Discover Italian Wedding Venues
It all starts with finding the perfect venue. The place that gives you goosebumps, that takes your breath away… just like when you find the love of your life, you simply KNOW it.
And we know that with a destination wedding the initial stages of the venue's search can be overwhelming. Chances are that you are looking at photos online and you see hundreds of beautiful places in different parts of Italy. Our website and social media don’t make the job easy, as they show so many wonderful wedding venues that we have selected over the years. It’s not our fault! Italy has a lot to offer, from seaside retreats to charming farmhouses, luxury villas, panoramic hotels, ancient castles, majestic palaces, unique Apulian masserias.
That’s why our expert and trusted advice is essential to help you choose the most ideal venue for your Italian destination wedding. For us every wedding is unique, and we always provide a custom wedding venue search for all our couples, based on their very personal vision.
If you have your heart set on a type of venue or you have just started looking for ideas, keep reading! We have put together a list of the most popular wedding venues in Italy where you can learn about the most common features of all the different types of venues and find out the most suitable type of venue for the wedding you are dreaming of.
Villa
A private residence is a wonderful choice for a destination wedding, and definitely one of the most popular. It feels very personal to open your “home” – be it for a day or a week – and welcome the most important people in your lives to celebrate your wedding together.
From a luxury villa on the shores of Lake Como to a historical rural villa immersed in the countryside of Tuscany or Veneto, we have so many gorgeous villas here in Italy. You can definitely choose your destination first and be sure that we will be able to scout the most fabulous villa for your dream wedding, everywhere in Italy!
Over the years, we have scouted and handpicked the best luxury villas with unique views over the water, be it a lake or the Mediterranean Sea, or the rolling hills or the breathtaking and iconic skyline of a city or town.
Italy features a great variety of luxury villas dating back to different historical times and, consequently, featuring different architectural styles. If you are passionate about Italian art and history, you know that the idea of “villa” originated in Renaissance Tuscany with the Medici villas, such as the beautiful Villa di Lilliano near Florence. Renaissance villas, Roman baroque villas such as Villa Cetinale, Art Nouveau style villas such as Villa Eva or Villa Treville, Neoclassical and gothic inspiration such as in Villa Cimbrone: the diversity of recreational residences around Italy is outstanding and couples are absolutely spoilt for choice when it comes to finding the perfect villa for their destination wedding in Italy.
Our team of talented italian wedding planners at Exclusive Italy Weddings can recommend the ideal villa for your wedding, depending on your vision and requirements. We know how important it is to find the ideal venue also in terms of guest count: the villa has to be the right fit, you don’t want a huge, sparse villa for a small party and at the same time a larger group requires proper spaces, also considering back up plans.
There are multiple reasons to choose a private luxury villa for your destination wedding in Italy, here are the most important:
Complete privacy —
Getting married in your own private villa ensures that there’s no risk of running into strangers. The place is all yours and the only people there will be your loved ones.
Unique wedding experience —
Standardized “wedding packages”, with rigid flows for the event and timings are rare. Most villas offer complete flexibility and versatile locations, meaning that you can choose among different areas where you want to organize the ceremony, cocktail hour, dinner, and so on.
High level of personalization —
Most villas are a “white canvas” that you can paint with your favorite colors. Apart from great views and manicured gardens, you will not find other décor and pre-set furniture. Based on your brief, we will create the most fabulous design project for your event and we will outsource the perfect rentals to create the ultimate ceremony setting, tablescape, cocktail hour lounges, and dancing party.
Amazing food —
Many private villas do not have a restaurant on their premises and rely on professional catering companies. We will recommend the best catering professionals in the area, based on your requirements.
Accommodation for your wedding party —
Many villas offer a number of rooms on site. If this is the case, it may be nice and very convenient to have your wedding party with you! Your wedding will become a special holiday with your loved ones.
WOW factor —
This is a certainty if you choose one of our recommended villas! One thing to consider is that if you book a beautiful villa without accommodation that you rent only for the wedding day, such as Villa Pizzo or Villa Corsini a Mezzomonte for example, the venue will reveal itself in all its beauty only on your special day and will take all your guests by surprise.
Romantic symbolic ceremony at the villa —
All our favorite villas offer beautiful gardens, panoramas, hidden corners for the perfect wedding ceremony. Most couples decide to organize a very personal and romantic symbolic ceremony, or blessing, on the villa’s premises. Some villas do offer the option to celebrate a civil ceremony or a Catholic ceremony (when there is a consecrated chapel on site): if this is one of your requirements, contact us and we will share a list of suitable venues for you.
Luxury Hotel
Our country is well-known for its warm hospitality and its best expression lies in our excellent hotels. Choosing a beautiful hotel to tie the knot in Italy is a guarantee of great service for the most special of your days. You and your guests will have the tremendous opportunity to experience the Italian lifestyle at its best, la “Dolce Vita”.
Our selection of the best five-star luxury hotels to get married in Italy all share a common feature: they are all immersed in a unique setting and boast incredible vistas. From the most beautiful panoramic olive garden in the Amalfi Coast of the Belmond Hotel Caruso to the idyllic gardens of the Four Seasons in Florence, to the incredible views of the Grand Canal from the Aman Hotel in Venice… the choice is quite challenging!
Keep reading if you want to know the top 5 reasons to choose a luxury hotel for your destination wedding in Italy.
Comfort & logistics —
For yourselves and all your guests. You won’t have to worry about booking room blocks at different hotels nor you will need to book transportation to and from a venue.
Top class service and amenities —
Anything to make your life easier or help you relax before, after, and on the wedding day is available - spa, beauty treatments, swimming pool, dry cleaning, a great champagne bottle ordered to your room…
Great quality of food —
5-star hotels have award-winning chefs that will provide the best catering experience for your wedding.
Beauty in every detail —
The interior design of a luxury hotel is thought through to the millimeter so that each corner has its magic during a photo session. The same goes for any outdoor green space, featuring beautiful flowers, plants, manicured hedges.
Competitive offers and group rates —
Some hotels offer very competitive rates for wedding groups, especially when the couple is ready to book multiple rooms.
Castle
Any little girl at some point dreams to be a princess living in a sumptuous, magical castle. If you still fancy the idea of feeling like a royal for a day, don’t miss the opportunity to get married in a fabulous castle! Italian castles provide incredible scenery to frame an unforgettable wedding celebration. Castles are strategically located on top of hills in the countryside or just out of main cities, boasting incredible views that will amaze you and your guests.
The events we organize in a Castle are always a magical and thrilling experience, as the atmosphere of an Italian Medieval castle is unique, especially when the sun goes down and torches are lit up around the fortress’ walls.
Some castles offer accommodations on their grounds, others can be rented for one day. Some are perfect for large weddings such as the Odescalchi Castle near Rome, others, like one of our favorite venues in Italy - Vicarello Castle, are ideal for intimate celebrations.
To all our couples wanting a timeless, fairytale feel for their special day we say: contact us now and we will share with you the ultimate list of the most beautiful castles in Italy where to tie the knot.
Just like private villas, most Castle venues guarantee intimacy and the possibility to organize a bespoke wedding experience.
Here are some other reasons to choose a lovely Italian Castle for your luxury wedding in Italy.
The Heritage —
Mostly built during the Middle Ages, the castles we work with are preserved by careful yearly restorations, but maintain their original beauty and authenticity. Steeped in centuries of history, they are living monuments of our country’s rich history. One of them can become a monument of your love!
Unique spaces, also indoors —
Banqueting halls with original furniture and paintings, armories, ancient stone corridors and halls where kings and queens once walked… A castle’s indoors are usually antique and full of charm!
Perfect for large celebrations —
Castle venues can usually host a large number of guests.
Little decoration needed —
Sweeping staircases and stunning architecture can be the most beautiful focal point for a romantic ceremony or a magical reception. Rely on our Event designers to create a beautiful, yet minimal décor enhancing the original beauty of the location.
“Borgo” or Country Farmhouse
Golden fields, lines of cypress trees, vineyards and olive groves all the way to the horizon: nothing is more charming and relaxing to the eye. The country’s authentic lifestyle and simplicity enchant hundreds of couples every year who decide to give their lovely guest the special opportunity to spend a few days in such a wonderful setting.
With so many charming estates, especially located in Tuscany, countryside destination weddings have become more and more popular in Italy. You may consider getting married in a “Borgo”, a small rural village of beautifully restored farmhouses, such as Borgo Finocchieto or, for larger celebrations, Castiglion del Bosco or Il Borro Relais. These are just some of our favorite places… the possibilities are endless, our planners at Exclusive Italy Weddings will recommend the most suitable venue for your idyllic wedding celebration immersed in peaceful countryside.
There are many excellent reasons to get married in the Italian countryside, here are our top 5:
Fun holiday —
Italian Countryside Wedding Venues generally include rooms or apartments on their premises and can be rented for more days. In this case, we can help you to plan a rehearsal dinner, brunch, cooking courses, picnics, Vespa tours, or any other special activities to make your wedding in Italy a truly unforgettable experience.
Local cuisine & amazing wines —
Locally sourced and fresh organic products are the rule in our favorite countryside venues. Amazing olive oil, cheese, cold cuts, typical bread and focaccia… the countryside is a dream for lovers of genuine food. Also, what better place to taste incredible wines?
Budget-friendly accommodation for guests —
The Italian countryside, especially in Tuscany, offers plenty of accommodation options at very reasonable prices. Self-catering rural villas, farmhouses, b&bs… it will be easy to lodge your guests with our concierge service.
Play with décor taking inspiration from the setting —
Our favorite thing is taking inspiration from the surroundings to create our bespoke designs. In the countryside, there is so much to play with! Herbs, vegetables, greens, wildflowers, quaint pieces of furniture…
The party can go on for longer —
With so much open space in the country, you’ll often find that country wedding venues allow the music and celebrations to continue for later than in the city. You and your guests will burn up the dance-floor!
Discover the finest countryside estates on our page Countryside Villas and Venues for Weddings in Italy.
Masseria
Puglia, the heel of the Italian boot-shaped peninsula, is renowned for its turquoise-blue sea, its fun and friendly atmosphere and its fabulous masserie. These traditional buildings used to be fortified farmhouses built between the 16th and 17th centuries. The name Masseria comes from the Italian “masserizie” which describes the tools of the farmers and shepherds hardly working on the fields surrounding the estate. Made of several buildings facing the main courtyard and surrounded by high walls like castles, these properties range from five-star hotels with luxury spas, gourmet restaurants and modern facilities to big, elegant homes with spectacular grounds and swimming pools.
Their common feature is their authentic beauty: the whitewashed walls of any masseria stand out in the beautiful landscape of countryside Apulia, a mix of secular olive groves, vineyards, pomegranate trees, wheat fields, aloe plants…
The farming tradition is often carried on with excellent olive oil and wine products that guests can taste and buy during their stay.
Perfectly restored to meet the most luxury standards, Masserias typically offer accommodation on their grounds, sometimes just a few rooms where the wedding party can stay together, while some others have multiple rooms for the majority of guests.
Here are some excellent reasons to choose one of our recommended Apulian Masseria for your beautiful wedding in Italy.
Relaxed mood —
We cannot think of a more laid back and authentic place to celebrate with your loved ones! Apulia has the most relaxed mood you can find in the South of Italy.
The sea is just around the corner —
Some of the most beautiful beaches in the Mediterranean are located just a few kilometers from most of the masserias. Some, like for example the fabulous Masseria San Domenico, have their own private beach club.
Beautiful courtyards for large weddings —
A Masseria always features one or more large courtyards that provide a dreamy setting for an unforgettable al fresco wedding dinner.
Statement décor made easy —
Your floral arrangements and unique décor will stand out against the whitewashed walls, the bright sunlight, the neutral colors perfusing the unique ambiance of a Masseria.
Visit our Portfolio and find inspiration with the most beautiful events that we have planned in Apulian Masserias: Apulian Boho, Apulian feast, Celestial inspired.
Palace
Italian palaces are ancient treasures that can be a spectacular backdrop for your exclusive wedding in Italy. Their timeless elegance and glorious past will charm and delight you as you gather with family and friends to celebrate this very special moment in your lives.
The most precious Italian Palaces ideal to host a wedding reception are generally luxurious oasis of peace in the historical centers of cities such as Florence, Venice and Rome. They feature a selection of unique locations, such as enchanting banqueting halls, winter gardens, actual secret gardens… their heritage is impressive and very tangible in their majestic gates, monumental facades, grand sweeping staircases, antique furniture and frescoed halls.
For couples who want to celebrate in style, who want romance to be the star of their unforgettable wedding in Italy, here are some other great reasons to choose a Palace wedding:
The comfort of a city wedding —
Most palaces are located in proximity or in the center of historical cities. This entails many hotel options, much to do, great restaurants and shopping.
Many choices for your ideal ceremony venue —
In a city center you are spoilt for choice in terms of beautiful churches or impressive municipality halls for civil ceremonies. Read more details on our dedicated page Ceremonies.
You can wed all year round —
Palace venues are open all year round, their splendid interiors are the perfect setting of a wedding in any season, including winter!
Rain won’t ruin your plans —
No need to worry about a backup plan and you know what we say in Italy? “Sposa bagnata, sposa fortunata” which translates “A wet bride is a lucky bride”!
An exclusive museum tour —
Having access to a palace in complete privacy, when it’s all for you and your guests, is such a tremendous opportunity. Antique furniture, carpets, tapestry, paintings, frescoes, porcelains: all the treasures on display will leave your guests speechless.
Now that you are equipped with lots of practical information, get inspired by our ultimate guide of Italy’s finest wedding venues: you will find a selection of our absolute favorite venues with water view, venues immersed in the countryside, and venues located in the most beautiful historical cities in Italy. Contact us for more details and prices!
