here at WeddingsInItaly we really love our job! and proud to be WEDDING PLANNERS.
Customers enquiring us ask lots of things, tehy would love to have all plan & set immeditely and sometimes we prefer to keep potential couples in contact directly with our brides. We think that having an impartial chat with someone speaking the same language, sometimes coming from the same country can help to take the right decision. Well, after some couple came back to us with the ideas clearer or some simply decide not to go ahead. Never had the chance anyhow to read what our customers think about us... well till last week when someone returned me a comment of Fiona Delany.. got married last year in the pretty church of San Gimignano.
Below some words:
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Hi!
Congratulations! I'm so jealous that you have you're wedding planning all ahead of you.
As Rosanna told you I got married in Tuscany - Paul & I got married in San Gimignano Church with reception afterwards at Castello Ill Pallagio on May 19th last year - It was the most fantastic day of my life !! ( I hope Paul can say the same!)
We had 45 guests or so -
Ok - Where do I begin? First off, You have made a fantastic decision to have Rossana as your planner. She is amazing. I really cannot sing her praises highly enough - We didn't just meet a planner in Rossana but a life-long friend! =) We are back in Italy for a holiday next week for our first wedding anniversery & are meeting Rossana and Fracno for dinner and a catch up -Both of them are amazing!
We got married on a Thursday and arrived the previous Saturday. We based ourselves in Florence ( This wasnt an easy decision - Our rationale was we wanted to base ourselves somewhere that if guests did not want to rent cars( My parents and Paul's parents wouldn't be comfortable with driving in another country ) that once guests reached their destination they were settled for the time they were there, and had enough to occupy their time, and could wander around at their leisure. Most people flew into Bologna airport ( we flew Ryanair, but im not sure that Ryanair fly into Bologna any more.....), Pisa is just as easy to fly into ( bus and rail service directly from the station to Florence.....but flight times were a little awkward. We stressed to out guests and Rossana will tell you this herself, that yourself and your fiancee will have to be in the country approx 3 - 4 days in advance ( to go to the town hall and sign paperwork ) but you need to stress to guests that there is no need to them to come in advance. Guests came through out the week arriving from Milan, Pisa and Florence. Some spent a few days by them selves, some spent the entire week with us and some only came the day of the wedding. We flew into Bologna with15/16 guests- Being honest, we created alot of work for ourselves. We got the shuttle from Bologna airport to the station and got the train to Florence ( with OAPs!!!) nightmare - The cost would have to been the same to hail down minibus taxis and agree a price to Florence...
We stayed in Hotel Florence - (a little pricy) but it was our wedding so we could justify the price. I asked Rossana for names of 5 or 6 hotels and sent these details onto guests. The hotel was a little out of Florence (10 minute walk). We let everyone suit themselves in where they wished to stay.
Don't have any concerns regarding the food....You really cant go wrong.
The food for our wedding was AMAZING. Soooo amazing that Paul and I have booked flights to go back for our 1st wedding anniversery in May and return to the suppliers restaurant in Cortona. If at all possible arrange a weekend to go over food tasting. It will be a welcome break for you and fiance to get away just the two of you and enjoy the excitement with just you two..... We were more relaxed knowing what food was going to be served.
We chose:
Canape reception -- including hams, salamis, cheeses, breads, olives, and of course prosecco.. ( I did not see or taste ANY of this food on the day of wedding i was so wired!!! ) I only saw the food in the photographs ! If you choose an option similiar to this ( ie. canape reception, warn your guests that there is alot more food to come....our guests were so wowed that they thought this reception was the main reception and went a little mad eating !)
Main reception:
Cheese Soufle, Pasta Course, Risotto Course, Main Course (Beef), Dessert, Coffee, Dessert wine & Wedding Cake!
All wine was included in the price per person as well as the wedding cake.
Menus were included in the price also.
We did not have the budget to have a free bar, so Ro suggested buying a barrell with 40 - 50 beers in it ( all organised by Rossana ) and we left a note saying
' A small thank you from Fiona & Paul ' . We found this a really nice touch.
Music: We chose to have no band but three tenors..........They were so good, the hairs would stand on the back of your neck.
Car: We chose to have a fiat 500 ( with my mom, dad and myself on the way to the church, and paul and myself to Castello Ill Pallagio )
Photographer: Eduardo Agresti ( this is the style we wanted.....He is renowned in Italy) Check out his website. We were really happy with his work.
Thats all I can think of for now. If
you have any specific questions or questions from my mail, I'd be delighted to
help you all.
Enjoy the wedding planning, the lead
up to the wedding and the day itself - You will never all another day like it!
Fiona
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There's nothing to say... well we're all proud. Now we're!
Grazie Fiona!
