Wedding on the beach: an American dream becomes reality
When talking about Beach Weddings most of you will imagine long, extensive beaches overlooking the ocean, bold colours for the flowers and decorations, palms and Hawaiian “Lei” everywhere. Who did not dream of this in the 90’s when the saw the wonderful beach weddings of Ridge and Brooke on “Beautiful”? She would arrive on the back of a white horse, there was only the bridegroom (and the priest) waiting beneath a white rose arch. At that time, in Italy, this appeared to be truly an American dream, but with the advent of the new millennium, and civil weddings having been accepted at the expense of religious ones, it is now possible to organize Beach Weddings so that dream has become a beautiful reality!
Obviously the Italian coastline looks different in terms of scenery … the beaches will not have white sand (although at points they actually do) or the deep blue colour of the ocean, but there are nevertheless some fantastic places and there are more and more couples who want to get married on the beach.
We now want to give you an insight into the Adriatic coast and our Marche coastline in particular!
The Adriatic Coast!
If you are asking what Marchegiana means, you have probably missed our article "Weddings in Italy, Le marche: no ordinary wedding destination " which we recommend you read.
The Adriatic coast borders the Adriatic sea, which extends for 800 km from the gulf of Venice and Trieste up to Santa Maria di Leuca. This is where our coastline is located. We are talking about 180 km of wonderful sandy, rocky and stony beaches, which alternate between each other, from Gabicce Mare fino to San Benedetto del Tronto, featuring 26 beach resorts, 9 tourist ports and 17 blue flags that certify the environmental quality of the sea and coastline, and the warm Marche hospitality.
The northern coastline, which is known as the Riviera of the hills, features promontories, inlets and creeks that give rise to a truly magnificent landscape. The beaches are smooth and white, in particular the long one of Gabicce Mare. This is the starting point, and from here begins a scenic road, full of panoramic scenic view points in the heart of the Regional Park of Monte San Bartolo, which extends for 20 km until it reaches the other wonderful beaches, such as Pesaro featuring quaint fishermen’s villages such as Casteldimezzo, Fiorenzuola di Focara and Santa Marina Alta. Then there is Fano, with its Lido and Sassonia beaches. Without forgetting the renowned seaside resort of Marotta, which still maintains its deep attachment to the marine past, as well as the historic hillside village of Mondolfo.
Moving south we come to Senigallia, a town with ancient origins and famous for its wonderful beach: 12 km of fine, white sand, the ideal venue for seaside tourism thanks to the numerous hotels, fully equipped bathing establishments and the famous restaurants.
Proceeding southwards, from Ancona, which is the main town of the region we come to Monte Conero, a promontory of astounding beauty, which overlooks the blue of the Adriatic sea. From here begins the most beautiful section of the Marche coastline, the “riviera del conero”, full of white bays which sometimes can be reached only by boat, or through paths etched into the green of the Mediterranean bush. From the same southern ports of Ancona, there is a succession of tourist resorts, the haven of Portonovo, the renowned Sirolo overlooking the sea, Numana with its well equipped functional tourist port and Marcelli which is the most modern, with tourist villages, residences and excellent accommodation facilities.
To the south of Conero the coast features extensive sandy shores, until it reaches an area that is rich in pine forests in Porto Recanati, Porto Potenza Picena e Civitanova Marche. It is also impossible to overlook the “green Picena riviera”, that extends between Porto Sant’Elpidio, Lido di Fermo, Porto San Giorgio e Pedaso, and the exotic “riviera of palms” between Cupramarittima, Grottammare and San Benedetto del Tronto, with its 7000 palms that also grow on the fine, white sandy beach which gently slope down into the sea, and which is characterized by a shallow sea bed.
The entire coastline offers a host of facilities including bars, snack bars, restaurants, recreation facilities, discos, hotels, water parks and much more.
Now we come to the most interesting aspect of your Beach Wedding in Italy! Where can you go if you want a wedding overlooking the sea in our region? If you want a legally recognized wedding there are a series of pre-established places, some sections of coastline where the various town councils have deliberated that it is possible to celebrate a civil ceremony that is valid to all effect.. Such places, at the moment are only to be found in Gabicce Marce, Fano and Sirolo (with the exception of Senigallia that authorised a civil ceremony legally recognized ceremony in a location called Rotonda a Mare which, however, is not on the beach but above the sea. However should you not be interested in this, a “symbolic” wedding is possible in all the chalets, restaurants, and hotels, that is in all the places that can be used for a wedding function, which means that you can organize your ceremony and reception in a single place without having to move (yourselves and all the guests) from one place to another. With regards to the venues, we have many beach clubs where it is possible to organize a wedding function in true marine style, barefoot in the sand, and a menu based exclusively on deliciously fresh Adriatic fish! This does not mean having to renounce to the stylish elegance of an Italian style wedding, it is possible to combine the two things very well, it is up to you to decide your own wedding style. As well as the beach clubs and restaurants along the coastline, very nearby, and often directly overlooking it, we have a host of hotels, villas and ancient forts that directly overlook the sea, and although you may not actually be barefoot in the sand, it is a good compromise in order to have a “magnificent” wedding, while breathing in the salty tang of sea air, directly from a terrace overlooking the sea!
What if it were to be in a boat?
For the real sea lover in the truest sense of the word, for those who are not satisfied with seeing the sea from afar, but who actually want to experience, and breathe it, for all those who love navigating (and not the net), it is possible to organize a boat wedding, a little way off the coastline. Saying “I do” in the open sea, with its endless horizon, and being rocked by its waves, leaving the port and the illuminated town behind, is a truly unique experience.
Here also you can choose a smaller boat, on which to have just the civil ceremony and then move on to dry land for the reception, or organize the whole function on a larger ship that is capable of hosting all your guests.
How to organize a Beach Wedding in Italy
Creating magical scenes is not difficult in a place like this. The theme is often inspired by the sea and its elements: all the colours of blue-aquamarine, turquoise, cobalt, azure-touched with sparkling white; objects that recall the reign of the God Neptune as small highlights: minnows in wood or glass, starfishes, intertwined nets, shells... The furnishings also often follow the same theme: pillows, light and fluttering tents, tables and chairs scattered around the beach to create secluded corners where you can chat or relax.
The presence of lots of tea lights and candles, lanterns and torches and bonfires lit by the sea, create an incredibly beautiful and romantic atmosphere.
Flying lanterns: you will probably already be familiar with them, because they have been used for some years now for weddings, and we believe that they will not go out of fashion, because they create a truly unique atmosphere in front of the sea! They are economical, get the guests involved and create a truly fascinating and seductive atmosphere to illuminate your desires!
To round off the evening or the day, picture singing and dancing barefoot on the sand, to tribal and ethnic music, enjoying jazz, unleashing the rhythm of fun disco dance and Latin-American music, or perhaps dreaming to classical music and soft melodies.
Some practical advice:
1. Avoid a dress that is too elaborate or wide, or one with an endless veil, as it will end up spoiling the fun of your celebration, in view of the fact that the very location itself calls for a more “easy” and informal celebration. Opt for a dress, with a more fluid line and which is at the same time elegant and sophisticated and why not …Italian! You can contact one of our ateliers to have a wedding dress made in perfect Italian style
2. Never forget your plan B: while it is true that the organization of a beach wedding provides many more freer and fluid solutions, you may in fact decide to hold the entire function, from the wedding itself to the wedding reception, on the beach under the sky …with the stars for company, or you can decide to hold the wedding ceremony on the beach, and then move to the open-air wooden decks of hotels …BUT remember that the sun does not always shine during our summers, so make sure that the restaurant or venue in which you choose to have your function also has an indoor area, or a stable awning structure just in case.
3. While it is appropriate to wear elegant shoes, and for the guests this is also important for the initial, and more solemn part of the event… when things get going and the dancing starts, set aside an area where everyone can leave their high heels and wear a pair of comfortable flip-flops for dancing the night away! Your guests will definitely feel more comfortable if they have the approval of the newly-weds!
4. As advised in "A practical Wedding", "hire a coordinator who does beach weddings: getting married on the beach is just like a regular wedding, but with a tonne of unexpected things you probably never considered. So if it’s within your budget, I recommend working with someone who has planned at least one beach wedding. They’ll know their way around the local ordinances, they’ll remind you to bring sunscreen, and they can act as your wedding bouncer if friendly passers-by try to walk through your ceremony photos.". So don’t go unprepared, consult one of our Wedding Planners in order to coordinate the event immediately, or at least for the actual wedding day.
5. Don’t forget to bring a swimming costume…. Weather permitting, what better way of ending a perfect day, with a moonlit swim!
A wedding on our coastline will be a unique and authentically Italian experience that you will never forget!
Start planning your Beach Wedding in Italy
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