Weddings in Italy  - Testimonials

Dear Slowdreams
 
I just wanted to say a huge thank you to all the slowdreams team for helping us have the most magical wedding in Maratea.  We have many fond memories of our perfect day and even now several months later,  people still say it was the best wedding they have ever been too!
 
From the start, Janie was a great help with booking all the services such as flowers, photography, room bookings  etc as well as giving us lots of useful information on the area and helping us out with all the necessary paperwork. She was always very quick to come back on every query and nothing was too much to ask. Thank you for helping the lead up to the wedding run so smoothly. 

Lucia was also wonderful, everybody loved her! She actually introduced us to the venue, Hotel San Diego,  when we visited as it had not been on our original list and we fell in love with it as soon as we saw it. Her help on the day in the church and also with hair and make up translations and restaurant recommendations etc was invaluable, thank you.
 
The church itself, San Biagio on top of the mountain was out of this world. Most certainly one of  the highlights of the wedding!! The views were breathtaking and the church so quaint. The priest was absolutely lovely and we were so pleased he conducted our ceremony, it was beautiful, please pass on our  special  thanks to him.

The hair and make up artists did a great job, I was especially delighted with my hair. Obviously I was apprehensive as I only had a trial the day before the wedding but it all turned out  beautifully.  The photographers, Luigi and Silvia were fantastic, we love  the photos and the video and will cherish them forever.
 
Finally , we would also like to say a special thanks to Hotel San Diego. When we were  booking this venue  we were  surprised at how few  testimonials mentioned it. It was the most beautiful location and very good value in comparison to other venues. Fabio and Francesca went out of their way to help the wedding party, and even the language barrier didn't put them off !  

We have very fond  memories of our wonderful wedding in Maratea and thank the slowdreams team and all those involved for their part in that. We very much look forward to returning to Maratea in the future.
 
Thanks again
 
Jess and Adriel Farrell

Hi Janie

Our wedding day was the best day of our lives, Lucia was brilliant she was so helpful and so calm.

The area of Castellabate was beautiful and so picturesque. It was allot more beautiful than I imagined. 

The hotel was beautiful to I would definitely revisit. The staff would bend over backwards for us and was so helpful, the head waiter there was so helpful and helped organise the reception. 

Thank you so much to you and Bill for all the planning we got exactly what we asked for and more and Lucia was brilliant we couldn't have asked for anything more from her.  We will definitely return to the area and would love to meet Lucia again.

I cannot wait to see the pictures.

I would definitely recommend your company and the area to friends and family. 

Thank you again 

Jade and lee (Mr and Mrs Palmer) 

Hi everyone
 
Hope this email finds you all well, no doubt you are in the full swing of wedding season now and full of busy. We have been back in Australia for a week and have just about adjusted back to the work routine, it has been made all the more easy as we are still buzzing from a fantastic holiday and in particular a great time and wedding in Sapri, we'd like to take this opportunity to thank you all for your hard work in organizing a day that we will never forget.  We have spoken to everyone who was in Sapri and without exception they have all said what a great trip they had and also how impressed they were with the wedding which we are obviously really pleased about.
 
As you know we first approached Slow Dreams on 2009 and met Lucia at a couple of places including the Lido in August of that year, although we were only in Sapri for a few hours Lucia quickly got to grips with the sort of wedding we were looking for and also the need for wheelchair access for Nick. The fact that Lucia tuned into our ideas so quickly was a huge help as it saved us a lot of time looking at unsuitable venues and sure enough when we were shown around the Lido with Lucia's description of how the day could pan out it ticked most if not all of the boxes.  We looked at a couple of other venues with other wedding planners on the trip some of which were very nice and we gave serious consideration to them when we returned to the UK, however after a few email conversations we decided that Sapri and the Lido was the place for us, for many reasons including Lucia's approach, the accommodation available, competitive pricing but also because of Bill's professional and patient approach when answering the multitude of questions that we sent his way. Our emails to Bill always received a swift response and questions were answered in full which was very helpul when we were weighing up the pros's and con's.
 
Once we moved to Australia we were a bit concerned that it may be harder to organize the details of the wedding day but once we were in touch with Janie it became clear that we had nothing to worry about! As well as (again) being very patient and working through our various plans/concerns Janie made us feel very confident that the day would work out as we hoped with her professional but enthusiastic approach. We felt we made quite a lot of changes to our plans whether it was Nick's arrangements, the wedding meal, numbers etc but Janie stayed consistent in her helpfulness and no doubt with assistance from Lucia and Bill, worked through any problems we had. One comment we have had from anyone who booked accommodation in Sapri through Janie is how helpful and professional she is, and we can second that.
 
When we finally arrived in Sapri for the week before the wedding we were blown away with the Hotel Pisacane and with Sapri itself, having only been there a short time two years earlier we very pleasantly surprised that the hotel and town seemed much better than we remembered it. Probably because we looked around Sapri mid afternoon when there wasn't much going on we hadn't appreciated what a lovely place it is in the evening and first thing in the morning. We also thought the Lido was fantastic, the new sides look great and other improvements all add up to make a special venue, and it was great to receive such as warm welcome from Lucia there the evening we arrived!  The following day when we met Lucia at the Lido to go through plans for the wedding day was great, there was little Lucia hadn't thought of and her level of organisation made us fell everything was in hand, as you can imagine having anticipated being in Sapri and the Lido for so long we were fairly pumped for the occasion so it was good to have in Lucia a sense of measured excitement that meant we could relax and enjoy the time we had there. Lucia really went above and beyond, we had several things still to fine tune, mainly with Nicks travel arrangements, there was a impending ash cloud that was threatening to leave more than half of the wedding party stranded in the UK and at times it felt quite stressful. Fortunately Lucia took everything in her stride, not least the booking and re booking of Nicks train from Rome to Sapri and back at the Sapri train station which required several visits on her part and much interpretation. We got there in the end though and as it turned out his trip went without a hitch, we may not have been able to make that happen without Lucia's help.
 
Regarding Nicks trip, he had a fantastic time. The Hotel Tirreno was great, we were given the choice of several rooms and once he and Helen were checked in we didn't have any worries at all. The Lido was also great with Nick, he loved it there and even if he wasn't actually eating or drinking there the staff were very considerate in letting him use the bathroom as some other places in town weren't accessible so please pass on our thanks for that.
 
The big day itself came around and we all walked around to the town hall with Lucia where the ceremony with the deputy Mayor took place. This was a lovely occasion with just close family, we were naturally excited, a feeling which seemed to be shared by Lucia despite probably having done it dozens of times. This was something that we noticed throughout our time in Sapri, even if it was work and at times a bit of a chore Lucia was always sharing in our excitement which just made the occasion even more special. We know Lucia had other weddings to attend to that week and was approaching a very busy time but we never felt she had somewhere else to be.  After the morning ceremony the two of us had a walk around town and had a coffee before heading back to the Pisacane to get ready, it was around this time the beautiful weather gave way to rain, thunder and lightening of epic proportions. One clap of thunder was so loud outside our room that everyone in there jumped a foot! The rain was interspersed with spells of sunshine but as 5:00pm came around the rain looked a little more set in and sure enough the decision was made to have the ceremony inside. Naturally Lucia handled this fairly major rearrangement with 15 minutes to go very professionally and plenty of people mucked in to move speakers etc. The set up of the Lido was fantastic, the tables looked great as did all of the flowers that were so fresh and just as we had imagined. Lucia made sure candles were lit and when the rain eventually stopped made sure there were some lit on the walkway to the beach.  We would of course have preferred the weather to be lovely and sunny but it wasn't to be and we weren't worried, in fact the rain and thunder was so intense it made for a fairly dramatic atmosphere and a heightened sense of occasion on our part, it certainly didn't get in the way of everyone having a good time!
 
The ceremony at the Lido was really nice, again everyone commented on the quality of the food, in particular the seafood was very good. All of the staff at the Lido were very attentive and along with Lucia made sure that we all had drinks etc when we needed them. All through the evening Lucia was checking with us to make sure everything was going ok which was very reassuring. After the meal as the night wore on the bar staff were great and very tolerent of everyones drunken state, particulary when some guests wanted a go at serving drinks! We were there 'til a lot later than planned, the time flew but no one was there tapping watches which was great, in fact after the Lido the bar staff (sorry we can't remember names) came and had a few drinks with us over the road which was good. We got to bed about 6, fair to say a good night was had by all!
 
The next day those that were capable went on a great boat trip with Mario, again thanks for the heads up Lucia, he showed us some places of interest before we stopped for a swim which helped clear our heads. And on Saturday most people went their separate ways, we drove up to Pisa over a few days and then took the train to Nice where we hired a car and drove to a Gite about an hour away in the middle of nowhere apart from a small village where we spent a week relaxing.  Quite a few people who were at the wedding are already planning a return trip to Sapri, some for a short break and others for a longer stay so that they can explore the area, we will certainly be back as of course Sapri is now a special place for us but also because its a great place to stay and we would really like to explore the area as well.
 
We mustn't forget to mention Dominique, hope that is the correct spelling, and the other guys at the hotel Pisacane, please pass on our thanks to them for making our stay so enjoyable, they were always very attentive and helpful when we needed anything and again helped make out trip feel very special, in fact everyone who stayed at each of the three hotels said the staff and stay in general were great. Also please thank the wonderful hairdresser too, she was fabulous and had no worries doing people's hair on the day when it wasn't pre arranged, she was so lovely and although she didn't speak english and our Italian being a bit rubbish haha we understood each other brilliantly, she was excellent.
 
Thanks again for helping to make our wedding very special, you make a great team and if we hear of anyone thinking of a wedding in Italy we will certainly recommend you. We are waiting for our photos from Sarah, we will send you some of those on asap, and Lucia, maybe catch you at the Lido in Sapri sometime!  
 
Many thanks
Dan & Janna aka Mr & Mrs Stephenson xxxx
 

27th May 2011
Staying at The Gabbiano Hotel
Wedding at The Santavenere Hotel
 
Where where do you start?! We have returned from two weeks of the most fabulous wedding and holiday we could have ever dreamed of  - thanks to Slow Dreams.
So the beginning - we trawled the internet looking for wedding venues all over the world when we came upon Slow Dreams. We were very impressed with their set up we decided to go one step further and arrange a short break touring the west coast of Italy and meet with their representative, Lucia, to check out the hotels they were offering for weddings.
Eighteen months ago we met Lucia in the port of Maratea and already enjoying the location she drove us round the area to show us the hotels - we were not disappointed!  Each one has there own individual attraction and in stunning locations to meet individual needs.  Lucia is an encyclopedia of information on these hotels and the area and we found ourselves not having any questions at all to ask! During this guided tour we were taken to the Santavenere Hotel - luxury an understatement!  We had seen this hotel on the Slow Dreams website and had thought it was out of our price range BUT the good news - you can actually stay elsewhere and have your wedding at the Santavenere (and stay for your wedding night) PERFECT for those on a budget! 
We decided on the Gabbiano as our base due to the beautiful location on the beach and very reasonable price. At the end of our informative tour we said our goodbyes to Lucia and left totally in love with the area.  Just to say at this point, which was the start of Lucia's helpfulness and kindness, our car key snapped in our ignition on leaving and we were stuck! Lucia to the rescue - mechanic who she knew was called (at siesta time too!) who came without hesitation and sorted us out - incredible!
On returning to England we had no hesitation whatsoever in getting in touch with Slow Dreams to book our wedding.  This is quite a scary step putting your whole wedding into someone else's hands in America however do not worry because we can assure you everything is dealt with to perfection.  Janie and Bill are with you every step of the way - everything is clearly explained and any questions are answered within 24 hours, even at weekends!  There is so much you think of trying to make sure the day is going to be perfect but a quick email to Janie and you have no worries!  We found with Slow Dreams that no matter how many times you email them a friendly response comes back! Menus, flowers, music etc. all arranged so easily.  We were taking family and friends with us which is nerve racking organising their holiday too but again this was easily dealt with on an emailed spreadsheet showing their names, accommodation and amounts due at what time.
By the time May 2011 all preparations made, paperwork done and time to relax?  Yes would you believe we could - we had total faith and trust in Slow Dreams and with Lucia in Italy to arrange our Day from all our dealings with them over the past 18 months.
We arrived with family and friends five days before our wedding day at the lovely Gabbiano Hotel and all our party adored the beauty of the location and the hotel itself - good start!
This continued throughout our half board stay at the Gabbiano with helpful, friendly staff, excellent food, very clean and great pool and beach areas.
Lucia arranged to meet with us the day after we arrived and it was wonderful to see her again!  Her expertise and organisation proved perfect yet again as we were taken to meet with our photographer to chat about what pictures we would like and also the Santavenere to go over the final details on how our wedding would pan out. 
So the Day arrived and I was rather nervous - just wedding jitters - I knew Lucia would have everything else in hand!  Of course she did from our appointment at the Town Hall, conducted by a lovely Mayor, to coming to bring my flowers to our room at the Santavenere and giving me the nod that everyone had arrived and we were ready!
The whole day ran to perfection - a beautiful service in the most stunning location on the veranda with the mountains and sea in the background.  Lucia translated the service so clearly and it was wonderful having the service in both Italian and English.  We celebrated with some bubbly before our photographer took us into the town of Maratea to take more pictures.  This was an incredible experience, walking through the town and being greeted with cheers and car horns by the residents of Maratea who are so warmhearted.  We had fabulous pictures taken around the centre and then back to the Santavenere for the party to begin!
The meal was without question the most incredible food we have ever eaten and we finished off with a Tiramisu Weddiing Cake - THE BEST!  We danced the night away and even our 87 year old Nanna was reluctant to leave!  The Santavenere is without question the most beautiful hotel.   Our family and friends were speechless on how we found such an amazing place - one answer - Slow Dreams!
We continued our stay at the Gabbiano for a further week and had a lovely relaxing time, meeting up again with Lucia before we left.  We could not thank her enough for everything she did for us - we could call for help at any time.  Lucia goes a step further than just organising your wedding, she is your friend.  When we wanted a recommendation for a restaurant in Maratea for our final night, within five minutes a call was made and table booked!  We could not have asked for more.  I felt very sad saying goodbye to Lucia and gave her a small bunch of flowers as a token of thanks - I wish I could have bought her a whole florist because that is what she deserves. 
So we are back home happily married with the beautiful memories of our Wedding.  All our guests are still talking about their stay and the day - one saying it was the best wedding he had ever been to!  We think so too of course and all this could not have been done without Bill, Janie and our Wonder Woman Lucia!
Our huge THANKS and best wishes to Slow Dreams and for those who are looking for the perfect wedding organised for you and in the most beautiful part of Italy -
LOOK NO FURTHER :-)
 
Paul & Caroline Gerrard
 
PS: If you would like to contact me for any questions regarding dealing with Slow Dreams please do not hesitate to contact me.
EMAIL - caroline.gerrard@hotmail.co.uk
 

Hi Bill, Janie & Lucia,

Sorry for delay in getting back to you.  I have put in a few photos that I think show off the place well :-))

Wedding at Hotel San Diego 30th June 2011.

We would like to say a huge thank you to all three of you for your help with our wedding.   We were very happy with the whole thing.   I was nervous going over, never having been to this area of Italy and not having met you.   But the minute I met Lucia I knew it would be fine.   The day was so easy for us, and the help she gave to us and our guests for the duration of the stay was excellent and greatly appreciated.

The area is absolutely gorgeous and the people are very friendly and helpful.  We had some great nights out in other local restaurants including Lucia's family restaurant which was excellent.

The views from the hotel are fantastic and the ceremony and seating areas were just perfect.

We had our 7 year old daughter with us, and many of our guests were children, they all had a great time, and the lay out of the hotel's pool area, playground and gardens were ideal for them.   Would highly recommend this hotel for children.

Using Slow Dreams took the stress out of the wedding, they made the whole thing very easy.  We only decided to get married in March and everything was sorted with out a problem in that time.

Thanks for everything,

 John, Georgina & Emma.

Dear Lucia, Janie & Bill,

Thank you all so much for all of your help in organising our wedding day,  It was completely perfect.  

Our wedding day started perfectly, from the hotel Pisacane to the beautiful little church in Sapri, the priest who married us, Don Enzo couldn't have been more welcoming, he made the ceremony even more special than it already was.  All of the places and little details that Lucia suggested turned out to be perfect, the flowers, hairdresser etc, we really didn't have to do anything ourselves once we decided on our venues.  The lunch in the lido was perfect, the food was amazing and the setting just right for a very chilled out afternoon looking out at the sea after our wedding.  The evening reception at Santavenere was beyond our wildest dreams, you have to see it to believe it.  All of the staff we met along the way were exceptional, we are still talking about it a month later and there really is not one thing we would have changed.

For the staff at slow dreams, you could not have been more helpful, every little question along the way was answered immediately, for any couple choosing to get married in Italy I would strongly recommend using Slow Dreams, the service was 100% and the locations were breathtaking.  Our guests are still talking about Lucia and Janie and how helpful and friendly they were, you really went above and beyond for all of us, Lucia shopping for baby formula a week before the wedding for my sisters baby for example!

We wish you all the best in the future and hope you get to make lots of more couples dreams come true.

Yours sincerely,

Hi guys,

sorry that this has taken so long, we have been so busy and wanted to make sure that we got it right for you!

Many thanks to Bill Janie and Lucia for helping us to create our perfect wedding.

We enquired with quite a few companies but found no others compared to the service offered by Bill, Janie and Lucia. 

What impressed us so much was how quickly all our inquiries were dealt with. No matter how many questions we asked they were always answered within a couple of hours!

We were guided through everything, from the best ways to get to the venue to where to go afterwards! 

Bill and Janie are extremely organised and professional and make the whole process as straightforward as possible.  

When we arrived at our venue the albergo Vicino we couldn't believe how perfect it was! The hotel owners were absolutely fantastic and we cannot praise them enough. It was an unforgettable wedding venue and getting married on a cliff top terrace overlooking the sea is absolutely priceless. The hotel was fully occupied with our guests which added to the feeling of exclusivity. Lea who owned the venue decorated the terrace for the wedding absolutely beautifully with Lucia's help. 

We cannot praise Lucia enough, every last detail was perfect, she even helped lace up my dress when my mum was too nervous!

I would without doubt recommend slow dreams to anyone who was looking for wedding planners in Italy and the venue is somewhere where we hope to visit year after year.

Our wedding went without a single hitch, everything succeeded our expectations and we couldn't be happier so thank you to the whole team!