Emma
Tom & Daniela – wedding in Italy
“Wow – where to begin? We’ll start from the very beginning….The decision to get married abroad came quite naturally, and was something Tom and I both knew we wanted. We’re quite personal, private people, and knew we wanted the wedding to be a small, intimate event for our nearest and dearest. As well as being a day for us, we also wanted it to be for all the people who have supported us throughout our lives, our relationship, and would be there for our marriage. And we knew we wanted the event to last a few days, so it wasn’t over in a flash. (This was based on feedback we’d received from friends about their weddings.. “You’ll blink and it’s over”.)
The next big decision to make, was where in the world should we hold this rather important shin dig? This part, was also easy. Having got engaged in Italy, it seemed the ideal place. After all, it is one of the most romantic countries in the world. Another bonus, for our elder guests, it was a nice short flight.
We both spent hours and hours meticulously searching the internet for an ideal location, and someone we could work with to organise the wedding. (We felt it was important to have a wedding planner, as neither of us speak Italian.) We originally found a location in Florence with another company, but after a quick 2 day visit, decided it wasn’t for us. It’s like buying a home: it might tick all the boxes, but something didn’t feel ‘quite right’. We returned to the UK feeling a bit deflated, and wondering if this was going to be harder than we thought. Then, as if by magic, an advert for ‘Love Italy Weddings’ appeared on the computer screen.
The wedding locations Emma had to offer were beautiful. But ‘The Baron’s Palace’ was the one which caught our eye. From here, it was all go. We emailed Emma, who responded so quickly, and answered all our questions. Before we knew it, we were flying off to Pescara to meet her. She made arranging this trip so easy. I was a little nervous after our initial trip, but as soon as we met Emma, all those worries disappeared.
We felt at ease as soon as we arrived. Once we’d settled in at our accommodation , Emma took us to see ‘the castle’ (The Baron’s Palace). Driving up the winding roads, though the gorgeous hillsides, we were getting more and more excited. And the excitement didn’t stop there. Walking through the front door, we felt over whelmed. Each of the rooms in the castle are breathtaking, and the possibilities for where to have the ceremony, dinner, cake cutting etc, were endless. We enjoyed a glass of wine out in the courtyard talking through all the exciting details you dream of as a little girl. Emma took this all in, and started jotting down our thoughts and ideas straight away. Emma did ask if we’d like to see some of the other venues that were available. But we didn’t need to. We knew this was ‘the one’.
Then, planning for the big day began. Emma was AMAZING. The year and a half leading up to the wedding, we were constantly in touch with her, making decisions, sharing our ideas etc. And we were also more than willing to take on some of the amazing suggestions Emma was able to make, with all her wedding experience. Everything was always clear, and we knew exactly what we needed to be doing, and when. Most importantly, any time we felt overwhelmed, or unsure, Emma was always able to put our minds at rest, and help us resolve it. I admire how calm and patient she was, when we were sending her email after email with hundreds of questions!
The time flew by, and before we knew it, we were leaving home to become husband and wife. We had 3 amazing days planned for our guests, and when everyone started arrived that wedding weekend, it felt so special. Being able to share this amazing place with our closest family and friends, felt such an honour. We were also so excited for our family to meet Emma, who we’d be talking about for the last 18 months! All our guests were amazed by how beautiful everything was, (and our friends were most impressed at how reasonable the delicious wine is. They’re still talking about it now…). For day 1, we had our official ceremony at the town hall with just parents and siblings, and we spent the afternoon relaxing at the beach, enjoying great food, amazing wine, and each others company. Emma had found an ideal spot for this, and transport and pick up times were all arranged. Tom and I felt totally relaxed and in a dream like state.
But the 2nd day, (the official wedding day itself) understandably topped the whole trip for us. The morning of the wedding, I was so calm. I knew there was nothing to worry about & Emma had it all under control. I had everyone I loved around me. I was in no way rushed (in fact, Emma helped push the ceremony back a little because of a very unwelcome rain cloud). I knew Tom had everything he needed for the day, and I knew it wouldn’t be long until I got to see him, and everything we’d worked towards with Emma would all be coming together.
We always knew Emma had taken on board our ideas, but until I saw how the garden had been decorated for the ceremony, and the dining table where we sat down for our dinner, I hadn’t appreciated exactly how well… It was just everything we had ever wanted, and so much more. The whole feel of it was very warm, intimate, romantic, and wrapped up with a bow on top. Each moment flowed into the next. Guests felt at ease, and so did Tom and I. We knew it would be the best wedding we’d ever go to, but to hear your guests say that it was for them as well, is such a compliment! Emma had really gone above and beyond all expectations, and the wedding was a true representation of who we are as a couple.
The last day, all guests enjoyed wine tasting at the castle, and this time was perfect for sharing memories, and hearing all the little things you missed. We spent the afternoon laying out under the sun, in front of the castle eating ice cream- life just doesn’t get much better than that.
All this was made possible by Emma. We can’t really sum up how thankful we are to her for making our dream wedding possible. She was with us every step of the way, and we’ll really miss her. We’d also like to thank: Andrew, who really helped when I was panicking about bad weather, and who we really enjoyed spending time with. All the staff at the castle, who were so friendly, helpful, and patient with our guests. And to Franco, who created the most elegant wedding menu, and the best wedding cake we’ve ever eaten!
We do hope we can return to the castle every year for anniversaries (another massive bonus of a wedding abroad!), and can hopefully catch up with her during these trips. It’s just going to be hard explaining to our guests that they can’t come with us every time!
Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU.
Mr and Mrs Winton
Great Britain
Tom and Daniela – wedding in Italy
Wedding Venue BARON’S PALACE Abruzzo
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