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WEDDINGS
dreamitalian
S P R I N G • I S S U E 9 • £2 . 9 9 • w w w . i t a l y m a g . c o . u k

&
HONEYMOONS Your essential guide to getting married in italy

From WISH LIST

to REALITY…
Jennie and Kevin
find their dream
Keeping wedding location
CHILDREN HAPPY
ON THE BIG DAY
A team of
Gourmet WEDDING
PLANNERS
HONEYMOON REVEALS ALL
HOTELS

Gavinget&married
Arlene
THAT’S AMORE!

in style
…in the beautiful town of Santa Maria di Castellabate

honeymoons planning style venues bespoke

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4 dream italian weddings & h o n e y m o o n s

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WEDDINGS
dreamitalian Editor’s page

&
HONEYMOONS ‘...benvenuti’, welcome!

S
Your essential guide to getting married in italy

SPRING IS ON THE HORIZON and as anyone in the wedding
industry will have noticed, the wedding season is well and
truly on its way. Here in Italy, this is when there are lots of
fairs going on, each city hosting their own fiera per gli
sposi. I’ve been doing my best to get to as many as possible,
and must say that this year, crisis or no crisis, the fairs were
packed. On my rounds, I’ve seen some incredible wedding
dresses: white (of course), red, pink, blue, lilac and even
black! The black one was truly stunning and I could
absolutely see why a brave bride might choose it. But on
the whole, it looks like 2009 is going to be a sparkling year
for brides, with many dresses embroidered and enriched
with crystals, sequins, glass and even tiny mirrors. Lines are
long and very sensual and it looks like backless is back this year too. Bows
abound, but they are sophisticated and perfectly positioned for a classy,
romantic effect. And it was great to see some short dresses too, some
flapper style, others boasting an eye-catching asymmetric cut, for brides
looking for a less formal way to dress up for their big day.
And then of course there were suits galore for grooms, and lots of accessories,
from shoes and ties to buttonholes and cufflinks. There was no lack of
ideas for wedding lists either, or for wedding favours, rings, honeymoon
destinations, or house decorating. I also enjoyed picking up some etiquette
tips: how to choose flowers suitable for your particular church and how it
is good manners to leave the flowers afterwards as an offering; when during
the service your organist should play and your soloist sing; and how rice
should be thrown outside of the church and only with the priest’s consent.
Small touches that respect local customs and help your day run smoothly.
Talking of wedding days running smoothly, this month we
talk to four Love&Lord wedding planners whose working life
revolves around achieving just that. While brides and grooms
are fretting about getting their lines right at the altar, what are
wedding planners worrying about? Read our feature and find
out, after which you’ll probably have a newfound admiration
for planners, and rightly so! Then we head down to the pretty
town of Santa Maria di Castellabate where Amore Wedding’s
Lisa Crotti helps one couple organise not only their wedding
day, but the holiday of a lifetime.
G e r m a i n e S t a f fo rd For brides approaching their big day with a few pounds still
E D I TO R to shed, don’t miss our Ask The Experts feature where Janey
Holliday of Fit for a Princess offers some fabulous last minute
tips for getting into shape, and into the dress! Janey runs a series of popular
bridal bootcamps across London – so she’s seen lots of anxious brides on their
quest to de-stress and lose weight before their wedding day. And while she
works participants hard, it’s encouraging to see she is adamant that her
clients eat properly and enough. And don’t worry if you’re not in the London
area as Janey’s website has lots of tips and ideas for those further afield too.
And along with our regular features like Fashion, Weddings Gifts and
Honeymoon Hotels, this month, in conjunction with London's La Dolce Vita
Event, where you can visit their great Weddings Pavillion, we are offering two
standard tickets for £19, saving you £9. Simply enter the code DIW01
when you book your tickets on www.ladolcevitaevent.co.uk or when
you call 08712305589. And if you want to have a look at some of our Dream
Italian Wedding back issues, don't forget you'll find them all at italymag.co.uk
A presto

www.italymag.co.uk
PUBLISHED BY POUNDBURY PUBLISHING LIMITED, E D I T O R Germaine Stafford W EB C OMMUNIT Y R EL ATIONS
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Levinia Modica
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COVER SALES EXECUTIVE
See page 70 for SUBSCRIPTION OFFERS IMAGE… Luisa Pacifico
luisa@italymag.co.uk
S U B S C R I P T I O N H O T L I N E O R D E R S ! +44 (0) 1305 266360
Getting to the church
on time and in style! SALES EXECUTIVE
(Mon-Fri 9am-5.30pm) (see page 12) Tonia Modica
tonia@italymag.co.uk
o r t o s u b s c r i b e o n l i n e V I S I T www.italymag.co.uk Image courtesy of SALES SUPPORT
• Credit cards acceptable and likewise orders by telephone • Antonio & Luciano, Michele Iemmolo
Amore Weddings michele@italymag.co.uk
• Please refer to subscription details in this issue for special prices •
AD PRODUCTION
ADVERTISEMENT SALES James Dean
admin@poundbury.co.uk
Angelo Sangiorgio ~ Tel: 00 44 (0)207 5588497/00 39 0932 950222 ~ Email: angelo@italymag.co.uk
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Print and Origination: The Manson Group Limited, St Albans, Hertfordshire. Distributers: Seymour, 2 East Poultry Avenue, London EC1A 9PT. With thanks to: Vanessa Hill. Telephone: 0207 429 4000. International Sales: Through Poundbury Publishing Ltd: Contact Debbie Shorey.
Telephone: 01305 266360. Copyright: Poundbury Publishing Limited© 2007. All rights reserved. Nothing in this magazine may be reproduced in whole or part without prior permission in writing. We welcome contributions that fit into the general theme of the magazine,
but only on condition that no irreplaceable material is sent to us. All such material is submitted, received and held entirely at the sender’s risk. Important Notice We do our best to ensure that information is accurate but must emphasise that we cannot accept
responsibility for mistakes and omissions. Opinions expressed are those of the authors; we shall endeavour to give an opportunity for alternative views in our letters column. All advertisers submit their own wording and we cannot, therefore, become involved in any
disputes between advertisers and their customers. Those responding to property notices should be aware that the magazine goes to press a month before publication and that properties may have been sold in the meantime. Competition entries: These may be made in
duplicate form, photocopied or hand-copied, as we realise you won’t want to cut the magazine. Correct entries will be drawn from a hat, or by some other equally random process on the stated date.

dream italian weddings & h o n e y m o o n s 5

p06-07 Contents : *ContentsWedd 30/1/09 12:28 Page 2

in this issue…

WEDDINGS
dreamitalian

contents
&
HONEYMOONS Your essential guide to getting married in italy

dress designer
8 making the most of
‘the dress’
Clair Quigley looks at some beautiful creations
from Laura Biagiotti’s Summer 09 collection
for brides who want a wedding dress they
can wear again and again

weddings
12 that’s amore!
Arlene Sharkey tells us how her wedding to
husband Gavin in the beautiful town of
Santa Maria di Castellabate was truly a trip
she’ll never forget

22 from wish to reality

Jennie and Kevin Meehan had a wish list of
what they were looking for in their ideal
wedding destination. And thanks to wedding
planners Dream Academy, they found it!

destinations
26 gourmet honeymoon hotels
This month we take a look at some gorgeous
hotels in Italy that offer not only beautiful
surroundings and personalised service, but
also exquisite dining facilities

wedding planners
18 the dream team
Four Love&Lord wedding planners let
Germaine Stafford into what it’s like on the
other side of the fence, and it’s not all
plain sailing!

32 once upon a time…

Experienced wedding planner Bonnie Bates
offers some advice on how to keep kids happy
during long Church services and dinners,
making for less stress all round… 12
6 dream italian weddings & h o n e y m o o n s

fi ti
p06-07 Contents : *ContentsWedd 30/1/09 12:28 Page 3

Spring 09/Issue 9

Subscriptions
For subscription details
see pages 5 and 40.

38
culture
38 matriMovie
2 2 18 Find out how one man is offering special
screenings of couples’ wedding films while
helping save his local cinema.

advice
42 ask the experts…
Our regular feature in which an expert answers
your wedding questions. In this issue Janey
weddingquestions
Holliday of Fit for a Princess offers precious
advice to brides on how to lose weight,
release stress and get into shape for their
big day.

wedding gifts
48 Italian style…
We take a look at a range of fabulously
stylish wedding gifts that any bride and
groom would be delighted to receive.

photocall
36 a sense of place
One couple sneaks off to a quiet terrace to
enjoy a romantic dance together after their
wedding dinner.

photocall
50 a sense of place
A bride and groom enjoy a quiet moment

26 32 together between the columns of a

secluded cloister

dream italian weddings & honeymoons 7

_FashionSPR:*Fashion 30/1/09 13:20
gowns & dresses
8 dream italian weddings & honeymoons
Page 2
‘the dress’
WORDS : CLAIR QUIGLEY / IMAGES: LAURA BIAGIOTTI
MAKING THE MOST
of
For fashion conscious brides to be, Laura Biagiotti’s
L
versatile creations offer unique pieces that together
create a multi-form wardrobe you’ll wear again and again
AURA BIAGIOTTI,
born in Rome, has
long been recognised
as one of Italy’s greatest fashion
designers. Since 1980 she has
lived and worked in the Roman
countryside, in an 11th-century
castle restored to its ancient
splendour after years of patient
renovation by her and her hus-
band Gianni Cigna, who passed
away prematurely in August
1996. Voted Woman of the Year
in 1992 in New York, and award-
ed the Marco Polo award in
Beijing in 1993 for having
brought Italian industry to
China, Laura Biagiotti’s influen-
tial career and contribution to
making Italian fashion famous
worldwide was also recognised
by Italian President Oscar Luigi
Scalfaro who presented her with
the prestigious Knights of Labour award.
Biagiotti’s interest in fashion began in the
sixties when she followed in the footsteps of
her mother, Delia Soldaini, the founder of a
fashion atelier. Lavinia Biagiotti Cigna, Laura’s
daughter, on the other hand, began working
alongside Laura in the company business in
1996, after the premature death of her father.
Less than a year later, Lavinia’s first creations
made their debut on the catwalk during a chari-
ty event organized in Cairo under the patronage
of Madame Suzanne Mubarak, the wife of the
Egyptian president. Today Lavinia assists her
mother in running the company, taking respon-
sibility for both the company’s advertising cam-
paigns and overseeing the launch
of a variety of new products and
projects, and, like her mother,
amassing awards and accolades
along the way.
THE QUEEN OF
CASHMERE
Laura Biagiotti is perhaps best
known for her refined cashmere
fashions (she calls it the fibre
‘closest to heaven’), earning her
the title of the Queen of Cashmere
from the New York Times. But
she is also celebrated as a designer
who creates fashion with real
women in mind, exploiting
precious fabrics and manipulating
styles so that each creation exalts
the forms and femininity of the
women who wear it, large or
small may they be. Another much
loved quality of Biagiotti
creations is their unique versatility, meaning
pieces can pass from day wear to evening wear
with the addition of a few simple accessories:
perfect for women with a busy lifestyle, but
also for those keen to get the most out of
individual pieces.
When choosing their wedding dress, many
women are eager to find a dress they will be
able to use again, not simply for the sake of
making a prudent purchase, but also for the
real joy of being able to wear ‘the dress’ again
and relive some of the wonderful emotions of
their big day. And specially canny brides are on
the lookout for a dress that can then also be
worn on their honeymoon.
_FashionSPR:*Fashion 30/1/09 13:20 Page 3

wedding fashion

cor a l
branches
e m b r oi de r e d
with
i r r i de s c e n t
sequins are
ton e - o n - ton e
or con t r a s t i n g …

H O L I D AY S N A P S H O T S
Laura Biagiotti’s creations are perfect for this
kind of woman, and never more so than her
new 2009 summer collection, Snapshots
from the Mediterranean, which is inspired
by Italy’s sea with its gorgeous scenery and
natural settings. Colours range from candid
bridal whites and the lucky red of
Mediterranean coral to the bright turquoises
and greens of a Sardinian sea and underwater
tones in inky black. There is a distinct
holiday feel about this collection, with many
of the models giving an urban twist to
undersea colours and shapes in a new
Med-chic style. Coral branches embroidered
with iridescent sequins are tone-on-tone or
contrasting, with the forms then repeated
in bold accessories. The sea is the theme that
unites this collection, its glittering surface
inspiring daytime and eveningwear outfits
with dazzling crystals and pearly sheens.
Elsewhere, traces of black lace add a seductive,
feminine touch to prints.
Faithful to her style, Biagiotti’s flattering
pieces can nonchalantly pass from beach to
office, morning to evening, with drawstring
details that adjust proportions and give
each piece a new form and function. Choose
between flowing geometric shapes that
drape along the body and emphatic cuts and
stiff fabrics such as Mikado silk that create
sculpted lines and three-dimensional effects.
And also true to her style, Biagiotti’s
creations make innovative use of natural
ecological fabrics and avant-garde techniques
while using fashion’s history as a spring-
board to discover and explore the fashion
of the future.

dream italian weddings & honeymoons 9

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10 dream italian weddings & h o n e y m o o n s

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10 dream italian weddings & h o n e y m o o n s

_FashionSPR:*Fashion 30/1/09 17:55 Page 5

wedding fashion

SHADES OF SUMMER
For those planning an unforgettable Italian
honeymoon, Biagiotti’s summery numbers
draw on a blend of Mediterranean colours,
combining the vitality of turquoise with a
touch of sunny yellow that in turn fades into
aquatic greens and takes on luminous hints
of purple. An almost imperceptible shell
print seems to form a flower on the light
blue chiffon dress. The linen Bambola dress
has multicoloured stripes, while the knit
maxi-poncho has a drawstring to adjust
proportions. The must-have items in
Biagiotti’s summertime knitwear segment
feature silk knit stripes alternating with nude-
effect Lurex bands. And best of all, knit and
fabric caftans, ponchos and scarves turn into
airy dresses and blouses in this functional
yet ultra-refined style, meaning each piece is
doubly precious.
And as a last consideration for nervous
brides to be, Biagiotti considers her coral dresses
talismans with protective and reinvigorating
powers that ward off anxiety and stress.
What more could a bride ask for? diw&h

For more information on Laura Biagiotti’s

Summer 09 collection or her new range of
Hey Jude wedding favours, visit www.laurabiagiotti.it

dream italian weddings & honeymoons 11

_Amore:edit 30/1/09 13:22 Page 2

our dream wedding

We take a look a the importance of tasting your Italian banquet

before your guests do and visit a beautiful 16th-century villa that
offers a very special wedding dish

Read about how

Gavin Dooley and
Arlene Sharkey’s
dream wedding in
Santa Maria di
Castellabate turned
into the holiday of

amore!
a lifetime
WORDS : ARLENE SHARKEY
IMAGES : ANTONIO & LUCIANO, AMORE WEDDINGS

THAT’ S

12 dream italian weddings & h o n e y m o o n s

_Amore:edit 30/1/09 13:22 Page 3
G
AVIN AND I met back in
college, and after eight years
together, Gavin finally managed
to do the unthinkable and surprise me
when he proposed just before New Year’s
Eve in 2006.
Gavin and I had often spoken prior to
our engagement about the kind of wedding
that we would like to have when our day
came. We had been to many big traditional
weddings at home in Ireland throughout
the years, and decided that we wanted to do
something a bit more intimate and special.
The romance and magic of Italy had always
appealed to us and so the search for the
perfect wedding location commenced.
After contacting many wedding planners
in Italy, I was given several personal
recommendations for a wedding planner
called Lisa Crotty at Amore Weddings,
whose head office is based in Ireland. We
met Lisa shortly afterwards and were so
impressed with her professionalism and
the company’s portfolio of venues, suppliers
and testimonials from previous clients that
we whisked ourselves out to Italy to visit a
few of her suggested locations.
our dream wedding
THE CHARMS
OF C A S T E L L A BAT E
Arriving at Santa Maria di Castellabate
could only be described as idyllic. We were
met by Niki our wedding coordinator, who
is part of the South Italy based Amore
Weddings team. We viewed several potential
venues in the area as well as the little chapel
in the medieval town of Castellabate. Words
can hardly describe the spectacular view
from the old town perched high on the hill
above Santa Maria, overlooking the country-
side on one side and the coastline on the
other, and the winding cobbled streets and
stone built houses in the streets leading to
the chapel. The last reception location we
looked at was the Palazzo Belmonte, a
17th-century Palace set in five acres of
luscious green gardens overlooking the
beach, which we fell in love with immediately.
After deciding that this was exactly what we
…gavin and i had had in mind for our dream wedding, we
soon signed on the dotted line and let Lisa
nothing more to and Amore Weddings take over the reins
worry about to organise our special day.
The months passed quickly and after
than organising a couple of meetings and the exchange of
a few emails between us and Lisa and her
our guest list… team, everything was organised, from the
flowers to the cars to the songs that the
band would play on the day. Lisa had every
aspect of our wedding covered and so Gavin
and I had nothing more to worry about
than organising our guest list, invitations,
honeymoon and the all important wedding
dress. My wedding dress was a layered lace
halter-neck with just enough sequins and
sparkle to make it perfect! As my crowning
glory, I had a church-length veil which
swept to the floor and was covered with
tiny crystals that shimmered as they caught
the light.
It seemed like only the blink of an eye
and we were packing our things to head out
to Italy. We flew out on the Sunday, five
days before the wedding, to give us time to
relax and to sort out a few last minute
details with the Amore Weddings team
before the big day.
NO TIME FOR NERVES
When Friday, June 27th 2008 finally arrived,
my nerves had begun to set in, but all too
dream italian weddings & honeymoons 13
f ( )
_Amore:edit 30/1/09 13:22 Page 4

our dream wedding

a s t h e s op r a n o s a n g A V e M A R I A … I co u l d n ’ t s top
my s e l f f r om s h e ddi n g a f e w t e a rs
soon it was time to start getting ready and lanterns hanging from the branches of the
the hairdresser and beautician arrived to trees and the candles all around the marquee
work their magic. At half past three, I had and pathways made the scene all the more
just put on my dress, Alfredo my hairdresser magical, their flickering light pitched against
fixed the veil in place and it was time to go. the background of the old Palazzo walls.
The vintage open topped Excalibur car waited The band played our first dance, David
outside to take my Dad and me up the Gray’s The One I Love and finally it was time to
winding road to the chapel high above in let our hair down on the dance floor and show
Castellabate, and the locals cheered and them how it’s done Irish style! Once the band
shouted ‘Auguri!’ as we drove past. finished playing at midnight we moved to the
My Dad and I stood at the door of the disco beside the pool. Lisa had wisely advised
church waiting for Niki to give us our cue to us to put together a play list of all our favourite
walk up the aisle. As the soprano sang Ave songs and floor fillers for the DJ, Pio, who
Maria, the emotion of the day came to a did a brilliant job. Soon the dance floor was
head and I couldn’t stop myself from shed- jumping as we boogied away into the night.
ding a few tears as I walked up between the
pews, seeing how beautiful the church
looked with the arrangements of candles
and white flowers and Gavin looking so
handsome in his suit waiting nervously for
me at the alter. The priest, Fr Charles, gave a
lovely ceremony and finally we walked back
down the aisle to the wedding march as
husband and wife.
The reception venue in the Palazzo was
like something out of a fairytale – the aperi-
tif by the pool, the beautifully decorated
marquee on the lawn with its chandeliers,
the elegant table settings and seat covers,
down to the waiters dressed in bow ties with
white dinner jackets - every little detail was
covered to the highest standard. Nothing
could have been more perfect as we sat at
the top table enjoying the fabulous meal,
the band playing in the background, and
with views across the gardens of the Palazzo
of the sun setting behind a red sea on the
horizon. As the dusk settled, the little

14 dream italian weddings & h o n e y m o o n s

_Amore:edit 30/1/09 13:22 Page 5

our dream wedding

we c a n s a f e ly s ay t h at n o t o n e as p e ct o f o u r
i ta l i a n we d d i n g c o u l d b e f a u lt e d …

E X C E E D I N G E X P E C TAT I O N S our dreams in Santa Maria di Castellabate but

The day couldn’t have gone any better and we had the holiday of a lifetime that our guests
was everything we had hoped for and more. still talk about to this day, many months later.
Our guests had a fabulous time and loved the This place can only be described as captivating,
beautiful setting of the Palazzo for our recep- and like the local legend that tells of the
tion. Everything ran without a hitch on the mythical sirens who lured many a sailor with their
day. The photographers Antonio and Luciano, enchanting song, we too were spellbound by
who were mad as hatters, provided us the most the charms and romance of this olde worlde town.
fantastic photographs and DVD that captured Our honeymoon was arranged for Thailand
all the special memories of our big day. which was a bit of a culture shock after our
The night after the wedding, we had a BBQ time spent in Italy, and when we came home,
on the beach organised by Amore Weddings we had a party in a local hotel for all those
and hosted by the Lido staff and Franco who family and friends who could not make the
put on a surprise fireworks display for us! trip to Italy.
Not only did we have the wedding of
S AY S I ! I N I TA LY
We can safely say that not one aspect of our
Italian wedding could be faulted and that we
would recommend getting married in Italy to
anyone who was thinking of doing it. The one piece of advice that we
would give is to find a wedding planner who has the same meticulous
attention to detail and thoroughness as Amore Weddings. The paperwork
involved in getting married abroad can be daunting especially if you want
to have a Catholic ceremony as we did, but the right guidance and help
and a gentle shove in the right direction by Lisa when it mattered
ensured that we had all our documents in order and ready for the day.
Looking back, we both have absolutely no regrets for the wedding
that we chose and each would undoubtedly say it was everything we
had wanted and more - the best time of both our lives. We hold Santa
Maria di Castellabate very close to our hearts and the fantastic memories
of our time there, and cannot express enough praise and gratitude for
Lisa Crotty and her team at Amore Weddings for the hard work and
efforts that they made to ensure that we all had a fantastic time and
that everything went like a dream. diw&h
Details: Lisa Crotty of Amore Weddings organises romantic weddings
in Sorrento and The Amalfi Coast, Castellabate and the Cilento Coast,
Maratea and Tuscany. Other locations not listed may be available upon
request. For more information, visit: www.amoreweddings.ie

dream italian weddings & honeymoons 15

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16 dream italian weddings & h o n e y m o o n s

p17:p019 30/1/09 13:46 Page 1
_Love&Lord_planners:edit 30/1/09 13:24 Page 2
w
o ue rd ddi rnega m
p l aw ne nd ed ri sn g
This month, we talk to Helen Kershaw, Gerri Sweetland, Joëlle Edwards and Jo Neilson,
four planners who work for Love&Lord, London’s leading planner for weddings in
Italy, about their packed agendas, secret weapons, and worst fears for your big day
WO R D S : G E M S TA F F O R D / IMAGES : ANTHONY ELORT and CORBIN GURKIN for LOVE&LORD
dream team
The
O NCE UPON A TIME, planning
a wedding probably meant
picking out a dress, booking
your local town hall and bringing in the caterers.
For many modern couples, however, the world
is their oyster, and planning a week long
wedding event with 200 guests in a Tuscan
castle, for example, is a perfectly feasible option.
That is, of course, if you have a planner who
speaks at least two languages, has a host of local
contacts, is familiar with Italian bureaucracy,
has the patience of a saint, and, ideally, knows
what you want even when you don’t.
Fortunately, such planners do exist. And,
unsurprisingly, they are not simply intelligent
individuals with an eye for detail, but also
well qualified professionals with experience
in the events industry. Between them, planners
Jo, Gerri, Helen and Joëlle have a variety of
degrees in Event Management, with Gerri’s
mother already running a wedding catering
company, making working as a wedding
planner seemed like a natural step for her,
and Joëlle having spent time in the events
industry where she planned international
exhibitions and conferences before going
on to do a stint with BAFTA.
PICKING UP THE PACE
The girls work together in the London office
during the off season months, when work is
18 dream italian weddings & h o n e y m o o n s
steady but stress levels are low.
Then, as spring approaches, work
intensifies: there are meetings to
be held with prospective brides
and grooms, trips to be taken to
Italy to visit different venues, town
halls and churches and even for
food tasting purposes. Love&Lord
have many stunning properties on
their books, and over the years,
each planner has developed a soft
spot for one in particular. Jo has
fallen in love with Il Borro in
Tuscany, which she describes as a
‘utterly picturesque’. Joëlle agrees,
adding: ‘It is a special venue, a
family estate and working winery
with a magnificent villa and private
medieval village with a church
and village square... it’s like step-
ping back in time.’
Helen is torn: ‘Il Borro is
gorgeous, but I am currently
organising a wedding at Villa
Balbianello on Lake Como and I
am falling in love with this place
too. It was used as a set for Casino
Royale and Star Wars- it’s amazing!’
And for Gerri? ‘Villa Vignamaggio
in Greve in Chianti. It is a beautiful
pink villa with stunning Italian
gardens. It was used for Kenneth Brannagh’s
film of Much Ado About Nothing , the perfect
setting for a wedding location, with a
beautiful sunken garden surrounded by
vineyards and the Tuscan hills.’
F O R M I N G AT TAC H M E N T S
Talking to the girls, it transpires that one of
the most rewarding aspects of their work is
the bond that matures between the planners
and their couples. ‘You develop a relationship
with the couple over the course of the
planning process,’ says Helen, ‘so seeing
them floating on clouds and deliriously
happy gives you heart pangs. You feel proud
in the same way I imagine a parent would.’
Gerri thinks the most touching part of every
wedding is, ‘the moment when the groom
first sets eyes on his bride walking up the
aisle – the look on his face is always unfor-
gettable and very special.’ But after so much
work, a little recognition is nice. Says Jo: ‘It
always seems worth it when the guests
commend you for your organisation. I’ve even
had a very emotional mother of the bride
crying on my shoulder for my hard work!’
And what to say of those Hollywood
moments of romance and dashing heroes?
There is one moment Joëlle will never forget.
‘At one of my weddings last June we caught
the end of a freak shower spell across Europe.
Right at the end of an outdoor ceremony,
under the shelter of a beautiful arched
portico... the heavens opened. The groom
instinctively turned to the bride and kissed
her ardently on the lips before literally
sweeping her of her feet and whisking her
inside the castle!’
But it’s not all plain sailing. While the
planners have ensured that everything that
_Love&Lord_planners:edit 30/1/09 13:24 Page 3

wedding planners

can be organised, has been organised, there

are all sorts of last minute problems to keep
them on their toes. ‘Apart from the constant
worry of rain, transportation is a concern,’
says Jo. ‘Only once everyone is in one place
can I relax.’ She remembers a wedding
rehearsal where time the priest’s car got
stuck on the steep dirt track leading up to a
church in Tuscany. ‘My colleague and I were
up there for hours the night before the
wedding trying to re route all the sign posts
in the dark. My job is never dull!’ Or the
case of Gerri’s missing Toblerone. ‘We were
coordinating 200 guests arriving into Pisa
airport from destinations all over the world
when an extra-helpful member of staff at
the venue mistakenly sent our boxes of
Toblerone to the airport instead of incorpo-
rating them into the guests’ welcome packs
for their hotels in Chianti. Retrieving our
triangular chocolate was complicated by a
pile up on the motorway, traffic delays, a
baggage handler’s strike, a last minute dash
for two extra child seats, and by two guests
unexpectedly arriving by helicopter! But
luckily the only real consequence was my
raised blood pressure…’

ARMED FOR SUCCESS

To be better prepared for problems, each
planner has a few favourite secret weapons
for the big day which include: spare ribbon,
scissors, lighters, mosquito spray, floristry
wire, sewing kits, snacks, fully charged
phone with an infinity of helpful numbers
plus spare battery, tissues, lip gloss for the
bride, and, suggests Joëlle, a homing device
for wayward priests on vespas. The two

‘ The groom
ardently
kissed her
on the
lips before
literally
sweeping
her off
her feet…

dream italian weddings & honeymoons 19

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20 dream italian weddings & h o n e y m o o n s

_Love&Lord_planners:edit 30/1/09 13:24 Page 5
‘I always
tell the
bride and
items on almost every planner’s groom
list, however, are flat shoes and
a sense of humour. to rel ax
But when the bride and
groom have said their I do’s, the
and m ake
guests have returned home and the most
the wedding has been a huge
success, what happens to our of their
planners? There are few variations
on a theme: ‘have a gin and
big day
tonic!’ says Gerri; ‘a great (big)
glass of Chianti Classico and a delicious
dinner the night the guests have all gone
home,’ says Helen, which Joëlle echoes with:
‘I locate any fellow planners, smile, take
a deep breath, take off my shoes and find
the nearest bottle of Chianti!’ After which,
back in the UK, there are nights out with
friends and family, relaxing walks, music
and even a few rounds of kick boxing for
Gerri. But as Jo and Helen remind me, ‘the
wedding season is pretty intense so as soon
as one finishes you’re immediately thinking
about the next. However, we always make
time to take advantage of the beautiful
Italian food and wines.’
So, after planning so many wonderful
weddings for others, how do the girls
imagine their big day? Jo pictures ‘a ceremony
in the woods with lanterns and ribbons
hanging from the trees- both magical and
romantic’. Helen has set her sights abroad,
perhaps Tuscany, where she is undecided
between ‘something rustic – think ceremony
in garden with acoustic guitar, a kaleidoscope
of colours, barefoot dancing until
sunrise, hog roast, improvised music.
Or alternatively, something completely
high spec., with a traditional format -
Ave Maria in a beautiful church, elegant
and chic formal dining in an enchanting
castle or villa.’
Gerri is already thinking of the
Italian countryside: ‘unfortunately
England just can’t compare for the
weather, welcome or the wine! I would
love for my friends and family to join
me for a weekend celebration at a beautiful
Castello or Villa in the Tuscan countryside.
For the wedding itself I would like a garden
ceremony with a harpist; for the reception I
would love a woodland country setting with
amazing food and wine. You would think
that a wedding planner would want an
elaborate wedding but actually I would
keep the decoration quite rustic and simple
but with gorgeous flowers and beautiful
outdoor lighting’. And lastly Joëlle, who
envisages ‘an intimate ceremony, ideally in
dream italian weddings & honeymoons
wedding planners
the open air, overlooking water, followed by
a simple reception, sunshine, as many of my
friends and family as feasibly possible, taking
over a village square with fresh local food
and wine in abundance! Live music and lots
of dancing... and did I mention food?’
SAGE COUNSEL
When I ask them for a last word of wisdom
for brides, Helen and Gerri don’t think twice:
‘Hire a wedding planner! A wedding planner
is your friend – fact! We put your dreams
into action.’ Jo adds: ‘I always tell brides and
grooms to relax and make the most of their
big day. Concentration on structure and
intense timings can ruin the atmosphere
and flow of the day. Relax and enjoy yourself,
and so will your guests.’ And a final word to
Joëlle. ‘Try not to worry about everyone else
on your wedding day and enjoy the attention
of your fiancé! Give little tasks to guests and
friends so they can help out on the day and
make sure your groom to-be has a good
team of ushers to look after everyone!
Keep the bridesmaids away from the Italian
waiters, and lastly, let yourself be charmed
by Italy and your man…’ diw&h
www.loveandlord.com
21
_DrAcad_Jennie&Kevin:edit 30/1/09 13:26 Page 2

our dream wedding

When Jennie and Kevin Meehan started listing all that they dreamed of in
a wedding location, they had no idea that such a place really existed
WORDS : JENNIE MEEHAN / IMAGES : DREAM ACADEMY

wish listreality
F RO M

TO

22 dream italian weddings & h o n e y m o o n s

_DrAcad_Jennie&Kevin:edit 30/1/09 13:27 Page 3
A S SOON AS we saw the
spectacular Medieval village
of Gradara in the Le Marche
Region of Italy, we knew instantly that this is
where we would become husband and wife.
It was a stormy end of October weekend
when we first arrived in Cattolica for our
sourcing tour, but the warm welcome we
received from Marion and Franco at Dream
Academy more than made up for the badly
behaved weather.
As this was the first location we had chosen
for a potential wedding destination, we didn’t
want to get our hopes up too high and decided
to take an open minded approach - I even
brought my sister along for an ‘out of the
bubble’ opinion.
As we drove up towards the fortress walls,
the rain got heavier and the clouds darker, but
as we took our first steps towards the medieval
village, the clouds started to disperse allowing
the sun to burst through, revealing the breath-
taking beauty of Gradara Castle. Being true
believers in fate and destiny, we had no
option but to see this as a ‘sign’. When we
were discussing possible locations, we came
up with a list of what we thought would
constitute an idyllic setting, but we really didn’t
think that it would be possible to satisfy all
of the criteria on our list in just one place.
THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS
We eventually narrowed it down to either a
castle or a sea view setting. Little did we
realise that dreams do come true, and our
wish list was about to become reality. Not
only is Gradara Castle circled within the
walls of one of Italy’s finest Medieval villages,
…THIS WAS NOT GOING TO BE A
TRADITIONAL WEDDING…
but it is also perched up on a hill with one
side looking down over the crystal clear waters
of the Adriatic Sea, and on the other side, a
patchwork of wheat and sunflower filled fields,
olive groves, cypress trees and vineyards.
Having decided that Gradara was to be
the wedding destination, we spent the next
couple of months planning and preparing
for what was to be the most magical day of
our lives.
Of course this would not have been pos-
sible without the professional guidance of
Marion and Franco, and we could see that
they had all the right contacts. Dream
Academy were the first British/Italian wedding
planners to feature the very beautiful Marches
Region, and, in fact, are Gradara and Le
Marche’s Leading Wedding Planners.
We decided that we would spend a week
in the nearby small coastal resort of Cattolica
with its sparkling fountains, lush gardens
and wide sandy beaches, so that we would
dream italian weddings & honeymoons
our dream wedding
all have ample time to relax before and
after the wedding. Before we knew it, the
wedding week had arrived, and so, on
Wednesday 10th September 2008, 30 of us
set off from Dublin to Bologna Forli Airport.
Everyone was delighted to be greeted by the
32 degree heat and splendid sunshine - our
long lost friend! We travelled by private
coach to Cattolica, which had been arranged
by Marion, because we felt that organising
25 adults, three children and two babies
onto a train was simply not feasible.
After three days of complete (well
almost complete - the majority of our
guests were Irish don’t forget!) relaxation,
the big day finally arrived. We were both
very calm and composed and didn’t keep to
the tradition of spending the night before
apart. After all, this was never going to be
a traditional wedding from the very start.
We broke away from the traditional Irish
Church Wedding, instead wanting to fuse
the two ethnic backgrounds of Chinese and
Irish into the event. So we woke to what
were to be our last moments of being
single, and strolled down for a leisurely
breakfast in glorious sunshine and over-
looking the sea.
We had not revealed the location of the
wedding ceremony to any of our guests, not
even to our parents, so nobody knew what
to expect and this all added to the excitement
of the day.
COUNTDOWN
At 11:30 am, I set off back to the hotel
room to meet Paolo my hairdresser.
However, somewhere between the breakfast
terrace and the room, the weather had
taken a turn for the worse. As Paolo worked
23
f ( )
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_DrAcad_Jennie&Kevin:edit 30/1/09 13:27 Page 5
…WE STROLLED AROUND, FEELING JUST LIKE THE KING
AND QUEEN OF THE C ASTLE
his magic on my hair, I sat looking out
onto the beautiful courtyard of the
Carducci 76 hotel where raindrops began
to fall from a dull grey sky. I could not
believe this was happening, but Paolo
assured me that for Italians it was lucky to
have rain on a wedding day, to which I
replied with a polite but nervous giggle.
At 2:50 pm, my bridesmaid Katie (my
sister), and I made our way out of the hotel
towards the wedding car in the rain. Our
lovely driver Giorgio assured us once again
that it was good luck to have rain on your
wedding day. By the time we reached
Gradara, the rain had started to subside and
as we got out of the car, we were greeted by
the ever enthusiastic Franco, ready and wait-
ing with a smile and two large umbrellas at
hand. Fortunately we didn’t need them, and
made our way towards the waiting groom.
The ceremony venue was in the little
bespoke theatre within the castle walls, just
perfect for an intimate wedding party of 47
guests. It was beautifully decorated with red as
the predominant colour, balanced with deli-
cate pink flowers. This was in keeping with the
Chinese tradition of using red as a celebratory
colour. We exchanged our vows on the stage
to the strains of an Italian Quintet as our
backdrop, and with our family and friends as
the audience. It all felt so surreal and magical.
By the time we stepped out of the theatre
as man and wife, it felt like a completely
different day.
The sun had once again found its way
out of the clouds for us - well we like to
think it was just for us - and in perfect time
for our photographs.
We had arranged a champagne and finger
food buffet in one of the little traditional and
friendly restaurants within the cobbled streets
of the village, allowing our guests to relax and
have fun while we had our photographs done
in the castle, and even dancing on the castle
walls overlooking the sea. The locals were all
there to greet us and to shout their best wishes
as we strolled around, feeling just like the
King and Queen of the castle. Even two very
handsome carabinieri took part in the fun!
We left our guests to head back to
Cattolica and the fabulous Carducci 76
Boutique Hotel, (owned by one of Italy’s
leading fashion designers no less), while we
did a small detour with our photographers
dream italian weddings & honeymoons
our dream wedding
to have some quality time and more
photos on the beach.
A WONDERFUL WELCOME
Our guests were totally wowed, not only
by the stunning design of the hotel and
its friendly staff, but also by the amazing
Champagne welcome reception which
had been laid out on the terrace over-
looking the sea. We were equally impressed
by the wedding banquet which followed and
which Stefano the chef had prepared for us at
the poolside restaurant. After dinner, we had
a gorgeous candlelit dessert buffet on the ter-
race where we also cut our fabulous wedding
cake before starting a night of dancing. Our
cake was superb and presented in a truly
unique way with candles and lights all around,
and of course, lots of popping corks and
flowing champagne!
We just did not want this day to end and
so reluctantly at 06:15 am, we decided to
head to bed and call it a day, and what a day!
It was amazing to know that we are loved
so much by all our family and closest friends,
and to have them all there with us on what
was the most wonderful week of our lives is
something we will never forget. We are so
proud of everyone for making the journey
and sharing the most magical day of our lives
- this truly is what dreams are made of.
We knew that Marion and Franco from
Dream Academy, and Marco the manager at
the hotel would not let us down, but not
only did they make this event the most
memorable and special in every way imaginable,
but they far exceeded our expectations and
made our dream wedding day a reality. diw&h
Weddings at Gradara Castle by in house
Wedding & Event Designers Dream Academy
Web: www.dreamacademy.it
25
 gourmet
p26-27+29 Honeymoon Htls:edit 30/1/09 13:29 Page 2

gourmet honeymoon hotels

HO N E Y M O O N hot e l s
Honeymooning in Italy means treating yourself to the very best, and for many
couples that means good food too. So this month we suggest some beautiful hotels
whose excellent cuisine will satisfy the most exacting of gourmets
WO R D S : G E R M A I N E S TA F F O R D

T
FURORE INN RESORT – FURORE, AMALFI COAST

HE FURORE INN RESORT is a luxury residence set in some of Italy’s most stunning countryside. Imagine a secluded resort, nested
against a steep, craggy mountainside and apparently suspended between sky and sea, with gardens and swimming pools that seem
to plunge right into the Mediterranean. It’s already the perfect romantic hideaway (as a number of Hollywood stars already know!), but
the hotel also avails of two restaurants, Italian Touch and La Volpe Pescatrice, (The Fishing Vixen), the former, an exclusive setting for fine
dining, the latter, the ideal place to enjoy the chef’s modern interpretations of local traditional recipes.
Both restaurants overlook the sea and La Volpe Pescatrice has an open air terrace where it is possible to enjoy meals outside during
the warmer summer months. Skilled Chef Antonio Sorrentino also offers cooking lessons, and when you feel you’ve overindulged,
head for the resort’s fabulous spa, where you can enjoy their signature full body massage with essence of local Amalfi lemons,
or specialized body treatments with straw, wine or even chocolate!
Tel: (+39) 089 8304711 Web: www.furoreinn.it

…perfect romantic hideaway

…exclusive setting for fine dining

26 dream italian weddings & h o n e y m o o n s
p26-27+29 Honeymoon Htls:edit 30/1/09 13:29 Page 3

gourmet honeymoon hotels

V
VILL A CRESPI – ORTA SAN GIULIO, PIEMONTE

ILLA CRESPI is the type of place that makes you believe in fairy tales. A Moorish style residence built in 1879, it represents
an Italian cotton merchant’s ‘Victorian folly’, complete with striking minaret and a large well tended park that slopes down to
the beautiful Lago D’Orta, one of the most picturesque lakes in Italy. It is situated in the heart of fine wine-producing country and is
close to the Sacro Monte, declared a UNESCO Human Heritage site, making this spot unique both for its beauty and its gastronomy
– perfect for passionate newlyweds.
Villa Crespi’s rooms offer maximum opportunities for romance with their four poster beds,
beautiful 18th and 19th-century furniture, frescoed ceilings, and elegant marble bathrooms with
whirlpool bathtubs. Each has its own personality, and offers a taste of the regal atmosphere that
attracted the various noblemen who slept here throughout the centuries. But at the heart of this
splendid structure is two star Michelin Chef Antonio Cannavacciuolo’s restaurant where guests
can abandon themselves to some of the finest cuisine Italy has to offer, accompanied by an

…finest Italian cuisine

impressive choice of Italian, French and international wines.
Tel: (+39) 0322 911902 Web: www.villacrespi.it

I
PAL AZZO FAILL A – MODICA, SICILY

MMERSED in the history and antique traditions of Sicily, the beautiful

4-star Palazzo Failla is the ideal base for visiting Modica, a town that
has charmed travellers and poets for centuries, and that today is still one
of Sicily’s most precious ‘pearls’. Situated in Upper Modica, all of the
town’s important monuments can be visited on foot.
The inside of the palazzo retains its original atmosphere of Sicilian
nobleman’s residence: from the use of materials like beautiful ceramic
floor tiles and wrought iron to hand painted ceramics and period furniture,
everything is designed to envelope guests in a warm and elegant atmosphere.
Each room is unique, with its own colour scheme, and is decorated with
beautiful ceramic tiles, period furniture, some with liberty lamps, and
walls and ceilings with hand painted frescos. And in the hotel’s Gazza
Ladra restaurant, young Michelin star Chef Accursio Craparo works
his magic, giving traditional Sicilian dishes his own unique twist.
Tel:(+39) 0932 941059 Web: www.palazzofailla.it

…Sicilian nobleman’s residence

dream italian weddings & honeymoons 27

f ( )
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Look out for the next

issue of Italy magazine

ON SALE NOW at all leading

newsagents and by subscription
on +44 (0) 1305 266360

28 dream italian weddings & h o n e y m o o n s

p26-27+29 Honeymoon Htls:edit 30/1/09 13:30 Page 5

gourmet honeymoon hotels

H
L A MERIDIANA – GARLENDA, LIGURIA

ALFWAY between Monte Carlo and Portofino, surrounded by the greens of the Garlenda Golf Club and only a few kilometres
from the beach at Alassio, lies the enchanting La Meridiana, a Relais & Châteaux member since 1979. It is a quiet country
residence where couples can relax and enjoy a true taste of Ligurian lifestyle against a backdrop of hillsides, olive groves, and with
the pleasant aroma of myrtle and broom in the air.
Part of the hotel’s charm lies in the welcome extended by Edmondo Segre and his family,
and in their ability to make guests feel like long lost friends. In rooms and suites, sophisticated
taste, elegance and technology are combined to offer guests a service that is comprehensive but
discreet. However, it is in the hotel’s restaurant, Il Rosmarino that Segre’s passion for good food
and wine is revealed, with truly divine Ligurian specialties on offer, accompanied by a seriously

…passion for good food

comprehensive wine list that is constantly updated, allowing guests to choose from both
well-established and up and coming producers.
Tel: (+39) 0182 580271 Web: www.lameridianaresort.com

S
LE C ASE, LE MARCHE – MACERATA, LE MARCHE

ITUATED in an attractively renovated convent, Le Case is immersed in the lush green

countryside of Le Marche, close to many of the region’s favourite attractions. Less than
30 minutes away you’ll be able to visit the beautiful Riviera of Monte Conero or the Sibillini
National Park, and take in the Romanesque abbeys of San Claudio and Santa Maria Piè di Chienti.
Accommodations at Le Case are warm, welcoming and tastefully furnished. There is a spectacular
indoor pool and spa built in neoclassical style, where guests can enjoy a variety of treatments
or simply soak up the beautiful
views of the grounds from the
impressive plate glass windows.
The atmosphere of the hotel’s
restaurant, Enoteca Le Case, is
elegant and welcoming and staff
are skilled, affable and eager to
please. The restaurant’s cuisine is
based on local produce: meat and
game from the inland areas; a
judicious selection of fish from
the nearby Adriatic; and locally
produced vegetables and herbs,
many of which are actually grown
on the property. And as the name
suggests, one of the stars of the
show here is the wine: a visit to the

…spectacular indoor pool

wine cellar is recommended. diw&h
Tel: (+39) 0733 264762
Web: www.ristorantelecase.it

dream italian weddings & honeymoons 29

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30 dream italian weddings & h o n e y m o o n s

p31:p041 30/1/09 13:47 Page 1
_Children:edit 30/1/09 13:31 Page 2

Once uponthere
a time
c h iwl ed dr de in n ga st iwne dRdoi m
n eg s

were…

…the little ones WORDS a n d I M AG E S : B O N N I E BAT E S

Wedding Planner
Bonnie Bates explains
how keeping children
happy on the big day
makes for even
happier adults…

adult world: they get to stay up late, they get

W
HEN A HOLLYWOOD
ACTRESS whose wedding
I was organizing on the
Amalfi Coast asked me for a babysitter for
her three year old daughter, I didn’t have a
second thought. I called my daughter who
conveniently lives in that area, and we
arranged a sleep over with her four year old.
Any Italian family would have done the
same, since taking care of the little ones is a
family responsibility and there are very few
babysitting services in this otherwise very
child-friendly country.
APPLE OF MY EYE
Italians love their bambini! Children are the
core of family and the center of attention,
and as such, they reap all the benefits of the
to go to all the parties, they even have control
of the TV remote. Anywhere you go, there
are always some little rascals running around
bringing joy to their parents’ hearts. They
are especially cherished at weddings: a pat
on a child’s head is the ultimate good luck
charm for bride and groom. Thereby comes
the traditional wedding good wish: Auguri e
figli maschi! (best wishes and hope for a boy!)
POISON APPLES
But sometimes the adult view of a good time
is far from a child’s concept of fun, and

32 dream italian weddings & h o n e y m o o n s

_Children:edit 30/1/09 13:31 Page 3

c h oi ludr r ednr e aa tm wwe ed dd di ni ng gs

weddings fall into this category of unbearable
events for kids. Sitting still for a one-hour
mass in a stone-cold church or waiting out
a forty-minute civil ceremony are a test of
tolerance even for the best-behaved. Those
yawns of sheer boredom, that non-stop whining
for the end of it all; sulking, sassing, and sighing,
all they get from their parents is reassurance
that the end is near. From fidgeting, to fussing,
to festering, the little ones keep mommy and
daddy (and guests!) on their toes by wandering
off and getting into any trouble they can find.
Soaking themselves in a basin of holy water,
climbing up (and slipping off!) medieval
statues, running up and down the bridal aisle,
picking flowers from carefully placed (and costly)
decorations – these miniature guests (read
pests) get to the reception venue high on energy
and low on obedience. And in the meantime,
their disheveled parents – mums ready to
quietly slip off the heels underneath the
dinner table and dads ready to hang out with
the boys and puff on a celebratory cigar – are
hoping and praying that the children will find
some non-life-threatening activity to keep
themselves busy...
solving puzzles and guessing clues, aimed at against each other in outer space games.
finding the valuable treasure to be shared Storyteller (3 to 6) stories and fables
with everyone. which amaze and engage even those who
Star Wars (ages 8 to 12) engages everyone try not to believe.
in being a part of the universe, discovering Princes, Princesses and Dragons (3 to 7)
new planets and asteroids, competing involves dressing-up and dancing in a magic
kingdom.
If you’re not sure of what‘s ‘in’ with the
teens, go for ‘Art Attack’ – arts and crafts for
all ages. If you just want to tire them out so
they’ll mellow out at a certain point, ‘Baby
Disco’ will wear them out for sure.
Entertainers provide materials including
balloons, specialty art supplies, child-friendly
…these make-up, favours and prizes, you just need
miniature to provide the space. Depending on the
number of children and how long you want
guests… get to to keep them out of sight, pricing starts at
100 Euros for a three hour stretch. If children
the reception on your guest list figure at least 10% of the
high on energy total number, this addition to your budget
will make the difference for remembering
and low on your wedding celebration as one in a
million and ensuring that everyone lives
obedience happily ever after! diw&h

THE GOLDEN APPLE!

Precious relief for parents and guests alike is
to provide entertainment for the youngsters.
With affordable costs and offering priceless
value, there are plenty of clowns, play
groups, and actors ready to tire out the kiddies,
keeping them busy for two to three hours
or more. They are a popular tradition for
birthday and holiday parties in Italy, and
there are plenty of companies all over the
country which provide this invaluable service.
Balloon blowers, song singers, role players,
magicians, clowns, dj’s: even if your wedding
is in a remote countryside castle, the
entertainment squad can reach the venue for
a reasonable price and make your wedding
party enjoyable and memorable for everyone.
To help you plan, your wedding invitations
may include a separate card to survey for age
ranges and scout out popular themes. Here
are some examples:

Harry Potter games (ages 8 to 12) split

the children into the 4 houses of Hogwart, Details: Bonnie Bates is a Wedding Planner for My Weddings & More and has lived
and include a series of magical games that in Italy for over 20 years. She is also a mother and grandmother and is an expert
aspiring wizards thoroughly enjoy. in organising child friendly weddings and ensuring a stress free day for clients!
The Treasure Hunt (ages 8 to 12) involves Web: www.myweddingsandmore.com Email: info@myweddingsandmore.com

dream italian weddings & honeymoons 33

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photocall

IMAGE : FRANCO BORRELLI

P h o t o g r a p h y f o r T H AT D AY
WEDDING PLANNING
w w w. t h a t d a y. i t a n d
w w w. f r a n c o b o r r e l l i . i t

a sense
of place
T HIS COUPLE slips away
from their guests to enjoy
a romantic cheek to cheek on a
pretty terrace overlooking a
nearby valley. Wrapped up in
their own little world, they're
looking at each other like
two people delighted to have
said 'I do…'

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a sense of place

dream italian wedding & honeymoons 37

_MatriMovie:edit 30/1/09 13:33 Page 2
m awt re idmd oi nv gi es i n R o m e
Matri Movie
L
IKE MANY GREAT IDEAS, the
creation of MatriMovie in the town
of Molfetta (near Bari in Puglia)
started as fun. Roberto Pansini, the project’s
dynamic author, was already involved in the
world of weddings when the concept began
to take shape. ‘Weddings in this part of the
world are just huge parties,’ he says. ‘After
the church, the day is given over to long
luncheons, live music, DJs and dancing.
38 dream italian weddings & h o n e y m o o n s
day at your very own private screening?
MatriMovie are the folks for you…
Fancy re-living the highlights of your special
Most weddings have between 100
and 200 guests, so there really
is a fabulous party atmosphere.
At every wedding, there is a
photographer and his role is
central. Here it’s traditional for
all the salient moments to be
caught on film, with photographs,
and increasingly, an actual film
of the day, so the photographers are generally
kept very busy. They usually turn up long
before the ceremony so they can catch all
the preparation moments – the bride having
her hair done etc., and they’re often the
last to leave. I’d often be present at these
weddings, sometimes for work, sometimes
as a guest, and one of the things I heard
time and time again was how difficult it was
to organise showings of the wedding film.’
WORDS : GEM CAMERON
I M AG E S c o u r t e sy o f RO B E R TO PA N S I N I
Roberto explains: ‘Traditionally the bride
and groom invite all their guests to their
home to watch the movie. Obviously this
can get a bit tricky and the couple find
themselves with more house guests than
they know what to do with. That’s when
I got to thinking about how we could
organise things differently.’
S AV I N G A CINEMA
At the same time, the only remaining local
cinema in Molfetta, the Odeon, was facing
closure. ‘There used to be 14 cinemas in
our town,’ says Roberto, ‘but the arrival
of the huge multiplex cinemas in the larger
towns nearby has all but killed the small
independent operations. I’m really attached
to my town and wanted to help our last
cinema survive, and so I hit on the idea of
_MatriMovie:edit 30/1/09 13:34 Page 3

matrimovie

‘ there used to be 14 cinem as in our town,’

says roberto, ‘but the arrival of the huge
multiple x cinem as… has all but killed the sm all
independent operations’

dream italian weddings & honeymoons 39

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40 dream italian weddings & h o n e y m o o n s

_MatriMovie:edit 30/1/09 13:34 Page 5

matrimovie

renting the whole theatre one day a week
and using it to project Wedding Films. We
had a good laugh at the time and thought
we’d probably have some fun. Never in a
thousand years could we have imagined
what we were getting ourselves into. I’m the
type of person who likes to organise things
really well, go over things thoroughly and
offer a quality product, so I wasn’t really
prepared for the immediate popularity we
encountered. The minute we started offering
this service we were bombarded with phone
calls from clients and the press and that’s the
way it’s been ever since.
‘What we do is this,’ says Roberto. ‘We
arrange a date for the film, then organise
everything at the Odeon Cinema in Molfetta
so the couple can invite all their friends and
family to come to the first viewing of their
wedding movie. We create a great party
atmosphere – send a long white limousine
to pick up the bride and groom, lay out a
red carpet for their arrival, fill the place
with flowers and just for fun, we also create
a poster featuring the couple, and post it
outside the cinema – after all, they’re the
main attraction. Inside we have glasses of
bubbly and a buffet of finger food ready in
the foyer, and a DJ with some music so the
guests get into the mood. The theatre can
seat up to 460 people, though normally we
don’t have that many. We have a team of
hostesses present to serve the food and drink
and to help people to their seats when it’s
time for the showing.’
couples. At the end of the evening, we invite similar movie parties for Golden Wedding
the bride and groom on stage and ask them Anniversaries, and soon we’ll be doing the
a few questions about what they felt as they same thing for Silver Wedding Anniversaries.
watched the movie and normally the These are also very popular: imagine an
photographer makes an appearance. Usually older couple getting to watch the tale of
we get called up too, and it’s always one of their life in photographs and films – it’s
the best part of the day, participating in really poignant. But most of all, I’d like
our clients’ happiness and seeing lots of to consolidate what we’re doing here in
contented faces.’ Molfetta,’ says Roberto. ‘This is my town,
You’d think that an enterprise like this and the reasons I started this project are
would attract mainly locals, but Roberto still valid. The cinema in Molfetta still needs
regularly receives phone calls from abroad. to find clients and though I can’t single-
‘Some people who used to live in these parts handedly save it, every little helps.’ diw&h
have moved to Germany, the States or even
Australia, and when they hear what we can You can email Roberto at matrimovie@libero.it
do they are really keen to participate. That For more information on services offered by
way they get to come home and invite MatriMovie, visit www.matrimovie.it
friends and family to a showing without
having to find a different place to celebrate.’
F U T U R E AT T R AC T I O N S
So what does the future hold for MatriMovie?
‘We’ve already received lots of requests to
provide our services in different towns and
in different cinemas,’ says Roberto, ‘but we’ll
see how that goes. We’ve also started doing
Roberto (right) with presenter
…we also create a poster featuring
the couple… after all the y ’re the
m ain attraction

FIRST NIGHT NERVES

Predictably, before their first screening,
Roberto was a little nervous. ‘You know, the
first time I wasn’t sure what to except. We
had a presenter on stage to talk a little about
the bride and groom and introduce the
movie, then as soon as the film started
people cheered and clapped and laughed
and it was great fun. And even now, what’s
really unexpected is how touching some
parts of the films are too. Remember that the
movie is usually prepared by the couple’s
photographer and is ready about eight to ten
months after the wedding, so in the mean-
time, some couples have had babies or the
bride is pregnant: life has moved on even in
such a short time, so looking back at the
wedding day is very emotional for many

dream italian weddings & honeymoons 41

*ExpertMAR pps:*Masters LO II 30/1/09 13:36 Page 2

ask THE EXPERTS

advice

Every issue, we’ll be asking an expert to answer questions you’ve

sent in about your forthcoming wedding or honeymoon in Italy.
If you have a question you would like answered then send it in to
germaine@italymag.co.uk In this issue, Janey Holliday of Fit for
a Princess who runs bridal bootcamps, offers some valuable tips
on stress control and getting into shape for the big day…

IMAGES : FIT FOR A PRINCESS

Dear Dream Italian Weddings & Honeymoons

At the moment I am coordinating my wedding solution, so get the blood pumping and kick start
which will take place in June this year in Venice the happy hormones. Exercise is also a great stress
and it’s proving so much more stressful than I buster, and after a good workout you will see things
… D ON ’ t ever imagined. What can I do to ensure that what in a different perspective and will be able to take
should be the best day of my life doesn’t end up on any challenge without being so frustrated. Make
pa n ic - yo u giving me a heart attack? yourself daily lists, and talk through remaining
can achieve GIll D., Bolton (by email) tasks with your fiancé, and delegate where you can
- this is your chance to practice team work with
q u i t e a lot Re p l y f ro m : your husband to be.

Hi Dear
Janey Holliday, Fit for a Princess
in two
months, GIll Dream Italian Weddings & Honeymoons
Remember to keep focused, this is YOUR big day,
e s pe c i a l ly i f and it will be over before you know it, so enjoy My boyfriend proposed to me ten months ago,
yo u r e a l ly every second, every detail leading up to your wed- but somehow time has flown and I now only
ding as well as on the day itself. Stress will be no have two months before to get into shape for my
p u t yo u r good for you: stress can age us very quickly, and not wedding. What’s the best way to get thin quick?

only zaps us of our energy stores but can also stop
m i n d to i t us from losing weight (not good if you’re trying to
look your best for the wedding). Exercise is the best
Hi
Sal Brinkley, London (by email)
Sal
Firstly, don’t panic – you can achieve quite a lot in
two months, especially if you really put your mind
to it. It’s really important though that you don’t
diet and exercise too hard; instead you need to eat
cleverly and train smart. With exercise, I suggest
what’s called split routine training, i.e. working a
different body part on different days. For example:

Monday: Cardio - a 60 min power walk / jog

Tuesday: Legs and bum - lots of squats and lunge
combinations
Wednesday: Arms and abs - ideally combining hand
weights, dumbbells or boxing
Thursday: Cardio – Interval Training
(see below for more details)
Friday: Legs and bum – squats and lunge combos but

42 dream italian weddings & h o n e y m o o n s

*ExpertMAR pps:*Masters LO II 30/1/09 13:36 Page 3
with progressions i.e. more reps, using weights,
moving combinations etc.
Saturday: Arms and abs – as above but making it
harder with slower reps on top of a usual set, holding
a move for longer, less time in between exercises etc.
Sunday: Day off
Split routine training is where you only work one
or two body parts in each workout; this means you
train that body part more, thus obtaining better
results and allowing it to rest for a couple of days,
meaning fewer injuries. Lots of people do all over
body workouts, which are, of course, beneficial, but
split routine training, which is very popular with
Hollywood A-Listers, is simply a more effective way
to get results more quickly.
Progressive training is where you push yourself
a little bit more in every workout. For example, on
a Monday if you are power walking or jogging, and
you do four km, try to do four and a half the next
time. Or if you power walked for 45 mins and
jogged for 10, try jogging 15 mins on the next
cardio workout.
PUSHING YOURSELF
You should always be training as hard as you can:
think of a scale of one to ten, ten being the
absolute hardest you can workout. You should
always be trying to train around a seven to eight
for most of your workout, but you should always
be trying to hit nine and tens for the latter part of
your workout - add some sprints or pulses and real-
ly try to push yourself as much as you can. With
toning exercises, you must fail; i.e. get to the point
where you can’t do anymore.
Interval training is also one of the best ways to
maximise results. All you need to do is work at a
steady state i.e. five to seven out of ten, and then
burst into a nine or ten. When you can’t do anymore
at this top end level (anywhere from 20 secs to 90
stress control and getting into shape
secs depending on your levels), come back to a five yo u s ho u l d
to seven and repeat. Don’t get bogged down with
complicated training patterns or timings, just follow
a lway s
the zigzag concept – up and down. The fitter you train as
become, the less your recovery will be and the
longer your sprint sets will be. hard as
yo u c a n :
E AT I N G P RO P E R LY
With regards to eating, follow a day to day detoxing t h i n k of
eating plan which will help to get rid of toxins, de-
bloat you and shift the flab all at the same time.
a scale
Drink lots of water and fresh lemon (hot or cold), of on e to
avoid wheat, dairy, red meat, alcohol and sugar and
avoid eating too much fruit, especially at meal t e n … yo u
times which often causes bloating. Eat lots of s ho u l d
vegetables and raw foods, lots of essential fatty acids
such as oily fish, avocadoes, nuts, seeds, olive oil a lway s b e
and, if possible, have a fresh vegetable based juice
every morning. A typical day might be: on waking –
t ry i n g
carrot, apple and ginger juice, breakfast – porridge to t r a i n
made with oat milk & honey; mid morning – a
punnet of blueberries; lunch – small baked sweet around
potato, hummus and a large mixed salad; afternoon seven
snack – some nuts; dinner – baked salmon, brown
rice and veggie stir-fry. to e ig h t
Dear
f or m o s t
Dream Italian Weddings & Honeymoons of yo u r
I would really like to look my best on my wedding w or k o u t …
day to my Italian fiancé, but live miles from the
nearest gym. Can you recommend a fitness/ beauty
schedule that I can follow at home?
Hi
Kirsty Colvin, Abruzzo (by email)
Kirsty
More and more people are keeping in shape
without stepping into a gym. As long as you are self
motivated you can achieve some fantastic results
dream italian weddings & h o n e y m o o n s 43
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44 dream italian weddings & h o n e y m o o n s

*ExpertMAR pps:*Masters LO II 30/1/09 13:36 Page 5
…use music to get even more motivated to move!
through exercising at home or outdoors. You
would also be surprised about what you can achieve
without using any fancy equipment. Most brides
want great arms and a streamlined waist so they
can look as fit as possible on their special day.
I would combine power walking or jogging,
with some toning exercises at home so you are
targeting cardio and conditioning together. Still,
try to use the split routine training concepts I
mentioned above, but instead, try the following
weekly program.
Monday: 45-60 min power walk with 20 mins of ab
exercises (crunches, crunch varieties, planks)
Tuesday: 20-30 min jog with 20 mins of arm exercises
(triceps and chest)
Wednesday: 30-45 min power walk with 30 mins
of leg and bum exercises (squat and lunge
combinations)
Thursday: 30 mins of arms (back, shoulders and
biceps) and abs (obliques and side plank combinations)
with 20 min lower body stretch
Friday: 20-30 min jog with 30 mins lower body (floor
exercises i.e. bum lifts, leg raises)
Saturday: 45-60 min power walk with 20 mins of ab
exercises (crunches, crunch varieties, planks)
Sunday: 20-30 min jog with 20 mins of arm
exercises (triceps and chest)
The week after, you can tweak it so that you are
alternating the toning exercises each time (i.e.
stress control and getting into shape
I would
Monday you would do oblique abs as you did com b i n e
crunches on the Saturday, and Tuesday you would
do biceps, back and shoulders as you did chest and
power
triceps on the Sunday etc.), and try to increase wa l k i n g
running pace and ideally swap a normal run or a
power walk for an interval run (see previous info or jo g g i n g ,
above), and if you need to rest for a day, just take
w i t h s om e
a day off and push the program back a day.
ton i n g
THE ARMS DEAL
With the arm conditioning, invest in a dyno band
e xc e r c i s e s
or some weights, and use music to get you even at hom e s o
more motivated to move! (See www.fitforaprincess.co.uk
for workouts and music motivation tips.) Another yo u a r e
option is to get a couple of home workout DVDs: ta r g e t i n g
Nell Mc Andrew and Davina McCall usually have
the most effective ones on the market, and by getting c a r dio a n d
two you won’t get as bored: there should be no
problem playing them, as Italy is also Region 2.
conditioning
You could also use the arms, abs or legs sections of to g e t h e r
these for your conditioning sets as well, if you are
unsure of technique.
So, good luck and remember that the only way
to get results is to stick at it, so really focus on what
you want to achieve and just go for it! diw&h
Written by Janey Holliday, from Fit for a
Princess. Check out the free resource section and
motivation tips at www.fitforaprincess.co.uk
The Sparkling Bride e-book, published in
February, is available to download and is packed
with bridal exercise and eating programs.
dream italian weddings & h o n e y m o o n s 45
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46 dream italian weddings & h o n e y m o o n s

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kitchen confidential
gifts

GR E AT I TALIAN STYLE GIFTS FOR THE

NEWLEYWEDS’ KITCHEN
We take a look at some pretty but practical wedding
gifts that will get our couples cooking…

These ceramics boast beautiful patterns

!
based on a Deborah Sears design. This
collection features buildings in the ISIS
Palladian theme, which revolve round the
idea of a 17th-century country estate. The
major buildings are: Country House, Italian
Villa, English Villa, and American Villa.
Palladian Isis Ceramics, from £39.20

! These fabulous cake stands were designed

by Mattia di Rosa, an Italian designer hailing
from Carrara. His obsessive experimental
approach focuses on his fascination with errors
and chance, the two qualities he considers the
focal point of his creative process. This fun
piece has a great undersea feel that would
add an entertaining element to any modern
kitchen. Cake Stand, 32cm, Alessi,
Bimboveloce £101.00

No true Italophile can

!

resist fine Italian coffees, and

this cute coffee storage tin
from Nigella Lawson is just
the place to store that special
stash of Italian café.
Coffee Graphic Storage Tin,
Nigella Lawson, £4.90

48 dream italian wedding & h o n e y m o o n s

p48-49 Wedd. Gifts:p042-43 30/1/09 13:37 Page 3

gifts

! It’s no coincidence that the words pestle and pesto

share the same first three letters. Both come from the
word pestare, to pound, though it has to be said, this
method does take a bit of elbow grease. However, with
a handsome set like this, who wouldn’t
be tempted to try? Pestle and
mortar, Kitchen Craft, granite
From £29.40

There’s nothing that adds a more Mediterranean feel to a kitchen than

!
a pretty oil or vinegar carafe and this collection from Eva Solo is the perfect
way to add a touch of colour by showing off your collection of Italian oils
and balsamic vinegars. And we all love things that are both attractive and
functional! Oil Carafe, Eva Solo, £27.90
!

These stylish stainless steel scales

manage to be both modern and
traditional at the same time. Certainly
the type you leave out on show
rather than closed away in a dusty
cupboard! Kitchen scales, Typhoon,
Italian Job, from £34.30

!
Every kitchen needs a touch of fun, No Italian kitchen would be complete
!

and these colourful Alessi chopping
boards are just the job. Round, square
and rectangular, these boards come
in a variety of sizes and will fit in just
about any space you have available.
Chopping Board, Alessi, Stefano
Giovannoni, from £16.00
without somewhere to store some of the
country’s best bottles. And what could be
better for displaying your favourite labels
than this eye-catching creation by Eva Solo?
Wine rack, 6 bottle, Eva Solo, £42.10

So you want an Italian kitchen? Then you

!

need Italian herbs. These herb planter gift sets

provide the perfect opportunity for starting
your own kitchen herb garden so you’ll have
basil, rosemary, thyme and marjoram to hand
for all your delicious Italian dishes. Herb
Planter Gift Sets, Optima, from £19.60

For more information on these and a multitude of other fabulous wedding gifts, visit www.weddingshop.com
or buy from the Wedding Shop at Selfridges on (+44) 020 7318 3094

dream italian wedding & h o n e y m o o n s 49

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photocall

I M A G E : F O T O L I A © J O S H U A H AV I V

a sense
of place
A BRIDE AND GROOM
enjoy a quiet moment
together between the columns
of a secluded cloister before
being swept up again by
their guests and the ensuing
celebrations...

50 dream italian weddings & h o n e y m o o n s

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