All you need to know about getting married in Italy

How long have you been event planning and how did you become an event & wedding planner?

I was very lucky to work for a large events company in the UK before I decided to focus on organising bespoke weddings in Italy. I started Kelly Hayes, The Italian Wedding Planner in 2005 and have assisted couples throughout Italy organising their weddings to perfection and loving every minute of it!

We love your services and we love your style! Everything sounds fantastic! So, can you tell me what sets you apart from other planners?

I adore helping couples create a day where their personalities shine through, designing and facilitating their weddings with bits and pieces of their personal lives and love story. I love the creativity of it all and if you want something different you will love what I have to offer. I don’t replicate weddings like a factory but create something that is uniquely yours. Anyone can do the usual! I am based in Italy and my concierge trained team, together with my black book of Italy’s best boutique vendors; amazing locations; top service and hip cuisine, will allow you to be a guest at your very own wedding!

This all sounds so wonderful, but it also sounds expensive. Are we going to be able to afford this?

Absolutely! I save couples so much time, energy and money that it covers my services alone! I also offer a complimentary consultation during which I give examples of real costs, that is, what it will truly cost to have the wedding you are envisioning. I work with you to set a realistic budget and to stay within it.

Will I lose control of my wedding if you are planning it for me?

Are you kidding! 300 hours, 200 emails, 100 texts and endless phone calls and meetings - that's what it will take you to facilitate your wedding of 100 guests!!! I never look at it as losing control for the bride and groom. I look at it as gaining control for them. There is so much to learn in planning a wedding that it can become overwhelming and totally control you. With my assistance, you will be able to plan the wedding of your dreams and still be present in your day to day life ~ in other words ~ you can enjoy the moments...

What is the process going forward with your services?

As you and your fiancé have your own unique personalities and styles, we start with a complimentary, no obligations Skype call. This helps me to establish your styles and I can assist you with setting your budget. Should you decide to engage our services, we prepare our contract and then the fun begins! We will work closely with you to select a venue that is the perfect backdrop for your wedding. Once the venue has been booked, we engage the service providers required to pull all the different aspects of your wedding together. You may wish to come over for a long weekend to look at venues or in the middle of the planning process for menu tastings and to meet with the florist etc. These trips are a lot of fun and suddenly it feels real and exciting! Unless you are having a symbolic wedding there are some formalities to be completed in the days before your wedding at the town hall or with the priest. We are on hand to make sure all of this is a smooth process. If you decide to host a welcome BBQ or cocktail party, we will take care of all of the arrangements and make sure everything is perfect so you can enjoy the first of your wedding celebration events. On the day of the wedding we are on site to prepare early and make sure all of the service providers have had a full briefing. We make sure you are both looked after and are enjoying the getting ready activities. Everything is taken care of so you can focus on getting married. The next day you might decide that a recovery lunch would be a great way to send off your guests and again we will take care of this for you. Basically we take care of everything so you can enjoy the experience.