Wedding in the ancient city of Rome, ITALY
When in Rome, do as the Romans do…
The Ancient city of Rome
Rome (Latin and Italian: Roma) is a very special Italian city. It is located in the Lazio (Latium) region of central Italy on the Tiber (Tevere) river. Vatican City (the smallest country in the world) is an independent country inside the city boundaries of Rome, the only existing example of a country within a city. For this reason Rome has sometimes been defined as the capital of two states. It is the most popular tourist destination in Italy. Its historic centre is listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. Rome has the incalculable immensity of archaeological and artistic treasures.
Perhaps the most famous of all Roman myths explaining the earliest history of the city, is the story of Romulus and Remus, the twins who were suckled by a she-wolf, 753 BC. The Roman Empire had the greatest extent in 117 AD. The Roman Forum are the remains of those buildings that during most of Ancient Rome’s time represented the center of all the Roman civilization.
Rachel and Nick are fascinated by Rome… Their wedding was all of that ancient charm, but also much more. Much much more… It was the Rome wedding of amazing English couple with very deep bonds and a huge support of their fantastic friends and families. Incredible experience! There are so many special memories from their wedding in Rome, that I don’t know where to start…
The Colosseum
Nick was staying in the apartment near the Colosseum, so he and his best men could prepare for the wedding day. The Colloseum (70 – 80 AD) is one of the symbols of Rome, the largest amphitheatre ever built in the Roman Empire and still today the largest in the world. Originally capable of seating 60,000 spectators, it was used for gladiator shows and other public events (hunting shows, recreations of famous battles and dramas based on classical mythology).
When I came to the groom, there was the amazing gang of friendly tattooed men, joking and helping each-other for this incredible event. The weather was extremely hot, so the cold beer was really helpful to get through the day. Nick is a huge beer fan, he also produces his own beer.
Villa Laetitia
Rachel was preparing herself in the historical Roman Villa Laetitia. Villa Laetitia, a fascinating historical residence designed by Armando Brasini. It lies on the shaded Tiber banks. A century after its birth, the Villa was acquired by the fashion Fendi Venturini family and was completely renovated by a highly demanding taste of Anna Fendi Venturini. Each room is a world of its own and matches the “liberty” style of the Villa.
The bride and her bridesmaids were quite the opposite of the men’s camp. You could smell the beautiful smell of the perfume, admire nice dresses, there were kids… yes, completely different feminine energy.
Fiat 500
Fiat 500 is no doubt a legendary Italian car. I was not surprised that the couple rented two of them to get to the wedding venue. Rick went there first with a blue one. Rachel shared with her father a white one. She was quite an attraction among the tourists and totally enjoyed it.
The Aventine Keyhole
The Aventine Keyhole is one of Rome’s hidden attractions. It’s located just next to Rachel and Nick’s wedding venue. It’s quite symbolic, since you can see directly the St. Peter’s Basilica through the Keyhole. There is a constant line outside the gate door with this famous lock and it was really interesting to see even the nuns how they look through the Keyhole.
Istituto Nazionale di Studi Romani
After both gangs were prepared, we went to The National Institute of Roman Studies – a totally special venue or the Rome wedding. The building is standing on one of the seventh Roman hills, so there is a really incredible view to the Rome. Everybody was totally charmed with this place.
Studi Romani deals with the knowledge of Rome in all its aspects (historical, archaeological, artistic, urban, linguistic, social, economic, etc.) and in every time of its millenary history, from ancient to the present day. It was founded in 1925 by Carlo Galassi Paluzzi. The scientific research is evidenced by the rich catalog of publications. National and international conferences, study days, conference cycles, competitions, inspections of monuments, art collections and excavations are organized in Rome, in Italy and abroad.
The wedding ceremony was inside the inner courtyard. It was very emotional and intimate. I noticed quite some tears… After the ceremony, we went to the wider outside courtyard with the fascinating view to the Vatican’s St Peters cathedral, where the pope presides at a number of liturgies throughout the year, and many other most imposing Roman buildings, for example the Victor Emmanuel II National Monument (Italian: Monumento Nazionale a Vittorio Emanuele II), a national monument built in honor of Victor Emmanuel II, the first king of a unified Italy. Breathtaking! The sun went down and we made some portraits in the beautiful golden hour. This light totally matches to the ancient Rome architecture. You get the filling that the history is still alive…
The wedding planners did a really great job not only with the beautiful decoration, but also with the light. So when the night came everything was so nicely lit. The dark blue sky and the full moon… What an atmosphere! After the delicious dinner the party went on long into the night. It was a crazy British party, one of a kind! Incredible music, extremely happy and adventurous wedding guests…, no words to describe it.
I love Italy and this Rome wedding was one of the best weddings I’ve ever photographed there! Thank you so much Rachel and Nick for having me there as your Rome wedding photographer! I totally agree with you…, it was such a wonderful story, wish we could do it all over again!!