coliseum photo credit: Dan Barak via photopin cc

Rome is the perfect location for a destination wedding.  After all, where else in the world can you celebrate your nuptials in an extraordinary palace or take an unforgettable wedding photo in front of the Roman Coliseum?  Numerous brides and grooms make the trek to Rome to get married every year.  In fact, recently my husband and I were in Rome touring the coliseum and we saw couple after couple with their photographer in tow taking photos in front of the coliseum and the arch.  The couples were a mix of both local Italians and international jet-setters who wanted to capture the romance, intrigue and character that is unique to Rome.

Hire A Local Wedding Planner

If you would like to have your own destination wedding in the historic city, be sure to contact a local wedding planner to help you nail down all the details.  Organizing a wedding in a foreign country can be daunting so an experienced professional planner is essential.  They’ll customize a wedding package that will fit your individual needs, style and budget.   Services normally provided include setting up airline travel, airport transfers and accommodations for you and your guests.  Plus they will take care of important details like booking the ceremony and reception venues right down to the most minute details like buying Italian wedding favors for your guests.  For the ceremony, keep in mind that Rome offers a wide array of historic churches, palaces, villas, castles and gardens where you can exchange your vows, but they must be booked early.  From the day you arrive until the day you leave, you can relax and enjoy the sites, sounds and history of Rome when you hire a professional consultant to plan the event from A to Z.

Italy’s Legal Marriage Requirements

The legal requirements in Italy are much less stringent than in some other European countries so getting married there is usually fairly straight forward.  In Rome, there is an US Consulate Office where you can get the required Nulla Osta document which will be needed for both civil and Catholic ceremonies.  If you are from the UK, Australia, or other country, visit your country’s consulate office for the documents.  Remember that before departing for Italy, you should visit the Italian Consulate closest to your home residence to obtain a Atto Notorio.

Ceremony Venues in Rome

photo credit: nathangibbs via photopin cc

When it comes to having your wedding ceremony in Rome, you really have three options.  You can have a Catholic ceremony that is performed in one of the many beautiful Catholic churches like St. Peter’s Basilica or Chiesa di San Silvestro; a civil ceremony that is performed by a Roman council officer in one of the three approved venues (Sala Rossa at the Campidoglio, Sala Palatina at Complesso Vignola Mattei and Villa Lais); or a symbolic ceremony (no legal recognition) that takes advantage of the many gorgeous backdrops throughout Rome such as the Villa Borghese which is surrounded by gardens or the Roman Forum surrounded by ancient ruins.

Please note that for the civil ceremony option, you need to arrange to utilize one of the venues at least 6 months prior to the date of your wedding.  Also note that Catholic wedding ceremonies can NOT be performed during the Lenten season.  Finally, please be aware that bare shoulders and knees are not generally allowed within the churches around Rome so take that into consideration when purchasing your wedding gown.

Reception Venues in Rome

There are numerous restaurants, hotels, villas and even castles in and around Rome that would be ideal locations for a wedding reception.  First you’ll need to consider how many guests will be at your wedding reception.  Most restaurants such as Babette can only accommodate smaller wedding groups.  In addition, several of the hotels offer private rooms (such as the Hotel Lasser) that will hold less than 50 guests.

For medium weddings, you have more options so you should base your decision on what type of reception you want to have.  Do you want it to be more formal or more casual?  Do you want to be in the heart of Rome or would a villa outside the city be more suitable?  Most of the hotels and villas will accommodate between 50 and 350 guests.

For large weddings over 350 guests, you’ll definitely need to utilize some of the more upscale castles that host receptions such as Palazzo Brancaccio or Castello Odescalchi Di Bracciano where Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes were married.

Choosing A Photographer

Selecting the right photographer is the key to preserving the memories of your romantic wedding in Rome.  Online you can find recommendations for local photographers in Rome, but do your research by perusing all the potential candidate’s websites to look at their albums and past work.  If you want to capture photos of you around the city at all the most popular sites such as the Trevi Fountain, Roman Coliseum, Arc of Constantine, Spanish Steps, etc, you are going to want an experienced photographer that knows the best time of day to avoid the crowds and to get the best light for your photos.  Some of the best photographs near the coliseum for instance can be obtained at dusk.

Again, a local wedding planner can be an invaluable resource when it comes to selecting a photographer.  That said, be sure to do some of your own research to make sure that you won’t be disappointed.

 By Janice Smith

About The Author: Janice is an avid traveler and event consultant with over 10 years of experience in the industry and is a blog contributor at http://www.weddingfavorsunlimited.com