A Venice Wedding

wedding water taxi photo Many English-speaking couples seem fascinated by the idea of a wedding in Venice. It's true that a Venetian wedding is more romantic than a quick ceremony at Chuckwagon Charlie's Chapel of Love in Reno--or, for that matter, at the Venetian in Las Vegas.

However, the red tape involved can be intimidating if you haven't already had a wedding or two in Italy, and it's important to do your homework before you go. Better yet, hire a professional to arrange the paperwork, ceremony, and reception. The Web links on this page will help you get started on your way to a Venetian altar.

ABOVE: A wedding gondola in Venice. INSET: A water taxi in "Just Married" livery.

Legal requirements, ceremonies, and services

Civil Service vs. Church Blessing
Italian weddings typically involve two distinct ceremonies: civil and religious. Italy Weddings (a wedding organizer in Florence) suggests that, to avoid red tape, you may want to have the civil ceremony in your home country and the "church blessing" in Italy.

Registry-Office Wedding in Venice City Centre
The Comune de Venezia offers weddings in the Palazzo Cavalli, or the Venice city hall, albeit at a high price. (Scroll down to the bottom of the page for links to pages on legal requirements, times, and costs.)

Marriage in Italy
This compendium of legal lore is from the U.S. Department of State. (Sample tidbit: "Local authorities require the presence of a translator if neither party speaks Italian.")

The Venice Wedding Planner
Anna Bozza, Hélène Salvadori, and Giovanna Wurmbrand-Stuppach can help you arrange civil and religious ceremonies, receptions, engagement or anniversary celebrations, and more.

Weddings in Italy
Regency San Marino SRL arranges weddings in Italy's most popular cities--including Venice.

Venice Wedding and Fashion Photography
Norbert Heyl, the topnotch photographer who illustrated Venice Master Artisans, will shoot your wedding or honeymoon photos in Venice. (He also does fashion and portraits.)

Honeymoon in Venice veniceforvisitors.com
Who needs a heart-shaped bathtub in the Poconos when there's a singing gondolier beneath the terrace of your bridal suite?

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Hotel tip: Location can be important when choosing a hotel in Venice or on the mainland. Before booking, read our No. 1 Warning and Venice Hotel Recommendations by Area.

Venice canal reflections

From our Venice Travel Blog:

A water taxi ride to Venice Airport
Venice Railroad Station: a vaporetto view
Free boat trips to Murano
A warning about water taxis
Long lines at Venice Airport
Need to pee? Prepare to pay
The perils of overpacking
Flood warning: the sound of sirens
Venetian daily life

Maggie in Venice

From Maggie in Venice:

A dog's life in Venice
A Beagle boards a water bus

Venice cruise review:

MSC Eastern Mediterranean Cruise

A Venice Wedding

Legal requirements, ceremonies, and services

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