Lisa & Brian

Firstly I would like to thank Bill for his quick responses for all my questions regarding queries on the wedding itself. No other company or agency were able to give me such a detailed and accurate answer to any query I may have. This made dealing with Slow Dreams, a joyous and stress free way to plan my wedding. So a big thanks to Bill.

Secondly, I cannot thank Janie, Lucia and Rosa enough. You also made my wedding event relaxed and stress free. Who can say that on their wedding day two hours before the wedding ceremony the groom was swimming in the pool, taking it all in his stride. The formal ceremony in the evening was more than I ever expected. It all went beautifully. with blue seas to my right and glorious mountains to my left and clear blue skies above, I could not have pictured a more romantic and idyllic setting for my wedding day. The service at the dinner was next to none. To the waiters and caters thank you for topping off an already perfect day.

The hotel Meraviglie was absolutely beautiful. The staff were brilliant and went out of their way to help with every circumstance. From the Owner of the hotel to the taxi service, I cannot write down in words how welcome and how well we were looked after. So a big thank you there.

Again, I would like to Thank Janie, Lucia, Rosa and Bill for making my wedding event something that I will look back with great memories. I will have to get Dominic to bring me back each year on our wedding anniversary.

THANK YOU ALL.

Sandra.

(Now, a note from Bill the web site man - Sandra goes on to say in this subsequent email below what she really wanted to say about Janie,  Lucia and Rosa,  but could not say until she was safely out the country and had received her wedding album that the evil trio was controlling). 

Hi Bill,

I know you are the best Bill, I just had to mention them (a note to readers  - "them" refers to Janie, Lucia & Rosa, the evil trio ). I didn't want them to feel left out.

Regards

Sandra Kelly

Janie, Bill and Lucia:

Just wanted to let you know that we have all made it home safely.  What an incredible adventure we all had in Italy.  Thank you so much for all of your hard work, we definitely couldn't have gotten it all together without your help.  The wedding was absolutely perfect!  We couldn't have asked for anything more beautiful.  Besides that, the food was to die for! 

Also, I just want you to know that our group can't say enough good things about the staff at the Grand Hotel Pianeta.  They were incredible.  The hotel, staff and food were all excellent. 

If you have anyone that would like to contact someone who had used Slow Dreams, we would definitely be willing to give you a huge thumbs up. 

Thanks again,

Laura and Bryan Nelson

Chris & Karen

Hi Janie,  I would like to thank you for absolutely everything!!!  Our wedding day was the most wonderful day of my life.  I couldn't have asked for anything more, or painted a prettier picture.   I think that I can speak for both of us when I say that we would be more than happy to give a testimonial when and where you would like.  There is nothing negative that we could possibly say about Slow-Dreams or the hotel.  Both were most helpful and accommodating.  It was definitely an experience of a lifetime and we will cherish those memories forever.  Your job has to be most rewarding.

The rest of our trip was wonderful.  We are both looking forward to returning and possibly visiting your area one day.

 

Thanks again for everything and please convey my gratitude to Angela and the staff at the hotel!!

Jeremy & Autumn

 Thanks again,

 Jeremy

Amanda & Nicholas

Michelle & Tim

Stephanie & Guy

Dear Janie and Bill, many thanks for all the hard work you put into making our wedding day so special. The venue, catering and accommodation was all top notch, and the setting at the Inn at Fiumicello was spectacular. The paperwork, ceremony, and the whole day was superbly organised. We would have no hesitation in recommending Slow Dreams to anyone looking for a romantic Italian wedding in a stunning location. Steph and Guy.

Sandy & Jerry

Thank you so much for your hard work and dedication to making our wedding day perfect!! Let us start thanking you for the Villa Ceeta. You recommended the perfect setting for our stay and our wedding. The villa was wonderful, the service excellent , the food... well perfect, and the setting charming. I think our girls enjoyed Maratea as much as any of the marvellous sights of Italy. They got this wonderful opportunity to explore the town, shop in the shops and imagine life in a coastal Italian village. I have to tell you... we will be back!

The wedding day went off without a hitch, or the slightest of nerves! Everything was perfectly planned and the minister was lovely. As any bride and groom, getting married across the sea, we worried a bit about how will our clothes be pressed, or what will the flowers would be like... honestly, we met you both, and the wonderful people at Villa Cheta, and we knew we were in good hands! We are still wondering how you managed to pull off the beautiful sunny day!

There are so many places today that cater to the "destination" wedding. So many choices. We are absolutely thrilled with ours! No crowd, no fuss, no stress. We felt so blessed to have found each other, we wanted a quite, private and intimate setting to make our commitment and receive our wedding blessing. You surpassed our expectations.

Shawn & Phil

Janie & Bill:

When we decided to get married in Italy, neither of us knew the memories that we would walk away with.  After so much time looking online for a wedding service we finally found Slow-Dreams, and what a find it was. 

Along the Campania coastline lies the sleepy village of Castellabate di Santa Maria and the hotel Villa Sirio, a true hidden treasure.  From its ocean views to its elegant rooms, the Villa Sirio lives up to its royal heritage.  Alessandra, Gino and the whole Villa Sirio staff worked tirelessly with Janie and the Slow Dreams organization to make our dream come true. 

Despite the maze of governmental paperwork, Slow Dreams was by our side each step of the way.  A special thank you to John & Martina during our Naples experience, we absolutely could not have done it with out them.

The exceptional pictures and video seemed to capture our every emotion.   Each time we view them we are transported back to the terrace and the shining sun where we began our journey as man and wife.  

Our Slow Dreams experience was truly magnificent. There are not enough words to express our gratitude for making our wedding into a true fairytale.

Lilliot (Phil) & Shawn Phillips

Kiyomi & Lee

                                 Thank you, 너를감사하십시요, Arigato, Danke, Orbigado, Merci and Grazie!!  There are not enough ways to say thank you.  Kiyomi and I are truly grateful for the efforts of Slow Dreams.  When we hit Send on the initial E-mail contact with Slow Dreams, we were doubtful that anyone would entertain the idea of planning a wedding with only 8 weeks notice.  Oh yeah, and did we mention that my bride-to-be and I we were living in 2 separate countries, 8,291 miles apart, to be exact?  Not only did we receive a reply from Bill the following day, but we were given the assurance that the wedding would be spectacular.  From that moment on, the adventure began.

When we initiated the paperwork in the United States and Bahrain to obtain the infamous Atto Nottorio, we found obstacles at every turn and wondered if the paperwork, and therefore the wedding, would come to fruition.  We figured that if we couldn’t handle getting things done in the areas in which we lived, how were we going to get things done in a country to which neither of us had ever been nor did either of us speak the language?  Thankfully we managed the paperwork on the American end, but surviving Napoli was another story.  John was our savior in Napoli.  We highly recommend his services to help maneuver through the chaos known to us as Napoli.

We chose Castello Praja as the place we would pledge our eternal love.  With John’s help in Napoli, we were in the car headed for Castello Praja by midday.  What a choice we made!!  In the dictionary under the word picturesque, it says, see Castello Praja.  The castle was not only exquisite, but the castle’s family literally treated us like royalty.  From the moment we arrived at Castello Praja, we were waited on hand and foot, fed extraordinary cuisine, and treated to guided tours of the spectacular region in Praia a Mare and the surrounding villages.  We simply cannot say enough wonderful things about the family of Castello Praja and the property itself.  We were in heaven during our week stay at the castle and Kiyomi’s parents can now brag about their stint as the Lord and Lady of Castello Praja.

Our wedding, on the turrets of Castello Praja overlooking the Mediterranean Sea on a perfect spring afternoon, is something that not only Kiyomi and I will talk about for the rest of our lives, but our guests will as well.  Our goal was an intimate wedding adventure, and we succeeded with a quaint wedding ceremony in Italian and English translation, fabulous sights, adventurous photographers and guests, and incredible food to keep our stomachs’ happy.  Silvia and Luigi, the photographers, took us around the town and port of Maratea and produced a fabulous album and DVD.  We are incredibly thankful to Silvia and Luigi for their hard work and creativity.  The entire experience at Castello Praja was fabulous.  Everyone left the castle with memories that will be forever etched in their minds and hearts.  And Kiyomi and I have a sneaky suspicion that we will be back someday to renew our memories.  Castello Praja is just that beautiful and special.  Thank you Slow Dreams for helping Kiyomi and I create a wedding adventure that suited our every whim.  We will cherish our experiences forever.

Our best to you all,

The Griffeys

Note :   Kiyomi and Lee's experience getting their Atto Notorio is quite unsual  -  them being in two different countries and with only 8 weeks to get the approval radically complicated the process.    Also, there is new process  in place (quite expensive) for the ancient and beautiful town of Castellabate,  which allows US Citizens to get married there very easily and very quickly - see ceremony packages. eliminating the effort that Kiyomi and Lee went through. 

Becky & James

Thank you for everything you did to make our day special. Everyone had a fantastic time and a number of them said it was the best wedding they'd ever been to!

We loved the location (Inn at Fiumicello), which lived up to the pictures on your site, and from seeing our photos we've had 3 couples ask us where we were as they are interested in getting married there. We're quite happy to recommend you as you ensured that everything ran smoothly, it can't have been easy with us finding decision-making so difficult but you coped with that admirably.

Everything you organised we were very happy with, from the flowers to the meal. We were able to relax as we were confident everything was being looked after, and we're very grateful for that. We really don't think the day could have gone any better, it got our marriage off to a perfect start and we're so pleased we decided to come out to Maratea to do it.

Thanks again

James & Becky

Haley & Martyn - Weddings in Italy

Both of us wanted to say how very much we enjoyed our wedding day.  It really was the most fantastic day and better than we could have ever imagined.  Thank you all so much for making our day so special, there wasn’t a dry eye in the house by the time our ceremony was over!  You all made the whole process so easy, even providing answers to questions that we hadn’t got round to asking!  You were all so great in dealing with our unreasonable/unusual requests (the cricket themed table plan, Welsh and English flags, etc) and for accommodating all of our guests.  The setting for our ceremony at the Hotel Meraviglie was so romantic and perfect, and all the staff so friendly and helpful.  The area of Maratea itself is beautiful and unspoilt, and all the people we met were friendly.  We have both already recommended Maratea and your company to other people.  I am also holding Martyn to his promise of taking me back to Italy’s last hideaway for our wedding anniversaries.

Thank you once again so much, it is a day we will both remember for ever.

Hayley and Martyn Cushing!

Rachel & Duncan

Wow, where do we start?
Firstly, thanks to Bill and Janie for all your emails of endless information and reassurance over the past year. It's difficult to arrange a wedding & accommodation for 30 people so far away but you guys were great and also very patient. Thanks also for the great welcome packs in everyone's rooms, all our guests were very grateful for those.

When we first arrived in Maratea in absolute pouring rain, you 3 lovely ladies were there to reassure us that it'll all be fine on the day and if it was still raining, plan B was still a beautiful option. Luckily, my dad was looking down on us and the sun shone all day long which meant we could go ahead as planned and get married overlooking the sea at the stunning Il Carrubo at the Santavenere. All our guests were utterly gobsmacked at the amazing natural beauty of the surroundings at the Il Carrubo, we would recommend a wedding here to anyone and everyone! The staff at the Santavenere were more than helpful and the waiters were very charming. We had the tastiest,  most fantastic 6 course meal ever (and the most filling as well!).

The photographers, Sylvia and Luigie were great too, both so laid back they made us feel very relaxed. They even came back after the meal to take more pictures! Thank you both of you for your great work.

Lucia and Rosa did a fantastic job with decorating the tables with all the little jars and butterflies we'd brought over from England.......thank you.

To sum up the day, we had the most amazing, perfect day of our lives and feel very lucky that 28 of our closest family and friends came all the way to Maratea to share that day with us. Many of our guests have said it's the best wedding they've ever been to and also how they would love to return to that part of Italy again. The whole day ran extremely smoothly and we are both very thankful to all of you at slow dreams for making it possible. we are already planning to return for our first anniversary!

with love from

Rachel and Duncan x x

Joanne & Chris

Well.....What can we say?  We almost can not find words to describe what a perfect wedding, and all round experience we had.  We had our wedding in Castello Praja, Praia a Mare, and it is something we will never, ever forget.  The minute we first saw this imposing building, we were genuinely stunned at its sheer beauty and breathtaking views, and it only got better once we had a look around inside!  WOW!  Never have we, or our guests been lucky enough to stay somewhere so special, in such a stunning location.  From the minute the family of the castle met us it was genuine warmth and kindness all the way.  Not only did they make us all feel very welcome, but we felt as though they had somehow embraced us almost as part of their own family, something we were very humbled by.  Nothing was too much trouble for these wonderful people, in fact amongst the nicest we have ever met.  Even when some of our guests had experienced problems en route, both Slow Dreams and the family were on hand to make sure things were sorted out, and relieve the stress from an already stressed out bride and groom.  Wonderful.    

I have nothing but great things to say about Slow Dreams too....Every question that I have ever asked has been dealt with immediately and professionally (not always the case when dealing with other countries, I can tell you!).  We had the best day of our lives, and without Slow Dreams it certainly would not have been possible, you were with us every step of the way, and it was lovely to finally meet you (sorry I did not get to meet you too Bill).  I would recommend Slow Dreams to anyone considering a marriage in Italy, and the locations on offer can not be bettered.  We honeymooned in Sorrento, which although we enjoyed, was in stark contrast to the wonderful Italian lifestyle we experienced around Calabria, and we secretly wished we would have stayed there for the honeymoon too!  We will certainly be back, in fact, I am looking into flights as we speak!....

We can not wait to see Silvia and Luigi's handiwork on the photographs.  I have never seen two more enthusiastic photographers!  If the proofs are anything to go by they will be very interesting!

Thank you all so much for everything you have done, and helping ensure we have had not only the best day of our lives, but the best holiday too.  I'm sure most of the guests would bear testimony to that too.

Love
Joanne and Chris (Castello Praja, September 9th 2005).

Vera & Korstiaan

Jody & Mark

On behalf of myself and my husband, I want to sincerely thank you and Slow Dreams for all of your assistance in creating the most beautiful and romantic wedding any woman (or man) could ask for.

To be clear, I would like to commend you on the following:

-- You and your team held the up most level professionalism

-- Incredible follow-up and responsiveness

-- Friendly and caring associates at every step of the wedding/ceremonies

-- Amazing accommodations and a beautiful setting in Santa Maria Castellabate

I was a little nervous at first working with an overseas company to plan my wedding (one of the most important days of my life). However, you and Slow Dreams way exceeded my expectations and I will be forever thankful for how special your company made our wedding day.

Thank you so much,

Jodie

Liz & Darren

Thank you so much for everything that you and the company did for our wedding. Everything was perfect,  even the thunderstorm in the evening added a bit of excitement!

 I couldn't think of enough superlatives!  We recommend the Grand Hotel San Michele and the fantastic work of the Slow Dreams team to any couple looking for the perfect hideaway in which to spend their special day.  The whole party loved every minute of their stay and we wish to thank everyone who was involved in making our wedding adventure the best and most perfect day to start our new life.

The Grand Hotel San Michele is a stunning location with breathtaking views of the Mediterranean and nearby towns.  The rooms and suites are beautifully furnished and have fabulous views from their balconies.

We were warmly welcomed and all the guests settled in well with drinks and food on one of the many terraces. The service was impeccable and all the staff were on hand to provide the party with their needs.

The first part of the wedding service took place in the old town hall of the quaint town of Cetraro. The afternoon part was held on the terrace which had been decorated like the rest of the hotel with fantastic floral arrangements. Much of which had been selected and hand picked from the vast array of flora from the estate.

The planning and preparation of the wedding day was second to none and we both felt that we could not have had a more perfect day. Even the weather held out for us during the ceremony! The Italian wedding vows were the most beautiful any of the guests had ever heard and there were few dry eyes by the end.

There are so many great places to have photographs taken, with the foliage, fruit trees, steps and buildings that offer amazing backdrops.

The reception was superb and the food divine – even if there was too much! Everyone's taste was catered for on the seven courses and the chefs and waiting staff did us proud.

Thanks again

Liz

Jody & Darren

Jennifer & Billy - Weddings in Italy

everything went great..  the castle (Castello Praja) and the wedding were more amazing than we could have hoped for!  And Adriano and Fiore were just amazing... they took such good care of us.  It was really fabulous!

we will definitely work on a testimonial and send you some pics in the coming week.

sorry this is so short, but I've got a lot of catching up to do back at home, but we really were very pleased!

thanks for everything!!!!

jennifer

Brent & Lynda

Lisa & Brian

Mary & Sean

Saree & Nick

Belinda & Michael

Jez & Liz

Emma & Irwin

Natasha & Nick

Donna & Tim

Naomi & Frank

Vivian & Todd

Ashley & Jason

Olga & Nick

Hannah & Rob

Laura & Dave

Melissa & Ben

Lucy & Mark

Gina & Terry

Diana & Ian

Natasha & Jody

Alana & Philip

Gemma & Rob

Creena & Michael

Manda & Rob

Gillian & Eric

Rachael & Dan

Emma & Nick

Deidre & Cian

Scott & Dee

Kristen & Mark

Mandy & Mark

Jennifer & Scott

Mark & Sara

Catherine & Jeff

John & Debbie

Russell & Janice  - Australia

Patrycja & Gavin

Pip & Neil

Melissa & Sam

Leanne & Mark

Marianne & Chris

Gail & Mark

Gina & Billy

Tom & Clare

Terra & Elliot

Helen & Robert

Caroline & Simon

Justine & Andrew

Esther & Kristian

Sara & Anthony

Brenda & Dave

Jackie & Stewart  

I worried about every detail in the run up to the wedding as I wanted to be sure our 34 guests enjoyed themselves, so it was great when many of our friends and family said it had beat any wedding they had ever been to.

30 of our guests stayed at the Hotel Delle Villa de Meraviglie and 6 including Stewart and myself stayed at The Inn at Fiumicello,  we can highly recommend each, their setting right on the coast at Maratea are equally as stunning. The Hotel was the ideal venue for all of our party to lounge around the pool with the licensed pool bar and delicious lunches to keep us happy, the staff were very helpful and friendly, and the The Inn at Fiumicello was the ideal venue for the wedding reception.

We were married at the little Church at the Port we had a local soloist accompanied by a keyboard, the singing was amazing! After a drink and pictures at the Port it was back to the The Inn at Fiumicello for the wedding reception of Chicken or Tuna steak, all the food was delicious. The Champagne reception was outside but the tables had been set up inside because it had rained in the morning, eating inside actually made the meal more enjoyable as we didn’t have to worry about the wasps, which are quite a pain in September. After the meal we took our chairs outside and had the speeches then the 5 piece local folk ensemble we had hired gave our party a real Italian atmosphere, we can highly recommend them. At our request the band played from approx. 7.00pm to 10.30pm then we continued to party with our own music which we played on the hired music system until about 1.30am. The Hotel and Villa are very close, our guests made their way back to their hotel via a 5 minute walk through a wooded area. (Tip if you have the same set up remember to request the owner of the inn to switch the lanterns on which light up the path as you can easily lose your way in the dark especially if you have had lots of Italian wine)

Our wedding in Maratea was fantastic everyone enjoyed every moment, many of our guests stayed the whole week it’s such a beautiful area! Maratea old town has a charm of its own and must be seen in the evening to fully appreciate it. For a good family restaurant to suit all tastes and purses try El Sol in Fiumicello, but give them some warning if you are taking a large party so they can get the extra staff or the service may be slow. They have a very varied menu which included grilled lamb chops for our least adventurous guests who didn’t appreciate Italian food.

Thanks again to Slow Dreams.

Jacky and Stewart.

Clare & Andrew

Laura & Micheal

Brenda & Dave

Dan & Jennifer

Leisha & Damian

Jen & Jess

Simon & Claire

Laura & Niall