Jo & Dan (Part 1)
Captivated by the relatively undiscovered region of Puglia, Londoners Jo and Dan instinctively knew Italy’s “heal” would be the perfect location for their destination wedding. Their guests’ experience was central to their planning, so together with their wedding planner Anna from In the Mood for Love, (and stylist of their pre-wedding session) they put together an intimate celebration with a relaxed party vibe!
Jo and Dan have very kindly shared details of their wedding in Puglia and the decisions they made leading up to it. In Part 1 of the couples wedding story, we find out why they chose to get married abroad and importantly why they chose a destination wedding in Puglia. We learn how their day unfolded and the couple provide great advice for those thinking of getting married in Italy. But first get swept away in the stunning images of Jo and Dan’s wedding in Puglia, captured by the talented Francesco Gravina.
From: United Kingdom
Nearest Airport: Bari Airport / Brindisi Airport
Number of Guests: 70
We Got Married Abroad Because…
We didn’t want a traditional British wedding and wanted something intimate with close friends and family.
Why We Chose Our Location…
We chose to have a wedding in Puglia because we had travelled through the region when we first got together and loved the rural landscape, delicious cuisine and friendly people.
Our Wedding Day Vision…
We didn’t want anything too extravagant, we wanted a small outdoor celebration that featured good music, food and fun that would be enjoyed by everyone!
Our Most Important Piece of Advice…
Make sure you leave enough time to get all the civic documents sorted as it can be an incredibly slow admin experience both at home and abroad.
Extra Activities…
Welcome drinks in a local bar – a great way to say hello to everyone and kick off the celebrations ahead of the wedding day. It also provided a good opportunity for strangers to break the ice.
Lead up to our Wedding in Puglia…
Leading up to the wedding in Puglia it was really important for us to allow for a week to be out there ahead of the wedding day to complete all last minute errands and tasks. Anna, our wedding planner was great at helping us get everything prepared and coordinating these final elements. She stayed with us at the house which enabled her to direct efficiently and sort out any last minute problems.
The Order of Events on the Day…
2:30pm – Guests arrive at chapel
3pm – 4pm – Ceremony
4pm – 4:30pm – Guests return to Masseria Angiulli
4:30pm – Aperitivo
4:30pm – 5:30pm – Jo & Dan photos
5:30pm – 7:30pm – Antipasti – food stalls
7:30pm – 10pm – Sit down meal
10pm onwards – Evening party
Our Wedding Ceremony…
We had a Catholic wedding in a multi-denominational chapel on the estate. Due to the fact foreigners can not get married civilly at a Catholic ceremony we held the civil ceremony with family earlier on in the week in the Town Hall.
We had a family priest conduct the religious service in the chapel which made it special as he had married Dan’s parents.
The religious ceremony kicked off at 3pm. We originally wanted to have it start earlier but in this part of Italy they tend to opt for either a morning wedding or an evening wedding – this time was a compromise for us but worked out great as it was cooler in the afternoon.
Although the ceremony followed tradition we selected our own music based on songs that were important to us.
At the end of the wedding it is tradition to throw rice rather than confetti in Italy – but beware of children as we ended up covered in it!
PART 2
Don’t miss Part 2 of Jo and Dan’s wedding in Puglia. The couple take us through the rest of their wedding day, starting with details of their reception venue and of course this is all accompanied by the wonderful imaginary of Francesco Gravina. If you missed the couples pre-wedding session in Puglia you can see it here.
In the Mood for Love specialise in the design, logistics and creation of fabulous weddings in Puglia, an undiscovered region of Italy. They offer a unique experience for you and your guests. Not only a well organised event but something that combines the Puglia feeling and traditions with your tastes and desires.I would like to thank Jo and Dan for sharing their day with us. I believe that real wedding stories are a great source of information, not only for their gorgeous inspiration but for all you can learn from the “real experiences” of past destination wedding couples. Indeed, this was the premise on which Weddings Abroad Guide was founded…to provide real information, by real couples!
See more Italy Real Weddings
Learn more about having a Destination Wedding in Italy
Tips & Advice for planning a Wedding in Italy
The Perfect Partners
Wedding Planner – Anna from In the Mood for Love // Wedding Photographer: Francesco Gravina // 2nd Photogrpaher: Yulia Longo 3rd photographer: Gianni Naraccio // Ceremony Venue: Santuario Madonna della Mutata, Grottaglie // Reception Venue: Masseria Angiulli Piccolo // Caterers: Il Fagiano // Bridal Dress: Cymbeline // Brides Shoes: Reused from being a bridesmaid // Grooms Attire: Reiss suit, M&S tie, Dune shoes // Bridesmaids Dresses: BHS // Hairstylist: Marielena Panarelli for Jamila // Make-up: Jo’s sister – both attended MAC wedding makeup course // Ceremony Musicians: Pre-prepared CD // Wedding Band: Apulia Dixieland band for cocktail hour in the afternoon // Wedding DJ: Mr Frank Dj for party after dinner // Flowers: La Primula Fioreria // Wedding Stationery: Invites – Postcards of Puglia – Table setting painted by Jo’s mum // Bridesmaids presents: LEILAjewelryshop on Etsy // Olive Oil bottles Bottle Company South
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