Rachael & Lloyd got married on the 14th August 2017 in stunning Ravello, Italy. They had their Ceremony in a beautiful garden setting, and their Reception in a luxurious private villa.
Where did you both meet?
We met in Rio in Brazil in August 2010 when we were both traveling. Then Lloyd moved to London to live with me 6 months later (he’s from Cardiff)
Tell us about the Proposal?
Lloyd proposed to me the day we moved into the first house we bought together. We had no floors in our house yet, and he wrote ‘will you marry me?’ in marker pen up the stairs
Why did you choose Ravello as a wedding destination?
We picked Ravello because my Mum had been to the area and recommended it and the pictures looked lovely!
Did the venue meet your expectations?
The venue was beautiful and we were really happy with how it looked and how attentive the staff were on the day. The food & wine was particularly good and many people commented on how lovely the wine and food was!
What was most important to you both for your wedding day?
The music and the flowers were the most important thing about the day to us (and the atmosphere and keeping the guests happy of course)
Tell us about your theme?
The theme was romantic – I wore an Italian designed dress with lace and the bridesmaids had dusky pink lace dresses. The flowers were light pink roses and hydrangeas with lots of gypsophilia on the tables and in the bridesmaids hair.
Did you do anything special with your guests leading up to your wedding day?
We kept it quite casual with plans before the wedding, about 8 girls went on a boat trip to Positano the day before. There were 41 guests in total and we spent some time with our guests in Ravello around the square in different bars and restaurants on the days leading up to the wedding and afterwards. About 20 of us stayed in Villa Rosa in a few villas. Most the guests met in a pizzeria in Atrani the day after then stayed on the beach which was perfect. Nine of us went on a small private boat around Capri two days after the wedding and swam in he sea which was unforgettable! Me and Lloyd went to Rome then Venice on our honeymoon.
What was your favourite part of the day?
My favourite part of the day was listening to the live music with some wine before the wedding breakfast looking at the view from the private villa.
What advice would you give to other couples having a destination wedding?
I’d say the pre-wedding meeting is really helpful, and use Ionian Weddings timeline /to do list. In Ravello if i had done it again I would have stayed on the square (we stayed a few km away down the coast and it was difficult to get to the square). Wedding traditions in Italy are slightly different, so make sure if you want things like being announced into the wedding reception or having your first dance announced, to make your planner aware of this.
Getting married abroad is an amazing way to get lots of your family and friends together on a holiday – we made so many brilliant memories. In Ravello it’s easy to plan trips when your already there e.g. boats around the coast.