shoppegirl

Dear Fodor-ites,
I've enjoyed reading the posts here for the past several months. Thank you for all of your wonderful advice and suggestions.

My husband and I will be going to Italy for the first time in May 2016 to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary. We are bringing our 3 young adult children for probably our last big family vacation since they're getting older and they're busy with college, jobs, and significant others.

The first part of our vacation will be spent in Rome. The second half we are staying at the Hotel Antiche Mura in Sorrento while we explore the Amalfi Coast and Capri. I would like to surprise my husband with a vow renewal ceremony but I would like to keep it simple. The Villa Antiche Mura hosts weddings and quoted me 1990 euros for 2 hours. While the location is beautiful I don't think we'll need all that they have to offer for our small party of 5 and I would like to keep the cost down since this trip is already costing a small fortune.

I was hoping someone might have another suggestion. Mainly I'm interested in a pretty locale, someone to give the blessing (non-legal), and a photographer to take some nice family photos. I would consider any location along the coast - preferably by the water but it doesn't have to be. Has anyone ever hired a photographer from that area before? I'm thinking the whole thing from start to finish would take about an hour.

Thank you for any advice or suggestions you can offer!

Calabria62

Congratulations on your upcoming trip! Check out Il Corallo in St. Agnello, about a 5 min. cab ride from Sorrento. We were there last July 2014 and there were weddings every night. (One even had fireworks at midnight, it was fabulous) Wonderful location with several balconies and outdoor restaurant and spots for your renewal and dining. We stayed there a week, and couldn't have been happier. There is a small church a few buildings from the hotel if you're looking for a church service.

shoppegirl

Thank you so much, Calabria62! The Corallo looks incredibly beautiful. I'll look into it further but I wonder if our party is going to be too small for their venue. I'm beginning to wonder if we should just seek out a public spot with amazing views where we can host our own little ceremony. I'd still like to hire someone to do the blessing and a photographer. Perhaps one of these places like the Corallo or the Villa Antiche Mura can at least put me in touch with someone we might contact for these services.
Thanks again for your reply!!

sandralist

If you seek out a public spot, try to make it one that also had some indoor shelter possibilities right at hand in case it rains.

If you are discreet and fairly brief, and don't mind a church, maybe you could simply surprise your husband with a visit to a local charming small church and have the photographer and officiator meet you there. I'm sorry I don't know the area well enough to suggest one, but maybe google (or your hotel) can suggest something perched somewhere with a nice view. Bear in mind most churches close up in the middle of the afternoon, and you would also need to find out the mass schedule so you didn't interrupt it.

You're not looking for this advice, but one of the risks with any "surprise" like this is that your husband will wake up that morning with a stomach ache or the sniffles and urge the rest of you to go with your sightseeing plans without him while he rests at the hotel.... But maybe you know him to be he hearty type who never likes to miss a thing.

sandralist

By the way, you might want to try working this the other way around: Find a photographer, and then let him or her suggest the spot. They know all the picturesque places.

shoppegirl

Thanks for your ideas, Sandralist! That's kind of what I was thinking - maybe we'd be able to find a small church or a terrace view. I imagine our hotel staff might be able to give me some suggestions. I also really like your idea of finding a photographer first. That makes a lot of sense. I'm sure he/she would be able to suggest some ideal spots for our ceremony. If my husband complains that morning I'll just tell him it's a surprise and he'll cooperate. He might get suspicious when I tell him he has to put on a nice shirt though. Thank you so much!

sandralist

Hope it works out for you!

travelprone

Hi shoppegirl. Would you mind sharing the outcome of your plans? Did you end up doing the renewal? if so did you hire a photographer and would you share his/her contact info? I am trying to accomplish more or less the same thing you are trying to do and surprise my wife as the companies that do this over there seem to charge a small fortune. I may even have one of our children officiate, but a photographer or videographer seems to be the key.

sandralist

if shoppegirl doesn't return to answer, you might try this photographer based in the same area, and who is willing to travel to several destinations. No personal experience, but I find the blog rather charming and photographer has a reasonably good command of English if you don't speak Italian.

http://www.tanialerro.it/blog/

JSquicciarin

Hello shoppegirl, I am planning the exact same vacation and marriage renewal with my husband and having my two daughters with us as well. I was wondering if you could tell me how you planned your trip? This is my first time in Italy and was hoping you could give feedback on where to go, tour guides, marriage renewal ceremony ideas, etc... If you could help with a photographer, that would be great. Thank you so much.