Frequently Asked Questions

At Hidden Voyage Weddings and Events we have carefully created deluxe experiences using a bespoke and personalised approach to produce an Event of opulent indulgence along the stunning Amalfi Coast and Capri. If you have any queries that have not been answered below, please do not hesitate to contact us where we are always more than happy to help.

I only want to hire a Villa without an Event.

We have a beautiful selection of luxury Villas around Italy from the beautiful hillsides in Tuscany to the famous Amalfi Coast and stunning Island of Capri, which are available to rent for a minimum of one week for a perfect Holiday away with friends or family, from a Saturday to a Saturday.

Why should we plan our event with you?

Offering unique and luxurious experiences and events, here at Hidden Voyage Weddings and Events we provide professional and personal dedication as if we were planning our own, so you can rest in the knowledge that you are in good hands.

We are a British company with the Head Office based in London, and the Events Team based in Italy, therefore possessing the essential knowledge of local information to bring you a professional and luxurious service.

Why should I hire you as a company to plan my Event instead of planning my own?

As we live and work here in Italy and the beautiful Sorrentine Pensinsula, we can take care of your whole experience from start to finish to ensure peace of mind from the comfort of your own home, that we are a high quality luxury company with in-depth knowledge of the local area to ensure the perfect dream event for all our guests, instead of trying to find your own suppliers for all the aspects of your Event with the worry if they are reliable or professional, we would organise your whole day, so you would only be communicating with Hidden Voyage Weddings and Events, instead of organizing everything yourselves and talking with multiple suppliers, and having to repeat yourself many times.

I have already planned most of my Wedding / Event, can I have your assistance in planning the other parts of our Day?

Here at Hidden Voyage Weddings and Events we are here to assist you in the full planning, preparation and management of your whole day from start to finish to ensure that we have everything for your Dream Event and therefore we are not available to hire for only parts of your Special Day. We have carefully selected our partners in the area to ensure that we offer each individual guest a luxurious and stress free experience from start to finish.

Do you work with venues that are not listed on your website?

We have delicately designed Our Offers to ensure we are providing you with outstanding service for your Special Day, and only work with a select few luxury Hotels to hold a Special Event, where you can contact us for more details, however we do not work with any other Venues that are not mentioned on our website.

Our Contact us process explained?

• Upon completing our Contact Us Form, this will help us to understand what you are looking for, and we will thereafter contact you with various proposals for your Holiday or Event, bespoke to your needs.
• A Facetime / Skype / Messenger / Telegram or Whatsapp Video Call will be held so as you can get to know us and we can learn more about your dream experience. You will also have the opportunity to meet one of our London based Team Members to go over any queries that you may have, and explain how we work to ensure an ultimate event of pure indulgence.
•  We will contact all relevant suppliers to ensure your day and time preferences are available for your Holiday or Special Day.
• Signing of the contract
• The planning process will start where we will keep you updated with all your information regarding your Special Day.

How can I keep updated with the details of my Experience?

Once you have signed the contract we will constantly update your information with all the planning and preparation details and ensure that you are updated regularly, and if you wish to make any amendments, we are always just a phone call or E-mail away.

Does the total cost include the Event Coordination fee?

Hidden Voyage Weddings and Events coordination fee is included within the price of your event, so there are no hidden costs on top of the total cost we send to you. Prices are subject to change depending on any additions you wish to add to our offers, where the total price will always be clearly marked.

Will a Team Member be with us during our Event / Wedding Day?

There will be a Team Member there to manage and coordinate your Special Day to ensure that you have everything you desire for your Dream Wedding Day Experience / Special Event.

We are a same sex couple; can we get married in Italy?

We hold Legal Civil Ceremonies for same sex couples at all our locations as described on ‘Ceremony Services’ under ‘Our Services’ section of the Website.

Can I have a legal marriage Ceremony at a location of our choice?

If you would like a legal Marriage Civil Ceremony, these have to take place at a location with the legal rights to hold the marriage, unfortunately if there is a particular venue you would like to hold a ceremony this would not be a legal ceremony, but we could possibly hold a Symbolic Ceremony (A symbolic Ceremony is not a legal ceremony, and would be held by your Wedding and Event Planner).

How long do I need to be in Italy before and after my marriage date?

We would recommend to arrive in Italy at least three days prior to your marriage date, and at least a couple of days after your marriage.

Do we need to visit the Town Hall to provide any documentation in Italy?

We forward all your documentation to the required Town Hall, once we have signed in the Registry Book for Marriages in Italy, where you normally do not need to visit the Town Hall, however the marriage process for Amalfi, required that you sign a document at the Town Hall at least two days prior to your marriage Ceremony held in Amalfi.

Can you help with the organisation of our documentation for our Wedding?

We will advise you on what needs to be done to organise your documentation in the UK (which will be paid for at your own expense in the UK), once you have all your documentation this can be scanned over to us to ensure that all is correct before posting to us in Italy, where we will thereafter deal with your documentation legalities and translations of which the costs are included within your Wedding Event Coordination Fee. We recommend to use a Tracked Delivery Service such as UPS or DHL, which will be at your own expense as this fee is not included within our fee, and all items are posted at your own risk.

I am a British Citizen marrying a Non-British Citizen, what documentation do we need?

Please be advised that the documentation process is different, where we would advise to contact us, where we will offer more guidance regarding the correct documentation procedure.

What Documentation do we need for a legal marriage ceremony in Italy?

For a British Citizen to marry another British Citizen, the following documentation is required:

2 x Certificates Of No Impediment (both apostilled)
2 x Statutory Declarations (both apostilled)
Passport copies of the Bride and Groom
Passport copies for 2 witnesses
Copy of absolute decree if divorced
Copy of Deed poll in case of name change
Copy of Birth Certificate of Bride and Groom

If you have another citizenship, please contact us where we will advise you of the documentation process required.

What is a Statutory Declaration?

We will send you a Statutory Declaration which one must be filled out for the Bride and another copy filled out separately for the Groom. These must be filled out in the presence of a Solicitor / Notary correctly and neatly in black ink. Any mistakes may prolong your documentation process here in Italy. These documents indicate you are, who you say you are.

What is a Certificate of No Impediment?

A CONI (Certificate of No Impediment) is a legal document required for marriages abroad, which can be obtained from your Local Registry Office (your Local Registry Office can be found via the Official UK Government Website). The application for a Certificate of No Impediment is the same as giving Notice of your Marriage (if you were to be getting married in the UK) and states that there is no reason why you cannot get married.

What documentation do I need in order to get my Certificate of No Impediment?

Please check with your Local Registry Office for all documentation required in order to receive your Certificate of No Impediment, or visit the Official UK Government Website.

How long will it take to receive my Certificate of No Impediment?

You will typically receive your Certificate of No Impediment 28 days after your appointment with your Local Registry Office, however we advise to always check beforehand with your Local Registry Office.

What information do I need to fill out for the required documentation?

It is extremely important that when filling out your Statutory Declaration and your Certificate of No Impediment, you must match your information as shown on your passport (for example, if you have a middle name on your passport, you must also use this on your documentation, or you have a middle name that is shown on your birth certificate, but not on the passport -> DO NOT include it when filling in the No Impediment Certificate or Statutory Declaration)

When do I need to start applying for my documentation?

Both the Certificates of No Impediment and the Statutory Declarations have a 6 months validity (3 months for the Certificate of No Impediment if you are Scottish), so please ensure that the issuing date is correct and the validity covers your wedding date (We suggest to apply for the Certificates on No Impediment, and, whilst you wait for the certificates to be ready, sign the Statutory Declaration in front of a solicitor/notary).

How and which documents need to be apostilled?

The Certificate of No Impediment and your Statutory Declarations (of both the Bride and Groom) need to be sent to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in Milton Keynes (at your own expense) to be apostilled (The apostil will be a stamped certificate attached to these documents to validate the authenticity to advise that the Statutory Declaration has been signed infront of an Official Solicitor)

Will our marriage certificates be legally recognised in the UK?

Due to undergoing the correct process to obtain your Certificate of No Impediment (which is the same as giving notice of your banns at your Local Registry Office), after your marriage Ceremony here in Italy, you will receive two multilingual marriage certificates of which do not need to be registered back in the UK, of which can be used straight away upon your return to the UK to prove your marriage in Italy. Extra marriage certificates are available upon request for an extra supplement.

Does the woman’s surname change in Italy upon the marriage?

The surname of the woman does not change here in Italy. If you are looking to change your surname, this needs to be done back in the UK with your local Registry Office who can offer you advice on how to change your name.

What’s involved in my Civil Ceremony?

An Italian Registrar will host your Civil Ceremony, and a translator will translate each section of the Ceremony after the Registrar, to ensure you understand all aspects of the Marriage. The Ceremony is broken down into the following:

Registrar greets couple and guests and asks couple to confirm their identity
Registrar reads 3 articles of Civil Code which translator will translate article by article.
Institutional vows – do you take each other to be your lawfully wedded Wife or Husband
Registrar asks Witnesses to bear testimony to the Marriage
Couple are pronounced Husband and Wife / Wife and Wife / Husband and Husband
Exchanging of the rings.
Official Acts of Marriage are read
Signing of the Marriage documentation
Couple walk back down the aisle as Newlyweds

You Wedding Specialist will go into more detail with you regarding the service and answer any queries that you may have.

What is the duration of the Civil Ceremony Service?

The Civil Ceremony itself lasts for approximately 10 – 15 minutes.

Do we repeat after the Registrar to say our vows?

You do not repeat any words of the Registrar to say your vows, the Registrar will only ask a few questions during the Service, including if you are who you say you are, and if you take you partner to be your lawfully wedded wife or husband.

Can we write our own vows to read at the Service?

You are more than welcome to write your own vows to read at your Civil Ceremony, as we think it adds a very personal and special touch to the Ceremony. Please do let us know in advance so as we can advise the Registrar so we know when to pause to allow you to read your vows.

Are there any readings during the Ceremony?

There are no readings in the Ceremony, however if you would like to add any readings, these will add a personal and special touch to the ceremony, of which one of your guests can read, or the translator can read if you prefer.

What happens if I am running late for my Ceremony?

Your Hidden Voyage Weddings and Events Specialist has organised all your details and running order of your Special Day to ensure a smooth transition from start to finish, including your transportation to arrive within plenty of time of the Ceremony. If for any reason you are not at the Ceremony Venue on time, this may result in a slight delay, or cancellation of the Ceremony completely, as each Town Hall holds between four and six weddings daily, and are on a strict time schedule.

As the Town Halls hold between 4 and 6 ceremonies daily, is there enough time for photos at the Ceremony Venue?

Your Hidden Voyage Weddings and Events Specialist will be there to manage the running of your Special Day from start to finish. Although the Town Hall’s do have many Weddings each day, there is still plenty of time to welcome guests before the service, hold the service, and take a few photos at the Ceremony of the Bride and Groom with a few family members, the confetti throw as newlyweds, outside the town hall, and photos around the area afterwards before heading to the Reception venue.

Can our guests throw confetti at the Ceremony?

Hidden Voyage Weddings and Events will provide fresh rose petals that can be thrown after the Ceremony, outside the main entrance of the venue. Please note that no other confetti is permitted by the Town Halls, and cannot be thrown inside the venue.

We would like to make a few amendments to your offers?

We have various offers available for the various events, however we appreciate that each event is different, and we are here to create bespoke offers to ensure that all our guests have everything they desire for their Special Day.

We are still deciding some details of our event, when is the latest you need everything confirmed by?

We advise to have all details such as your guest list and menu choices (including any allergies / dietary requirements), table plan no later than two months prior to your wedding date to allow for a smooth organisation process.

Can we amend the Menu choices from the Menu example on the Hidden Voyage Weddings and Events Website?

We can by almeans we can amend the Menu to ensure that you have the ideal Italian cuisine experience, which can be seen on our website, or we can send the Menu options through to you once the contract has been signed.

What is your payment policy?

A 30% Non-refundable deposit is required upon signing the contract for a Villa hire or Event, and thereafter 40% to be paid 6 months prior to your arrival date, and the remaining 30% to be paid 3 months prior to your arrival date. If your Event or Villa hire is within 70 days of bookings, the full balance is due upon signing to the contract for the Villa hire or Event.

What is your cancellation policy?

The 30% deposit is strictly non-refundable under any circumstances. A penalty of 80% of the total cost is applied to cancellations between 70 days and 44 days prior to the commencement of either the Villa rental period or your arrival date to Italy. A penalty of 100% of the total price if applied to cancellations made within 43 days of the commencement of the Villa rental period or your arrival date to Italy.

If you have any queries that have not been answered please do not hesitate to contact us where we are always more than happy to help, or alternatively, complete our Contact Us page or phone us where we will start to create your Italian journey of a lifetime, together. We look forward to speaking with you soon.