am I) as to when the pictures and video will arrive.  Could you let me know how that is coming?  Also, do Joey and I need some sort of marriage certificate?  I know that we finalized it all in Italy but do we receive something to show the United States government?

Tina, thanks cannot do justice to how grateful Joey and I are for your services.  It has been a pleasure working with you.

Truly,
Melissa

MELISSA LARSON & JASON TRUAX – Civil wedding in Siena, 14 th September 2007

Hi Tina!

We arrived home on the 24th-we had some lost luggage between our flights, other than that travel was well.  We very much enjoyed Italy, especially Siena and hope to return to that area again. 

Our wedding day and pre events went very, very well...It was more than either of us could have imagined or hoped for.  Helga was a great help and wonderful to work with.  We also had a great exprerience working with you in our prewedding planning-everything flowed very smooth and there was little to no stress involved in our day!  We are so excited to see our pictures and how they turned out-I imagine quite well.  We are also excited to see the album that will be put together by the photographer for us.  We are very pleased with the services we received and especially with the help you gave us over the months of planning and the help we got from Helga.  It couldn't have been better.

Feel free to use my comments or have potential clients email me for advice.

Thanks again Tina for everything that you did for us-also please thank Helga for us if you get a chance and let her know how much we appreciated her help.

Thanks again!

Melissa and Jason Truax

SHELLEY TEE and ANTHONY CLERKIN – Catholic & civil wedding in Venice on September 14 th 2007

Ciao Sonia

We enjoyed the day so much, it was everything we could have wished for and more. We were so pleased that we chose the setting of Torcello for the reception and the service at the Cipriani was second to none. 

We are extremely happy with the service you provided.  I would not have been able to arrange our wedding at such a long distance without your help and assistance. You have been so helpful and prompt in responding to my email requests and catering to our every whim, where possible. 

Venice is the perfect setting for a romantic, idyllic wedding.  Our guests enjoyed the day very much, from the walk to the church in the morning, the intimate church service, the gondola ride and then the hair raising water taxi ride to the island, it was perfect and one we didn't want to end. 

We have been told by all our guests that it was a day that they will remember for a very long time.  So as well as being a special day for us it was also a special day for them.  What more could we wish for?  As I said the service at the Cipriani was impeccable and we could not fault the meal, service or setting.  The one thing that truly overwhelmed me was how everyone we saw clapped, cheered, waved, smiled and took photographs of us.  In St Marks square women kept coming up to me to touch my dress and veil, almost for luck.  It was a truly tremendous day from start to finish. 

We would be more than happy to provide you with references for future clients and please feel free to use any of these comments on your website. 

Thank you so much once again

  Shelley and Tony Clerkin

Southsea, Hampshire 

JENNIFER GREEN & BRIAN BULMAN – Civil wedding in Venice on September 12 th 2007 -

Hi Tina,

      We had a fabulous time in Italy! 

      Everything went very well...the flowers were delivered to the hotel as planned and they were perfect.  Luisella was lovely to work with and both her and the photographer Valerio were so much fun to be around.

     The ceremony was simple and exactly what we were looking for...it was almost surreal...the space was beautiful and we could hear the gondolier's singing through the open windows.  We're so glad you suggested the gondola ride...it was delightful and offered a whole different view of Venice.

     Overall we couldn't be more pleased!  You kept us well informed and entire process went smoothly. We'll definitely recommend you to everyone we know.

     Thanks so much for everything!

      We look forward to seeing the photographs...please feel free to use any of our comments.

Thanks again for everything!

Jeni & Brian

RACHEL BROWN and ANDREW ROBERTS – Civil wedding in Malcesine on September 12 th 2007

Hi Sonia

just to let you know that we are now back in England as Husband and Wife!!!

We would like to say a big thank to you and all your staff for making our wedding the best it could of been. The location and scenery was stunning as was the castle, it was like a fairytale, we couldn't of asked for a better location. The guitarist was spot on, please thank him again from us. The restaurant where the reception was held was again perfect. Great views, excellent food and helpful staff. The DJ was great and kept us dancing all night!!

Thank you again for making our day, a day we will never forget. We would defiantly recommend your services to anyone thinking of getting married in Italy.

Thank you so much

Lots of love

Rachael and Andy x x

MICHELE DUPON & CHUCK HASTINGS – Civil wedding in Positano, 10 th September 2007

Hi Martina ~

We are finally back home and trying to get caught up at work and blend our 2 homes into one.

Thank you again for your help in planning our wedding. It was absolutely wonderful !!! Please let me know when our video and pictures will be sent so I can anticipate their arrival. I will let you know when they do arrive. Would it be possible to make an extra copy to keep in Italy until we receive the original ... just in case they get lost or damaged? Once we get them, the copies could be destroyed.

When Chuck and I have a little extra time we will e-mail you with our comments and thoughts as requested.

Thank you again.

Michele and Chuck Hastings

TERRI NISHIOKA and RICHARD COSTELLO – Civil wedding in Siena on September 3 rd 2007 terri_nishioka@patagonia.com

Ciao Betta and Sonia!

We just returned home last night, and with much sadness. We miss Italy already! The people, the food, the sights, were all so beautiful, it was hard to leave. Neither of us had been to Italy prior to this, but I see several return trips in our future.

Thank you for your kind words. We were extremely pleased with the organization provided by your company!

Everything was absolutely perfect. In Rome, Ely was right on time, took care of the authentication on her own, and left the documents with the hotel so that we did not have to meet again on Wednesday. This worked out great, since we went to the Vatican on Wednesday afternoon. In case anyone ever asks you, our tip on visiting the Vatican is go in the afternoon. We did not wait at all, and I had read and heard from friends that you can wait for hours to get in during the summer.

The small unexpected trip to Siena on Friday was confusing, since we got so lost but it also made it easier to figure out what we did wrong on our return trip Sunday! Thank you for your patience during this time. Helga was so kind and calming. We dislike being late for anything and felt terrible for making her wait, and she was so understanding.

The flowers were exactly what I wanted. I was so pleased! Of the pictures I sent you, I like my actual bouquet better than any of those! I can't remember if I told you yellow freesia is my favorite flower, so I was very surprised and happy to see that in there. I could not have chosen a better bouquet had I done it in person. The 3 different colored roses, and blood calla lillies were beautiful. I hated to leave them behind in Siena, but now I can remember them as they were fresh and beautiful.

I am so glad you liked the pictures, since I cannot say enough good things about Marco. Thank you also for recommending 4:00. Marco agreed with you that the lighting was very nice at that time. He was wonderful, had great ideas, and really captured the special moments of the day from start to finish. I was thrilled that he let us come back the following afternoon to pick the 60 prints! I wasn't expecting the proofs to be ready that soon. From the date of your email, it looks like he printed them quickly too. I was impressed that he remembered that I like the sepia and bouquet shots. He asked if he could post some of our pictures on his website, and I truly hope he does since it's his work that made the pictures incredible.

The ceremony itself was simple, yet beautiful. I found it very touching. In addition to the articles, the clerk talked about the history of Siena a little, and how special a place it is which he wants us to remember. He then gave us a pair of old Siena coins that we will treasure. We were very pleased with our choice of location. Other places we had considered were Florence and San Gimagnano. We did not make it to San Gimagnano, but from the cities we visited (Rome, Montepulciano, Pienza, Siena, Florence, Pisa, Venice), we would choose Siena all over again.

Your detailed itinerary was so helpful too. I would absolutely be a reference for future clients. I had contacted 3 from the list Sonia sent me early on, and I would happily be one of those people now who recommends your company.

I apologize for how long this turned out to be! But we cannot thank you enough for all that you did. We genuinely feel that we could not have done this without your expertise, guidance, and willingness to help in every aspect. Please let me know if you have any other questions or areas you felt I did not address.

Best Regards,

Terri and Rich

GERRY SNOWMAN & BORIS PRILUTSKY – Civil wedding in Pieve di Livinallongo (Alpi mountains- Veneto region) on August 31 st 2007 gprilutsky@ccsusa.com

Hi Sonia!

Our holiday in Italy was everything – and more – that we hoped it would be!!  The mountains in Arabba are absolutely beautiful and the wedding is an event that we will never forget! You coordinated every last detail to perfection, between the appointments in Udine, Venice, and then the wedding day in Pieve di Livinallongo. Getting married in another country has its difficulties but you made it seamless! Email was our only form of communication and you were always clear, concise, and extremely efficient. It was such a joy to finally meet you in person after months of corresponding! Celebrating with you and Alberto after the ceremony added so much more to the event itself! The two of you are some of the nicest people we have ever met!

Our sincerest thank you for making our special day exactly what we hoped it would be!!

P.S. Thanks to Alberto for taking such great photos! Since the Mayor was so excited about the event, we will send him a photo with a letter of thanks.

Feel free to use our comments as a reference!

Warmest regards,

Gerry

CLAUDIA NICOLETTI & RYAN DOWD – Catholic and civil wedding in Serre di Rapolano, Castello di Modanella (Tuscany) on 26 th August 2007 (85 guests from Scotland & Uk)

Hi Martina,

Martina our day was wonderful truly the best day of our lives. The church was beautiful, the soprano singer was marvellous the venue was spectacular and the food scrumptious. Thank-you for all your help, you really made our day run smoothly and the offered us the best selection of services Tuscany could provide from the venue to the photographer, videographer and the florist.

Speak soon

Ciao

Claudia and Ryan xx

NICHOLA KEEFE & MICHAEL LUSBY– Civil wedding in Siena on 25 th August 2007 michaellusby@hotmail.com

Hi Sonia

Thanks for your e-mail, we have only just got back from our honeymoon in Italy - We have to say that everything was perfect, we had a fantastic day and everything went without a hitch. We were really impressed with the wedding hall and the hotel especially. The food was amazing and the service was excellent we could not find fault with anything. We would be grateful if you could pass on a special thank you to Helga for making sure everything went smoothly on the day ( she was very helpful and stayed with us until the meal began and spoke with all the guests while we were getting our photos taken)

We were a bit doubtful at the beginning with arranging our wedding over the internet - but you made everything very simple and unstressfull as possible. everything we asked for was arranged and different options were offered - we definitely made the right decision to get married in Italy it was much better than getting here in England. The scenery in Siena was beautiful.

Thanks very much for making our wedding a day to remember

All the best

Michael & Nicky

PS could you advise how long it takes for photos/video to be delivered.

We have no problem if you want to use above comments for reference

JENNIFER KNEDLE & TIMOTHY CULLIGAN – Civil wedding in FLORENCE

We had a wonderful, fabulous day! The sun was shining & it was more than I could have wished for. I was apprehensive about planning everything by e-mail but it ended up splendid. We would both really love to have some way to contact Helga or have it passed along to her that we thought she was wonderful! She made the rest of the paper work & arrangements there easy for us and was so cheerful and enthusiastic. I highly recommend her. She was professional and personable at the same time.

The meal was excellent. Definitely the best meal we had while there. Leo was a superb host and we could tell he took pride in the meal that was served to us. We all really enjoyed it.

Thank you for all of your help. You have been attentive to our needs. You really helped everything come together for us to have a day we will remember all of our lives.

Thanks again-

Jennifer Culligan

MICHAEL & JENNIFER POOLE – Exclusive wedding in VENICE

How can we describe how wonderful our wedding was, thanks mostly to the hard work and great taste of Alberto, our WeddingItaly coordinator. We first had the idea of getting married in Italy but were put off by the thought of trying to find and negotiate with suppliers and venues, and dealing with accommodation for our guests. Our co-ordinator Alberto Ciani handled all these details for us and we were left to the pleasant business of choosing among the various alternatives Alberto provided. He quickly assessed our budget and found things to our taste within this budget, and he steered us away from common pitfalls. We were married in a beautiful 14-century palazzo, and we hired the entire place so that the family could all stay together for the wedding weekend. Our wedding had 100 guests, mostly from Europe and the Americas. We did the civil wedding in our home country of the UK, and we followed that with our wedding celebration in Italy. This was a stress-free way to get married and have the flexibility to use any vows we wished in our Italian ceremony. (None of our guests knew that our ceremony wasn't the legal one, and that really had no impact on the day.) Alberto co-ordinated all the details including accommodation and travel assistance for the guests, planning extra events the week of the wedding, negotiating with suppliers, and dealing with any and all last minute details. He was organized, and always responded immediately to our many questions and concerns. He even managed to acquire live chickens for us when a family member decided that he wished to perform a magic trick two days before the wedding -- clearly above and beyond the call of duty for a wedding planner! The photographer and videographer Alberto provided were excellent, as were the catering, venue, and music. The officiant and the translator were both charming, professional and knowledgeable. Many of our guests told us it was the best wedding they had ever attended (including their own!). We had always heard that planning a wedding (especially planning a wedding for 100 people in a foreign country) is an extremely stressful and trying time for a couple and that you are so busy running around that you don't really get to enjoy the day yourselves. In our case, because of Alberto's work, this was absolutely the opposite of what we felt. With Alberto handling all the stress before, during, and after the wedding, we were free to just enjoy the entire period. Planning our wedding was one of the most fun things we've done, and the three days of the wedding weekend were definitely the best three days in our lives! Feel free to contact us for references or more details or advice. Jennifer and Michael Poole

NATALIE HOLLAND & BRYAN BOYKING – Civil wedding in RAVELLO, Amalfi Coast

Sonia,

Hope all is going well. We just arrived home yesterday and I am still a
little jet lagged. Everything went very well. We loved Ravello and the Villa
Cimbrone. We only wish we had stayed longer. Also, we would be happy to be
used as email contacts for future couples.

Anna was very helpful and welcoming and Enzo was a wonderful photographer. I
ran into him quickly the day after the wedding and he showed me a few of the
500 pictures he took. He went above and beyond the expectations.

Hope all is going well with you and thank you again for all of your help.

Natalie

LOUISE GALLOWAY & ANDREW ALLISON – Symbolic wedding in POSITANO, Amalfi Coast

Hi Barbara,

Well, we're home, and ......... wow - what a fabulous time! A total dream wedding, everything we'd imagined and fantasised about - and I am a highly demanding woman who isn't easily impressed (yeah, yeah - you mean there are other types of women?!!)

When, for various reasons, you decide to get married abroad you entrust an incredibly special day of your life to a complete stranger (who you'll never meet!!), who runs a business you only read about on the internet (which could be pure fabrication!!), in a faraway place that looks incredible (but hey, the photos could just be staged, ultra flattering angles and locations!!) - if you stopped to think about it too long, or didn't have a hugely positive, optimistic outlook, you'd never even consider this as an option............and that would be your tremendous loss.

Positano is great - massively picturesque and full of happy, attentive Italians and tourists. Yes, it's full of quirky little tourist shops, but the Mulina Verde (sp?) cafe is 'real' and used by locals and visitors alike. The Hotel Marincanto is in a fabulous position and even though it's only a four star, we think it measures up against the Sirenuse and Murat just fine.....that view......the terraces.......private steps to the beach.......and no overdone rococo decor! Italian minimalism!

Enrico (the hairdresser) is unspeakably cute and despite a lack of English (only surpassed by my lack of Italian - I only know the words 'rotoli di carta d'igneico' (toilet roll, btw) - the only thing I'm not prepared to mime!!!) he has a special book of wedding hair pictures which makes the whole episode totally painless - and he did a fab job. I felt like a princess!

Andrea (the celebrant) is (unbelievably) cuter than Enrico.....and what a lovely chap - impeccable English, mixed with our relatives, made small talk and then conducted a super ceremony - he didn't even get phased by us running a good 45 minutes late!

The flowers were lovely.....but only when they eventually arrived, after we arrived at the Palazzo Murat at 5.50 and when the Marincanto had chased them - heck, I'd almost asked you not to bother with the flowers so it wasn't an important thing for us - but if I'd been a fuss-er it might have unsettled me!

The best bit? Walking through the village to your venue and after your vows doing the 'photo-shoot' wherever Mauro thought would look great. If you're a shrinking violet, be warned, you won't like it.......however, if you feel on an incredible high, that you're marrying the most wonderful man in the world, wearing a fabulous dress, in a pair of shoes SJP would kill for, and love full on attention with everyone around you looking at you and the locals calling 'A guri' (ok, no idea how to spell this.....and can't find anything helpful on the translation web sites that abound!) which is their wish for luck in your marriage - you'll love it! The closest thing to being on the red carpet and pretending to be a superstar!!

Overall, we were delighted with all our arrangements - and it is a huge weight off your mind (particularly for control freaks like me) to have spot on organisation, the itinerary with the tele nos. on it and to feel confident that a competent, attentive individual who knows and understands what you want is on hand and watching over you! Thank you for your part in our fabulous day.

Feel free to use any of these comments or ideas - and good luck with your business! What a fab job you have, making people's dreams come true!

Andrew and Louise Allison xx

JAYNE LEHEE KIM & MAX PARK – Catholic blessing in Venice

Hi Alberto and Michela!

Max and I just returned from our honeymoon in Greece and got back to Korea on the 10th. We just want to thank you once again for all the hard work your team has done to make our wedding intimate, romantic, spectacular, and very very memorable! We loved the wedding ceremony, the reception, and my parents loved the travel itinery/accommodations you prepared for their trip throughout Italy. Thanks to your wonderful team, we will remember our awesome wedding forever so we want to say a big THANK YOU!
As you can imagine, we are eager to see our pictures/video!!!
Again, thank you so much for all the work you've done for us and should there be any of our friends looking to get married in Italy, we will definitely recommend your team!
Regards,
Jayne & Max

AMY DODGEN & MICHAEL GRANIMS – Symbolic wedding in POSITANO, Amalfi Coast

Martina –

Thanks for your e-mail, I can't wait for those pictures! I actually sent you an e-mail with my impressions about a week ago; I guess it didn't make it to you - so I'll write another.
Our wedding day was just wonderful. I loved the salon where you made me an appointment - the ladies who worked there were so friendly and helpful, and they took so much time on my hair. The style came out exactly as I had imagined, and I don't think it's ever looked so good! They were even able to get me some last-minute fresh flowers to go with the hairstyle when I requested it.
Everyone thought the Palazzo Murat and its garden was beautiful. It was in the center of Positano, but I liked that it was secluded from the street by its wall and garden. The courtyard where the ceremony took place was perfect - you can see the gorgeous building of the hotel and the town, and are surrounded by luscious plants and foliage - and just what I had envisioned. Giovanna was incredibly helpful and went out of her way to make sure we had everything we needed, and she conducted the ceremony very well. I though everything was simple and elegant, just as I had wanted it to be, and went off without a hitch.

I was impressed with our photographer - he really was enthusiastic and went all out to find the best spots for pictures! It was an adventure going all over town to find good places to pose, with everyone congratulating us on our wedding as we walked around! He and Giovanna even convinced a storekeeper to let us pose on her balcony.
The food was great - we were served prosecco and snacks in the courtyard, and for dinner the restaurant prepared a table for us on a terrace with heat lamps since the night was a little chilly. The staff at the restaurant was very attentive and did a wonderful job. The cake was gorgeous, too - I loved the fresh white roses on top of it. We took several pictures of it before cutting it!
All in all, it was a magical day. Everyone enjoyed themselves, and I appreciate all your help in arranging everything! I really feel we picked the most beautiful spot in the world to get married. Please feel free to use my comments as a reference or on your website!
Ciao!
Amy Dodgen

KARI RITZ & GREG THIESSEN – Civil wedding in CERTALDO, Tuscany

Hi Sonia,

I apologize for it taking us so long to get back to you. Greg and I have been extremely busy as we have moved to Denver, Colorado and Greg has started a new job. The last two months we have been constantly packing and unpacking and have sold one house and bought another.

Our wedding was truly a wonderful day to remember, not only for us, but for all of our guests. The food and wine at the Osteria del Vicario was spectacular. The tour of Tuscany was also a highlight for all. All of our guests commented that the wedding and Certaldo/Tuscany was best part of their Italian vacation. All of our meetings with each person for the paperwork also went as smoothly as we could have hoped for. When you arrange a wedding over the internet you definitely put a lot of trust in the coordinator to insure that everything turns out well - we were never disappointed!

Thanks again Sonia, for all of your help!

Kari

PAUL MARTIN & MELANIE JONES – Civil wedding in POSITANO, Amalfi Coast

Hi Martina,

Firstly, thank you for your warm congratulations. We had an absolutely wonderful time in Italy and both wish we were still there.

Paul and I wanted to thank you very much for the organisation of our wedding day. Everything went perfectly on the day, even the weather.

The restaurant was fabulous. The food was wonderful, the table settings were lovely and the staff were also extremely attentive.

Both of the translators that you organised for us at the Embassy in Rome and in Positano were efficient, punctual and extremely friendly and helpful.

The wedding photos were received on Monday and we are very happy with them.

We would also strongly recommend staying at Buca di Bacco. The hotel was beautiful and perfectly situated and the staff went out of their way to be friendly and helpful.

Thank you again for all your help in making our wedding day so perfect and memorable. We would definitely recommend your company to others.

Warm regards,

Melanie and Paul.

KELLIE CAVAGNOLO & BRENT BAUER – Civil wedding in POSITANO, Amalfi Coast

Hi Martina,

Our wedding was beautiful. Ms. Giaovanna was wonderful and everyone in
Positano were so friendly and helpful, it truly is a beautiful place inside
and out! It was no problem at all to pay the extra money in Naples; we are
just so appreciative of everyone's kind assistance. The day of the ceremony
was beautiful and warm and ended in a heavy rain which I hear is good luck!
The people at the VIlla Rosa were amazing, they were so helpful to all of
our guests and sent me a beautiful bouquet of flowers the day of the wedding
at the Covo. The experience was truly a dream come true for both of us and
we will always cherish our days in Positano. The Positano Car Service was
also very helpful, they drove us to a lemoncello factory on our way to
Positano from Naples and we hired them for a few more excursions last week.
And the Ii Ritrovo was absolutely the best! Our meal and cake was
wonderful, all of our guests were so incredibly impressed with the quality
and presentation of the food. It truly was the perfect day and night!

I was looking over the instructions and noticed that there is one more
procedure we must do through the Republic ? to make our wedding official, it
says we can have an assistant help us? Does this sound familiar, is there
anything else we must do, paperwork wise? We did get 3 copies of our
marriage certificate from Ms. Giovanna.

We are in Venice now and will fly to Greece tomorrow, I'll try and check our
email in the next few days.

Thank you for everything. Kellie

PHOEBE MIX & MARK SEWALL – Civil wedding in PIENZA, Tuscany

Hello Martina. I wanted to thank you for all your help with our
wedding. Everything went very well. All of the people we met
associated with your organization (Helga, Daniella, the witnesses and
Marco) were extremely friendly, professional and wonderful to work with.
Thanks to you and Laura for arranging it.

Take care, Phoebe

ROBIN TRICKETT & MANUEL H.COTO – Civil Wedding in Venice

Hi Michela,

We had a fantastic time in Venice!!! The wedding was very memorable, and everyone had a great time. Thanks again for all of your hard work. You did a great job, and I was never nervous about it all coming together. I knew that we were in very capable hands!! I was really glad to have you there at our wedding. I can't wait to see the photos! Please send them to the following address: Robin Coto
3650 Holboro Drive
LA, CA 90027 USA
T#323-660-3180

Take Care,
Robin

MICHELLE PEAKE & JASON SMITH – Civil Wedding in Florence

Hi Michela,
Sorry it took me so long to write you back, but work has been hectic ever since we returned.
The wedding was wonderful! It was everything and even more than I could have ever dreamed. The wedding day went extremely smoothly. Helga was there to take care of every question and to calm our nerves. Everyone that we came into contact with (arranged by you) was exceptionally pleasant and helpful. The owner of the bed and breakfast had to deal with our families calling us at late hours trying or arrange a meeting place and he always hand delivered every message. The hairdresser did an amazing job on my hair. He made me feel like a princess. The florist came promptly and delivered beautiful flowers. Helga was there keeping us sane and answering all of our crazy questions. The driver was hilarious, which was also calming, and told us funny stories about when he married his wife in the same place. The town hall was magnificently beautiful and the counsellor that married us made everyone feel comfortable. Most of all though, Helga was fantastic to work with and is someone that I will always remember. When the very sweet photographer ran us around the city taking pictures, Helga was there making sure that I wasn't too cold or that my feet didn't hurt too badly.
The reception was wonderful and my picky mother loved the food (you were right). Everyone at the
restaurant was exceptionally nice. The main waiter told us funny stories about his ex-wife which was extremely entertaining. Both of our families enjoyed the food, the entertainment, and the view. Thank you for talking me into having the reception at this restaurant. I had no need to worry about my picky mother.

Michela, I am so thankful to you for planning the most amazing time ever for the both of us. Not only the wedding but also the honeymoon was wonderful. There wasn't a single thing that I would have changed or done differently.
Everything that you promised us happened and was even better than we thought. We are forever grateful to you for making our wedding and honeymoon a time that both of us will remember and cherish. Please use what ever you wish for the website. I can write something more formal if you would like and please feel free to use any pictures if you like.

Thank you so much Michela!

-Michelle and Jason

RUTH MCELHINNEY & ANDREW CREIGHTON – Catholic wedding at S. Pietro Chapel – Positano

Dear Martina,

We've been away for the last few weeks hence the delayed response.

Firstly, Many Thanks to both yourself and Laura for all your help planning
our wedding. We had a perfect day. The church of San Pietro was exactly as
we imagined and of course, the views around Positano are breathtaking. It's
a stunning location. I would imagine that the official photographs will
capture many of the wonderful memories. When do you think we'll receive
them?
The wedding co-ordinator in Positano also deserves special praise. She was
great - she made everyone feel very much at ease and ensured that everything
ran smoothly. She also did a good job keeping our 18 month old daughter
entertained.......not easy when shes tired & grumpy!
Fr John turned out to be very amicable. He pretty much allowed our priest to
do everything (he stayed in the background and having witnessed our vows he
declared the marriage official). All the worry and confusion beforehand was
for nothing!
We had a nice time at the hotel Murano. On the day of the wedding we had a
champagne reception there before going for dinner. As you know, we booked
our own restaurant - Lo Guaracino. It was excellent - yet another stunning
location. The food was super - and there were no problems ordering from the
full menu. We were very impressed.
I certainly would have no hesitation recommending your service to others!

Regards,

Ruth

ROBERT AND CASSANDRA TULLER – Wedding in Venice

Hello Alberto,
I have received the pictures and could not be happier. The photographer is a true professional and artist.
They were worth the wait and I will highly recommend your services to
anyone. I work for a large company here with over 25,000 employees. The
pictures have been circulating and all have had nothing but the highest
praise for the attention to detail. If you ever need to post a recommendation on your web site, feel free to use any part of this letter. My wife and I will always have the incredible memories displayed in our pictures. Best wishes to you and your company.
Sincerely,
Robert and Cassandra Tuller

LINDSEY DENTON – Wedding in a Tuscan Castle

Hi Alberto,

I wanted to say thank you and express our gratitude for all of your work.
Absolutely everything exceeded our expectations. Not a single aspect of the
ceremony was incorrect--in fact it was like a fairy tale wedding for us! Fonte
de Medici was a perfect spot for my family to stay and we enjoyed the intimacy
it allowed. We are so happy we chose to work with you and thank you again. If
you ever need a reference for any other couples we would be more than happy to
tell them our story.

Thank you again.

ciao!
Lindsey

LINDSEY DENTON MOTHER – Wedding in a Tuscan castle

Hello Alberto,

I just wanted to take a moment and thank you and your associates for a truly memorable wedding! The castle was lovely, Silvio was very professional and charming, and everything went as planned. I particularly enjoyed the flowers! Lindsey told me later, "It was like a fairy tale".

We all enjoyed exploring your beautiful country. I hope we can return some day and spend more time - Fonte de Medici was very relaxing and comfortable. I wish we had spent more time there and less time at the "tourist spots".

Thanks again for creating a beautiful memory.

Sincerely,

Jeanette Denton

RONALD DODD & TAMMY HARRIES – Civil Wedding in Florence

Hi Michela,

Thank you for your email. Yes it all went very well. We had a wonderful time in Italy and we arrived home safely & married. We thought that everything went extremely well and according to plan, like clockwork. Nicholas was very Polite and professional. He was on time every time and was calling the car company to make sure that they were on their way. I think he was a little nervous, I got the impression that he hadn't done it too many times before but that was not a problem he handled everything very well.

The hair stylist was great, the flowers were perfect, the Violinist was excellent the photographs... I haven't seen yet, I'll let you know. The dinner was out of this world. I can see why it is known as possibly the best restaurant in Italy - They even came out with a wedding cake (I'm sure that was your doing). So thank you very much for everything.

We are very happy with the services that you provided and cannot think of anything that you could have done better. We would be happy to recommend you to anyone and we are happy for you to use our comments.

Thanks again

Tammy and Ron

JESSICA LEE MARTIN & JOHN PITTMAN – Civil Wedding in Malcesine, Lake Garda

Hi. Well we made it home. Everything went wonderful. It was Even better than we expected. Everyone in Malcesine was so warm and welcome. Walking down the street in my wedding gown was quite an experience. Everyone was smiling and waving and wishing us the best. They we talking pictures of us also. Everyone was just so excited for us. It was like something on you would see on TV. We definatly made the right choice in picking such a small beautiful town. Everyone knew everyone there. It was small, quiet, peaceful and so beautiful which made it so much more relaxing and memorable. We could see the castle we were married in straight outside our hotel balcony. Anna was great. She was on top of everything. I cant wait for our pictures! I will email some to you as soon as I get them.

LESLEY SPINDLER & BRETT SALAFIA –Catholic wedding in Siena, Tuscany

Ciao Michela,

Many thanks again for the wonderful wedding. It was truly a perfect and magical event. We were both impressed with the level of organization. Our assistants met us when and where we were supposed to. Despite Padre Primavera changing the start time to 15:00, the flowers, photographer and organist were all right on time. If there were any difficulties, they were behind the scenes. Silvio had to make a few extra calls to facilitate the paperwork from the curia.

There are obviously distinct risks planning an event in a church sight unseen and a restaurant far away. Lesley and I are both adventurous people, so we welcomed it. Of course we worried about our guests and how well the whole event would happen.

Here are all of the positives:

1. The church was beautiful. Padre Paolo is a lovely man who made us feel at ease. The setting and the service were perfect.

2. The meal at Osteria Da Divo was outstanding. They timed the courses well, did not rush us, and prepared one of the nicest tuscan meals I've had. (I lived in Siena for a few months in 1997, so I've had a few)

3. Marco, the photagrapher seemed well versed in his use of the camera. He indulged our individual requests and helped us to memorialize this special event.

4. Silvio was a true gentleman. He made sure Lesley and I were comfortable each step of the way.

5. During the panning stages, and right through the wedding you have been easily accessible and attentive to our questions. You took time to assure the details were perfect.

6. Siena itself: there really aren't words. It is one of my (our) favorite places on earth. The people, pace, food, and setting are priceless. Walking through the streets in our formal wear with tutti personni clapping and shouting augeri was a unique experience.

There really were no negative aspects. Obviously our issue with the hotel Athena is not your concern. I will address my concerns with them. If I had to say one negative thing, there was a little too much time between the photo tour and dinner. We waited at a cafe and had a drink and enjoyed Siena, but I think our guests would have liked to eat earlier.

We spent time after the wedding in Capri, Pompeii and then Rome before we departed. It was a wonderful and memorable two weeks. We would highly recommend your service to anyone. Please feel free to use us as a reference on your website.

Warmest Regards,

Brett and Lesley Salafia

TERRI HUNTER & NORMAN CHORN – Civil wedding in Venice

Hi Michela

Sorry for the delay in writing to you but we have not stopped working or travelling (luckily just around Australia) since we got back.

THANK YOU THANK YOU for everything that you did for us.
We had the most WONDERFUL wedding. It really was a dream come true.
Thank you for organising it for us.
Everything was not how I imagined because I really hadn't imagined how fabulous it was! It was beyond our dreams!
Please do include my comments for future clients and for your website. I think you did a fantastic job and would recommend your services to anyone thinking of getting married in Italy.
Everything on the day went like clockwork but in a very friendly and relaxed manner which is exactly as we had hoped it would.
There were so many highlights...the service was very emotional and beautifully done, the gondola tour was wonderful and so relaxing and a great way to experience some of Venice. Walking though St Marcs Sq to
the Quadri Caffe for our champagne reception made us feel like movie stars! In fact a friend was seated next to an American lady on a plane to the UK who described this wonderful wedding in St Marcs....and it was
ours!
Finally the reception at the Mabapa was much more than we expected and we were delighted with their service, their goodwill in letting us go on so late and their culinary skills. The food and cake were excellent.
I can't say how much we enjoyed ourself or how wonderful it was. It is an experience that will never leave us!
Finally all of your preparation and suggestions about venues, gondolas, where to go and what to do as well as the hen nite etc were very very helpful.

I really had the best wedding in the world.
All of the guests said it was the best wedding they had ever experienced.
Thanks again Michela
Look forward to hearing from you when you can and please remember if you ever get here to Sydney you must come and visit us!
Love
Terri & Norman Chorn x

VALERIE LA ROSE & WILLIAM SHACKFORD – Catholic Wedding in Venice

Hi Michela:
Sorry it took so long to get back to you...we have been recovering from our trip!! Also how long will it take to get our photos, we have very anxious family members dying to see the pictures!!!
Just to let you know, we had a fabulous time in your beautiful country. From the moment we soared over the Alps in our plane, we knew that this was going to be a magical and unforgettable journey. Wedding Italy made everything wonderful. While both Bill and I worry over every little thing, the day of our wedding, we worried about nothing! Everything was so well planned, down to the minute and the day flowed because of it. We had a wonderful Catholic wedding in Venice. We had the great opportunity of meeting Father Aldo the night before the wedding and he showed us around the church. He said with great seriousness, "I hope you find our little church beautiful, of course tomorrow it won't look so bad!" We took one look around this beautiful 13th century church and said, "If it looks this bad tomorrow, then we will most definitely have the most beautiful wedding!" The church was absolutely gorgeous and to our surprise, Father Aldo even said the mass in English. As someone else had said in their wedding memories, we had our few moments of stardome, as we ventured from the quaint church through the various canals to St. Mark's square. Out of the windows of houses and from the tops of small bridges everywhere, the people of Venice cried, "Bella Sposa!" Tourists were intrigued as our caravan of gondolas, one with us and our close friends, and the other with wedding assistant, photographer, accordian player and to our surprise, serander in the other, waded slowly by them. Throughout our glorious trip, we heard beautiful music including, "O Solo Mio, That's Amore and we all chimed in for Volare." Of course my favorite part of the whole trip was when our gondolas got caught under one of the lower bridges, but even still our musicians played on. After this wonderful trip we ventured through St. Mark's square to have our pictures taken amongst the thousands of pigeons. This beautiful day was topped off by the unbelievable fireworks of the Festa di Rentedore. Thank you to Michela and Laura and Luisella for our wonderful day, that was a dream turned into reality. We will never forget you for all your work, nor our wonderful day. Bene mil grazie! Valerie and Bill

CHELSEA LEINER & DAYVEN JOHNSTON – Civil Wedding in Capri

Hello Michela,

Thank you so much for all of your help in coordinating our big day!
Everything was wonderful and we really appreciate your attention to detail.
It was so reassuring to keep hearing from you and know that you were taking care of all these details for us. Both Mary and Stephanie were such a great help to us. We couldn't have done it without them! Stephanie even came early to help me with my hair and her husband and friend came to act as our witnesses!
Capri is so beautiful. We couldn't have asked for a better wedding and honeymoon location.
The Caesar Augustus is gorgeous and our wedding dinner was perfect!

We can't wait to see the photos. Do you know if Mr. Amendola will be sending them directly to us or will they go to you first? We will be selecting one of the photos to use on our wedding announcement. Also, do
you know his website address? He told us he would be using one or two of our photos on his website and we're curious to see how they turned out.

Please feel free to use us as a reference or any comments you like.
Thanks again for all of your assistance! The day was perfect!

Best regards,
Chelsea & Dayven

LINDA COOKE & PAUL STRANKS – Civil Wedding in Venice

Michela, we wanted to thank you for organising such a wonderful day for us!
It was absolutely fantastic and even better than we could have hoped for - we were just over the moon (as I am sure you could tell!). Also, our family really enjoyed the whole day too - we all thought you were lovely and that you did a great job for us.
Paul and I have been going over the day in our heads and we can't believe how perfect it was - and how nice everyone was too - it's almost as if we dreamed it really!

We are very excited about seeing the photos - the address you have is correct so please send them through as soon as you can - we can't wait to see them! We really liked the photographer - I think you choose really well there so thank you for finding him!

Please also send our thanks to Luisella the translator - she was so smiley and happy during the wedding too that it helped create a really lovely atmosphere during the ceremony itself.

Also, please pass our thanks to Laura who was very helpful and friendly in the beginning and kicked everything off very well.

Michela, Paul and I would be happy to provide a testimonial for you and the website. As I think we said to you on the day, we were both very pleased with the work you did for the wedding and the little of detail really made the difference from a good wedding to a perfect wedding - eg the boat, the canapes etc at the Hotel Des Bains etc. It was really lovely to actually meet you too and it was great to have you with us and share the day with us was also great and you made sure everything went so well.

Thanks again - and good luck send the photos through as soon as you can!

Linda

PS My sisters went to your recommended restaurant (sorry, can't remember the
name) on the Saturday evening and they loved it so thanks for the tip.

Linda and Paul Stranks

ANDREW MEYER & KAREN JACKSON – Civil wedding in Venice

Hi Michela

Thank you. We had the most amazing day, beyond anything we had hoped for! From the beautiful flowers being delivered to the hotel, your thoughtful call just as we were leaving to attend the town hall, the lovely assistance by Louisella as interpreter to the wonderful reception at St Marks Square. Everything had been taken care of so beautifully not only on the day but for the whole visit for ourselves and our guests. Your recommendations for dining and the booking for of all was much appreciated. We felt amazing and could enjoy what the day was really about and did not have a single concern or worry to take any of it away. It was truely the best day of our lives and the beautiful photos are a permanent reminder of the magic. Please also pass our warmest thanks to Louisella and the photographer who became part of our day.

Karen and Andy

SIGMUND AND FELICIA, Luxury honeymoon in Italy

Dear Alberto
The honeymoon was great! The value of a 5-star hotel was immediately evident at Bellagio as they had no trouble helping me with one lost luggage bag. Florence was especially nice. Silvio was a very interesting man and we definitely had more fun adjusting our schedule to see Chianti and talking about the overview of Florence. It really seems to be a process of "making friends" rather a type of guide/tourist relationship - and we enjoyed it immensely. The guides really made the honeymoon quite special. The private cars also helped quite a bit in that our luggage was a little bulky - definitely not designed for Florentine streets. The Hotel de Ville actually had the largest rooms and their staff seemed more competent than at Verona but I suppose this is due to the increased tourism in Florence. We must plan our next trip to Italy I think we need to see Capri Rome Portofino. Luisella was great in Venice and we wish we had made more time to spend with her. All in all I think the private guided tours are what made this honeymoon much superior to what we saw other tourists doing. I would not imagine coming back to Italy without a guide - otherwise we would have been stuck with a much more superficial experience. I suppose this level of service and pride of work, which at the best hotels, makes the travelling unique. Well next time! No problem using us as a reference
Thank you
Sigmund and Felicia

CHERYL PATTERSON AND AARON SIKORA – Catholic wedding in CASTELLINA IN CHIANTI

Aaron and I are back home and happily married. We would like to thank you once again for all your help and extra effort. You really helped to make our wedding day and trip to Italy a memorable one. Everything was wonderful.

We would specifically like to let you know that the hotel in Florence was perfect. The four poster bed was incredibly romantic and the breakfasts in the room were great - the hotel staff were also wonderfully helpful.
The supper that you arranged for us in Castellina was also fantastic. We asked the staff to choose our meals and we were delighted with what they chose for us. We hope that you continue to recommend this restaurant in the future as they made our wedding supper unforgettable.

We also had a chance to meet the other Canadian couple who were married in Castellina on the same day – I think Alberto was doing the arrangements for them. It was a nice coincidence.

Thanks again for everything. Please feel free to give our names and emails as references to other couples who are interested in arranging a wedding through you. Please know that we will recommend you highly.

TERI THOMPSON AND SCOTT HAGERDORN – Wedding in Amalfi

Hi Alberto,

We had a wonderful time in Italy and were extremely pleased with the work you and Giovanna did. Giovanna was an absolute delight, and I've been trying to tell you that we would love to be a reference for you and your company any time! Everything was perfect. If I can send you the link today, you'll be able to see the flowers that Posaflora did for us - which were amazing. The owner was so great to us, and he let me pick out the flowers for my hair (which he had sent in from Ravello).

Amalfi was the perfect place to get married, and we're looking forward to getting our pictures and video soon. We actually signed a note on our door last night for a package that should be delivered today. Doyou think it could be the photos?

I hope you get this! We have definitely not forgotten you! Please let me know if you get the link to our pictures today. I'll send them right now.

-T

KIMBERLY AND ALEX MODINGER – Civil wedding in LAKE ORTA

Hi!

I have been trying to get in touch with you. I am glad your email is working again.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
M I L L E
G R A Z I E !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Words cannot express how happy we are with how perfectly everything, and we mean everything, turned out. You and your company are professionals of the highest degree. Please put us on your reference list (as if you need anymore, I am sure!)

Francesca was a dream in Milan, so intelligent! Phillippa is wonderfully friendly and made everything look so easy. My dad met her the morning of the wedding, at her husband’s shop, and Alex and I went down to meet her and buy me an umbrella for the ceremony. I think she would have liked to fix the weather, but we really didn’t mind. In fact it made for some wonderfully dramatic pictures of the lake and island.

Orta San Giulio is a wonderful and truly magical place. We were applauded and cheered as we walked through the town square with the photographer. Our parents also became slightly famous during the rest of their stay in the town, because people recognized and congratulated them on the wedding.

The Hotel San Rocco was especially nice, and the staff did a wonderful job with the reception. The food was spectacular. Everyone left happy after that meal!

We left the day after the wedding, and made it to Venice for the record setting Aqua Alta! Another amazing experience, although one I was glad did not last too long. Our only regret is that our time was so short. We could easily have stayed another week, or two, or three!

Well, before I bore you too much, please use the following contact information and add us to your list of ecstatic clients.

Again, thank you so much. Do you want me to email you some of our pictures? We don’t have the photographer’s yet, but we do have some nice ones from our digital camera.

Sincerely, Kim

LOUISE METCALFE AND SIMON LEWTHWAITE – Wedding in Venice

We have just arrived back from Venice and I wanted to write to you to tell you how wonderful everything was and to thank you for all your help and organisation. I hope that you can see via the attached photos that we had a brilliant time !
Everything was perfect and everyone agreed that getting married in Italy was a magical experience. My flowers were perfect and included all my favourite flowers and colours. The Antico Martini was fantastic and even the most ardent meat-eaters were impressed by the quality and variety of the food and the professionalism of the staff. And Luisella was absolutely marvellous - she has just the right type of personality and character for the job of wedding translator. Our parents particuarly enjoyed the gondola ride to the ceremony with Luisella as she gave a fascinating commentary on the buildings and bridges that we past by. Would it be possible for you to send me Luisella's address so I can send her a thank you ?

All in all, we had an amazing time and we are so glad that we found you on the Internet. Initially we were nervous about organising a wedding via e-mail but I can honestly say that it was the best decision that we made. You were so helpful and organised that I can honestly recommend you (and Wedding Italy) to anyone ! Please feel free to use Simon and I as references for other couples who are thinking of getting married in Italy.

I will miss our regular e-mails but PLEASE get in touch if you come to England as we would love to meet you and personally thank you for all your help,

Many thanks again,

Louise and Simon
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

JENNIFER BRAME AND DAVID JOHNSTON – Protestant blessing in CAPRI

hi guys,
I know I already thanked you, but again our wedding was perfect and we would be delighted for you to use us as any reference to any other couples who are interested in doing something the same or similar. highly recommended. I have just emailed rev Murray also to send him thanks and regards, he is a wonderful man (didn't realize he's from the uk originally) he made us feel comfortable before, during and after the ceremony, and what a sense of humour! the photographer Mr Enzo was amazing, also his assistant, who concentrated more on black and white shots. Mr Enzo took over the Capri palace ha ha ! in order to take the best shots, this was very amusing. Francesca was very sweet and well organized and on hand in need of anything, she also assisted taking photo's with our personal camera. after the blessing we took a scenic drive through Anacapri, which was breathtaking, for yet more memorable pictures. We returned back to the hotel around 7.30 and had a dinner reservation at the Capri palace, the table was quiet, romantic, and
the food incredible. It was just what we wanted to finish up a perfect day. The following morning before we checked out we had breakfast on the private terrace in the room. I have to say that the service at the Capri palace was excellent, the staff (especially the hair stylist, Carmel). I would highly recommend them, and of course Capri for a perfect romantic location. I want to thank you also for making the booking at the Santa Lucia hotel. It also was a lovely, very quaint hotel. The breakfast was out of this world!
A funny story about this hotel. After David and I walked around by the sea front, and had a wonderful dinner of seafood, we went back to the hotel for a night cap. The gentleman behind the bar was adorable. He has worked at this hotel for 26 yrs and has seen so many people come and go. He asked us where in Italy we would be visiting, after we told him the following day we were to be married, he opened us a bottle of champagne, and had a toast with us, he also brought the piano player from a wedding upstairs, down, to play 'when I fall in love' and 'somewhere over the rainbow' for us, we danced and it was very romantic.
You see these are the things we will always remember, the kindness and warmth of people.
If we can be of any help, by sharing our trip with anyone, we would be happy.
Jennifer and David

ANDRIKA DAYTON AND MICHAEL BROWN – Wedding in Venice

They are the presidents of the Company STREEWISEMAPS.

Dear Alberto, Thank you for your email. Doesn't the wedding seem so long ago? It is the bright image I think of in contrast to all the gruesome images we have seen lately. You did such a superb job - I cannot thank you enough for making that day so perfect. From beginning to end, it was lovelier that I had ever imagined. You are so good at what you do.

MARK VINCENT MARTINO AND VIRGINIA THOMPSON – Wedding in Cividale del Friuli

Dear Alberto,

From the deepest part of our hearts we cannot thank you both enough for such a spectacular time in Italy. As our first venture out of the States and our first time being married, we had many expectations and some fears of travel abroad. From the first moment we met, we knew we where in the hands of professionals and at the same time, in the hands of special people taking care of their clients. We have the greatest and utmost respect for the treatment and friendship you provided to us, our family and friends. You went out of your way many times over, taking care of our needs and helping us discover the beauty of your country.

We give the deepest thanks to you again in helping to comfort us in our country's most tragic event. Your words throughout helped our stay and made our special day only better. September 11, 2001, will not only be in our minds forever but it will also be remembered by us as the time in Italy where Alberto and Michela, our wedding planner and now friend, helped our wandering minds off the tragic, and back to what we were there for – our wedding and love to each other.

Your business of planning great and unforgettable weddings as you state is not quite the whole truth. We believe you provide a sense of trust, friendship and love as well, making all weddings and the world a wonderful place.

A special thanks to you Alberto for helping me "finalize" all the paperwork required for our special occasion. I could see my hair turning gray each day before our e-mail correspondence began. Another "ten" for you and Punto di Fuga, a day did not go by without an immediate response.

"Our day" in Italy was indeed the most special day of our lives, and you and your staff are responsible for helping us create our most cherished memory.

Mille grazie

Mr. and Mrs. Mark V. Martino