Wedding in Italy

Italian wedding in Lazio Massimo and Paola

Italian wedding photographer Gianfranco Catullo talks about a traditional Italian wedding:
“I first met Massimo and Paola in February last year. It was a cold and snowy day. Yes, yes, do not be surprised! In Rome, sometimes it snows too. As you know, the climate in the Eternal City is mild, as in the whole of central Italy, so it is very rare to see the city in all white. Despite some mobility problems (I was driving home from a business trip to Basilicato), I opened the studio on Sunday, and in a quiet, almost surreal atmosphere I met the couple.

Massimo is from Sicily, and Paola was born in Rome, they live and work together on Lake Garda, but they decided to get married in the center of Italy - in Lazio, in the region of Castelli Romani. This is a very beautiful hilly area, full of greenery and many lakes, in addition, it is very close to Rome and is considered one of the most favorable for living. Many tourists come here to experience the spirit of medieval cities, touch art and enjoy the local Italian cuisine.

Massimo and Paola are a very beautiful couple, they literally glow from the inside, we very quickly found a common language and soon made friends. After all, it is very important to always be on the same wavelength with the young. I was also pleased that they, like me, prefer live photos with natural, soft and warm light. And with light we were lucky! The sun was bright, and everything around was filled with pleasant warm light. But to avoid harsh shadows, we hid in the shade of trees and alleys.

Wedding day

The wedding day was clearly different from the day we first met. The sky was clear, the sun was shining, which made it possible to create all the conditions for an ideal wedding. After I finished shooting Massimo's fees at the hotel, I went to Paola, to her parents' house. While the bride was finishing her final preparations, I amused her with stories about the ridiculous occasions that are only possible at weddings, so she was not at all worried. Around noon, we arrived at the church, where by tradition the groom was already waiting for his bride.

Wedding ceremony

The ceremony was scheduled for October, in a small but very beautiful church in the city of Grottaferrata. This small town with a population of only 20,000 people is famous for its cathedral of Santa Maria de Grottaferrata, or as it is also called the abbey of St. Nile. It is the only continuously existing Byzantine rite cathedral in Italy, founded in 1004.

Only the closest friends and relatives of Massimo and Paola were invited to the ceremony, which created a very intimate atmosphere. Everyone felt part of the great mystery of creating a new family. Nothing violated this idyll, and only the priest's calm voice, accompanied by quiet live music, rang through the hall.

One of the most common Italian wedding traditions is showering newlyweds with rice right at the exit from the church. In accordance with the old adage “where there is rice, there is abundance”, guests throw pre-prepared rice at the newlyweds, wishing them love, prosperity and wealth. The Italians even have a joke about this: “If we, Italians, throw rice at the bride and groom during the wedding, then what do the Chinese throw? Pasta?"

So, after the traditional sowing of newlyweds with rice, we decided to take a few shots in the alleys near the church, surrounded by beautiful vineyards. Photos turned out to be very gentle and bright. Paola was incomparable: elegant, sensual, feminine. True Italian.

Castell Gandolfo

Further celebration was planned in the small town of Castel Gandolfo, located on the Albanian hills above Lake Albano. This lake of volcanic origin is known not only for its stunning scenery, but also because it is a historic resort of the pope. Instead of the stony and stuffy Vatican, many pontiffs of the Catholic Church preferred to relax here in a summer residence, built in the 18th century especially for Pope Urban VIII.

In the end, we got to the lake, where, thanks to the soft October sun, I took some beautiful and warm photographs of Massimo and Paola.

Then, of course, we went for a walk around the historic center of Castel Gandolfo. Cozy narrow streets led us to the main square, where an incredible fairytale atmosphere reigned.

The celebration continued in a restaurant near the lake, where everyone could enjoy local dishes, try red and white wines from barrels stored in the old cellars of the restaurant. There we held another small photo shoot. By the way, Castelli Romani is also famous for its wines, because it is one of the largest wine-growing regions of Italy. Local craftsmen passed the tradition from generation to generation, dating back to ancient times. The wine festival is celebrated here every year.

These are good days spent in beautiful places in the company of positive and open people, make me love my work more and more! No, I won’t exchange her for anything. ”

  • Photographer Gianfranco Catullo specifically for Italy4.me
  • Photographer Gianfranco Catullo Official Website www.gianfrancocatullo.com

Watch the video: Gian Paolo & Tiziana wedding (November 2024).

Popular Posts

Category Wedding in Italy, Next Article

Bari Airport in Italy: how to get from the airport to your hotel
Regions of Italy

Bari Airport in Italy: how to get from the airport to your hotel

Karol Wojtyla International Airport (or Palese Airport) is located 8–9 km northwest of the Italian city of Bari. Unfortunately, there are no regular direct flights from Russia and Ukraine to Bari Airport. Nevertheless, if you are an avid traveler, it is likely that you will end up here sooner or later, because the air harbor is respected by the European low-cost airlines.
Read More
Taormina beaches with views of Etna
Regions of Italy

Taormina beaches with views of Etna

Taormina is a picturesque Mediterranean city on the east coast of Sicily, located right on the slope of Mount Monte Tauro. This resort place attracts tourists with stunning surrounding landscapes, proximity to the famous volcano Etna, ancient architectural monuments, excellent Italian restaurants, bars, night clubs, fashionable hotels.
Read More
Salerno in Italy: how to get, what to see
Regions of Italy

Salerno in Italy: how to get, what to see

Salerno is a port city on the Tyrrhenian Sea, another large and famous pearl of the Amalfi coast of Italy. It is famous for its medieval streets and cathedrals, beautiful parks, ancient aqueducts and sandy beaches. Salerno has a vacation for every taste and, unlike its neighbor who came off the Positano postcard, Salerno seems more alive.
Read More
Russian guide to Sicily: review of the Light from Palermo
Regions of Italy

Russian guide to Sicily: review of the Light from Palermo

I do not want to lie and write that we are personally acquainted with Sveta, a guide to Sicily from Palermo. That she conducted a city tour for me, so good that she decided to write a review about her on BlogoItaliano. Not. It was not so. Not at all like that. Neither this nor last summer I went to Sicily. But this acquaintance left such a strong impression that I wanted to devote a separate article to it.
Read More