Why Italy? From a Photographer who’s lived there.

Why Italy? From a Photographer Who's Lived There

People ask me this a lot: out of everywhere in the world, why Italy? And the honest answer is that I didn't choose Italy so much as it chose me. I lived there years ago, studying abroad in Rome, and I've been finding my way back ever since. What started as a year studying there turned into a lifelong pull toward this country, and eventually, into one of my main elopement destinations.

If you're on the fence about a destination wedding or elopement, or you already have a feeling Italy might be calling your name, here's why I think it's one of the most beautiful places on earth to start a marriage.

Rome

Rome was where it all started for me. There's something about this city that gets under your skin: the layers of history stacked on top of each other, the way ordinary streets suddenly open up into something ancient and breathtaking, the golden light that hits the buildings in the early evening. It's chaotic and romantic in equal measure, and somehow that combination works.

And if you think Rome only has big city vibes to offer, think again. On my last visit there, I was able to tour Villa Livia a few miles outside of the city center. Located on the ancient Appian Way, you truly feel like you stepped back in time and might run into Caesar on your way into the Villa. With multiple ceremony locations, gorgeous interiors with antique furniture and painted ceilings, there isn’t one corner of Villa Livia that you wouldn’t want to use on your wedding day. See some of my photos below, or visit their Instagram for more!

Whether you choose a location in the middle of the wonderfully chaotic city or opt for a quiet and private villa outside of the city center, Rome offers backdrops that feel like nowhere else. Crumbling ruins, quiet cobblestone alleyways, grand piazzas, and golden hour light that photographers spend their whole careers chasing. 

The Amalfi Coast

If Rome is where I fell in love with Italy, the Amalfi Coast is where that love turned into obsession. Sorrento, Positano, Amalfi itself, each town clings to the cliffs in a way that feels almost impossible, with the sea stretched out below in every shade of blue.

In April, I arrived at the dock in Positano one morning to shoot an elopement at Villa Magia (at the top of the town). I had about 25 minutes to walk from the dock to the hotel, and Google maps made it seem completely doable in 15 minutes… Maybe if you’re an Olympian in prime shape. Not only did I have to climb more stairs than I’ve ever seen, I had my camera backpack with over 30 pounds of gear, and my carry-on suitcase with me. I actually thought I was going to pass out at multiple points, and my heart has never pounded harder. But throughout that whole trek to the top, I couldn’t stop pausing to take pictures and admire the view around me. In the end, I made it on time (out of breath), and couldn’t believe that everyone doesn’t choose Positano for their elopement. Re-live the climb with me here.

This is the Italy people picture when they dream about eloping abroad: lemon trees, pastel buildings, boats bobbing in the harbor, and views that make you stop mid-sentence. It's dramatic, it's romantic, and it photographs like nowhere else.

Sicily

Sicily is where I got to bring my elopement work full circle. I shot an elopement in Taormina, a hilltop town overlooking the sea, and it confirmed everything I already believed about this island: it's wilder, quieter, and somehow even more romantic than the rest of Italy.

For the elopement, I stayed at a hilltop villa with sweeping views of the sea, ate more granita than I'll ever admit to, and watched a local band turn their cocktail hour into an impromptu party none of us wanted to end. It's still one of my favorite weddings I've ever shot. You can read the full story here and find out about the magic Taormina has to offer.

Sicily offers something a little different than the mainland. Cliffside views, ancient ruins, quiet villages that feel untouched by time, and a slower pace that makes an elopement here feel like its own kind of escape.

Tuscany

Tuscany is the Italy of rolling hills, vineyards, and golden countryside light. It's the kind of landscape that barely needs styling; you point a camera at a Tuscan hillside at sunset and it already looks like a painting.

For couples who want their day to feel timeless and romantic without needing a coastline, Tuscany delivers that in a way few places can.

Lake Como

Lake Como is elegance, plain and simple. Still water, dramatic mountains, villas that look like they belong in another century. It's a favorite for a reason, and it earns every bit of its reputation.

I visited in the dead of winter, which meant a quieter, almost sleepy version of Como; beautiful in its own way, but not exactly wedding weather. If you're picturing Lake Como for your own day, think spring through early fall instead, when the villas are in full bloom and you can actually sit outside without needing a coat. Even in the off-season though, it was easy to see why this place has been pulling in romantics for centuries.

Venice

Venice is unlike anywhere else in the world, and that's exactly what makes it so special for a wedding or elopement. Canals instead of streets, centuries-old architecture reflected in the water, and a kind of quiet romance that only exists here.

Venice is a maze, and I mean that in the best way possible. Every single time I visit, I get lost, no map, no plan, just wandering wherever the next narrow alley or bridge takes me. And every time, that's exactly how I stumble onto the best parts: a tiny restaurant with no sign, a quiet canal with nobody else around, something I never would have found if I'd actually known where I was going. Getting lost in Venice isn't a problem to solve. It's kind of the whole point. And honestly, I can't imagine a more romantic place to get a little lost with your person on your elopement day.

So, Why Italy?

Rome, the Amalfi Coast, Sicily, Tuscany, Lake Como, and Venice barely scratch the surface. Italy has so many more regions I haven't even touched on yet: the dramatic peaks of the Dolomites, the colorful cliffside villages of Cinque Terre, the art and architecture of Florence, the sun-baked coastline of Puglia, the wild beaches of Sardinia, and the quiet countryside of Umbria, just to name a few. Every region has its own personality, and I'm always adding new ones to my list of places I'd love to shoot.

But what ties it all together is something harder to put into words: a feeling. Italy has this way of making everything feel more romantic, more significant, more like a story worth telling.

If you've been dreaming about eloping or getting married somewhere far from home, somewhere with history in every corner and light that photographs like nothing else, consider this your sign.

I'd love to help you plan it, from the logistics to the moments in between. I'm also becoming fluent in Italian, so I can help bridge the gap with local vendors and make navigating an elopement here feel that much easier. In the end, you'll come home with a set of photos that hold everything this country made you feel.