Italian Riviera Wedding

We love how the pops of color in the bride’s bouquet add contrast to the beautiful gray shore of the Italian Riviera shown here in this inspirational photo shoot. Stunning!

Details for an Italian Riviera Wedding

The Italian Riviera is on the list of dreamiest wedding venues on the planet. It conjures up images of a seaside wedding, breathtakingly gorgeous landscapes, and romance. If you have your heart set on an Italian Riviera wedding it also means that you are planning destination nuptials.

The Ligure favors any type of wedding but the Cinque Terre is ideal for intimate affairs with a small guest count. A romantic seafront ceremony, as well as receptions under pergolas, are a possibility in the Riviera. Best yet, you'll create incredible memories to start you off in the next chapter of life.

Color Palettes for an Italian Riviera Wedding

This Italian Riviera bridal session proves that simplicity is both elegant and breathtaking. The sweeping views of the Tyrrhenian Sea and stunning mountains are enamoring enough to create the perfect setting for any type of nuptials. Add in the pastel-colored seaside buildings and we have inspiration for an Italian Riviera wedding color palette.

The editorial also backs up the idea that coral, purple, white, red, blue hues, and green foliage provide an ideal color palette. Pastels combined with full-blown pops of vibrant hues add to the overall romantic charm. Whatever colors you go with will undoubtedly blend well with the coastal location. What a glorious locale for an outdoor event, if you so choose!

Bouquets & Boutonnieres for an Italian Riviera Wedding

The wedding flowers used for the bridal shoot bouquet also give us inspiration for the big day's floral designs and arrangements. For the summer season, curate posies with carnation dahlia, roses, aster, cosmo, freesia, Chinese lantern, honeysuckle, anthurium, and chrysanthemum. If you are hosting a fall affair, add some calla lilies, bouvardia, amaryllis, hydrangea, and delphiniums to the bouquets.

As for the winter months, you want to include warmer tones in the form of anemone, calla lilies, roses, ornamental pepper, lilac, gladiolus, forsythia, and carnations. Use the same type of flowers for the boutonnieres and centerpieces for a cohesive look.

Wedding Dresses & Accessories for an Italian Riviera Wedding

Italy is considered one of the world's fashion capitals and it's also home to some of the biggest clothing brands as well as fashion houses. From Valentino to Missoni, you'll be spoiled for choice when shopping for a wedding dress. Taking inspiration from the bridal shoot, it's easy to see that a simple yet elegant gown works for the dreamy location.

In fact, conservative attire is favored for weddings in Italy and you can't go wrong with a floor-length lace gown. A figure-hugging gown fashioned out of  Alençon, knot, guipure, or chantilly lace is a befitting choice for the coastal wedding.

Ceremony Decor for an Italian Riviera Wedding

It's hard to imagine a bride who would skip the opportunity to host a seaside ceremony. You'll have long-lasting memories and nostalgic tales to tell if you choose to recite your vows against the backdrop of the Tyrrhenian Sea. For a brief ceremony, the setting doesn't require much dressing up.

An alternative is to choose a wedding venue with seaside views and draw from the picturesque turquoise hues to deck out the space. Again, simplicity carries the day, and except for a wedding arch, floral arrangements, and the guests' seating placements, you won't need much to decorate the ceremony space.

Reception Decor for an Italian Riviera Wedding

Italy is a nation brimming with old-world charm that provides plenty of inspiration for wedding decoration. Flatware, the cake stand, cutlery, and flower vases are some of the decorative elements that can best bring out this aspect when presented in Luxe gold. Pull inspiration from the reception venue's landscaping, particularly if you go for a lush Italian garden setting.

You can still create an Italian Riviera aesthetic outside Italy by embellishing an outdoor wedding reception venue with plenty of Cypress trees, lemon topiaries, and selections of old-world-inspired decor pieces. A long reception table set up at an outdoor wedding location is also ideal for this theme.

Food for an Italian Riviera Wedding

The Italian countryside serves as the best inspiration for the table setting. Instead of classic wedding runners, line the table with lush greenery, vines, and grape leaves. Gold-toned flatware and cutlery best complement this theme. It only makes sense to serve authentic Italian cuisine during such an occasion.

The wedding food should include selections of cured meats and cheeses. Allow your guests to sample yet another taste of Italy by going with a playful menu that includes pizza. Raise a toast with prosecco to further bring a piece of Italy to your nuptials. Elevate the food experience further by choosing a traditional layered mille-feuille cake covered with an explosion of berries.

Wedding Invitations for an Italian Riviera Wedding

Go with an Italian-inspired theme for the wedding invitations. The Laurel wreath, Cockade of Italy, strawberry tree, Italia Turrita, and the emblem of Italy are some of the nation's well-known symbols that you can incorporate into the invites. You'll also want the guests to know that it's a destination wedding.

Break the news in a creative way by including a map showcasing the wedding location along with pictures and other trinkets that are Italian-specific. However, you'll still want to spell it out in fine print so that everyone knows that they should plan to pack their bags for a love-filled mini-vacation.

Favors & Gifts for an Italian Riviera Wedding

Themed wedding favors double up as great souvenirs, and an Italian Riviera wedding provides an endless list of ideas for suitable keepsakes. Guests will definitely carry home, favor boxes filled with sugar-coated almonds and miniature bottles of favorite local liqueurs. Local handmade ceramics are also ideal options.

Farm fresh custom favors like wines and olive oil are equally thoughtful wedding favors. Cake designers in Italy are renowned for their masterful skills when it comes to presenting selections of edible wedding favors. Team up with a local bakery to come up with delightfully delicious edible treats to include in your guests' gift boxes.

Wedding Photo Shoot Ideas for an Italian Riviera Wedding

This bridal editorial also gives us plenty of ideas to steal for an Italian Riviera wedding photo shoot. The coastal setting with the sea in the background is the best backdrop for such a wedding shoot. Striking floral props and plenty of foliage work as simple yet effective props for such a photo shoot.

Other ideas include taking photos around Italy to capture and document the city's charm. Picture a photo shoot on picturesque Italian roads aboard Vespas, that would create a literal show-stopping wedding photo spread. You could also host a photography session at one of the stunning countryside vineyard locations.

Bridal session along the Italian Riviera

There really aren’t enough words to describe how much I adore today’s bridal inspiration shoot from Les Amis Photo. Not only is it set along the Italian Riveria, but its got one of the most beautiful flower crowns and pink peony bridal bouquets ever. Each of these images is absolutely exquisite!

From Les Amis Photo – “An Italian designed wedding dress, an isle in front of Portovenere, near Cinque Terre, a beautiful model with an exotic look, a colorful bouquet and sunset on the sea… it was a recipe for a romantic, unconventional and inspiring shoot.

The evocative atmosphere was reached with just a few key ingredients and dreamy eyes!”

Credits: Photography: Les Amis Photo // Floral Design: Il Profumo dei Fiori // Wedding Dress: Couture Hayez // Invitation Designer: Cut and Paste // Location: Portovenere on the Italian Riveria.