How To ELope Guides
Italia
How to Elope in Italy
SO YOU'RE
THINKING ABOUT ELOPING TO ITALY AND NEED ALL THE DETAILS YOU CAN GET?
AS I'M BASED IN NORTHERN-ITALY, HERE'S all you need to know
Why you should Elope in Italy
Although there are a thousand reasons I could give you to elope in Italy, the following are sure to be in your top ten!
Beautiful Nature
01
With breathtaking mountains, rolling hills, peaceful lakes, exceptional beaches, spectacular cliffs and tranquil islands, Italy’s got everything. From lush green and snowy to rocky and sandy, whatever kind of nature you are looking for, you’ll be able to find it in Italy as it stretches from the Alps into the Mediterranean Sea.
With 24 National Parks, chances are that if you’ve ever been to Italy, you’ve visited at least one of them – maybe without even knowing it! Unlike US National Parks, Italy’s National Parks don’t have entrance fees and aren’t just nature focused, but also make sure to show the cultural and historical heritage of this beautiful country.
If you’ve ever dreamed of eloping in Europe, it’s most likely that you’ll find the magic you’re looking for in Italy. It’s hard to find a part of Italy without enchanting scenery; the rolling hills with vineyards stretching as far as the eye can see, the mountain peaks and sparkling crystal lakes, as well as the Mediterranean and the Adriatic seaside and the whimsical islands. In this curated guide to eloping in Italy, I’ll guide you through all of the specifics so you can start dreaming of your special day.
Ancient Architecture
02
With an estimated total of 100,000 monuments, Italy has a lot to offer to those who enjoy incredible architecture, and not just in Rome, Florence and Venice. There's the Amalfi Coast, Cinque Terre, Ostuni (The White City) and Alberobello with its cone-shaped Trulli Houses. And then there are beautiful fountains, art galleries, castles and farmhouses spread all over the country.
Quick note for same-sex couples: most websites will tell you that you can legally get married in Italy, but this is not true. Same-sex marriage is still not legal in Italy. What you can do is a civil union, but as much as most on the internet seem to disagree with me, this is not the same as marriage. More about this: Same-sex couples in Italy.
The Food
03
Eat, pray, love - while she could have easily done all three of them in Italy, it's clear why the eat-part couldn't have been placed anywhere else. What's not to love about Italian food?
Italian food is fresh, simple and made with passion. Italian chefs don't like to complicate things by mixing too many elements, so you actually taste the few high quality ingredients that the dish is made of purely and deliciously. Oh, and let's not forget about their wine!
If you have any food allergies or intolerances, Italy tends to be the perfect country too as most of their chefs know how to work without any cross contamination. (I'm speaking from experience as a celiac myself.)
Do you have specifIc questions? I'd Love to hear from you!
It's hard not to find a place you love in Italy, whetHer It's in nature, in a big city or In a small village
Where to Elope in Italy
NATURE
Top 4 areas for your nature elopement in Italy
CITIES
Top 4 cities for your city elopement in Italy
TOWNS
Top 2 town areas for your Italy elopement
When to Elope in Italy
Lake Como
Tuscany, incl. Florence
May. June, September, October
May, June
Generally speaking April/May/June and September/October are the best months to elope in Italy. Of course it all depends on the exact location that you are going for, the activities that you have in mind and how much you mind being surrounded by other tourist.
Personally I'd recommend the following months for these Italian Locations:
Rome
Dolomites
from October to April
June, September
Amalfi Coast
Venice
April, May, June
May, June, September, October
Man-woman couples
Can we Legally get Married in Italy?
Yes, you don't need to be an Italian resident to be able to have a civil ceremony in this beautiful Southern European country.
Same-sex couples
No, not really. You can access a civil union, which provides several of the rights, benefits and obligations of marriage. This way you become registered partners, but not spouses. The way the paperwork gets translated once you return home, depends on your country - if your country has something like civil unions or registered partnership, most probably you'll be registered like that.
How to Legally get Married when you Elope in Italy
The steps you need to take to make things possible depend on where you are from. It's best to start planning your legal elopement at least 6 months in advance, as you'll probably need to get some of your documents translated and have certain appointments in advance of your civil wedding. Though you might be able to make things happen in 3 months or even less, depending on your home country.
Civil weddings as well as civil union ceremonies are conducted in Italian and officiated by the local mayor or by the civil registrar with an interpreter present to translate the ceremony and vows. The ceremony takes place at the town hall or at another authorized venue, it lasts about 20 minutes and you'll have to bring two witnesses. This unfortunately means that you cannot legally get married outdoors or at just any venue to you liking.
If you're interested in learning more about the exact requirements for your partner and you, send me a message and I'll guide you through the process.
Why I tend to recommend a Symbolic Ceremony instead
A symbolic or a commitment ceremony isn't legally binding, however, many couples opt for a ceremony like this when eloping abroad. You can choose to get married in your own country before or after eloping, or to just not get officially married at all - make sure you check what this means for you both legally and financially.
A symbolic ceremony means that you won't have to deal with all the paperwork nor play by the rules of the country that you've chosen for your adventure. Some couples have told me they prefer their elopement to be just between the two of them and to have no governments involved. Other couples found it all too complicated or wanted to elope last-minute and didn't have time to arrange everything necessary.
For Italy specifically, the fact that same-sex couples cannot get married here on top of the rule that you have to get married at a specifically assigned venue in order for it to be legal, are for many reasons enough to go for a symbolic ceremony instead.
North Wind Elopement Photography & Planning Guidance Packages
As elopements are highly personal and there's no reason to follow any 'rules', you can pick and choose what you believe is important to have on your elopement day. Some couples want to work with a hair and make-up artist, others prefer a private chef. I'm here to help you plan your grand adventure according to your own vision.
North Wind Packages include
• At least 4 hours of photography
• Mostly spontaneous, but also comfortably and naturally posed
• A preview within one week
• All your photos within 8 weeks
• A small-size heirloom album
• Lots of planning advice
• Vendor recommendations
• Activity recommendations
• Guidance on the day(s) of your elopement
• Practical tips (e.g. how to hike in a dress)
• All my travel expenses
STARTING FROM:
Kind Words
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— Michelle Black
— Michelle Black
— Michelle Black
Los Angeles — California
Los Angeles — California
Los Angeles — California