Rome Wedding
These are a few ideas and tips which we have discovered through planning and booking our wedding in Rome
A list of useful websites is also included at the bottom of this page
Money Saving Tips
Weddings can be incredibly expensive so do try to be money savvy as much as possible.
When planning our wedding, the pound was extremely weak against the Euro and the more it dropped the more expensive our wedding was becoming, just due to the exchange rate alone. Ask your suppliers for discounts, it doesn't hurt to ask and just by emailing the Raphael and explaining the situation we were immediately offered a 15% discount off all our wine.
Use the Money Saving Expert website for advice on spending money abroad. For example, by using a Post Office credit card for purchases in a foreign currency (i.e deposits your suppliers will require, or settling your balances on your arrival) you will avoid paying added foreign commission charges.
Also by searching for the best rate of Euro instead of just going to your nearest bank or travel agency can mean you get much more Euro for your pound. Money Saving Expert have a handy tool for searching for the best rates - usually ordering your cash online for home delivery is the best option. We have done this a few times now and found it safe and reliable as all money is sent tracked and insured. However if you still prefer going into a shop for your money, do haggle. Just by asking we once got a rate which almost matched the online currency providers at the time. If you can order your money in one go for you and your family members then do this, as they are likely to give you a better rate the more currency you buy.
Search around for the best deals on hotels and B&B's and email the hotel directly to ask what the best price is they can give you. Websites can vary greatly with the prices they advertise so do look around. Also by emailing one of the B&B's directly we booked a room advertised on their website at 150 Euro a night for just 60 Euro, a huge saving!
Use a visa Electron card for booking flights online and this could save anything up to £40 for credit card charges as there is no charge for using the Electron card (except Ryanair, who now only accept a prepaid mastercard without charging fees) For more information see: http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/beat-budget-airline-charges
When planning our wedding, the pound was extremely weak against the Euro and the more it dropped the more expensive our wedding was becoming, just due to the exchange rate alone. Ask your suppliers for discounts, it doesn't hurt to ask and just by emailing the Raphael and explaining the situation we were immediately offered a 15% discount off all our wine.
Use the Money Saving Expert website for advice on spending money abroad. For example, by using a Post Office credit card for purchases in a foreign currency (i.e deposits your suppliers will require, or settling your balances on your arrival) you will avoid paying added foreign commission charges.
Also by searching for the best rate of Euro instead of just going to your nearest bank or travel agency can mean you get much more Euro for your pound. Money Saving Expert have a handy tool for searching for the best rates - usually ordering your cash online for home delivery is the best option. We have done this a few times now and found it safe and reliable as all money is sent tracked and insured. However if you still prefer going into a shop for your money, do haggle. Just by asking we once got a rate which almost matched the online currency providers at the time. If you can order your money in one go for you and your family members then do this, as they are likely to give you a better rate the more currency you buy.
Search around for the best deals on hotels and B&B's and email the hotel directly to ask what the best price is they can give you. Websites can vary greatly with the prices they advertise so do look around. Also by emailing one of the B&B's directly we booked a room advertised on their website at 150 Euro a night for just 60 Euro, a huge saving!
Use a visa Electron card for booking flights online and this could save anything up to £40 for credit card charges as there is no charge for using the Electron card (except Ryanair, who now only accept a prepaid mastercard without charging fees) For more information see: http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/beat-budget-airline-charges
Cash Back Websites
Use a cash back website to earn money from your purchases. We use TopCashBack and to date we have earned over £500 cash back simply from purchasing things we would be buying anyway, simply by going through their website instead of directly with the retailer. There is no cost for this, no joining fee or annual fee, just sign up with a username and password and start earning your cash back. The money you earn is simply the advertising commission paid by the retailer, which the cash back website then gives back to you.
For example: you need to book your hotel in Rome and have found good deal with Expedia. Instead of just booking straight away on the Expedia website, go to Topcashback, search Expedia and see what cash back is on offer for a hotel purchase (we received 10% for a hotel booked for our honeymoon) click on the link they give you for Expedia and book as normal. You can choose to receive your cash back by cheque, paypal or bank transfer, although this can take up to a few months for the process to complete.
Other items you can get cash back for are: airport car parking, travel insurance, flights, car hire, trains and transfers. All items which you may at some point need to book if you are getting married abroad. Also try searching the web for voucher codes for the website you are buying from.
Click the banner on the right to find out more about TopCashBack and to sign up for free.
For example: you need to book your hotel in Rome and have found good deal with Expedia. Instead of just booking straight away on the Expedia website, go to Topcashback, search Expedia and see what cash back is on offer for a hotel purchase (we received 10% for a hotel booked for our honeymoon) click on the link they give you for Expedia and book as normal. You can choose to receive your cash back by cheque, paypal or bank transfer, although this can take up to a few months for the process to complete.
Other items you can get cash back for are: airport car parking, travel insurance, flights, car hire, trains and transfers. All items which you may at some point need to book if you are getting married abroad. Also try searching the web for voucher codes for the website you are buying from.
Click the banner on the right to find out more about TopCashBack and to sign up for free.
Jet2
Book with Jet2 and you also receive points, when you reach 600 you get a free flight. If you are booking flights for a large group you may receive enough points to get one of them for free.
Wedding Cakes
We asked our reception venue to exchange the dessert for a wedding cake and they did this at no extra cost. It wasn't a traditional English tiered wedding cake but we were in Italy and it was delicious! (We provided the wedding cake topper and they kindly added it to the cake for us)
Photo Books
Make a beautiful photo book using your own wedding pictures. If you have the copyrights to your wedding photos you can make a photo book and it is a much cheaper way of including every photo rather than printing them all individually. They also make beautiful gifts.
Rome maps
I have included a map showing the locations of the wedding halls, most of the suppliers and accommodation that we used for our wedding. Click on the download file link below to see a larger image.
| rome_map.jpg |
Useful websites
HELPUL ADVICE:
Fco.gov.uk - Government advice on getting married abroad
UK In Italy Fco.gov.uk - Foreign commonwealth advice for British Nationals wishing to marry in Italy
Marriage Agencies In Rome - As listed on the Foreign and commonwealth Government website
ItalyMag - For help planning a wedding in Italy, advertises various wedding services and post a question in the community forums
Tripadvisor - For reviews on hotels, restaurants and travellers forums
Money Saving Expert - Advice for spending abroad and how to find the cheapest travel money
Wedding Mapper - Help and advice for planning your wedding
Comune di Roma - The official tourist website for Rome (getting married in Rome page)
OUR SUPPLIERS:
Wedding In Rome - Gabriella Lojacono our wedding planner in Rome
Shpfoto - Siobhan Hegarty Photography
Friendly Rentals - Apartment rental in Rome
The Raphael Hotel - Hotel with beautiful terrace next to Piazza Navona
Dordas Flowers - Flower shop near to the Pantheon, makes up beautiful wedding bouquets and arrangements
Rome Shuttle Limo - For Airport Transfers and simple affordable wedding cars
OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS:
Citys House - Great B&B in a fantastic central location very close to the Pantheon
Baldassini B&B - Great B&B in a fantastic central location very close to the Pantheon
Ristorante Maccheroni - Beautiful pasta in central Rome
Hotel Quirinale - Hotel and reception venue on Via Nazionale
Il Palazzetto - Hotel and reception venue on the Spanish Steps
Blurb - Photobooks
Bonusprint - Cheap prints and photo gifts, regular promotions and photo gift offers
PhotoBox - Great online photo album with large free storage - great for sharing your photos with friends and family
Asda Photo - Cheap prints and 40 free photos when you sign up to Asda Photo
Ryanair - Budget airliner
Jet2 - Budget airliner
Bmi - Budget airliner
Easyjet - Budget airliner
TopCashBack - Cashback website
