How and where to elope in Italy  the complete Italy elopement guide (2023/2024)

The first steps are the most exciting, but there can be a lot to think about.

Undoubtedly Italy is one of the most sought after countries in the world for elopements, it has so much to offer and now we would see all the pros and cons and our suggestions step by step. how and where to elope in Italy

We are Patrizia & Josema , elopement photographers based in Italy, with this elopement guide we are going to give you ideas and personal suggestions for your elopment in Italy.

Italy is a place where you can go hiking, as well as enjoy a boat trip or ride the vespa on the Tuscan hills! you can ride a Cinquecento around Amalfi coast or have a pic nik in Capri beaches.

You can find so many option! For each kind of couple from the ones that loves more city and luxury solution to the ones that wanna swim, hike and have a crazy adventurous wedding.

Yes, of course!

Foreigners can get married in Italy, however, there are two  documents you will need in order for your marriage to be legally binding. 

The easiest choise is to have a simbolic, beautiful and emotional ceremony.

Italy recognizes both religious and civil wedding ceremonies. For non-catholic religious weddings, a civil ceremony needs to be incorporated in order to make the marriage legal. If you’re interested in legally getting married in Italy, then you can find more information by contacting your embassy. 

In the case you you’re feeling overwhelmed with the steps, then you can always get married in your home country and have a symbolic ceremony in Italy. We love this idea because you both can still exchange vows and have an intimate ceremony, while not having to worry about the legality of things somewhere foreign to you. 

I can add that if you wanna do a civil wedding and not simbolic you can not do that every location you have in your mind but it has to be a ‘casa comunale’.

Some Venue are ‘casa comunale’ but mostly public lands are not casa comunale so in that case you only have a simbolic ceremony.

We want to mention some places you can elope in Italy to give you an idea of what your wedding day can look like but remember, this list is only a fraction of the places where you can plan your wedding. Just to let you know Italy has 20 regions, subdivided into 93 provinces, and further subdivided into 8,000 cities, towns, or villages. That’s a whole lot of options!

There are much more other places less turistic that we can suggest you to have an autentic italian elopement.

We are going to divide Italy in 3 part:

– Northern Italy

– Central Italy

– Southern Italy

There are location and places where the logistic and the way to travel there is much more easy, we are going to explain you everything in the next steps.

As for northern Italy we would like to talk to you about:

 – Como Lake

 – Cinque Terre

– Colle del Nivolet

– Dolomiti

– Tre Cime di Lavaredo

– Venice

– Langhe/Piedmont

– Orta Lake

Como Lake

Como Lake it’s really close to Milan international Airport.

LAKE COMO ELOPEMENT – Pamela & Ryan

LAKE COMO COMPLETE ELOPEMENT GUIDE (2023/2024)

Cinque Terre

Renting an ancient wooden typical boat after the hiking will be perfect to see the sunset.

Dolomiti

The Alps are in the Northern italy and the Italian Dolomites are the post famous area! These famous mountains are extended for a big North-East area from River Adige to Piave Valley, gifting you with glacier lakes, thickly fir-ed forests, rolling green valleys and of course, dramatic ridges all around.

Luxurious ski resorts, charming towns and incredible landscapes would make a unique elopement location. Hiking trails are open all year and there are also easy place to access with a easy walk.

Colle Del Nivolet

The Colle del Nivolet is in the North West in the National Park of Gran Paradiso and it’s easily accessible during summer months by walk or by car too. 

The landscapes are incredible it seems to but over the clouds.

There are so many beautiful lakes duringthe easy hiking where you can stop.

Tre Cime di Lavaredo

You can be astonished by the landscapes here.

This place is ok for hiki lovers as well for people who doesn’t love to hike because half of the way around the Tre Cime di Lavaredo it’s really easy.

The best way is to access to rifugio Auronzo by car and then to start the experience.

Venice

Gothic, Byzantine and Renaissance influences dominate the streets, peppering the city with gems like St. Mark’s Basilica, the Campanile and Rialto Bridge. But don’t overlook its lesser travelled islands as well! Burano is made for photographs, brightly painted houses a vibrant backdrop.

VENICE ELOPEMENT : Ada & Marco

Langhe / Piedmont

It is famous for its wines, cheeses, and truffles. From 2014  inscribed on UNESCO‘s World Heritage list for its cultural landscapes. 

The experience you can have here is in contact with the nature but also an incredible high level food experience.

It can be compared with Tuscany.

As for northern Italy we would like to talk to you about:

– Florence

– Rome

– Tuscany hills

– San Galgano Abbey

– Civita di Bagnoregio

– Waterfall del Mulino

Florence

Florence doesn’t need much of an introduction, literally an open-air museum, it is the city with the highest number of architectural outstanding sites in the whole world. Surrounded by hills with wonderful typical Tuscan little towns, in Florence and in its surrounding province you will experience a true Italian time on your elopement.

Florence it’s just perfect and small enought to walk everywhere and to have an incredible experience.

Probably our favourite city!!!

FLORENCE ELOPEMENT: Laura & Justin

Rome

Rome is Rome! IT is the perfect place to get married if you’re looking for romance in the city. The ‘Eternal City’ is a charming one that boasts history, art, and unmatched architecture. 

The ancient historial streets, the views, the food. Everything is just perfect!

As all turistic cities our suggestion if you wanna to elope in a really turistic spot as Trevi fountain or Phanteon to do it at sunrise otherwise it will be really crowded.

ROME ELOPEMENT : Arielle & Daniel

2 DAYS ELOPEMENT FLORENCE & ROME: Effie & Leigh

Tuscany hills

Tuscany hills are sorrunded by beautiful authentic village whereyou can get ready or have you airbnb and enjoy italian slow kind of life that you can not find in a big city.

TUSCANY ELOPEMENT : Alice & Claudio

San Galgano Abbey

It is probably the most famour roofless abbey at least in Europe that still stand.

The most beautiful part of the Abbey in the internal side in which the property ask for a fee to celebrate an elopement. 

Civita di Bagnoregio

The only access to Civita di Bagnoregio is a footbridge from the nearby town. Due to its unstable foundation that often erodes, Civita is famously known as ‘the dying city’.

It’s an authenthic small village with a beautiful view and historical hourses and churches and you can only access by walk.

It can be also perfect for a second day elopement close to Rome.

MULINO WATERFALL – CASCATE DEL MULINO

They are also called the Saturnia waterfalls and have been declared the most beautiful spas in Italy and are also free spas.

As for northern Italy we would like to talk to you about:

– Capri 

– Matera

– Polignano / Apulia

– Ostuni / Apulia

– Alberobello / Apulia

– Positano/Sorrento – Amalfi Coast

– Sicily

Capri

In Capri the beaches are pretty small so our suggestion is or to elope on the cliff, or in a private venue but the best way to enjoy the island is to rent a boat.

To arrive to Capri you may land in Napoli airport and take a boat/ferry at Napoli port that in aorund 1 hour will take you to Capri.

July and August is really crazy full of turists, we don’t suggest these months to elope here.

Matera

Polignano – Apulia

Ostuni – Apulia

It’s a wonderful idea to walk and live the narrow street of Ostuni and its food. The Best way to enjoy Ostuni’s sunset is from one of the rooftop where you will see the Old Town. The town is at 8km from the coast.

Alberobello – Apulia

It’s really peculiar and famous for the architecture of the houses called Trulli.

The Trulli of Alberobello have been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1996.

ALBEROBELLO ELOPEMENT : Mary & Giacomo

In case you are not a snow lover and even less a crowd of people, the best months to get married in Italy are March, April, May and September and October.

LOW-END ELOPEMENT IN ITALY

• simbolic wedding $ 0
• location permit $ 0
• 3 night at simple airbnb $ 300
• photographer half day $ 4000
• dress and bride details $ 500
• hair and make up $ 0 by yourself
• bouquet $ 200
• suit and groom details $ 400
• TOTAL: $ 5.400

1. Book your flight
2.       Google Flight
3.        Sky scanner
4. Book your Airbnb/Hotel
5. Make your inspiration elopement board
6. Start contacting vendors

BONUS SUGGESTION: CHOOSE A COMFORTABLE OUTFIT

Choose the outfit you love but be smart about it! If you are wanting be out in the nature or in the city center all day wear comfrotable shoes! We always suggest to our couples to bring a nice pair of shoes but also to have something to change with. You can totally wear a classic wedding dress but some couple want to wear something more casual. Wear everything you feel is your self!

ARE YOU READY FOR AN INCREDIBLE ELOPEMENT EXPERIENCE IN ITALY?

We are Patrizia and Josema, a wife and husband elopement photographers team based in Italy. We love elopements and we also eloped in November 2021.

We would love to helping you planning your dream day in Italy, without no rules. An elopement is the experience about you that you will remember forever. Since we are local italy elopement photographers we can help you in the entire planning suggesting the best location, vendors and timeline for your special day.