Behind the Magic,
Crafting Moments, Creating Memories...
Meet the Woman Behind the Vision...
Kelly Hayes
One of the most experienced destination wedding planners in Italy.
Originally from Ireland, I’ve called Italy home for almost 30 years, long enough for its beauty, culture, and people to weave themselves deeply into who I am. This country isn’t just where I live; it’s where I raised my family, built my business, and found my purpose. It’s where I’ve shared countless glasses of prosecco with excited couples, cried happy tears during vows, and witnessed love stories unfold against some of the most breathtaking backdrops in the world.
When I launched Kelly Hayes Wedding Design in 2005, I didn’t have a big plan or a perfectly polished brand. What I did have was passion, curiosity, and a wild belief that weddings should be personal, heartfelt, and thoughtfully designed. I trusted that if I poured my heart into this work, the rest would follow, and it did.
Kelly Hayes Wedding Design has grown over the years into a vibrant, tight-knit team that feels more like a family than a company. We’re a group of creatives, organisers, problem-solvers, and magic-makers who genuinely love what we do — and who love doing it together.
Every wedding we plan is a team effort. From the first idea to the final sparkler moment, we work in sync, supporting each other and supporting you. Our bond behind the scenes creates the smooth, joyful, relaxed atmosphere you feel on the day. We bring different strengths and personalities to the table, but we share one core belief: your wedding should feel like the most natural, beautiful expression of your story.
We get to know our couples like friends, cheering you on, calming nerves, fixing last-minute hiccups, and celebrating right beside you. We take care of the details you see, the details you don’t, and the details that suddenly pop up when no one expects them.
Our team is hands-on, heart-led, and fully present at every celebration, making sure your day feels effortless, meaningful, and unforgettable. Together, we create weddings that are beautifully designed, meticulously managed, and overflowing with joy.
Even now, with an incredible team supporting me, I stay closely connected to every couple. I’m your main point of contact, your sounding board, your guide, and your creative partner. I adore getting to know the people behind the love story, what makes you laugh, what moves you, what you envision when you dream about your wedding day. Those details become the foundation of everything we create together.
I bring creativity, calm energy, and genuine care to every celebration. After all these years, this work still fills me with the same excitement I had on day one, maybe even more. Standing beside you on one of the most meaningful days of your life, leading a team that feels like family, and bringing your vision to life with intention… it truly is my dream job.
I can’t wait to meet you, hear your story, and start designing something unforgettable — just for you.
Meet the team Crafting the Experience...
I take on a limited number of weddings each year to ensure every celebration receives the attention it deserves.
Testimonials
Choosing a destination wedding planner in Italy is about trust, experience, and complete peace of mind. Below, you’ll find reflections from couples who have entrusted us with their celebrations in some of Italy’s most beautiful settings.
Each one speaks to our commitment to thoughtful planning, refined design, and a seamless experience from beginning to end.
Kelly made all of our wedding dreams come true and we highly recommend her services if you are looking to have a destination wedding in Italy. From the moment we contacted her all the way through to the day itself, Kelly showed us the upmost professionalism and warmth, and we loved working with her.
As a Scottish-Turkish couple, we had a few more niche requests to celebrate our cultures and Kelly made them happen with no hesitation. She has incredible relationships with many suppliers in the industry, it's clear how much they love to work with her which made our day go smoothly.
We had bad weather on the day of the wedding but thanks to Kelly's thoughtful planning, good humour and effiency, 'Plan B' worked out amazingly. Kelly, we are so grateful to you - thank you for everything.
Truly a delight to work with! Kelly and her team put together the wedding of our dreams and made it feel like a cake walk! Her collaborative suggestions elevated our wedding and made for some of the most memorable times of our life.
Whenever anything needed to be addressed or we had any minor concerns Kelly would go to bat for us and make sure everything was sorted out. I've never felt more supported by a planner than I have with Kelly!
The day of the wedding she was on top of just about everything, she knew just how to direct the guests and work with the venue on any last min final touches. She even stepped in and helped iron my tux. I honestly can't recommend her enough!
Having an international wedding was so much easier than we thought and it was all thanks to Kelly and her team!
We had the absolute pleasure of working with Kelly Hayes as our wedding planner for our wedding in Tuscany at Casa Cornacchi, & we could not recommend her highly enough!
From the very beginning, Kelly made the entire planning process smooth, stress-free, and enjoyable. We spent a year planning our wedding with her, and throughout that time she was always professional, organized, and incredibly supportive.
Her knowledge of the area, trusted network of vendors, and attention to detail ensured everything came together perfectly on the day. Most importantly, Kelly truly listened to what we envisioned and brought it to life in the most beautiful way.
If you’re considering getting married in Tuscany, do not hesitate to book Kelly. She is an absolute star and made our dream wedding a reality.
From the bride - Kelly was also brilliant at keeping a calm energy which helped my bride nerves! Thank you so much!
We are an Irish couple that wanted to get married in Italy. Kelly helped us plan the wedding of our dreams in July and she was able to make it all happen in less a year from when we first contacted her. Kelly took all of our ideas and made them work. She kept us involved with all of the decisions but was happy to give recommendations based on her vast experience whenever we asked. Kelly was always able to give us options for everything from her wide network of wedding suppliers that she had worked with before. For most things, we just had to say yes or no and Kelly did all of the hard work.
Planning a wedding in Italy is very different to Ireland, some things only get confirmed in the months leading up to the wedding but thankfully Kelly was used to this and everything went perfectly on the day.
We had 70 guests at the wedding and a barbecue the day before. The guests were all so well looked after, they were absolutely blown away with everything. Kelly managed everything on the day itself and made sure everything ran smoothly. We didn't have to do anything except enjoy ourselves!
We had an amazing wedding and we are happy to recommend Kelly to any couple that wants to have their wedding in Italy.
