Bella Sposa are British wedding and travel planners based in the beautiful and charming town of Sorrento. We want to show you the most recent wedding they have planned.
The Couple
Dean and I met in June 2010 when we began working together as police officers in London.
We got engaged in Mexico in October 2012, and I immediately jumped into planning a big English wedding. However, following lots of late-night conversations, we finally decided that we wanted to do something different and more low-key in terms of guest numbers.
The Location
Italy has always been my favourite country but Dean and I had never travelled there together. Following a conversation with my parents, my Mum began showing me some photos of the first ever holiday she had been on with my Dad. The photos of Sorrento and the Amalfi coast blew me away and luckily, Dean loved them as well.
The Planning Process
Getting married abroad is very daunting, so for me, having the perfect wedding planner was vital. We emailed several wedding planners, but Dean and I immediately connected with Cheryl. She was so intent on making our dream wedding happen. The fact that she is British was a positive thing for me because, as well as understanding the Italian wedding scene, she also knew that, as a British bride, there would probably be styles and traditions I would want to keep. Cheryl was interested and would be honest and open about the day and how it would work. She also gave me many ideas I would never have thought of.
We travelled to Sorrento to visit the venues Cheryl had recommended, and as soon as I saw them, I fell in love with them. They were exactly as she had described them and more!
Cheryl and I had played around with ideas for months on Pinterest, an app that allows you to search and share ideas on boards. I was so happy that Cheryl loved all my tastes, but she always managed to add a perfect final touch, elevating the original ideas.
For some brides, being so far away from their wedding venues may be hard, but for me, this fact made the wedding feel much more magical. Although I couldn’t just pop to the venue or the florist, that didn’t matter because having a wedding planner in the country meant this was all done for us!
Our big day!
On the morning of the wedding, Cheryl arrived at the hotel with a bottle of prosecco in hand. I had been feeling very nervous, but the moment she arrived, I felt calm and began to enjoy myself. She has this ability to calm a very stressful situation, and this is why she was crucial to the day and the whole planning process.
I decided to rent some classic Vespas for Dean and his best men to ride to the ceremony on. As soon as I told Cheryl about this, she shared my enthusiasm. Within days, she had found the perfect bikes and booked them for me at a great price.
The Ceremony
Our civil ceremony took place in the romantic medieval Cloisters of Saint Francis. This venue is so naturally beautiful that we did not want to do too much in terms of decoration. We added a white carpet, white chairs, and a touch of blush with soft pink flowers that stood in tall vases at the altar. Dean and I could write our vows and choose music that was special to us during the ceremony. They were played on a violin and mandolin, which heightened the magic of an Italian wedding.
The Reception
It was important that there were no pauses during our day and that our guests were well looked after. We also wanted to make the most of our day, so we had two reception venues! After our ceremony, we went to the five-star Grand Hotel La Favorita for Prosecco and Canapés. While our guests enjoyed the much-needed air conditioning, Dean and I had some fantastic photos in and around Sorrento’s historical centre. As we walked through the quirky back streets, the locals clapped, cheered and shouted: “Auguri” (All the best)! It was so magical!
Dean and I made our way via our Rolls Royce, and our guests took a minibus ride to Relais Blu, where we had three different locations during our reception. Situated right between Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast, this boutique hotel overlooks the famous island of Capri and is considered to be one of Italy’s top wedding locations!
I know everyone’s wedding is perfect, but Italy truly is the country of love and romance. I wouldn’t change a thing, and I couldn’t have done anything without Cheryl.
The Suppliers:
- Wedding Planner: Bella Sposa
- Photography: Alfonso Longobardi
- Reception Venue: Relais Blu
- Ceremony Venue: Cloisters of Saint Francis
- Post Ceremony: Hotel la Favorita
