How To Elope In Italy!
- fcavalcantiphoto
- Nov 28, 2025
- 5 min read
Updated: Dec 22, 2025
Wondering how to elope in Italy and don't know where to begin with? Search no more! I’ve been helping couples to tie the knot for 8 years and now I'm going to share with you some valuable information on how to organize your elopement from beginning to end. So, If you plan to elope in Italy come with me and enjoy the read!
First things first, let's understand what an elopement means and which are its main characteristics that make this kind of celebration so unique and personal.
An elopement is an intimate and small ceremony between only the couple, no invitees and normally in a scenic place. The traditional definition of to elope it is literally to run away to get marry without parent consent. The modern concept it is understood to be a low-stress celebration and more personalised ceremony focusing mainly on the bride and groom as an alternative to the long and traditional wedding preparation. Also an elopement can be more budget friendly.
Now that you understood the meaning and main differences between an elopement and a wedding is time to start planning!
Step 01 - Dream and scheme!
The very first thing to do is put on a piece of paper where you always dreamed to say yes and gather some examples and inspirations of those possible places. In Italy there are breathtaking scenarios for all kind of elopements - from mountains to lakes - just waiting for you and your beloved one! It can be challenging as sudddenly you might see yourself with more options than you expected making the decision process harder. An advice, stick to what you really like and goes towards your style and vibe. After a while, that place that kept coming back to you is going to be the one. Trust your heart! The most amazing thing on organising an elopement is that you don't really need to follow any rules you can tailor it according to your personality and taste and it will be absolutely magical and exclusive!
Step 02 - Choose the day and the season!
After had chosen the location, the next thing to do is set a day and season. In Italy the wedding/elopement season starts in April and finishes in September with a couple of ceremonies happening in October. If you're going to elope outdoors, the weather is a factor that must be considered as during Summer - from June to August - temperatures and the probability of rain are higher than in other seasons. Although it can varies a lot from one region to another. It is just a matter of taste and what you're looking for your celebration. I found simply breathtaking an elopement during Winter, for example, in the Dolomites. So do not be afraid of getting out of the box! It is your elopement after all! And unless you decide going for something really unique - but also very common among my couples - which is going to an open and free sightseeing in Val D'Orcia and do the ceremony yourselves, you must keep in mind the availability of the potencial places you've put aside.
Step 03 - Tailor according to your needs!
So, you've decided for the location, day and season the next step is one my favorites: tailor the elopement as you wish! This means decide for each detail from the beginning to end: having a MUA or not, hire an officiant or not, doing it at the sunrise or sunset and so it goes. All those are for you both to think about it and decide! There are no right and wrong here, just two people and a dream to be lived in full. I had all kinds of elopements so far and all of them were special in their own way. I had couples who had chosen to get married in a beautiful Tuscan landscape during sunset with the bride getting ready all by herself (simply magical, poetic and intimate); and I had couples who preferred to do exactly the opposite! Either way I'll be more than glad to go through all the details with you and help you tailor your elopement! Just send me a message here!
Step 04 - Hiring a Wedding Planner!
"Should I have a Wedding Planner to help me organising my elopement?" Well, if you're going simple - just the two of you in the middle of nature, for example - I'd say no. Otherwise, yes. It can be a problem once you're not in Italy to visit places and speak to vendors becomes a problem since having answers sometimes can take longer than you expected. If you wish to book a place, hire a MUA, a violonist and/or a officiant you definetly should have a Wedding Planner to help you manage all the events of the day. I have worked with some incredible professionals and It will be a pleasure to present them to you!
Step 05 - Set the budget and adapt!
Now that you have designed your elopement it's time to put in practice and understand what and how can be done. To be honest, knowing how much you will invest on realising your dream is the very first step as before brainstorming you both already knew it. That's why you've chosen to elope in a certain way instead of another. It turns out - and most of time - the budget set at the beginning is easily underestimated. So during the process of booking vendors and places or just choosing to elope in Italy you might find yourself choosing one thing over another. And this is definitely not ok. My advice is very simple: set a list of priorities and stick to it no matter what! Ask yourself: "what it is actually important for me on my elopement day?" The answer will guide you to the best decision. Speaking for myself, I can't imagine getting married and not having photographs that will allow me to come back to that day even after years had passed. So I will choose hiring the photographer of my dreams over other things, no matter the cost.
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