Weddings in Rome
Rome is the Eternal City. It is a treasure trove of history, art and the dolce vita. It is the city that I fell in love with and could not bring myself to leave. With a Mediterranean climate and diet, Rome is inviting all times of year.
Aside from its beauty, there are logistical advantages to a wedding in Rome. It is the most convenient city in Italy for a destination wedding. From abroad, more flights arrive in Rome than in any other city in Italy. So once your guests de-plane, they have pretty much arrived at their destination. Being a city there is a wealth of things to do and see and places to stay. Your guests will have the maximum amount of independence with a wedding in Rome. Aside from any planned events, they can be off to explore on their own and you should be sure to leave them enough time to do so. For lodging my recommendation is to select an area, such as the Spanish Steps, and suggest that everyone find accomodations in that area, suggesting, perhaps, one or two hotels but letting everyone choose the type and price of accomodations that best suits them.
In Rome all types of wedding ceremonies are possible including Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Symbolic, Civil or other and we can arrange any of these for you.
Catholic Weddings: Together with the Vatican, Rome is the seat of Catholicism and the Catholic churches here have no rival in quantity and majesty. The styles range from Ancient Roman, Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque. No matter what their size they are breathtakingly grandiose. In Italy all Catholic weddings must take place inside of a church. Priests are not allowed to celebrate a Catholic wedding in a garden, in the countryside or in any location that is not a consecrated Catholic church.
Protestant/Non-denominational Christian or Jewish Weddings: These can be held anywhere your heart desires unless your religion has particular restrictions. For most non-Europeans these ceremonies are symbolic and are not legally recognized. To make them legal, you will need to do a civil ceremony as well, either in your home country or at a civil hall in Italy prior to the ceremony.
Civil Ceremonies: In Rome there are two locations dedicated just to civil marriages. Ever the romantics, Italians take civil weddings very seriously and usually celebrate them in beautiful and historic locations. Civil ceremonies must be held at the designated civil halls. In Rome every day except Tuesday they are celebrated in an Ancient Roman house that was converted into a church in the earliest days of Christianity and then converted back to a secular structure which is now owned by the state and situated in the heart of Rome but in a wooded area that almost feels like the countryside. In photos the building can look austere but in person I find it very charming. On the weekends there is the additional option of a civil ceremony at Campidoglio. This central piazza was designed by Michelangelo and one of the buildings houses the Roman city government. The civil hall, as with the rest of Campidoglio, dates to the Renaissance.
The weather is one of the best parts about Rome. It is usually mild and sunny. But there are four seasons and January and February can get rather chilly. The summer months can get quite hot and humid. October is perhaps my favorite month in Rome and the Romans even have a special word to describe the mild, sunny October climate—the Ottobrino Romano. Depending on the special circumstances of your wedding we can help advise you on what would be the best time of the year for your wedding in Rome.
If you get married in Rome, the Eternal City, the memories will last a lifetime.
