Helen Morgan & Paul Merrington
Wedding in Ravello on May 13th, 2006
We knew we wanted to marry in Italy and I knew
I’d foundthe people to make it happen when I found the Exclusive Italy website.
The clear, professional presentation and the beautiful images were exactly the reassurance I needed and when Laura Frappa responded to my first email and we spoke on the phone, I knew I was in good hands.
I can’t begin to imagine how many questions I asked in the countless emails we exchanged for 9 months! Laura always replied promptly and responded in a calm and precise manner, showing great attention to detail. Nothing was too much trouble. She was always there with advice and recommendations. She was involved in all aspects of our plans, including helping organise our fact-finding trip to Ravello months before the wedding. Laura really made me feel like I was her only client!
We arrived in Ravello 4 days before the wedding.
Standing in the florist surrounded by pink peonies and roses, talking hairstyles with Gerardo and meeting Paola again at the Villa Cimbrone – everything Laura and I discussed suddenly came to life! All the arrangements made for the week fell into place, culminating in a fantastic rehearsal dinner at the Hotel Garden on a warm Friday night with that beautiful coastline view. The perfect place to greet our guests and set us up for the next day!
We were so lucky Laura was able to be with us in Ravello for our wedding. She was even there to adjust my Dad’s bow tie before we made our way to the church! It was a beautiful warm day and I felt so calm knowing everything would be just perfect! And it was. The church looked amazing…Armando the florist had surpassed himself and the music was so beautiful.
The Villa Cimbrone was quite simply spectacular.
Our guests were utterly enchanted by the beautiful gardens. They were not prepared for the breathtaking view from the Belvedere Terrace – or the breathtaking canapés!
All this to the sound of the string quartet floating through the evening air.
The sun had gone in when we went to dinner and the pathway to the crypt was lit with candles. The crypt itself was beautifully lit from the candelabras on the tables. The ceiling arches really glowed. The table settings were just as I had imagined they would be. The food and wine were delicious and the cake was gorgeous. Amazing!
Marco’s jazz band played a variety of music, perfect to accompany our meal…then our first dance, which we had specially requested and, of course, was no problem for Marco even though Stevie Wonder was not exactly jazz! My brother in law even got to sing with the band.
Paola and her team at the Villa did a marvellous job – everything we had discussed with her came alive. Such a beautiful venue, such a relaxed atmosphere – it really was the highlight of the wedding for our guests. When we visit again, it will be like visiting family.
The party didn’t end there! 2 weeks before the wedding we decided to have an after hours party – no problem for Laura! She found us a perfect venue with DJ and bar. This was really when we let our hair down and that included Laura! I can’t think of anyone who deserved to enjoy herself more!
I had withdrawal symptoms from the daily emails when I returned from honeymoon! Laura is a great friend and an absolute miracle worker. She is utterly passionate about what she does. Throughout the preparations she was a claming presence who made you feel like the most important person in the world. She guided me from a point where I just didn’t know where to begin to having the most perfect wedding I could ever have dreamed of!
Helen & Paul
Bucks, England
