Whimsical Wedding on the Amalfi Coast

Whimsical Wedding on the Amalfi Coast

CATEGORIES

January 27, 2023
Words by Lillian Finley
Photos courtesy of JoAnne Dunn Photographers

Taylor knew since college that she wanted to be swept off her feet on the Amalfi Coast. What she didn’t know was that she’d find her man by swiping right on Bumble. Although they lived in neighboring apartment buildings, Kyle and Taylor had their first date on FaceTime. “I wanted to make sure he was ‘real’ before we met up,” Taylor says.

Eventually, what began as love at first type would grow and be solidified in an intimate yet lavish destination wedding in Italy. For the couple, this was no surprise. “Kyle and I knew well before we got engaged that we wanted an Amalfi Coast wedding,” says Taylor.

Caruso, a Belmond Hotel, located in the charming coastal town of Ravello, drew in Kyle and Taylor with its unique vintage charm. The bride and groom pictured exchanging their vows soaring high above the Tyrrhenian Sea. “It had the perfect mix of being quaint and historical, but with all the modern amenities required for a wedding,” the couple says.

The planning started far in advance to get a hold of their ideal location. “This is where my planner was so invaluable, she had great connections with vendors and helped us book everything well in advance,” Taylor says.

With a great planner in tow, Taylor relied on photos from other weddings to find more inspiration for her own. “I’m a visual person, so it was easiest for me to take a screenshot of what I wanted and send it to my planner rather than describing it,” says Taylor. “Plus, it’s so much fun to see other couples’ styles and decor for their big day!”

Unfortunately, the planning process brought some difficulties. While beautiful, Ravello can be difficult to reach and even more difficult to navigate. That’s when the couple decided to set up group transportation to simply travel plans. “We ended up renting a shuttle bus to take everyone from their hotels to our welcome party, which was a short walk from the venue but included a ton of steps,” says the couple. “That was the best last-minute purchase we made, and our guests were grateful for it!”

In the end, their decision to have a destination wedding with fewer guests allowed the couple to splurge on extra details to make their event truly personalized. They went above and beyond to create the ceremony of their dreams, including a flower arch, live performances, and a band flown in from France. “I’ll never forget dancing under the stars with my mom and dad to the amazing Italian band,” the bride says.

However, the real finishing touch on the big day was the DIY welcome bags that the couple created for each of their 50 guests. “I knew they had all traveled such a great distance to be there, and I wanted to make sure they all know how appreciative we were,” says Taylor.

The bride’s main takeaway for other couples from her own wedding planning: focus on you. “When the wedding is personal for you and your husband, the joy and happiness you will feel on the day is worth the stress and planning!”