La Dolce Vita: Plan a Sweet, Stunning Amalfi Coast Wedding
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The Tuscan countryside, the bustle of Florence and the ancient history of Rome make all three spots significant draws for couples getting married in Italy. But don't sleep on an Amalfi Coast wedding.
Found on Italy's rugged southern coastline with dramatic cliffs that a postcard can't do justice, the Amalfi Coast aces the eye test. It holds no shortage of natural backdrops for wedding photos. It's a multi-sensory experience—fresh sea breezes that leave you feeling comfortable on balmy days and arguably fresher seafood that requires no seasonings. Saunter through lemon groves between parties and toast with a limoncello-focused signature drink during a cliffside cocktail hour. When it comes to destination wedding locations, the Amalfi Coast offers a laidback but luxe setting.
Weddings on Italy's Amalfi Coast are memorable for all the right reasons. Still, planning a wedding in Europe presents challenges like navigating currency and timezone differences. Getting legally married in Italy also requires cutting through some hefty red tape, should you have your heart set on obtaining a marriage license on the Amalfi Coast. However, as they say in Positano, "Anything is possible in Positano." And to a large extent, that applies to an Amalfi Coast destination wedding. With the right team and information, you can pull off a day of a lifetime to kick off the rest of your lifetime. Consider this your jumping-off point to an unforgettable coastal Italian soiree—from gorgeous Amalfi Coast wedding venues to practical budgeting tips.
Amalfi Coast Wedding Planning Tips in this Article:
- Why Couples and Wedding Guests Love Amalfi Coast Weddings
- The Best Wedding Locations on the Amalfi Coast
- Top Amalfi Coast Wedding Venues
- Amalfi Coast Wedding Legal Requirements
- Amalfi Coast Wedding Planning Tips
Why Couples and Wedding Guests Love Amalfi Coast Weddings
Hallmarked by dramatic 500-foot cliffs, glistening waterfronts and picturesque sunsets, the Amalfi Coast is one of Italy's most breathtaking locales. "There isn't a place in the world quite like it," says Kay Northrup, the founder and CEO of Kay Northrup Events.
Start with Positano, arguably the Amalfi Coast's signature town. "Watching the sunset tuck behind the mountainside while casting orange out onto the water from your terrace is breathtaking," Northrup says. "The stunning coastline views combined with tight and winding cobblestone streets are just so charming."
And that doesn't even touch on the lemon groves and olive trees in Sorrento or the iconic (and slightly white-knuckle) scenic route to Amalfi town. Group excursions with guests can include a trip to the Blue Grotto in Capri or a history lesson in Pompeii. Though the Amalfi Coast is considered a high-end resort destination, the locals are laid back, inviting guests to slow down and enjoy the (sunset catamaran) ride.
"The locals are friendly to tourists, yet it remains authentic in culture and history," Northrup says. "It's that quintessential Italian vibe so many couples want to harness for their destination wedding."
Pro tip: Invite a destination wedding travel expert to join your vendor team. Browse travel agents near you on The Knot Vendor Marketplace for Amalfi Coast wedding expertise, group hotel blocks, flight arrangements and more.
The Best Wedding Locations on the Amalfi Coast
While you'll get waterfront views and amiable service up and down the rugged coastline, each of the wedding locations on the Amalfi Coast has a distinct charm. There are also practicalities to consider. For instance, would you prefer a spot relatively easy to get to (Sorrento) or are you hoping to go all the way out (and around winding streets) to Amalfi? Determining which wedding location on the Amalfi Coast best fits your vision is an important early step.
Sorrento Wedding
Northrup calls Sorrento "off the beaten path." While less celebrated than its Positano and Capri counterparts, its quiet alleyways and the lively café-lined Piazza Tasso make it more than a pitstop on the way to more fabulous adventures. A wedding here is a beautiful experience all its own. One 360-degree spin around Sorrento showcases lemon trees and water views at every turn. Accessible by a 40-minute ferry ride from Naples (where there's an airport), it's as practical as it is pretty. Speaking of charming looks, Villa Astor, a favorite Amalfi Coast wedding venue of Northrup's, fits that bill in spades with its cliffside perch and impressive gardens.
Positano Wedding
It wouldn't be an Amalfi Coast wedding guide—or travel guide, for that matter—without a mention of Positano. The forever stylish cliffside village is loved for its narrow streets lined with colorful boutiques. Inside, find high-end ceramic and leather goods. Down below, pebble and sandy shores invite kayaking and relaxing, and breathtaking vistas of turquoise waters are accessible from every sharp angle. Sunset nuptials or receptions are sights to see, the orange juxtaposing beautifully with the blue-hued water—Mother Nature's gift to you. Northrup double-taps family-owned Villa Oliviero, a clifftop villa with terraces overlooking the sea.
Capri Wedding
Where Positano's backdrop is full of poppy houses and boutiques, Capri's is airy and white-washed. A trip to the island famous for shopping and the famed sea cave, the Blue Grotto, feels like hitting the refresh button. The cool breezes help in that regard. It offers unpretentious sophistication, making it an ideal spot for an effortlessly cool couple to say, "I do" by the water or at a cliff's edge. Between parties, you and your guests can entertain yourselves with shopping, bar hopping or a cruise to the Blue Grotto.
Amalfi Wedding
A walk through the town of Amalfi can feel like turning over stone after stone. It's small, but you can get lost for hours discovering tucked-away stores, balconies doubling as scenic overlooks, shops, gardens and courtyards at every winding turn. Limoncello is easy to find in these parts, and the town provides easy access to Ravello, a cliffside town with terraced gardens. Stopping to smell the roses here is almost a (lovely) mandate. Weddings use the dramatic cliffs as an installation not even the best designer could imagine.
Pro tip: As you consider Amalfi Coast wedding locations, don't forget about your newlywed vacation. Plan an amazing Amalfi Coast honeymoon, too, with our complete guide.
Top Amalfi Coast Wedding Venues
Once you've fallen for a specific town, village or island on the Amalfi Coast, it's time to narrow your search and select a venue. It's hard to go wrong. The Amalfi Coast is home to some of the most stunning seaside wedding venues in Italy. These are a few Amalfi Coast wedding venues perched atop the (figurative) cliff-lined hill.
Hilton Sorrento Palace
Hilton Sorrento Palace is found 13 minutes by foot from the train station and a 15-minute stroll from the buzz of Piazza Tasso. The luxury hotel by the mountain provides accessibility from a comfortable distance. The private paradise also includes a citrus garden and panoramic views of the Sorrento peninsula. You can say "I do" in the citrus garden for a uniquely Amalfi Coast experience. Planners will help you choose a backdrop (indoor and outdoor spaces are available), curate a menu and connect with vendors who are ready to execute your vision to *chef's kiss* perfection.
Hotel Caruso, a Belmond Hotel
Tie the knot like royalty at a seasonal hotel housed in an 11th-century palace on the edge of a Ravello cliff. Hotel Caruso, a Belmond Hotel, is quintessentially Amalfi Coast. Terraced gardens are part of the landscape—it is Ravello, after all. Lemon groves and bird's-eye sea views of the sea are also likely to work their way into your wedding snaps. Blessings can take place in the Wagner Garden overlooking the coast. Planners will arrange religious ceremonies at appropriate locations and between-party entertainment like picnics and tastings in the lemon grove. A chef will work with you to curate your dream menu, from a cocktail party to a five-star, four-course menu.
Hotel Santa Caterina
Hotel Santa Caterina is a chic and airy villa by the Tyrrhenian Sea. On the property, you'll find a chalet with a private garden ideal for getting ready photos, a spa that invites pampering and overall sun-kissed seclusion. Receptions can take place on the veranda or dining room—both get tons of natural light. When the sun exits the party, twinkling string lights illuminate the hillside veranda for a waterfront dance party after dark. You'll also work with a chef to create a menu full of local delicacies that look almost too good to eat.
Villa Oliviero
Northrup raves about Positano's Villa Oliviero. "It allows for amplified music, has stunning views and is owned by a wonderful family," Northrup says. The venue is eligible to host civil ceremonies, but an on-site planner can help arrange locations for religious ones, with an unforgettable reception of a lifetime to follow. With three levels, different parts of the reception can take place in distinct settings. Welcome loved ones on the ground level, enjoy cocktails by the pool, and head to a different terrace for dinner and cake. Villa Oliviero holds 120 for a sit-down reception and 150 guests for a buffet, but more intimate affairs are also on the table.
Pro tip: Once you've decided on your Amalfi Coast wedding venue, send out destination wedding save-the-dates with important info so your guests can book the time off and start thinking about travel plans.
Amalfi Coast Wedding Legal Requirements
An Amalfi Coast wedding is full of pomp, circumstance, limoncello and unforgettable views. However, you'll also want to take care of some formalities that don't involve attire—the legality of your nuptials. Obtaining a marriage license on the Amalfi Coast is not as easy as a Mediterranean sea breeze. "There are significant differences between a religious or legal wedding in Italy and a symbolic wedding," says Becca Atchison, the founder and creative director of Rebecca Rose Events.
Atchison suggests using the US Embassy as a resource for pursuing a legal marriage in Italy. An Amalfi Coast wedding planner can also help. You can also choose to have a symbolic ceremony, often the path of least resistance. Here's what to know about obtaining a marriage license on the Amalfi Coast, should the tide take you in that direction.
Legal Weddings vs. Symbolic Weddings
Couples can have a legal or symbolic wedding (or blessing) in Italy. A symbolic wedding is ceremonial—it doesn't have legal weight. Couples have already signed the paperwork for a legal marriage at home. While (almost) anything is possible in Positano and the rest of the Amalfi Coast—it's not the most straightforward process. However, it is possible to host a legal ceremony.
Required Legal Documents
To legally get married on the Amalfi Coast, couples will need more than the standard documents. But they'll need those, too. Per the US Embassy, getting married in Italy may require:
- Passport or military ID card for active duty US Armed Forces members
- Original or certified copy of your birth certificate
- If applicable: documents proving the termination of previous marriages (divorce decree or prior spouse's death certificate)
- If applicable: a waiver from the Italian District Attorney's Office in the city you wish to marry certifying medical evidence you aren't pregnant (Only for females whose marriages were terminated within the previous 300 days)
- An affidavit or "dichiarazione giurata" certifying there is no legal reason you can't get married. The US Embassy notes that the affidavit must be "sworn to before a US consular officer accredited in Italy" and notarized
- An atto notorio stating you can legally marry and signed by two witnesses (an interpreter is required if any member of the couple or their witnesses don't speak Italian)
You must submit these documents with an apostille stamp. The stamp must come from the secretary of state in the state where the document was first distributed for them to be legal to use in Italy.
Additionally, couples seeking a Roman Catholic ceremony need their baptismal and confirmation certificates.
Legal Marriage Timeline
Marriage licenses in Italy are valid for six months, but the process can take at least two months. The atto notorio can take four to 10 days to pick up, though you can get one that day for additional fees.
Once couples have the required documents, they must submit a Declaration of Intention to Marry at the town hall of their wedding location. An interpreter must be present if either of a member of the couple doesn't speak Italian. Couples must wait two weeks—including two Sundays—before legally saying "I do."
Civil ceremonies must typically occur at a town hall and be performed by the local mayor or a deputy. An interpreter is required if you or your partner don't speak Italian. Witnesses must be over 18 and have valid IDs.
Roman Catholic priests can perform religious ceremonies. You won't need a separate civil ceremony if you go this route. The priest registers the marriage.
Legal Marriage Cost
You'll need to pay around $44 USD for three revenue stamps required to apply for the atto notorio. For an urgent atto notorio, you'll need to pay around $66 USD. Civil ceremonies range from around $500 USD to nearly $9,500 USD. You may also need to pay for interpretation services.
Amalfi Coast Wedding Planning Tips
Legalities? Check, done (or in process). Now, you can get started on planning. You'll want to know how to get to and around the Amalfi Coast. Making monthly trips to Italy's south coast to meet with vendors would be nice. However, it's likely not in the cards. Luckily, doing significant legwork from home is possible, especially if you have a seasoned Amalfi Coast wedding planner on your team. We spoke with two to get some top tips.
How to Get to Amalfi Coast
While it's possible for some travelers, like those coming from New York City, to fly directly to Naples, it's more likely that you'll have a layover. People often fly into other major cities, like Milan, Rome or Florence, and then hop on a connecting flight to Naples. You can take a ferry, train or bus to Sorrento from Naples. Then, you'll take a boat, bus, train or taxi to your final destination if it isn't Sorrento.
Boats (such as to Capri), taxis and buses around the Amalfi Coast are standard. It's possible to rent a car and drive the coast, but the steep hills and winding, one-lane roads make for a tall task for a non-local. The most stress-free way to go about it is to leave it to the professionals and enjoy the views along one of the most scenic routes you'll find. Most of the towns and villages are walkable.
Best Months to Marry in Amalfi Coast
The summer months are the peak season for tourists. The weather is mild and perfect for the seafaring surroundings, and the resorts are in full swing. Of course, prices are also higher in these months. Choosing a shoulder season month, like April, May or September, will net you pleasant weather at smaller price tags. You can have a wedding in any season on the Amalfi Coast, but some venues may close during the winter.
Amalfi Coast Wedding Venue and Vendors
Finding and communicating with vendors can be challenging when planning an international destination wedding. Technology, like Zoom and FaceTime, has made it easier, but Atchison suggests having someone on the ground.
"The first step should be to hire a wedding planner experienced with international destination wedding production," Atchison says. "Your planner should help research and source all vendors and production partners."
Atchison says planners understand cultural and timezone differences and can communicate with pros accordingly on your behalf. They also may know of hidden-gem vendors who don't advertise well online but have stellar reputations within the community. Planners have their ears to the ground and first-hand experience.
Note: Visit The Knot Vendor Marketplace for a comprehensive list of travel specialists with expertise in destination weddings who can help you find prospective Amalfi Coast wedding venues and pros.
Budgeting Tips
Is an Amalfi Coast destination wedding a feat for the eyes? Yes. Is it budget-friendly? That's debatable (and relative). Though the final destination wedding cost in any locale will depend on various factors, experts say the Amalfi Coast is generally pricey.
"Compared to the US and also other regions within Italy, the Amalfi Coast is considered to be a more expensive market to get married in," Northrup says. "Just as in real estate, the coastline tends to increase the cost of wedding venues. Plus, the unique mountainous terrain and small roads make it more expensive for certain vendors to service hard-to-reach venues."
Northrup and her team have planned weddings "as low as $30,000 and as high as $150,000." Importantly, Italy uses the Euro, and the exchange rate fluctuates daily. However, Northrup says the differences between the US dollar and the Euro have been steady recently, so she doesn't see it as a cause for concern.
What makes the price tag go up and down as dramatically as Amalfi's hills? Northrup says expectations for the event are a driving factor of the final cost of an Amalfi Coast wedding. "Specifically, in the Amalfi Coast, a...way to save thousands is to have a dinner reception without dancing and amplified music," Northrup says.
Northrup says many beautiful venues don't allow amplified music because of local noise ordinances, like Hotel Marincanto in Positano. "This means you can have the ceremony, aperitif and dinner with a stunning view, but the event ends after this," Northrup says. "If you feel like dancing, you can transport your guests to a club—like Music on the Rocks in Positano—where there is already a DJ and bar."
Larger head counts are likely to cost more. Food and beverage prices per person on the Amalfi Coast can be costly. The good news: "A lot of the most beautiful venues are more conducive to a guest count of 50 or less anyway," Northrup says.
Atchison is in the same boat as Northrup, adding, "A destination wedding overseas offers you a convenient and reasonable excuse to limit the size of your guest list and opt for a more intimate size celebration."
Pro tip: Set up a free destination wedding website on The Knot with all the event details including your Amalfi Coast wedding itinerary, things to do, guest travel information, RSVPs and more.