Another factor to be taken into consideration, apart from style, is hair care: as your beauty timeline clock is ticking towards your quickly approaching wedding day there is no time for hair disasters!

Image via: Hairstyle.co.uk

Check out our list of dos and don’ts to get your hair perfect and not risking a bad hair wedding day. Follow our tips to help you achieve the bridal hairstyle suitable to you:

DOS

• Try a few styles before choosing your look and remind that most depends on the type of gown you’ve chosen and your hair length: Is the latest style you really love feasible on your hair?

• If you have long hair and you love either updos and hair loose down on your shoulders maybe an in-between style could be a lovely compromise. If you don’t like this solution remember that more and more brides are wearing an updo during the ceremony and taking their hair down for the reception. Details are key for brides with short hair. For cropped cuts we love tiny crystal-tipped hairpins tactically placed throughout the hair to add a shiny touch.

• Match your hairstyle to your gown and to the style of your special day. When determining your wedding hairstyle, you might consider the type of gown you will be wearing. For example if your dress is very formal a sophisticated and elaborate updo may be the right choice. Otherwise if your gown has a 70’s vintage look you might wear your hair loose with some flower buds or an elegant braided style. Consider the neckline of your gown as well:  if you plan to wear your hair down, will it clash with the décolletage or cover any special jewellery?

• Decide on a hairstyle before you choose your veil or accessories: Hair accessories vary from simple headbands and small flower buds sprinkled throughout hair to jewelled pins, lace Juliet caps and glittering princess tiaras so make the right choice having previously checked all the options you have. Tiaras look good on both short or long hair such as flowers or jewelled trimmings. When shopping for hair accessories, don’t forget to make sure the accessories are suitable to the style you’ve chosen and don’t forget to consider the colour of your gown.

• If this is the case choose the right veil taking into consideration the rule that teaches that your veil should always be longer than your hair.

• Choose your hairstyle considering location and possible bad weather conditions: in any case if you want your hair to shine on your special day, ask your hairdresser for a good conditioner. This has to be done several weeks in advance so that you can get to  know which products are suitable to your hair and make it look shiny and healthy and avoid those which make it frizzy or flat. In any event, always experiment new products well in advance. The last thing a bride wants is a bad surprise on her wedding day.

• Visit your hairstylist at least six months before the wedding to set up a hair care treatment: even if now it looks healty, your hair may need nutrition before a very busy period like the one you’re about to face while planning your wedding.

• Freshen up your hair colour two weeks before the wedding, not after: it has to look natural and of course you want to avoid those colour spots on your skin

• During your hair session on the wedding day: wear a shirt  to avoid to ruin your style and remind to bring the hairpieces you have chosen

• Prepare an emergency kit for last minute retouch during the reception: it’s a long day and of course you want to be perfect all the time

DONTS

• Make hairstyle dramatic changes within three months before the wedding: In case you are inspired all of a sudden to change your hair radically… don’t! This is not the right time for it! If you utterly must get that perm or glamorous new colour you’ve always desired, do it in advance, at least six months before your wedding. That way, in case you disgust it, you will have loads of time to correct the problem: colour it back or grow it out  before your big day.

• Colour your hair at home before the wedding unless you are a professional: even if you normally do it yourself this is the time to relax and have it made by a professional who will be able to pamper you the way you need it now!

• Choose a huge or too elaborate headpiece: it could be impossible to wear most of all if they are too heavy for your updo!

• Use new hair products on the big day, you could be allergic to them: as we said before test new products well in advance to avoid unpleasant last minute surprises.

• Wash your hair right before styling it: it may be too smooth to handle! It’s better to wash them the day before the hairdo.

• Have your hair styled too early before the ceremony: the best time to set the appointment with the hairdresser is two hours before the ceremony.

Whichever style you choose remind that your hair is the frame for your beautiful face. If you just accept the few suggestions we listed in this article it is practically impossible to look bad under there circumstances: on your wedding day you will be full of happiness and surrounded by your beloved ones. Your skin will glow, your eyes will shine, your hair will look divine, and of course, you will live happily ever after.

Bridal make up is a unique requirement and needs careful thought and consideration. The best approach to make-up for brides is one of corrective, subtle make-up that ehances the bride’s best features & makes her look naturally radiant & beautiful on her big day.
The first thing people notice when they look at a bride – is how stunning and radiant she looks, not her makeup itself.

Image via Stylemepretty.com

A professional makeup artist understands all the elements of video/photographic makeup. She knows how your makeup will be affected according to camera techniques, lighting, film stocks and exposure. Your artist will work with colors and pigments that complement your skin, style and personality.

Applying foundation & Concealer

Begin with a primer to cover possible imperfections of your skin such as spots and scars and wait some minutes before applying foundation. We recomend to use a light and oil free foundation as it gives a natural effect and lasts longer.
If you want to prevent your face from getting shiny you can always dust a little bit of pressed powder over your foundation.
As for the concealer, we recommend to choose one with a dry consistency and apply it after your foundation

Blush

Blush is a MUST! It represent the final touch of a great make up base! as If you’ve applied liquid or cream foundation, start with a cream blush and then brush on a powder blush. Also in this case you can choose among a peach or fuchsia blush according to the colour of your skin and the eye shadows you have chosen to apply.

Eye Make-up

The  eyes are always very important as they are the focus of the face! Everybody will look at your eyes for the whole day! We recommend to apply little product to avoid a mask effect, you can choose cream or powder eye shadow and the colours have to suit the skin colour . To keep the eyebrows up and up, once you’ve added color, comb your brows into place with a clear eyebrow and wait some minute. Waterproof mascara is the only guarantee against streak-stained cheeks.

Lipstick and gloss

Apply a bit of foundation on the edges of the lips before adding any color, line and fill in your lips with pencil. Brush on your lipstick, cover with a paper handkerchief, brush a bit of powder on it and then reapply the lipstick.

After the lipstick, brush a gloss. Usually a pink toned blusher will give you a more natural and fresh look while a terracota one will make you look more sophisticated.

Your make-up has to last for hours and resist tears, kisses, dancing and drinking. A good way to ensure make-up stays, use both cream and powder versions of everything. We also recommend to spray a fixative for make up,  this is an excellent guarantee!

Skin Care for the big day
Here there are some quick solutions to ensure you look your glowing best.

Natural products such as protechskincare.com

• Contact a wedding planner to organize your wedding, so that you have to think just to your beauty and be as stress free as possible.
• Drink up to 2 litres of water a day to eliminate any toxins in the body and hydrate the skin. Eat lots of vegetables and fruits. Any beauty diet should be started well in advance, at least two months prior to the wedding.
• Use a good quality professional skin care products from cleaning gel to moisturinzing cream. Ideally you should cleanse, tone and moisturize twice a day and avoid using soaps, which are too harsh for the skin and can be very drying.
• A face mask is recommended aprox once a week for your  skin type. You should also exfoliate aprox twice a week to remove dead skin cells. Use a raw potato slice on your face as often as you can. It’s a natural bleach and exfoliator
• Start conditioning your hair with deep conditioning treatments every alternate day.
• Beauty sleep.

You will notice a great improvement in the condition of your skin and the way your make up will look on the skin!

Are you planning your BIG DAY? Remember to give the right importance to the make-up, our wedding planners will be able to help you and book an excellent Italian  make up artist closer to your wedding location!

Italian wedding reception

Even if you have never done something similar, this is going to be a relatively easy time if you follow our expert advices. Guests attending a wedding banquet in Italy will have a good time and the chance to eat many delicious and authentic Italian food.

Italian wedding banquet

Let’s start with a true / false game about Wedding banquets!

• Italian Wedding banquets include a large amount of food, up to 15 courses. FALSE! It is true that weddings can be really huge celebrations in some regions in Italy but the sample menus you will receive from our Wedding Planners start from a 4 course menus and can be totally customized according to your preferences. When more courses are offered, the quantity and timings will allow your guests to eat all the food, cake included!
• Order French Champagne if you want the best wine for your guests. FALSE! Champagne is for sure a good wine but Italy offers a wide range of excellent sparkling wine such as Prosecco or Franciacorta. Once you have selected the courses for your  ideal wedding menu ask for wine recommendations, some may be available to taste in your country or you may come to Italy a few months before for a wine and menu tasting.
• Speeches are not traditionally part of Italian Wedding Banquets. TRUE! In Italy a common cheer for the newlyweds is simply “evviva gli sposi!” therefore if you think you will have proper speeches, discuss this with your wedding planner because it has to be coordinated with the kitchen.
• You need to check what your guests wish to eat because you need to please everybody. FALSE! How can you please everybody’s tastes? We recommend our Bride and Grooms to select the menu they like and we will then discuss alternative courses for those who have special diets for religion or other reasons, for those who have allergies, are vegetarian, vegan or oceliac. Children menus are also available in any restaurant.

Informal wedding banquet

Different type of food can served in Italy, based on the tastes of the Bride and Groom and of the region of Italy where the event takes place. Of course there are similarities. Typically, an Italian wedding banquet starts with a standing welcome cocktail that lasts approx one hour. At the tables guests receive two or three appetizers that can be served in the same plate, a first course or a mix of two and then one or two main courses with side dish. Follows a limoncello or sorbet, a buffet of fruits or desserts and then the Wedding Cake.  Italian Wedding banquets always end with an expresso coffee.

Here’s an easy step-by-step guide to setting the menu for your wedding:

APERITIVO = COCKTAIL HOUR
Hors d’Oeuvres are usually served during the welcome cocktail. Either left on tables or passed around to guests on trays by waiters. They can include simple salted bites like olives, crisps and nuts, or include some old cheese like Parmesan Cheese, mozzarellas and cherry tomatoes, salami, fried vegetables, mini quiches and a refined selection of canapés and appetizers.

ANTIPASTI = STARTERS
This is the first dish served at the tables, can be a single course or a mix of different food. Depending on the season appetizers may include bruschette, mushrooms, shrimp cocktail, ham and melon, smoked salmon or grilled seafood.

PRIMO PIATTO = FIRST COURSE
Usually consisting of pasta (spaghetti, fusili, paccheri, lasagne,penne, linguine, etc.), gnocchi, risotto or ravoli/tortellini

SECONDO PIATTO = MAIN COURSE
Can be made of fish or meat such as beef, pork, lamb, guinea fowl, check local specialties! Chicken and Rabbit are not very much used at wedding meals.

CONTORNO = SIDE DISH
Depending on the main course, it may consist of vegetables such as eggplants, spinaches, mixed salad or herb roasted potatoes

SORBETTO = SORBET
It is similar to ice-cream but mixed with some alcoholic drinks like prosecco or vodka. Considered fundamental as palate cleanser to remove all flavours allowing you to taste the next course. Typically flavours are lemon, strawberry, mint, ginger or mandarin.

DOLCE=DESSERT
In some cases wedding cake can be served as dessert or you can select a typical Italian dessert such as Tiramisu to be served before the cake. During the summer an ice-cream with some Italian cookies or strawberries as dessert can be a good idea!

TORTA NUZIALE = WEDDING CAKE
Italian wedding cakes are generally a one layered cake made with white or choco sponge cake filled with chantilly, choco or lemon cream and covered with icing or whipped cream. However it is possible under request to have a multi-tiered cake.

Classical “Confettata all’Italiana” (Sugar Almonds)

Sample of a Traditional Italian Wedding Menu

Aperitif
Champagne Cocktail, Bellini, Mimosa, Fruit Juices
Salty snacks, Olives, Peanuts, Chips
Baby-pizzas and Bruschette with Cherry Tomatoes

* * *
Appetizer
Grilled Vegetables from ourVegetable Garden, Giant Olives
Air-dried Beef Rolls Filled with Rocket, Ricotta and Mascarpone
San Daniele Ham, Local Bacon & Salame
Fiordilatte Mozzarella Cheese
Buffalo’s Milk Mozzarella and Spiced Ricotta Cheese  

* * *
First course
Homemade Scialatielli Pasta with Shrimps and Rocket

 For vegetarians:
Homemade Scialatielli Pasta with Cherry Tomatoes, Aubergines, Mozzarella Cheese and Basil

Main course
OPTION 1 : Fish main course (31 guests)
Baked Sea Bass with tomato salsa and Sautéed Zucchini
Or
OPTION 2: Meat main course (55 guests)
Lamb Roll and Chops with Herbs on a Bed of Sautéed Apricots and Mushrooms 

Main course for vegetarians:
Zucchine Parmigiana / Vegetables Strudel

***
Dessert:
Fresh Fruit Cut on a Wild Berries Sauce with a Biscuit of Almond Kernels and Caramelized Sugar and Vanilla Ice Cream

* * *
 Wedding cake

Sample of a Vegetarian Menu

Vegetarian menu
Starter:  Aubergine, “scamorza” cheese and tomato timbale (menu
Pasta:  Cannelloni of dough with broccoli and chilli pepper served on a bed of tomatoes
Main: Vegetable tempura on a yoghurt and orange sauce
Dessert:  Traditional Tiramisu

 Sample Pescetarian Menu

Pescetarian menu
Starter:  Lobster salad with citrus sauce flavoured with ginger (menu B)
Pasta:  Cannelloni of dough with broccoli and chilli pepper served on a bed of tomatoes
Main: Vegetable tempura on a yoghurt and orange sauce
Dessert:  Traditional Tiramisu

Vegan/Vegetarian courses ideas

Hors d’ Oeuvre
Tomato Salad
Roulade of eggplant with cherry tomatoes, rocket salad and balsamic vinegar;
“Caponata Style” whole wheat biscuits with Mixed vegetables in olive oil with cherry tomatoes;
Grilled Vegetables;
Salad of celery and olives;
Mushrooms and Artichokes grilled;
Mixed Bruschetta with Cherry tomatoes and Aubergines;
Avocado Sald;
Braised Artichokes;

Meal Course
Risotto (rice) with Mushrooms;
Risotto (rice) with Mixed Vegetables;
Home Made Gnocchi with fresh tomato sauce and basil;
Pasta with Courgettes;
Pasta “Spaghetti” with Pesto;
Pasta “Pennette” with Eggplants;
Fried Artichokes;

Side Orders
Mixed Salad;
Green Salad;
Salad Tomato and Rocket;
Potato Croquettes;
Fresh French Fries;
Steamed Vegetables;
Dishes are prepared with Extra Virgin Olive

 Sample children menu

Mozzarella and ham
Pasta with tomatoes sauce and basil
Veal or Chicken cutlet and French fries
Ice cream

IMPORTANT
Check which are the products typical of the region
Base your menu around the month or season the wedding will take place in.
Check if any of your guests have allergies
Check if any of your guests are vegetarians or vegan
Discuss a children menu based on the exact age of kids

CANNOT MISS ON ITALIAN BANQUET TABLES
Menu prints
Place cards
Table name/number
Floral centrepieces with candles
Favors

Do not hesitate to contact us to organize an incredible Italian wedding meal!

Wedding diary via Oshocherished.co.uk

A wedding diary is a must have for a bride to be. It is a tangible keepsake of the planning of your wedding: it’s a witness of a bride’s happy moments and every woman will love to open it years later to live again those emotions that just a bride can feel and understand!

A bride’s diary is useful to keep record of every single step of the wedding’s planning; it will accompany the couple from the engagement to the thank you notes.

There are diaries for every kind of style, classical chic journals with white pages to write on, vintage style books, ecofriendly ones made of recycled paper, coloured and girlish or simple, modern wedding agendas with useful tips and a planner to help you to define every single detail of the big day!

You may also consider something classical Italian in Florentine paper

Diaries images via Etsy.com

A diary is normally divided into sections that correspond to the different phases of the planning. Here you have a brief list of things to be done…

1 YEAR BEFORE HAND

Think about the ideal location for your wedding and book the right venue

Delicate vintage save the dates via inthetreehouse.co.uk

Set your wedding date

Make a guest list

Via Sesanearts.com

Start planning your trip to Italy

Choose your bridal party - Image via Fassettphoto.com

Choose your Witnesses, Bridesmaids and Groomsmen

Find the right wedding dress... Image via WeHeartIt.com

Start looking for your wedding gown

6 MONTHS BEFOREHAND

Dress fitting photo shoot - from Rowell Photography

Have first fitting for wedding dress, choose your wedding shoes and other accessories

Start paperwork procedures… with our help everything will be much easier and you will not feel lost!

Choose your wedding rings

Image via Arcadia.co.uk

Order the invitations and any other stationery

Send out invitations via Papertalkpress

Send out invitations

Decide music entertainment for ceremony and reception

Make a gift list

Start thinking about wedding favors

Via Oshocherished.co.uk

Plan your hen or stag night
Book your flights and finalize hotel reservations
Book photographer and videographer

1 MONTH BEFOREHAND

Seating plan via Etsy.com

Decide on the seating plan

Write your wedding vows

Image via Stylemepretty.com.
Choose flowers for bridal party, ceremony and reception venue

Define Wedding transport

Do a trial with  hairdresser and make-up artist

7 DAY BEFORE THE BIG DAY!

Have a look at your wedding diary and check that everything is ok
Get ready and relax!
Using a monthly calendar in this way planning the schedule will be a doddle!

Your diary can be otherwise divided into themes such as:

• Getting Started: budget, schedule…
• Guests and Stationery: guest list, invitations and replies…
• Wardrobe: wedding party measurements and bridal shops to visit…
• Wedding Day: Venue details, Food and Drink, Music and Entertainment, Flowers, Photography…
• Gifts: Wedding list, Thank You list…
•  Contacts and Notes: Suppliers details

In every section you can take note of your preferences and wishes… Maybe someone, after having a look at it, can find some inspiration and surprise you somehow!!!
It is absolutely necessary that your book has a checklist so that every ideathat comes can be recorded and then be checked again at the end of the planning.

If you are a geek you may prefer an online solution: With wedding planning software, then you have the option to use your computer so that easier access and view every development in your computer.

Whatever you choose keep in mind that this fabulous book will become a constant companion right up until the special day!

Wedding at Villa La Vedetta, Florence

They arrived in Florence on September 15^th and stayed at the Hotel Rosso 23 in Piazza Santa Maria Novella, one of the most famous areas in Florence. As they chose to have a symbolic wedding, there was no paperwork to complete and they had the time to visit the villa on the day before the wedding and meet the F&B manager to check the last details.

The couple had preference for pictures taken in the city center of Florence. In consultation with us, we decided that it would be better to have the shots taken before the wedding. So I booked a beautiful carriage with a brown horse that picked them up at their hotel and took them to the most spectacular spots in Florence.

Horse and Carriage ride in the centre of Florence

Wedding pictures in Piazza della Signoria, Florence

Wedding photo session near the Uffizi Gallery, Firenze

S. Maria Novella, Florence wedding photo session

Photo session... lovely moments

Wedding photo session in Florence... so much fun!

Throwing a coin in Florence!

Florence wedding, romance in the air...

In the meantime Mrs Stella, our event coordinator, checked the ceremony details and set up at the Villa, welcomed guests and guided them to the panoramic terrace where the wedding ceremony was to take place.

The carriage took the couple to the Villa in perfect time for the wedding ceremony.

Everything was ready: the ceremony table was covered with a white table cloth and some red roses in a bowl decorated it, white chairs for spouses and guests were arranged perfectly, violin and cello music was so lovely and their two special celebrants, groom’s mother and bride’s father, were so moved:

Wedding ceremony at Villa La Vedetta, Florence

Wedding ceremony overlooking Florence

The wedding Kiss announce they are husband and wife

At the end of the ceremony, spouses burst a big white ballon leaving a hundred of small white ballons flying towards the sky!!

Romantic balloons launch...after ceremony

Moments after ceremony

Looking the wedding balloons

After the ceremony, private moments

Panoramic shots

A celebratory cocktail was served on the Italian Garden in front of the Villa

Fenice 

Italian Spumante – Col dè Salici
Seasonal Fruits Cocktails
Selections of White and Red Wines
Fresh Juices
Strawberry & Orange, Apple & Kiwi, Pineapple
Alcohol free Drinks
Coke, Orange, Tonic Water, Lemon soda

 Cold Canapes
Gorgonzola and Sausage cream
Tuna Botargo, fresh Cheese and Dill
Mini Tartlets with Smoked Salmon and Swordfish 

Warm Canapes
Mix of Baby Pizzas
Warm Tartlets filled with a selection of Cheeses

Villa La Vedetta wedding reception table

The wedding reception set up was arranged during the cocktail hour and Stella, our local coordinator, checked the seating plan and place cards, the flowers and music.

Everything had to be perfect. Everything has to be perfect, ALWAYS!

WEDDING MENU

Tiger prawns Macadamia Apple Liquorice
steamed, Apple compote, Macadamia nuts, Liquorice reduction
***
Ricotta Tortelli Artichokes Lime
filled with Ricotta cheese and mascarpone, sauté of Artichokes, Lime dust
***
Celeriac Risotto Pear Pepper
vialone nano igp rice, roasted Celeriac, salted Pear, Black Pepper caramel
***
Pigeon Baby Onions Pomegranate Maple Syrup
roasted breast and leg, Baby Onions cooked with Maple syrup, Pomegranate reduction
***
Orange Hazelnut Fennel Seeds
Orange zuccotto ‘ice-cake’ , Fennel seeds jelly, Hazelnut ice-cream
***
Coffee
Petit Four
***

Wine selection
Sauvignon Segrè – Castello di Spessa
Flors di Uis – Vie di Romans
Moscato – La Spinetta

Happy moments shared with family and friends

Larisse and her girl friends

Happy moments they will never forget

Panoramic picture with all their friends

A lovely thank you message while the couple was on honeymoon…

Hi Sara, everything was perfect! We had a great day and were very fortunate with the weather, that really helped to have a fantastic day!!

A lovely letter to thank us

Larisse and Erik Thank you note

Contact Exclusive Italy Weddings  to organize a romantic symbolic wedding in Florence

Good morning SPRING!
Welcome FRESH and WHITE decorations!
Welcome SHABBY CHIC WEDDINGS!

A shabby chic wedding is an overflow of creative details that are enough to make any vintage-inspired bride squeal with delight. Most of the wedding decor and details are planned around a vintage theme, it could be a passion or just an inspiration for the wedding!
The musical note paper is theme of this beautiful shabby chic wedding:

Images source: Weddingchicks.com

“Shabby but romantic”: shabby chic is a style of life. A new way to show the story of the objects we have around and a new way to perceive the reality. Everything comes to a new life: you just need creativity, inspiration, romantic feeling, some pale colors and a touch of vintage style!

In shabby chic weddings a sophisticated yet cottage-style décor with a great dose of feminine feel is emphasized to differentiate it from genuine period décor.

Images source: Bridaltemptations.com

Birds, green and new life is the theme of another wedding! Musk and vintage bird cages are the protagonists!! The Bird cages are very often used in shabby chic weddings, they can be filled with flowers for the table centerpieces, or hang them around the room at different heights to decorate the venue. Put a candle in them. Decorate them with clip on butterflies!

Image source: Stylemepretty.com

The theme of a Shabby Chic wedding could be simply A COLOR!!!
With fantasy and creativity you can make MAGICAL and ORIGINAL things! Have a look at this table below: a fuchsia table cloth, some pale satin ribbons and the right vintage china turn simplicity into ELEGANCY!

Images source: Pruffledblog.com

The Shabby Chic style started in Great Britain and evokes the type of decoration found in large country houses where there are worn and faded old sofas and curtains and old paintwork . The original shabby chic interiors were usually considered in themselves works of art and was based on the recycle of old furniture and fabrics!

Image source: Stylemepretty.com

Shabby chic items are often heavily painted through the years, with many layers showing through obviously time-worn areas. Fabrics are usually cottons and linens with pale colors and with small flowers on it. Fabric is often stained with tea to give it the look of old fabric. Bleached, faded and handmade are the key words of this style!

Contact me at info@exclusiveitalyweddings.com to plan your Shabby Chic wedding in Italy

Candles, Fairylights, Lanterns decors at Weddings

The flickering flame of a candle is undoubtedly fascinating with its ever-changing dynamics. Candles are a symbol of romance and intimacy that bring positive feelings and for centuries have served many purposes. The positive effects of candles can easily be incorporated in our homes, in a romantic dinner at sunset, in a birth day party, in religious ceremonies or for ritual purposes. Because of their scent they are used in aromatherapy and thanks to the aesthetic value they are appreciated gifts.

On a wedding day candles decorate the church altar, the ceremony table, the setting of the banquet and cannot miss on reception tables and after dinner parties either spread on tables or inside lanterns or floating on pools or flying inside sky lanterns. Size, colour and quantity of candles are all up to personal inclination. No doubt, the best destination wedding would not be complete without the proper candles. The appeal of burning flames will touch the souls of your guests, candles are an essential part of the most important day of your lives and we will guide you among unlimited ideas to make a unique place even more special.

Find your inspiration among the following enchanting and ingenious ideas!

TEALIGHTS
Commonly spread out around the tables, tea-lights can give a more sophisticated touch if floating in a simple candle holder like a tall glass or in hurricane holders or in cylinder vases:

Tall-tealight holders

Tea-lights table decor - source Stylemepretty.com

White Moroccan type lanterns are ideal for a refined Oriental style wedding

Lucia|Paul Design and Brian Widdis Photography

Romantic white lanterns table centerpiece - Source: Weddingbee

Tea lights can be used inside cans, paper lanterns, glass jars of different sizes:

Tea-lights and mason jars

Tea-light holders with heart textures

Table decorations with mason jars

Romantic paper lanterns. Source: Weddingbee.com

Small tea lights vases may be round, square, hexagonal, colored, used in groupings of three or more, in varying heights and displays.

Ceramic lanterns by Westelm.com

Small paper cups. Source: flickr.com/gregsphoto

Moroccan tea-light glasses

spotted on: west elm, anthropologie, Etsy

Imagine the same glass holders with candles lying on pebbles or petals, shells or seeds.  Sand, stones, leaves, colored jelly or even nuts or cherries or lime are gorgeous ideas to decorate your tables.

Floating candles squidoo.com

Tea-lights with pebbles- Source: allaboutyou.com

Floating candles centerpieces, source Projectwedding.com

Lanterns are nowadays becoming a must to decorate gardens, terraces, stairs, windows and wells! They fit in nicely in a laid-back setting or a black tie party

Lanterns decor. Source: Potterybarns.com

Lanterns garden decor. Source: The Knot

Moroccan style Lanterns. Source: Franticdreams.com

Garden Lanterns

For a more informal outdoor reception, hanging lanterns or vases or bottles or jars with a small tea light inside improve the mood while fitting in to the atmosphere

DIY paper lanterns Design sponge

Hanging lanterns

Jars with candles right on the grass are a brilliant touch to the night

DIY Mason Jars decors

And for a vintage style wedding, the old cheese graters sure are an unexpected amazing touch!

Cheese graters lanterns - From Younghouselove.com

Beautiful lotus flower or heart tea light holders create unique atmosphere.

Heart-shape lanters

Lotus flowers lanters - from Etsy

Both in tall and short, large or small designs, candles can be mixed with flowers, greenery and ribbons and more staff to decorate tables.

Table decors with candles - From MarhtaStewart.com

Candles-& Lanterns - From MarhtaStewart.com

Floating candles are designed to float upright in water, they catch the attention of guests who stare at them for a long time wondering why they don’t sink, funny!  These are most popular at outdoor wedding being used in pools or ponds but small candles can also float in large bowls along with flower petals.

Chinese floating lanterns

Lanterns by the pool

Either if you want a sophisticated touch or a dramatic effect, traditional brass or silver candelabra with two or more candles add ambiance to your banquet table.

Sylver Candelabras with candles by EIW

Wrought-iron candelabra - Credits: elizabethannedesign

Silver Candelabras with crystal chain. Inspiration: Karen Tran

It is your Special Day and everything must be perfect! On a warm clear summer night for an outdoor event under the moon and a million stars, fairy lights on the trees can transform any venue  into a glittery wonderland.

complete events marquee solutions

Koyal wholesale

Last but not least, do it yourself for a shabby chic wedding!!!  Paper boxes can turn into candle holders that glow when the candle is lit, paper can be of different colours and shapes. Easy enough anyone can do it, this is the right slogan! Raise the chic factor with the ultimate romantic accent, lines of pillar candles running along the centre of the table with a scattering of flower petals, swirling ribbons, pearls and also some jam jars containing tea-lights. Look around, you will find real treasures in your homes.

DIY Paper lanterns to decorate outdoor gardens

Lace votives for a shabby chic wedding

Finally, candle favors are the perfect way to thank your guests for attending your Big Day!

Candle favors

“In the right light, at the right time, everything is extraordinary”. Aaron Rose

Do not hesitate to contact our event designers to create the perfect lighting decor for your wedding in Italy.

Everybody cares about having an healthy life, that’s a fact! Being that our health depends most of all on how and where we live, we are becoming everyday more concerned about our impact on the environment.

Day by day we try to make anything we can to preserve planet heart by recycling, using public transportation and so on but do we think about it even when we are planning our wedding? Is it really possible to arrange the best day of a couple’s life being respectful of our planet? The answer is yes!

There are plenty of possibilities if you choose a green way to organize your wedding and more and more couples are choosing it! It’s a very popular trend! If you’re thinking about an eco friendly wedding but you have no idea where to begin have a look at Exclusive Italy wedding planners tips to make your wedding as green as possible:

Let’s share with your guests your passion for the environment from the start! Make them aware of your green choice by inviting them to your wedding in a green way by using the net! This method may be not suitable to your old grandma to whom you can reserve a more traditional hand-written invitation on recycled paper but we are sure your friends will appreciate invitations by e-cards and they will be pleased to follow your planning on the website you created for your wedding!

Source: Hansonellis.com

Choose a Green Dress (that doesn’t mean a lawn coloured gown unless you desire it!). You can either look for some organic clothing manufacturers (they are not so difficult to find) or ask your mother to borrow you her dress or to come with you to a vintage shop. Once there she will be glad to help you getting a bargain as every mom holds such a sway over shop assistants!!!

Vintage dress designed by Ronit Zilkha, from Wedding Bells

Lovely vintage wedding dress

Get Green Wedding Rings avoiding gold and diamonds (unless you don’t make sure they are certified environmentally friendly products) but not renouncing to a beautiful design ring made of alternative metals and jewels or choosing a family heirloom!

Eco ring

Source: Greenweddingshoes.com

Choose the right Eco friendly Wedding Venue! Italy has a great natural environment and it offers lots of magnificent eco chic settings for your wedding. If you like the Tuscan hills you have a long list to choose from: A good example is the enchanting farmhouse Podere agli Ulivi that welcomes its guests in the unpolluted countryside near Prato; in this fabulous farm you can get married among olive trees and have lunch on the lawn. You can also consider to get married in a charming Farmhouse near Siena where you can taste the very best of the Tuscan homemade cuisine served in a recently renovated 14th century edifice.

Podere Agli Ulivi - Eco Friendly farmhouse in Tuscany

Tuscan eco-friendly wedding

Photo session in the Tuscan countryside

If you prefer the seaside the sunny Amalfi coast hosts some green venues suitable to you: in Ravello there is a  Mediterranean Villa that invites its guests to visit its botanical garden where vegetable are grown naturally so that you can be sure that what you eat is completely wholesome! The plus of this venue is the enchanting setting that offers for wedding ceremonies that are celebrated outdoors in a refined garden.

Ravello Mediterranean Villa, enchanting outdoor setting

Decors with local plants

Vegetable garden of the Villa

Another wonderful property in Southern Italy is located in Sorrento, a lovely farmhouse that produces organic producs directly

In Sorrentothe staff of Restaurant Da Piero entertains kids and grownups in the farm where animals live charily taken care of.

Garden with vegetables

But these are just a few locations of a long list of Restaurants, Country Houses, Vineyard estates, Bed and Breakfasts, Farm holidays and Villas you can choose from.
Of course we can recommend the best venues according to you and your beloved one’s needs. Everyone of the venues we propose offers local, fresh and tasty food and everyone does its best to satisfy every request of the guests.

Have a look at this brilliant example of eco friendly menu:

Vegan Menu 

Hors d’ Oeuvre
Tomato Salad
Roulade of eggplant with cherry tomatoes, rocket salad and balsamic vinegar
“Caponata Style” whole wheat biscuits with Mixed vegetables in olive oil with cherry tomatoes
Grilled Vegetables
Salad of celery and olives
Mushrooms and Artichokes grilled
Mixed Bruschetta with Cherry tomatoes and Aubergines
Avocado Sald
Braised Artichokes

Meal Course
Risotto with Mushrooms
Risotto with Mixed Vegetables
Home Made Gnocchi with fresh tomato sauce and basil
Pasta with Courgettes;
Pasta with Basil Pesto
Pasta with Eggplants
Fried Artichokes 

Side Orders
Mixed Salad
Green Salad
Salad Tomato and Rocket
Potato Croquettes
Fresh French Fries
Steamed Vegetables

 Dishes are prepared with Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Another great tip is to use fruit and vegetables for centrepieces creating edible table decorations!

Credit: Intimate-weddings.com

 Thinking about flowers the choice is easy: choosing in season local flowers organically grown is the greener option!

Credit: Instyle Magazine

Eco-friendly centerpiece. Credit: Texaswedding.com

Bougainville floral decors

The perfect wedding favors for an eco chic wedding are handmade: the best option to express your creative talent that lies somewhere inside of you! You can package customized olive oil mini bottles or tree seed sachets with personalized planting instructions… We are sure you’ll find also interesting our past article about favors…

Seed sachet wedding favors. From Etsy.com

Lovely plants & decors from Winerose.com

Lovely plant idea from Offbeatbride.com

From weddingbells.com

Another lovely idea are customized soaps…all natural with organic procuts without any chemical preservaties, parabens or synthetic fragrances…

Handmade soaps from 100 Layer Cake

From weddingchicks.com

You may also make a donation to your favorite environmental charity in lieu of favors. You can print details of the donation on a recycled paper, like these scrolls from Plant a Bloomer

Favor card from Elizabeth Ann Design

Of course the stationary, from invitations as we mentioned before to save the date, menus and place-cards will be printed – or better hand written – on recycled  or tree-free paper. In particular talking about placecards we simply adore the idea of using books as a tableau with personalized bookmarks as placecards that guests can bring home as a favour!

Credit: TamrynKirby blogspot Picture: Diana M.Lott

Eco-friendly seating plan

Organizing a wedding that isn’t polluting is an attractive idea to more couples. The choice of eco-friendly products and services is growing, giving the bride and groom a wide range of options. Whatever you choose, be cheerful and sensitive to planet earth’s needs! Know that when you look back on your wedding day it could have been an happy day not just for you but even for the planet!

Contact me for special ideas on how to create a special eco-friendly wedding in Italy

I hope you enjoy this beautiful images:

credit: Justin Marantz

Beach table wedding decor

Credit: Wedding bee

Credit: Specialist weddings

Opulent wedding reception

Credit: Melissa Mermin, Love stories

Credit: The Bridal Closet

Credit: Sarah Down Photography

Luxurious table decors with orchids and roses. Credits: Preston Bailey events

Credit: J.F. Floral couture

Credit: Luxury weddings & homes

Credit: Lovely wedding party

Credit: Meg Perotti

Roses & Amarillis table decor

Credit: Colin Cowie events

Credit: The wedding company

country style table

Credit: Intimate weddings

Credit: eventsinbloom

Credit: weddingbycolor

Credit: Vogue

Credit: Flora Nova Design

Roses and candles centerpieces

I hope you enjoyed these pictures and get some inspiration on how to decor an impressive long table for your wedding day!

In Renaissance the precious box with confetti was considered a good omen: in Italy the new engaged couple used to exchange a box with confetti during the engagement party and in 1574 the Queen Elizabeth I received a sweetmeat box as good omen for the new coming year.

Today, gifts to guests are known as wedding favors and have become an important part of the wedding reception. These small boxes or gifts are accompanied by five sugared almonds which symbolize fertility, longevity, wealth, health and happiness. Wedding favors are diverse and most of times recall the theme, the place or the color scheme of the wedding. They can be small elegant boxes, silver picture frames, candles, special objects and each of them can be personalized with the couple’s names or initials and wedding date.

Here there are some examples of modern wedding favor:

Gift box

Glass boxes with sugar almonds

Candles wedding favors

Boxes with sugar almonds

Handmade linen bags with almonds

Paper boxes for almonds

Sometimes a wedding favor can recall the couple itself. In this case the theme of love and Black/White colors, which symbolize respectively groom and bride, become the protagonists!

Ceramic heart - salt & peper

Bride and Groom ceramic Salt & Peper

A destination wedding is a wonderful experience for both spouses and guests, it turns out to be a beautiful vacation for everybody. Exclusive Italy Weddings planners recommend something typical of the area, something that can be brought home as a souvenir of the event and the place that guested it.

Food, wine, coffee and handmade china are only some of the most famous Italian souvenirs.

Bottles of Italian olive oil

Ceramic pottery

Espresso coffee machine

Italy is a beautiful country with such a different realities, from the antique and unique Venice to the romantic lakes, from the colored Riviera to the eternal city of Rome, from the Tuscan countryside with its fields of olive trees to the breathtaking views of the Amalfi Coast…. Each area has its own history and its own typical products that your wedding planner would be happy to show you! An Italian favor would be really appreciated by your guests who would bring home a piece of our history and tradition…and why not…of their vacation!

Venice is famous for its masks and glass creations:

Venice Masks for favors

Venice Masks wedding favors

Murano Glasses wedding favors

Tuscany is characterized by its fields of olive trees, what’s better of a bottle of olive oil and a small bag with cantucci cookies?

Olive tree wedding favors

Cantucci biscuits wedding favors

Olive oil bottles wedding favors

Personalized bottle of wine

Amalfi Coast: Bright colors, blue sea and fresh lemons! The Limoncello liquor is famous all around the world! This is the perfect favor for your guests!

Limoncello bottles wedding favors

A beautiful surprise for your guests is the WELCOME BASKET or BAG, this is something that we can organize and contains some of the most famous local products such as pasta, olive oil, wine or tomato sauce and an useful brochure with touristic info about places to see and a culinary deliciousness not to be missed!

Welcome basket

A wedding favor is an appreciated souvenir and an original gift to thank your guests for coming: ask your Italian wedding planner for some suggestions, it will be an unexpected favor for everybody!