Weddings in Italy Testimonials

	Laura & Dave
	Janie, Bill, Lucia and Francesca, Just back from honeymoon and wanted to thank you all so much for organising THE BEST wedding for us, we had such a wonderful time. We fell in love with Maratea and the venue ‘Inn at Fiumicello’ from the moment Bill showed us around! We couldn’t have received a better service, from the minute we got in touch with you nearly 18 months ago to the day of our wedding, the whole experience has been tremendous and stress free. From initial discussions with Bill, who answered a million questions and took the time to show us lots of different venues, to planning the details of the wedding with Janie and then the onsite expertise of Lucia – everything exceeded our expectations. I would like to say a HUGE thank you to Lucia & Francesca who made everything on the day possible, even when it rained!! It was probably the only day of rain in the 3 weeks we were in Italy but with the stunning setting and smooth organisation of the wedding, it didn’t matter at all. Thank you Lucia for answering all our pre-wedding emails (and there were loads), for getting the ‘guest gifts’ for the rooms, and for sorting out small surprises for us on the day such as the frame for our table planner – you are simply the best!! Oh and finally, thank you to Luigi the photographer who captured all the events of the day in some stunning photos, he even took the time to take pictures the next day because it was so wet on the day of the wedding. We had an amazing time in Maratea, and all our guests did too. The area is much more stunning than the Amalfi coast and we would definitely recommend Maratea and Slow Dreams to anyone that is considering getting married in Italy. Thanks again to a great team for organising our special day! Laura and Dave
Photo coming	Melissa & Ben
	Dear Slow-Dreams Family, We are finally back in Mississippi, and things have pretty much returned to normal for us. I wanted to write and let everyone know how much we appreciate all the hard work that went into planning our wedding. No words can describe how special and memorable the entire event was for us. Janie and Bill, from the very beginning of the planning process I was in awe of your helpfulness and professionalism. You must have answered over 100 emails from me!! People here in the states cannot believe I was able to plan an entire wedding in Italy from Mississippi. What they don’t realize is exactly how much advice you gave me on every detail from picking the right wedding package for us to general traveling tips for Italy. When I think of all the time you spent arranging EVERYTHING (legal paperwork, wedding package details, our stay at Hotel Gabbiano, rental car service, the list could go on and on), I am so thankful to have had such knowledgeable and caring people looking out for us. Lucia and Emma, when we think of Italy, we think of you. You took care of all of our worries from lost luggage to the last minute scooter ideas with grace and ease. You treated me and my family like we were part of yours. For that I will always think of you with much love in my heart. I will never forget any of your warm hospitality, especially the surprise good-bye at the train station before we left! The people, places and companies you recommended to us also exceeded all we could have ever hoped for. Jon and Marta were so helpful and experienced. We could not have made it out of Naples with our paperwork without them. Hotel Gabbiano was like a dream. I have never been to a more beautiful spot on Earth; the view from our hotel room was absolutely breath-taking. Not only was its location beautiful, Gabbiano’s staff was just wonderful. Restaurant 1999 was a perfect choice as well. I know I will never enjoy a better meal than the one we dined on that evening overlooking the port of Maratea. As I type now, I am tearing up thinking of all the wonderful memories you all helped us create. Our wedding experience was the best experience of our lives. I cannot think of a better place than Maratea to celebrate the beginning of a new life and family. I cannot think of a better organization than Slow-Dreams to plan such a celebration. You, the entire Slow-Dreams family, have a permanent place in our hearts. Benjamin and I are looking forward to a wonderful, long, happy life together, and we are honored to have Slow-Dreams be a part of our marriage. Love, Melissa Wise Philley
	Lucy & Mark
	Dear Lucia, Janie & Bill, We wanted to say thank you so much for making our wedding truly amazing. From the first email (and the hundreds that followed) to the last day of our trip you have all been so helpful and have gone out of your way to make our wedding better than we could ever imagine. The Hotel Meraviglie and location was beautiful and our 35 guests were bowled over by the surroundings when they arrived. We had such a fantastic week leading up to the wedding day. Lucia was on hand all week in case there were any problems (which there weren't) leaving us to relax! The day of the wedding was perfect. We loved having two ceremonies. First the town hall where even the mayor fitted into our 'Red' theme and then the second ceremony at the Hotel. I will never forget walking down the steps to the aisle to be greeted by our guests, the sunshine, a string trio and seeing for the first time the area set up for the wedding. It was beautiful. There was not a dry eye in the house when the registrar read the most romantic reading we have ever heard accompanied by the strings. The fact that it was all in Italian made it even more special. Friends have since asked for copies of that reading and told us it was the most romantic wedding they have attended. The effort that Lucia and the caterers went to, to include our lemon theme into everything from the flowers to the cake to decorations on the canapé table was just fantastic. Everything just seemed to happen - it all ran so smoothly and not once did we worry about anything! We must have been the most relaxed bride and groom ever. We were able to enjoy our day without having to think of anything...and Lucia was there all night - she is amazing! Since we have arrived home we can not stop thinking back to our 'Italian Job'. Many of our guests have called to say how wonderful it all was and I think in many ways we are all unable to put into words just how fantastic it all was. We are definitely coming back for our 1st wedding anniversary and will invite our guests again! This could be an annual event! Thank you! It was perfect! Lucy & Mark Ashton xxx
	Gina & Terry
	Janie/Lucia The photo's have just arrived and they are amazing. Thank you again for all the hard work you have put in over the past year and helping to create a day I we will never forget. I will send a testimonial in the next few weeks when I get a moment to catch my breath. Thanks again Gina XX
	Diana & Ian
	Hi Janie: We would to do it all over again!! We had a magical day. Throughout the whole day I kept saying how amazing everything was I truly couldn't have imagined it to be so beautiful. Your attention to detail down to the berries in our champagne glasses. It was first class all the way. We only have praise and admiration for the team of slow dreams, they made it all so easy. From the moment I found the website definitely the only one that captured my imagination and also the ease at navigating my way round was a joy !! Bill answered every question and more, from the word go our whole experience with Bill, Janie and Lucia was a complete stress free joy. Any request they considered and then made possible. The ceremony at Villa Maratea was Romantic, simple and true to us both, there were tears all round. The catering was exceptional and the staff and team were polite, helpful and met all our needs. From the flowers to the music it was all such a pleasure for us to enjoy. Ian and I our families and friends had a great holiday also the Villa Maratea has an amazing setting surrounded by mountains overlooking the sea.With 16 of us staying there the hub was the pool and BBQ made perfect with the gorgeous Maratea town below. We have many amazing memories, we had guests writing to us thanking us for such an magical day and introducing them to the Romance of Italy. Can't wait to come back. Thank you all for everything and more, we couldn't have ever imagined for our wedding day so perfect and the beginning of our lives together to be any better. Thank you !!!!! Diana and Ian
	Natasha & Jody
	Hi Janie, I know I have thanked you all various times during our correspondence & I have also told everyone this end about you all but I just realised that I still had not got round to writing you a testimonial for your website, so here goes: THANK YOU FOR THE BEST DAY OF OUR LIVES ! If you are reading this, you have probably just found the Slow Dreams website during a search. Don't look any further ! If you want a magical wedding day that you will always remember, then you have found the right site. December, I was you, reading the testimonials & trying to decide. I had never been to this region of Italy however we took the chance & put the deposit down on a venue without seeing it or visiting the area. Friends & family thought we were mad ! We eventually visited about 6 weeks later to find everything from the venue to the area was amazing. The photographs on the website do not justify how beautiful the places really are. On top of that, the wedding co-ordinator (Lucia) is absolutely amazing & gets the impossible done. Everything we asked for, she arranged, nothing was too much trouble. The whole team was brilliant. Emma who is Lucia's right hand man, helped with a flower display on the day which turned out absolutely fantastic. We can't say enough about everything & everybody. The venue was a dream come true, the food was excellent, the DJ was brilliant & the photographers took the most amazing photos. They say arranging a wedding is stressful, thanks to Slow Dreams mine was fun ! It was the best day of our lives & perfect in every way. Our guests can't stop talking about how perfect it all was & that it was the best wedding they have ever been to. Lucia, thank you for everything you did for us from sourcing out a baker, taste testing, arranging our favours & even visiting a pet shop which I am sure was a first & a very unusual request. We'll definitely be back ! Thanks a million times over for everything. Natasha & Jody x x x
photograph coming	Alana & Philip
	Finding slow dreams was a miracle for my husband and I!!! We were having immigration problems (see note below) and Slow Dreams provided the answer. My husband is American and I am British and we decided to go for the no-hassle/fast track visa option, it proved well worth the money!! If anyone has had immigration problems you will know that having the paperwork handled in a quick and efficient manner is priceless. The team at slow dreams were in contact with me constantly throughout the whole planning progress and when we arrived in Italy they gave us a cell phone and really took care of us. The area where the weddings are held is breathtaking!!! We were first married by the mayor in a civil ceremony and even that was beautiful, the words were just perfect. Later in the day we held a religious ceremony and it was just perfect! We were surrounded by flowers and lush plants, with the water at our back. The minister was lovely and it was fun having the ceremony first delivered in Italian and then translated. Slow Dreams blew me away! I didn't know what to expect but I was happily surprised. My flowers were amazing, so beautiful! The hairdresser was great! The photographers were so much fun and we have amazing pictures of our special day. The hotel (l'approdo) was really nice and we had an amazing view, they also provided us with a really delicious reception meal and lovely cake. For those that are not use to the heat be careful, we were married in June and the hotel doesn't turn the AC on until July so it was very hot! However, when Slow Dreams discovered this they quickly provided us with a fan which helped. Looking back it was an amazing day, It was perfect and I can't think of anything that I would change. The locals are very friendly and its a really relaxing environment. We are planning to go back for our anniversary. I would tell anyone thinking of using Slow Dreams but is a bit nervous or unsure to go ahead! They will bend over backwards to provide you with what you want for your wedding day! Note from Slow Dreams: Philip is a US citizen living in the UK. He found that by using the "no-hassle-approval", he did not have to worry about getting approval from an Italian consulate or paperwork that was in the Sates. e.g., birth certificate. He simply could bring his passport to the American consulate in Naples.
	Gemma & Rob
	Hi Janie: I am so happy with the way everything turned out the day couldn't have gone any better. Me and Rob have been planning this wedding for over 2 years ( which was probably a little too long ) but Janie and Lucia were with us every step of the way. The only real means of communication was via email but they would respond to every mail within 24 hours with an answer. There were a lot of changes to our guest list ( which I lost track of in the end ) but Janie was constantly on the ball with numbers and anything i may have forgotten or missed which was great. The hotel (Hotel Villa delle Meraviglie) the wedding party stayed in ( organised by slow-dreams ) was beautiful with stunning views over the sea and a lovely swimming pool in the hotel grounds. Everybody felt like they had a really chilled holiday most of which was spent by the pool and it gave everyone a chance to bond before the big day. The Santavenere grounds where we had the wedding are breath taking. If its an outdoor wedding you are after then this is the place to do it. Everywhere you look there is a stunning view with the sea one side of you and mountains the other. As soon as you arrive you know you are in a 5 star resort but the staff are really down to earth and friendly. We chose to have a buffet in the evening and i have never seen a buffet like it-forget sausage rolls and cheese on a stick this was fresh Parma ham presented on a 3 tier platter and lots of different types of fresh fish. There were at least 4 tables full of food with plenty of variety with everything from fresh prawns and fresh meat to vegetarian pasta dishes and risotto. The party went on well into the small hours no-body wanted the day to end! We will be going back to the Santavenere for a holiday and so will some of our wedding party no doubt! Thank you so much for your time, effort and patience Janie,, Lucia, Rosa and Bill. Gemma and Rob.
	Creena & Michael
	Dear Janie, Lucia and Bill Thanks you all so much for organising my wedding. We had such a lovely day, maratea was absolutely beautiful. The boat was amazing. Everything was just perfect. We have all fallen in love with maratea and are returning for hols next year. Thank you all for your hard work. Creena and Michael x
	Manda & Rob
	Dear Lucia, Janie and Bill Thank you so much for your help, advice and organisation of our recent wedding, we couldn’t have been more thrilled with your input throughout the process. From Bill’s (very patient!) advice which helped pinpoint exactly what we wanted from our day, to Janie’s efficient organisation throughout the planning stages, onto Lucia’s responsiveness to our needs on the day, it was more than we could ever have hoped for . When researching wedding planners, Slow Dreams stood out as genuinely flexible, exceptionally helpful and friendly, and very accommodating – truly understanding our desire for a really intimate day. Your sensitivity to our wishes made the planning and carrying out of the day a true pleasure. On the day of our wedding, Lucia genuinely seemed to be enjoying herself, which added to our pleasure immensely. It was like having a great friend around to look after us, and who handled our queries and requests with exceptional charm. Stopping for a coffee between ceremonies was one of the unexpected highlights of the day, and looks great as part of the photographic memories beautifully provided by Luigi and Silvia. We can’t recommend Slow Dreams highly enough, and have already passed on your details to others. If we’d thought getting married was going to be this much fun we’d have done it years ago! Thanks again, and all the best, Manda and Rob xx
	Gillian & Eric
	A message from Gillian's mom Dear Janie, I want to thank everyone involved in the planning of my daughter's wedding. Everything was just beautiful - we couldn't have asked for a more beautiful setting and the hotel (Hotel Gabbiano) was lovely. The staff was great, Pasquale, our waiter was the best. Words can't describe how great the food was, we all ate until stuffed each night. Lucia (?, spelling) was wonderful, she arranged an outing in Maratea the night before the wedding and made reservations for dinner for us - we had a great time. Now we are hoping Gillian and Eric return for anniversary trips and invite us. Thank you again, Mary-Ellin Parsons.
Photo coming	Rachael & Dan
	Dear Lucia, Janie and Bill From start to finish you surpassed all our expectations to ensure our wedding was beyond our wildest dreams…. And then some…. Our wedding planning journey began in the UK with exploring different ceremony options and wedding venues. As nothing felt right, we became convinced that we would have to settle for something we didn’t necessarily desire for the big day. Urged by a friend to describe my dream wedding, I confided that I’d always wanted to get married on a beach, surrounded by close family and friends. The next day I googled “Beach Weddings Europe” and found Slow Dreams. Bill responded to all queries efficiently and it soon became clear that Slow Dreams could fulfil our wish list by providing something different to the other companies, such as getting married on a Sunday, on a beach and offering us hotels we could take over. The entire wedding planning process was so easy. My family were amazed that I was so relaxed, but this was as Lucia and Janie helped me with absolutely everything. They often responded to my emails within hours and I was reassured by their experienced advice as they guided us towards what would become our dream wedding. My only concern was whether our 70 guests would be as enthralled with the area as we were - but they all absolutely loved Sapri! The restaurants were of excellent quality and value, the bars were great fun, and being so close to the beach was fantastic. We were totally spoiled by the staff at Hotel Pisacane who couldn’t do enough to ensure our stay was amazing. I can not recommend them highly enough. The Wedding Day was phenomenal. I’d repeatedly told Lucia that we didn’t need a plan B as it wasn’t’ going to rain. In fact, there was not a cloud in the sky all day. The ceremony on the deserted beach was breathtakingly magical. The beauty of the bay and the intensity of being lucky enough to get married there overwhelmed us all. Our biggest surprise was how welcomed we were by the entire town of Sapri. There were over 100 people lining the beach waiting for our boat to return - they seemed to really enjoy having us there and this really added to the atmosphere. I must thank Hotel Pisacane so much for ensuring the reception went as smoothly as it did. We were not an easy party to cater for as we literally danced from the moment we arrived back. They totally accommodated us in this respect and the buffet was outstanding. Everyone thought the food was incredible I feel so privileged to have found such a fantastic wedding planner in Lucia. EVERYTHING she suggested, from the hotel, to the band, to the hairdresser etc was perfect. I felt as if my hand was held from start to finish. All our guests had a fantastic time and many told us it was the best wedding and event they had ever been to. I must say, we agree!! I hope to see you all soon!! Love Rachael and Dan xx
	Emma & Nick
	Dear Slow Dreams We would like to say a huge thank you for organising our wedding in Maratea. The whole experience was stress-free, and far easier than we had imagined arranging a wedding abroad to be. It was a lovely gift to our friends and family to bring them to such a beautiful place, and they all fell in love with Maratea. Our wedding was absolutely perfect, the Santavenere with its breathtaking views, the weather and our choice to have the classical trio (who were excellent by the way), helped to make a romantic, fairytale setting that left not a dry eye in the house! Indeed, almost all of our guests said it was the best wedding they had been to. I don't think we could have found a more beautiful place to say our vows. The Santavenere hotel is certainly a hidden jewel, the hotel's setting and the service were exceptional. The staff were so professional and accommodating without being at all intrusive. Lucia, Bill & Janie were great, everything ran smoothly, going from our initial enquiry until the wedding day and I would highly recommend Slow Dreams and the area of Maratea to anyone considering getting married in Italy. It was truly the best day of our lives, and a day that neither us nor our family and friends will ever forget. Nick & Emma
	Deidre & Cian
	Dear Lucia, Janie and Bill, thank you very much for making our wedding in the Church of the Immaculata and in the Hotel Gabbiano such a wonderful day. Acquafredda is a picturesque little village in a gorgeous setting and the staff at the Gabbiano were extremely attentive to everyone's needs. Our guests are still talking about the wonderful setting and the delicious food they had there. Bill, Janie & Lucia: from our initial contact with you by phone to your responsiveness by email and your attention on the day and follow-up you were available to answer every question and handle any request. Thank you again! We really enjoyed our wedding day and only wish we could do the whole thing again. Arrivaderci! Deirdre & Cian
	Scott & Dee
	Hi Janie, We just recently began the process of re-joining the "real world" this week :( Our wedding was a dream come true in large part thanks to John and Alessandra. Both Scott and I were very impressed with the entire Slow-Dreams process, staff and professionalism. We do intend to write a piece that our own travel agency is waiting for and we're sure you'll be pleased. Dee Janie - Let me second what Dee said. Slow-dreams and your staff made for a memorable experience. We hope to get together tomorrow night to give you a full response. Suffice it to say than on a scale of 1-10 we would rate it at no less than a 14. Scott I would like to expand on my thoughts. First, when we reached Naples we had no trouble connecting with John that evening. He was extremely pleasant and accommodating. The next morning when we came down a few minutes before we were to meet him, he was standing there waiting on us with a genuine smile and wonderful manner. He wasted no time getting us to the consulate and, thanks to his knowledge, we went to the head of the line. Following his instructions, we finished the paperwork there in about 30 minutes. He predicted, correctly, every thing that the consulate staff would do. Then we went to some Italian gov't office to get the documents authenticated. Thanks to his associate (I think her name was Marta) who got there early to be at the head of the line we were the # 1 to be processed. Again, we were gone in record time. The entire process was over by 10 am or shortly thereafter. Then John took the time to explain to us exactly how to get to the train station and get tickets. He was right on. John was of tremendous help. I can't imagine getting the paper work done without him. No doubt we would still be in Naples chasing from one office to another and still not have the paperwork done. Please convey to John our sincere thanks for his efforts (highly successful) and splendid attitude. Now we get to Castellabate. Alessandra had cars waiting on us when we got off the train, and they whisked us to the hotel in no time at all. The hotel (Villa Sirio) exceeded out expectations by a mile. The owners were not only charming, they were genuinely friendly. Our room was beautiful as well as very comfortable and the view........ The next day Alessandra had every thing lined up and as a result it went smoothly. Then the day of the wedding.....again Alessandra was right there taking care of everything and catering to our every need. The wedding went off without a hitch due to her tireless efforts. She is a gem. I could go on, but I think you get the point that we were more than satisfied with slow-dreams. You guys have a great company, provide excellent service and value, and John and Alessandra are simply the best. Please feel free to refer prospective clients to us. We will be happy to sing the praises of slow-dreams, and your staff, especially Alessandra. Scott & Dee
	Kristen & Mark
	Dear Janie, Bill and Ornella, Mark and I would like to give our greatest thanks to you all for your fantastic help in organising our beautiful wedding at San Michele. When we decided to marry in Italy, we were drawn to your website by the many lovely testimonials from couples that had already been married in Italy with the help of Slow Dreams. The glowing praise and grateful messages of thanks we can say are well and truly deserved. When deciding at which location to marry, Bill was incredibly helpful; listening to what we wanted our day to be and recommending San Michele from our shortlist, bringing it to life for us from description of how he came across the hotel and from his own experience of visiting and staying there. We were sold. Janie, what can we say? Thank you for being so wonderful in getting Mark and I organised! We were so appreciative for your help and patience in answering our many questions so promptly and for the gentle reminders of the things we needed to be focussed on or make decisions for. You kept us on track and we didn't have a thing to worry about because you'd already taken care of everything for us!! We are sorry we didn't get to meet you and to thank you in person; as it was just the two of us on our wedding day, your enthusiasm and excitement for us in the lead up to the big day really meant a lot. Your lovely message on our wedding day (via Ornella) and also after our wedding photo's were published was so kind; and it's these small things that made our experience with Slow Dreams feel very personalised. Finally, we'd especially like to thank the wonderful Ornella and the fabulous staff at San Michele for making both our wedding day - and our entire stay - absolutely magical. From the moment we arrived until the minute we left, we were were treated so warmly and like family. Ornella was an angel and went above and beyond in so many ways to make sure we were well taken care of - far more than we would have ever expected her to do. Her suggestions for where we might like to have our ceremony, our photographs and our wedding meal were perfect and were even more so on the day itself. We were so glad that we had chosen San Michele; what a stunningly beautiful place to exchange our vows on the balcony overlooking the coastline of Cetraro and the ocean. Because of all the work that both Janie and Ornella had done, our wedding day went so smoothly. Mark and I had nothing to do other than to relax, dress up and enjoy the happiest day of our lives. Does it get much better than that? San Michele will always be so incredibly special to us both and without doubt we will return to celebrate future anniversaries. Thank you again for helping to make the memories of our wedding as perfect as they are. xx Kristen & Mark.
	Mandy & Mark
	Dear Janie, Lucia and Bill, Many apologies for the delay in sending you this testimonial, however it has been extremely difficult to put into words just how perfect our wedding was and how exemplary the service was, Not just by the Slow Dreams team, but all the staff at the Hotel Meraviglie, Franco and Co, Angelo and all the staff at 1999 and lastly the photographers who kindly stayed with us for longer than they normally would. Our journey started in November 2005 when we first set eyes on Maratea. Lucia was our fabulous tour guide around many of the properties Slow Dreams have on offer. However the Hotel Meraviglie captured our hearts that day. Set in it's beautiful pine forests and with the rocky alcove at the bottom with the breathtaking view; there really was no other place on earth more perfect for our wedding. Over the next nine months or so Bill, Janie and Lucia were attentive, reassuring and efficient with our various queries, worries and ideas. Nothing seemed to be beyond their capabilities to arrange. They were good humoured and patient throughout our stresses over guests, DJ systems, wild ideas about flowers etc etc!! Upon arrival at Maratea in September we were pleasantly surprised to see that the hotel and surroundings where even more beautiful in the summer. The rooms were spacious and elegantly decorated (the shower head was just pure luxury!!) We were extremely surprised that the venue was described as budget on the website as to us it was pure luxury and we already anticipate our return. As soon as we had settled in Lucia came to visit to provide us with activities for our guests and cards for restaurants (Thank you so much for all your help with reservations and boat trips etc a potentially extremely stressful situation was a piece of cake with all your assistance which all seems so effortless to you). Lucia also gave us more info about the wedding and took us to 1999 where Angelo was absolutely fantastic with allowing us to have anything we could possibly desire. My (Mandy) biggest fear with getting married abroad was the lack of knowledge as to how the tables and venue was going to be decorated (as I am a complete soppy romantic at heart!!). But to be absolutely honest the tables and venue thanks to Lucia, Angelo, my Mum and Ali, was beyond my wildest dreams and way and above the quality of any I have ever seen in England. It was pure magic!!!! On the day of the wedding Lucia was in hand again floating effortlessly and extremely organised between Bride, Groom and guests soothing any nerves or last minute questions in her good humoured and bubbly way. The hotel were very accommodating in allowing our family's to decorate the pagoda where the ceremony took place. The day and evening flowed through relaxed and magical under the watchful eye of Lucia. Over the nine months that we were organising the wedding we had both played the wedding day through our minds over and over again, but the day was 100% better than any expectations we had ever had. Friends and family have all said it was the best wedding they have ever been to and I don't think anybody else's wedding that we attend in the future will ever come close to the beautiful, emotional, romantic day we had. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you.........I don't think we can do justice as to just how grateful we are to you all. Lucia please pop in and see us when you go to Broadstairs next and we will give you a tour!! Anyhow we could waffle on forever about how wonderful our day was....... Take care and Arrivaderci. Love Mandy and Mark Wood xx
	Jennifer & Scott
	When Scott first contacted Bill at Slow Dreams we were immediately impressed with the timeliness of his responses and attention to detail. He answered each and every one of my endless questions, patiently and comprehensively and we were confident with his suggestions as his knowledge of the venues and area was excellent. After we had finalized the location and general details with Bill, we began working with Janie and Lucia, two wonderfully warm and helpful people, to make the final arrangements. We continually impressed with the promptness of their replies; they were even in touch when they went on vacation!! Hotel arrangements were made for our guests and in turn also answered our families’ many questions. Unbeknownst to me, my mom also made some secret arrangements with Janie and was very impressed with her discretion and support. It certainly took the stress out of arranging a wedding halfway around the world, complete with surprises! When we arrived in Maratea, Lucia had everything organized for the ceremonies. Thoughtful suggestions were made about locations for the evening ceremony and she even drove us around to show us some beaches in the area (as I was determined to have champagne on the beach with our families!) Appointments had been arranged for our legal ceremony with the Mayor of Maratea, and for our nails and hair so we had nothing to fret about. On the day of the ceremony, while the girls drank champagne (seeing a trend here?!) and got ready, the boys were jumping off cliffs into the Mediterranean Sea; there wasn’t a single thing to get organized or worry about. The ceremony and reception were truly a fairytale. I cannot possibly describe what romance the sunset, sea and mountains and the setting of a historic, exotic place brings to a wedding. (Two months later it still chokes me up!) My family commented repeatedly about the romance of the Italian vows, and how unique and distinctive the ceremony was. It absolutely could not have been more perfect. I cannot say enough about the staff and setting of Villa Cheta. The receptionists, waiters and hospitality staff were among the most friendly and considerate service staff we have ever met. Scott regularly travels the world on business and Villa Cheta ranks right up among the top hotels in the world. They went above and beyond to make sure everything was perfect for our wedding, all very unobtrusively. Even a simple lunch on the patio was made special with lace, silver and china to present the fresh seafood, fabulous! I cannot forget to mention Dora and her two brothers who shuttled us and our families around, definitely the best taxi in town! Slow Dreams is an example of how businesses should be run. The service was exceptional from our first contact in June to over two months after the wedding when we had some minor issues after we got back to Canada. Lucia has been as prompt and professional as ever in resolving the problem. Really our only complaint was that it went too fast!! I want to do it all again! Thanks again Slow Dreams: Lucia, Janie and Bill. It was a fairytale! Jen and Scott Lumsden
	Mark & Sara
	Bill, Janie & Lucia, We had a fantastic Wedding Day, and enjoyed our stay at the Hotel Pisacane immensely. You made the whole process of organising our Wedding Day and accommodation for ourselves and our guests very easy and completely stress free. The Wedding Day itself was amazing and everything ran smoothly as you had arranged, down to the smallest of details, and the little extras, which altogether far exceeded our expectations. Not only did you make our Wedding Day so special, but you also found time to keep ourselves and our guests entertained during our stay by arranging a boat trip along the coast of Maratea which was stunning and breathless under fantastic clear blue skies and sunshine, as it was for our Wedding Day and our entire stay. The staff at the Hotel Pisacane were so helpful and attentive to our needs, they made our stay that extra bit special, like on our last day when they gave the children gifts and sweets wrapped up in a present. The entire experience will stay with us for the rest of our and our guests lives forever. We cannot wait to receive our photos and video to remind us of our special day and the fun we had, especially with the Italian folk band at our reception. Thankyou all from the bottom of our hearts, Mark & Sara XXX
	Catherine & Jeff
	Firstly I would just like to thank Bill, Janie, Lucia and Rosa for all the wonderful support they gave us while planning and celebrating our wedding. They did it all in 3 months, but I doubt it would have been any more difficult if we had given them three weeks. They responded to every single email within hours, no matter how big or small the request which immediately settled my nerves. People asked me how we managed to find Maratea and Slow Dreams, and the answer was usually “We threw a dart!” – and it was basically true. Who would have thought we would luck into such wonderful people when I sat at my computer one Saturday morning and googled ‘weddings in italy’! I clicked on the first site that caught my eye and we were sold. I was particularly comforted by the fact that all prices were listed up front so we knew exactly what we were getting in to, even before Bill sent the quote. I do have to be honest and admit that the pessimist in me did spend the entire 3 months before the wedding waiting for something to go wrong, but of course, nothing did. Truly! Everything we saw and did was EXACTLY how it was portrayed on the website, which I think is the highest praise I can give. There is nothing more disappointing than to get somewhere and find they have advertised photographs of rooms that are not available, or places you cannot get to or see. Everything was just the same! The Hotel San Diego was gorgeous, and the owners could not have been more accommodating. Fabio and Massimo were wonderful hosts, and were very helpful, especially when we drank them out of vodka! I think they enjoy having big fun parties and they always made us feel very welcome. I would definitely go back and stay with them when I am in the area, as will most of my family I think! We were very grateful for the support Lucia and Rosa gave us while in Italy. Lucia and Rosa made everyone feel comfortable and they inspired confidence. I was super relaxed on my wedding day, though my husband cannot same the same thing (!), and I attribute it entirely to the fact that I didn’t really care if something went wrong, because I knew either Rosa or Lucia would be able to fix it, so I didn’t need to worry. I sat back, watched some ‘Knight Rider’ in Italian and had no idea what was going on, and enjoyed the entire day. The hair and makeup they organized were brilliant, my mother was especially pleased with hers, and she is a tough critic! The wedding went off without a single hitch. Pastore Mazzeo was fabulous, so happy and caring, and now a very firm favorite with both families. The service itself was excellent, and both families commented on how beautiful the ceremony was. The weather in the morning was spectacular, and while it rained in the afternoon (after the photos!) it wasn’t a problem. The hotel had set up tables inside just in case, and it turned out to be a great decision. The food was wonderful, and Luigi, the maitre d’, even smiled through his first dance with the bride! Dino – well, what can we say! Dino might have been everyone’s favorite part of the trip! And now, after all his talk about Policastro, I am thinking about having my anniversary there instead! I suppose we should just call his family and check if it will be ok! He was so fun and friendly, everyone is still talking about him and all the fun they had with him. We took a day trip to Paestum and he was a wonderful tour guide. Our time wouldn’t have been the same without him! I know I sound like a broken record, but we really couldn’t have been any happier with how things went. We are so thrilled that we managed to find your company, and I feel totally confident in recommending you to anyone else looking to be married in Italy. So thanks again, for everything, we really appreciate it all, and wish you all the very best in the future! Catherine Boisvert
	John & Debbie
	Hi Janie, Just to let you know we received the package today, just finished watching the video. Wow, we are at a loss for words the video is simply stunning, the best wedding video we have ever seen. Equally the pictures are breathtaking, more then we could have hoped. Please pass-on our sincere thanks to them both (Sylvia & Luigi). Dear Janie, Bill & Lucia, Thank you doesn¹t seem enough for everything you did for us. Not just the wedding day but for the entire week. And not just for us but for our families too. We never thought organising a wedding abroad would be so exciting and stress free. We both had an idea of a perfect setting, beautiful scenery & sunsets. Maratea was all of that and more, it is definitely one of the most beautiful places we have been and to have our wedding there was amazing. Janie and Bill you were so patient and helpful in the beginning which made it a lot easier for us to decide on what we wanted. Nothing was ever a problem and anything we asked for, you got - even the Harpist who came all the way from Naples. This gave the ceremony a beautiful touch. Every email we sent you, had a response within 24-48 hours. You were with us every step of the way and never lost touch, which was a great comfort. Lucia, our Angel, thank you for being like a big sister to us. You were so wonderful, everyone fell in love with you. We were really nervous about the big day and you were just so relaxed and never stopped smiling. Anytime we needed you, you were there. You were so wonderful with our families and friends too and everything was organised perfectly. We couldn¹t have imagined our day to be more perfect then it was and a great part of that was down to the Slow-Dreams team. Everyone has said they will find it hard to find a wedding to match ours and that¹s all thanks to you, Janie, Bill and Lucia. Silvia and Luigi from TTL Photo Agency were also incredible, remaining discreet throughout the day but capturing it with such clarity and emotion in both photo and video. We asked for informal and candid and they just took our breath away with what they produced. Again, from the bottom of our hearts, thank you for making our special day so perfect. Love John & Debbie

Weddings In Italy - Informational Links