When getting to know the British couple, we remember the bride, Georgia, telling us that in no uncertain terms, whatever the groom, Angelo, says, when they first met she DID NOT chase him. While separately, Angelo, had already told us with a cheeky grin that Georgia had chased him, “from the moment Georgia laid eyes on me she wanted to be a Rossi”.

While “who chased who” to this day remains a mystery, nine years later, their closest family and friends gathered right here in the Cinque Terre, to witness Georgia officially becoming a Rossi.

It was full belly laughing from the start of this fun and lively wedding, dad pranks during the wedding rehearsal, photo shoots in the bath (one of our favourite wedding photos ever – see below) and the retelling of their unique wedding proposal:

The original planned proposal was big and romantic in style: in front of a massive gold heart in Times Square, during a holiday to New York. However, the weather was freezing: –16 degrees according to Georgia and even colder still at -19 degrees according to Angelo. So due to the glacial weather, Georgia insisted they return to their hotel room. And what followed in that New York hotel room, was arguably one of the most unexpected and therefore also undeniably romantic proposals we have ever heard. Angelo got down on one knee, while Georgia was brushing her teeth, and proposed. Magic!

As intensive care nurses, it is no surprise that this kind-hearted, witty and beautiful couple put their family and friends front and center of their wedding experience.

For wedding flowers and decor, we took inspiration from the couple’s brilliant sparkle and went bright and bold in a way only our fabulously flawless florist can.

So, in the spirit of the five lands of the Cinque Terre, here are Georgia and Angelo’s top five tips and pics captured by our clever clicker photographer.

Why a destination wedding in Itay?

Angelo’s Nonno is from Liguria, and we have always loved going to Italy. We just knew that is where we wanted to get married.

Why the Cinque Terre in Italy?

The question should be, why not the Cinque Terre? It is the most beautiful, picture perfect place to get married.  We just knew, we wanted to have our special day in Vernazza, there is no  better place to share our day with our closest friends and family.

How was the destination wedding planning process?

Planning a wedding during covid was no easy task, and quite daunting. However, Melina made the planning process so easy.

Best part of your wedding day in the Cinque Terre?

The service written by celebrant, Matteo, and spending the day with our loved ones.

Top Tip for future Cinque Terre Wedding Brides and Grooms?

Put your faith in Melina, and you won’t go far wrong.

For more information on your Cinque Terre Wedding contact us.

The post The making of Mr and Mrs Rossi – real Cinque Terre Wedding special appeared first on Cinque Terre Wedding.

Hayley doesn’t believe in love at first sight. For humans that is. Quite rightly. We figured, there were a possible 450 sightings, between Hayley and Evan over the years, at university, fraternity parties and even actual private dates. But it wasn’t until years later, after they had parted ways and changed cities, that true love hit – a chance meeting in a Karaoke Bar, where Hayley was singing the Spice Girl’s “Wannabe” – zigazig ah!

Aside from 90s pop, this beautiful loved up couple, also share a grand passion for world travel. Together they had visited London, Paris, Amsterdam, Berlin, Rome, Florence, Barcelona, Paris and the Cinque Terre. Out of all these places, in all the world, it was on seeing the Cinque Terre for the very first time that Hayley and Evan experienced “love at first sight.” So we were thrilled that they decided to return to the Cinque Terre with their families, for a wedding surrounded by love and kindness, to become husband and wife.

In the spirit of the five lands of the Cinque Terre, get your goggles ready for a deep dive into Hayley and Evan’s top five tips on planning their destination wedding in Italy and their most beautiful and intimate moments snapped by Pure Wedding Photography.

Why a destination wedding?

Evan and I never imaged a big wedding for ourselves. It seemed that a big church wedding with 100+ people was something that was socially “expected” versus something we really wanted. There were many benefits to having a destination wedding. It is cost effective, it is more intimate, the location is unbeatable, and we both knew that we wanted to share our love of traveling with the people that are the most special to us, our families.

Some may say that a destination wedding does not fall under the category of a “traditional wedding”, I disagree. I believe that this experience was more traditional as it focused on our marriage and the blending of families together. This destination wedding was a trip of a lifetime for both families and the opportunity for our families to connect on a much deeper level.

Why the Cinque Terre in Italy?

In 2016, Evan and I took a day trip from Florence to visit all 5 villages of the Cinque Terre, and it was love at first sight. Each village has its own distinct beauty and charm that left a lasting impression on us both. When we got back to the US, we continued to rave about the location to family and friends. Once we got engaged in 2017, within a couple hours we decided the Cinque Terre would be the place where we would become man and wife.

How was the planning process?

I could not have asked for a better planning experience. I have been a bridesmaid 7 times over the course of the past 10 years and I saw my friends stress and obsess about every detail of their wedding to the point of exhaustion, frustration, and tears. As someone very “A-type” and prone to stress, I knew that I could not plan a wedding that way. We searched online for wedding planners and found Cinque Terre Weddings. After speaking with Melina and Sarah, I knew that I had a great team of ladies working to plan our dream day. I developed a very solid and trusting relationship with these ladies 4,900 miles away, across the Atlantic Ocean, and with a 7 hour time difference. I knew that I could email them at any time and they were very quick to respond to any emails/concerns/etc. It was the highlight of my mornings to wake up and see emails from Sarah on next steps in the planning process.

The wedding packages offered by Cinque Terre Weddings are flawless and come with everything needed for the big day. There is no need to fly over extravagant decor, as the scenery of the village is more than enough to make your day perfect. Cinque Terre Wedding listened to my wishes and hopes and incorporated these details into our wedding. In addition, I want to note that the vendors that Cinque Terre Weddings works with are all professional, talented, and easy to work with. It is obvious that Cinque Terre works exclusively with these partners and that a strong platform has been established.

Best part of your day?

As the bride, I loved being able to enjoy the day of my wedding. Cinque Terre Wedding set up a cute lunch for the ladies and kept the schedule of events while I was able to sit back and enjoy the time with my mother, mother-in-law, and matron of honor. There was no need to worry about the time of appointments, where to be, needing to pay vendors, etc. The day was so much fun and full of laughter.

Once it was time for the wedding, Evan and I were able to take in each and every moment. Having a destination wedding meant that we were relieved of pressure to entertain guests. The families could all sit together and enjoy the special day without “feeling like we had to” do anything. It was the most special day for us and we will carry these memories with us forever.

Top Tip for future Cinque Terre Wedding Brides and Grooms?

For those considering a destination wedding, always know there is a level of uncertainty and there is not room to control every single detail, but Cinque Terre Wedding takes the time to develop a relationship with you and coordinate the most highly anticipated day of your life. The uncertainty will quickly transpire into astonishment the day of your wedding.

For more information on what your Cinque Terre Wedding contact us.

Wedding Planner Sarah Pozzi from Cinque Terre Wedding.

Written by Melina Nicholson.

The post Love at first sight in the Cinque Terre appeared first on Cinque Terre Wedding.

So decide on what your overall budget is and then simply breakdown your budget into these categories to discover your spend for each item.

No idea where to start with your overall budget? Well industry leading wedding blog, The Knot, places the average destination spend at US$27,227, which we think is a realistic guide to follow.

Though here in the Cinque Terre you may be suprised to know that the average wedding budget is well below this figure. For instance, if we look closer at Cinque Terre Wedding Fun Facts we see that the average destination wedding budget here in the Cinque Terre is just €14,646*. If we break it down further, weddings with under 50 guests spend an average of just €7,644*.

This does change slightly when looking at weddings with 50 guests or more, this is when we come closer to the industry average, with Cinque Terre Wedding couples looking at an average budget of €28,419*.

So now you have the budget and an idea of costs, next question, who’s paying?

Well, if it was ancient Roman times payment responsibility for the wedding would completely be in the hands of the bride’s family. Traditionally, when parents were negotiating the arranged marriage, the bride would be presented with a valued dowry. As the bride and groom most probably did not know each other at the time, the healthier the dowry, the more attractive the bride to the potential groom. And the dowry didn’t just include money but also household items, like furniture, linens and even animals. So a bride with a chicken, may be less attractive than a bride with a pig. And a bride with a cow?  Next level, completely.

So in ancient Roman times both the dowry and payment of the wedding celebrations were all covered by the bride’s family. In return the groom and in-laws would take on the responsibility of providing for the bride till death do them part.

So depending on where you lie on the traditional fence, and since you are marrying in Italy, why not try using the: When in Rome… line and see how that flies with the parents of the bride (though you didn’t hear this suggestion from your wedding planner of course)?

Alternatively, if you are looking to do something a little bit more millennial, you will probably be looking at paying for your own wedding. Here at Cinque Terre most couples do cover the wedding costs themselves, with some also benefiting from help from parents depending on individual circumstances.

One way of approaching this topic with parents who do wish to contribute is to have them cover a category of your day, like catering, music, or photography. Or even breaking it down further into things like cake, open bar or ceremony music. This is a great way to make your family feel involved in the wedding and give them ownership over a special part of your day.

And once you know your overall budget, how much to spend on each category and who will foot the bill, you’ll be set.

For more tips and ideas on what the budget for your destination wedding in the Cinque Terre could look like contact us.

Photo by Pure Wedding Photography

Written by Melina Nicholson.

*Statistics are from Cinque Terre Wedding Fun Facts, based on 89 destination weddings held in the Cinque Terre. And please note the above budgets exclude travel costs, accommodation, attire and bridal jewelry and accessories.

The post Wedding Budget – how to budget for a destination wedding appeared first on Cinque Terre Wedding.

It’s a modern day anomaly from the old world – the bridal veil – more often than not it is bought and then pops up on wedding day prepared to go, but there’s always a lingering question on whether it will be confirmed for the main event at the last minute or not. We feel for the veil as often its staring role is left in the hands of the hairdressers: will it go with the desired hairstyle or be up staged by a glittery hairpiece or fresh flower? Or will mother of the bride or the bride herself deem it uncomplimentary to the final overall look? Or will the bride’s modern accustomization to ease-of-movement and easy-to-wear banish the veil to the never-to-wear realms of the corset, garter belt and the crinoline (the highly flammable petticoat that killed thousands of women in the Victorian era)?

And if the veil does make the cut, the second question is, how do I wear it? And then when do I take it off? So before we analyse what our brides have been doing today, in our Cinque Terre Wedding Fun Facts*, let’s jump back in time to find out what our brides of yesteryear did.

So super interesting fact is that the wedding veil is the oldest member of the bridal ensemble, going back to ancient tribes who would wrap the bride head to toe to represent the untouched maiden and protect her from prying eyes and evil spirits. We also know, over 1,000 years ago, in the Middle East, bridal parties traveled beneath a protective canopy. The modern veil is thought to be a miniature version of this. Symbolic of purity, privacy and concealment, it has always been reserved for brides marrying for the first time.

Photo: Reproduction of a terracotta slab from Campania during the Roman period, of the Marriage of Peleus and Thetis. Source: Mikimedia Commons

Historically the veil has also been used for practical purposes. In the days of arranged marriages, which were very common around the world until the 1700s, the veil was used to hide the bride’s face from the groom and only to be raised after the vows had been said. With many couples not having seen each other before the wedding day, this was a way of stopping the groom from reneging on the deal, in the case he found his new wife not pleasing to the eye.

And in the past, different cultures used the veil in different ways. The ancient Greeks wore scarlet coloured veils, representing Hymen, the god of marriage and after the ceremony offered up their veils to Hera, the goddess of women, marriage, family, and childbirth. While the ancient Romans wore vivid saffron coloured veils over braided hairstyles or garlands of wildflowers.

Perhaps due to the cost of creating the sheer veil, it lapsed in popularity from the early anglo-saxon brides of the 400s until it disappeared completely by the 1700s. But two important events brought the veil back into fashion in the 1800s, firstly advances in technology brought the mass production of tulle to the market and secondly Queen Victoria decided to be the first modern monarch to marry in a veil. Apparently not wanting to hide her face from her subjects, instead of wearing the veil over her face she wore it cascading over her shoulders and down her back. And if ever there was a love story to influence the ages it was the love story of Victoria and Albert so it’s not surprising that her legacy still carries on today.

Painting of Victoria and Albert Wedding by Sir George Hayter.

In the 1930s Vogue magazine declared the practice of wearing the veil over the face “outmoded” but for religious ceremonies and romantic-minded brides we still see some brides celebrate the lifting of the veil as one of the high points of the ceremony. Think Duchess Kate and Meghan – “outmoded” we think not!

Photo: Dominic Lipinksi/AFP/Getty Images                                        Photo: Pascale Le Segretain/Getty Images

So what are brides today doing? To veil or not to veil? Well, our Cinque Terre Wedding Fun Facts show that around half, 51 per cent, of brides are still wearing veils for the ceremony.

And for those who are wearing the veil, the majority are wearing it Queen Victoria style, face exposed, cascading down back. In fact, just 14 per cent are opting for the long-held tradition of wearing the veil over the face when walking down the aisle, Kate and Meghan style. Notably, 83 per cent of those covering the face are religious weddings.

Real Cinque Terre Wedding of Kelly and Ross.  Photo by  Pure Wedding Photography.

And when it’s time to partay? The majority, 70 per cent of brides, remove the veil for the reception part of the wedding.

And for those brides going without the veils, what seems to be the popular alternative? Well, around 16 per cent of our brides are wearing hair pieces such as decorative hair combs, vines or tiaras.

Real Cinque Terre Wedding of Jess and Dan. Photo by Facibeni Fotografia. 

While 10 per cent are wearing floral crowns and 9 per cent are wearing fresh flowers.

Real Cinque Terre Wedding of Dominique and Rick. Photo by Ed Peers.

And if in doubt, a small number, around 14 per cent of brides, are opting to go naturale with no veil or hair embellishment, at all.

So by the looks of things we are still, in the main, carrying on the traditions of our ancient tribal ancestors, wearing veils for the ceremony and then offering them up to the goddess Hera, before partying on at the reception. Literally, following in the footsteps of women who have walked down the aisle before us as brides for thousands of years. Kind of makes every step all the more special, right? We think so.

Real Cinque Terre Wedding of Marianne and Andreas. Photo by Miriamo Rossignoli.

Written by Melina Nicholson. Feature photo: Real Cinque Terre Wedding Stephanie and Ben. Photo by Facibeni Fotografia. 

*These Cinque Terre Wedding Fun Facts are based on 82 destination weddings held in the Cinque Terre, Italy, with couples from around the world including but not limited to: Australia, Belarus, Brazil, Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States of America.

In the purpose of recognising and respecting cultural diversity, we acknowledge that this article is Anglo-Saxon focused, written from the insight of destination weddings in Italy, and does not explore veil wearing traditions at weddings that could be practised in many other parts of the world by many other different cultural and religious backgrounds.

Reference: I do! I do! By Susan Waggoner, 2002.

The post The great unveiling – should I wear a veil? appeared first on Cinque Terre Wedding.

We know that from the 1300s to the start of the 1900s there was 500 years of trend setting fabulousness influencing flower design around the globe.

The Baroque period is the second era we explore as part of our five part series on the Five European Influences on Modern Day Flora Design. And in part 1 here we explored the first major historical era of this period: the Renaissance and also revealed our modern day take on this magnificant bygone age.

So now let’s dive back into the Baroque period, and be equally blown away by all the inspiration we can use today to create a Baroque wedding in the Cinque Terre, Italy.

Blending into the end of the Renaissance, the period of Baroque ran from around 1600 to 1750. It built onto the Renaissance period, exagerating it with more ornamental decorations. So for flower design, think about adding details like shells, birds nests and lots of swirling leaf details. Flower design was big, tall and deep and bold in colour with oval and symetrical arrangements ruling the time. Greenery was more plentiful too as was metallics for vases. Think dark, moody opulence and drama, lots of drama.

So for a step back into the past think of the Dutch, Flemish and Belgian greats that dominated this period: the Dutch, Ast and his Flowers in a Vase with Shells and Insect, Rebrandt’s Saskia van Uylenburgh as Flora, goddess of spring and flowers, and Mignon for his Vase of Flowers, along with the Veerendael and his Flowers in a Glass Vase, Butterfly and Beetle on a Stone Ledge.

For the who’s who of the Baroque world think English Queen Anne and Belgian Anthony van Dyck.

So if you are thinking of having a destination wedding in Europe, and in particular Italy, here are 7 inspirational images from that time to inspire a Baroque wedding:

Photo credits (clockwise):Balthasar /  Veerendael   / Luca Giordano / Queen Anne / Mignon / Rembrant / Antony Van Dyck

For our modern twist on the Baroque period we take the deep reds, our big buds and all that drama for a destination wedding here in the Cinque Terre. So here are 8 more reasons to  love a Baroque wedding:

Photo credits (clockwise): Tulle and Chantilly Centerpiece / Strictly Weddings Bouquet, Pinterest Centerpiece / Tulle and Chantilly Centerpiece / Style Me Pretty Floral Crown / Style Me Pretty Bouquet   / House of Felliot Centerpiece /Magnolia Rouge Bouquet /  Elegant Wedding Invites Bouquet

To explore the next European Influence on Mondern Day Flora Design enjoy part 3: the pretty Rococo era here. 

To celebrate your Baroque Wedding here on the Cinque Terre of Italy contact us here.

Written by Melina Nicholson

The post 15 reasons to love a baroque wedding: flower design to inspire appeared first on Cinque Terre Wedding.

It’s always a squeal moment when one of our weddings is covered by the media and there’s always more squealing when it’s by the likes of a publication like Magnolia Rouge. The online and hardcopy publication is based in New Zealand and inspired by beautiful light, organic styling, natural and simple beauty and raw textures – enter Cinque Terre Wedding, stage left, with the beautiful Irina and Artur.

For this gentle, clever and genetically blessed couple from Russia we organised a vintage country chic wedding which Irina calls “Italian Village Chic” – a rather perfect description from a rather perfect bride.

Their wedding held in the rustic ancient vineyard of Monterosso was the ideal setting for their vision which we paired with their wild and abundant flower compositions and their vintage kissed table top decorations, along with our collection of Cinque Terre Wedding stationery – exclusively available to our Cinque Terre Wedding couples only.

So if you think that an Italian Village Chic wedding sounds like your dream destination wedding in Italy prepare to have your dreams awoken when reading through Irina and Artur’s wedding here.

And a shout out to Roman, the photographer, for his super stunning snapping – woohoo! And also one to Matteo, the celebrant, who worked with the groom’s sister to deliver a ceremony in English and Russian that had everyone laughing and crying – good tears of course, and Sarah our super wedding stylist.

And tanti baci to the team at Magnolia Rouge for continuing to produce beautiful articles that inspire the natural, rustic and forever chic weddings we love to create here in the old world villages of the Cinque Terre.

Watch out for a Cinque Terre Wedding Real Wedding feature on the couple and their country chic wedding where they share five tips and five a bit of their favourite pics with us. A great insight into how to plan your destination wedding in the Cinque Terre Italy. Coming soon…

Written by Melina Nicholson

The post Country Chic Wedding featured in Magnolia Rouge appeared first on Cinque Terre Wedding.