Why a Small Wedding in Italy is Pure Magic
- Anika Kreckel
- Mar 31
- 6 min read
A small wedding or elopement in Italy allows you to focus on what really matters to you, like creating space for meaningful connection between you and your closest loved ones. It also frees up more of your budget to invest in high quality elements, like a gorgeous Tuscan villa; organic, locally grown Italian food; concert quality musicians, and personal touches that are extra special for you and your guests.
Italy is a gorgeous country, with a romantic, charming vibe, that (in my opinion) sets the best kind of tone for your wedding. Italy offers breathtaking landscapes, swoon-worthy old world architecture, and some of the best food and wine in the world. All this, coupled with a culture that both excites and relaxes the senses, sets you up for a dream wedding.
If you know you want to get married in Italy, I'll cover:
The Perks of Eloping in Italy
Whatever you want to call it, a small wedding, an intimate wedding, a micro wedding, or an elopement—the point is that you want to be intentional about who you invite, and have the space and time to really connect with those people.
I know so many brides and grooms who have said "I hardly remember my wedding day, it was all a blur!" and I really believe that this feeling is stronger when you have a bigger wedding. If you have a wedding reception where you have to greet upwards of 100 people, you spend a good portion of your time making the rounds, instead of actually spending time with people. For some people, that's totally OK—it's what they want! But if that does not sound like what you want, then read on!
More Time With Your Loved Ones
A small guest list means quality time with each guest. You can enjoy relaxed conversations, extended meals, and meaningful interactions without feeling rushed. This is so important for some people, especially when their closest friends and family might be scattered across the country, or the globe, and it's hard to find the time to really be together.
If you're hosting a destination wedding, most people have to travel, and if they do, they're usually willing to make it last longer than a typical one or two day wedding weekend. Extending the amount of time with your guests to three or four days, or event a week(!) creates the opportunity for some truly once in a lifetime quality time with all the people you love the most, together in one place.
Personalized Guest Experiences
At a small wedding or elopement in Italy, your guests will have an easier time getting to know each other. Who doesn't love it when their best friends meet for the first time and instantly click? Or when your partner's oldest friend totally hits it off with your favorite uncle? The wedding isn't just a day, it's a collection of moments together, of chatting over long meals, exploring a new place together, learning local traditions like pasta making, and so, so much more.
More Bang for Your Buck
With fewer guests, you can invest in higher quality vendors. Your budget will more easily cover the cost of the best food and catering, a venue that really makes you feel all the feels, and entertainment that sets the tone and helps you let loose! One of the best ways to reduce the cost of your wedding is to reduce the number of guests.
Setting the Scene: How to Choose the Perfect Wedding Venue for Your Elopement
A venue sets the tone for a wedding and should reflect the type of vibe and feeling you want fore celebrating your love. With a small guest list, you can select places that offer privacy, exclusivity, and immersive beauty. Look for venues that allow guests to stay on-site, creating a seamless, close-knit, multi-day event.
Best Intimate Wedding Venues in Italy
Countryside Estates & Vineyards – Known as "agriturismi," are perfect for couples who love nature, wine, and open spaces. Many Italian vineyards offer on-site accommodations and farm-to-table dining with local wines. These are tranquil getaways, where your guests will be able to relax with you. Tuscany and the rolling hills around Florence are great for these types of venues.
Extravagant Palazzos – For those who appreciate timeless elegance, or jaw-dropping old world luxury, a palazzo wedding offers grand architecture, frescoed ceilings, and lush gardens. You can find these in cities and in more remote places, depending on your budget and your vibe. While having a "palace" wedding sounds big, it doesn't have to be. There are plenty of small, tucked away estates that offer grandeur but also intimacy.
Seaside or Lakeside Retreats – If you want sweeping views of the water, check out villas and resorts along the coast or one of Italy's stunning northern lakes. The Amalfi Coast, is really popular, but also consider places like Puglia, Sicily, and Sardinia. There are also so many tiny little islands of the coast of the mainland that are hidden gems, like the Aeolian islands. As for the lakes, Lake Como and Lake Garda are the most well-known, but I can help you find many others, that are equally gorgeous and lesser-known.
Mountain Chalets - Italy has several scenic mountainous regions including the Italian Alps and the Dolomites. These regions are great for a romantic wedding with dramatic natural backdrops.
Think a little about the vibe you're going for and how close you want to be to a quaint Italian village or a major city or cultural center like Florence, Rome, or Venice. If you're having trouble knowing where to start, or how to narrow down the search—reach out! We can help you sift through the really endless possibilities.
Why Your Wedding Planner Should Really Understand You
From the moment you decide to elope in Italy or plan a small destination wedding, you might already be overwhelmed by all the choices. While a major reason why I am a wedding planner is my love of handling logistics (see more below) I also do it because I love helping couples focus in on what they really want for their wedding and I turn that into a reality.
Understanding Your Vision & Values
There are so, SO many options out there for every aspect of your wedding celebration, and it can get overwhelming quickly. That's why I help you and your partner focus in on what is really important to you, and use that as the foundation of creating the perfect wedding for you. Having these central guiding values, helps you make decisions you're happy with and helps me advise you as best as possible!
Start Planning Your Unforgettable Wedding
Again, there is an overwhelming amount of options out there, from where to have your wedding ceremony, to which wedding photographer to choose, and all the many tiny details in between, it can be hard to know what to do and understand what the cost of a small wedding or elopement in Italy will be. Because I get to know you and your budget, I am able to recommend the best vendors for your priorities and price point, saving you money and getting the best result for your Italy wedding.
A Stress-free and Unique Wedding Experience
If you don't opt for an venue with an all-inclusive wedding package, then you're probably looking for a level of personalization and customization, which I feel is definitely well-worth the extra effort! That extra effort, however, does not need to fall all to you. Bringing together a team of vendors, handling all the complex logistics, and making sure everything is accounted for and running according to plan, is exactly what I do throughout your wedding planning process and on your wedding day.
There are certainly some extra logistics when you have a wedding abroad, and I know the ins and outs of what needs to be taken care of, if you choose Italy for exchanging your vows. Whether you opt for a symbolic ceremony, a religious ceremony, or a legal exchange of vows, I organize everything you need to make it official.
Conclusion: Why a Small Wedding in Italy is Worth It
An intimate Italian wedding offers a personal, relaxed, and immersive experience. It’s ideal for couples who value quality over quantity and want to celebrate in a breathtaking setting with their closest loved ones.
Many couples say that choosing a small and intimate wedding in Italy was the best decision they made—allowing them to enjoy every moment in a truly special place.
So, Are We a Good Fit?
If you are a couple that:
wants to incorporate sustainable and eco-friendly elements into your wedding, or
is international and brings different cultures, languages, and backgrounds together through your marriage, or
appreciates timeless elegance, but is also game to break with tradition and design a wedding that reflects what really matters to you . . .
. . . then we may just be the perfect match!
and in the meantime you can
