Bianca & Lester

Lauren & Kenneth

Donna & Craig

Jane & Steve

Mia & Michael

Christiana and Matthew

Isabella & Elton

Amy & Mario

Mr & Mrs O'Connell

Samantha and Erik

Jemma & Mark

Hordur and Anna

Niahm & Matt

Darina & Adam

Laura & Paul

Brenda & Dave

Layla & Ian

Marika & Gregg

Amanda & Kevin

Emer & Jonathan

Lee & Hannah

Kristi & Andi

Hayley & Rob (sent by Hayley's mother)

Clare & Andrew

La Locanda Del Fiume, Pisciotta

Thank you so much for everything we had a fabulous time and the wedding went perfectly and far better than either of us expected. It was a fairytale. The women from Slow Dreams who looked after us were absolutely brilliant and I cannot thank you enough for the most fabulous experience of our lives.

The venue was fantastic and Sonja and her husband and staff looked after us and all our guests right into the small hours every evening we were there. The wedding meal, drinks, table arrangements, flowers and the wedding cake were absolutely fabulous. Their hospitality and patience was outstanding.

The photographers were absolutely brilliant and stayed with us for the entire day to capture all the special moments which I will cherish in the album forever. The hairdresser was fantastic and did exactly what I wanted and the Mayor of Pisciotta who performed the civil ceremony was fantastic.

To Janie, Bill, Lucia, Alida and all who made the day fantastic, I can’t thank you all enough. You made the happiest day of our lives a wonderful and relaxing experience and I want to do it all over again!!!

Elise & Jim

We just want to say thank you to everyone at Slow Dreams for all your hard work, diligence and efforts in making our wedding day what it was. We were drawn to Slow Dreams as all of your prices were on the website and you had lots of options to personalise our day. We wanted a simple planning process and a stripped back day so we liked that you had your own affiliated hotels, photographers, florists etc. Thank you Janie for answering every email promptly and every little request was actioned/remembered. The whole team were efficient, helpful and answered every question, no matter how small or silly we thought it might be. You sent lots of information about the location, marriage process and ceremony so that we always felt confident with how everything was going to run. You obviously know so much about the area so we had every confidence that you knew what was best for our vision.
 

Lucia, your service was incredible. As soon as we got there you came to visit us at the hotel and took us out to see the town and restaurant where our wedding meal would be held. We were also able to meet our photographer and videographer then so that we could relax and begin to enjoy our holiday rather than worry about wedding stuff. You were available via WhatsApp and helped us book excursions, book tables at restaurants, order in takeaway pizza, buy make up at last minute- all things you didn't have to do but you went above and beyond! You were so friendly and accommodating to all of us, thank you. You clearly are in love with the town and your job and it was so nice to be around you.
 

The ceremony was like a dream! Surrounded by nature, over looking the sea and with the mayor marrying us! We'll never live down the fact we had a journalist there and made it into the local paper.
 

The hotel was absolutely stunning and our family couldn't believe how nice it was!!! Wherever you looked was a picture perfect scene and we loved the mixture of trees, flowers and architecture against the beautiful backdrop of the sea. All of the staff were friendly too. The hotel is quite basic and rustic, but that's just what we wanted! We felt like we had the hotel to ourselves most days and there were only 11 of us.
 

We love that you got right on board with our idea of the wedding and it was so simple and easy and lovely, just like we wanted. We recommend Slow Dreams to anyone that is after a no fuss wedding abroad in a beautiful town. We got married at Lovers Walk, had our wedding meal at Ristoronte 1999 and stayed at Hotel delle Meraviglie. We brought two families together and everyone had a wonderful, unforgettable time! 10/10
 

Kind regards,

Elise and Jim

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.

Karen & David

Sarah & Lawrence

Venessa & Ben

Brenda & Dave

Hi Janie,

Just got back from our honeymoon yesterday and were delighted to see that the proofs were there waiting for us. How difficult to decide! Is it possible to upgrade to the next package and get 90 prints? We would like to have them all loose in the album and arrange them ourselves. We were thinking of getting 1 or 2 of the photos enlarged so that we could frame them.. Does Silvia do enlargements and if so what are the sizes available and the  cost? Also, after we receive the album is it possible to order additional prints if there are some that we really like?

We also wanted to extend a massive thank you to you and your team. The wedding was a dream come true for us, everything went so perfectly. Your company really do an amazing job of ensuring that happens. Everything was organised in such detail and went so smoothly. Lucia was absolutely fantastic on the day, so professional. We would love to leave a testimonial on your website, how do we go about that?

Very much looking forward to hearing from you,
Brenda & Dave

Courtney & Mike

Esther & Kristian

We chose slow-dreams to be our wedding organisers as soon as we saw their website, and the Grand Hotel San Michele.  

Like many of others we fell in love with the surroundings and olde-worlde look of this historic hotel.

Replies to emails were always swift, friendly and helpful.  Bill and Janie understood how important it was for the whole holiday to work, not only the wedding, but it would be the first time for our families to meet.

When we arrived at the hotel, unbelievably, it was better than the website.  The slow-dreams representativeowner of the hotel, Ornella was amazing from start to finish and met every single bridal demand!  She took us on a little tour of the grounds the first morning we arrived, introduced us to the family and made us feel totally welcome, it felt more like a big house than a hotel.  The staff...where do I start..amazing, friendly and incredibly kind, we were so glad to have them in some wedding photo's too.  Anywhere we wanted to go around the area was no trouble to the drivers and staff at the the hotel, every recommendation to a restaurant turned out to be a great night.  Ornella also took us on a tour for a day to a few local towns and scenic places, she was so informative and went out of her way to show us special things, all with a great sense of humour!

The day of the wedding...what can I say ..went without a "hitch"....due to Ornella, Lucia and Alida.  We had fun from start to finish, beginning at the small registry office ceremony,  followed by an amazingly relaxing afternoon. It all went to plan and was weirdly un-stressful.  From the ceremony to the photo's, speeches to dancing, we had a ball!!!!! 

We can't thank you all enough for making our wedding totally perfect, a fantastic holiday in itself,  and for giving our families a perfect place to cement the beginning of a great friendship.

Thanks to you all from the bottom of our hearts......makes me want to get married again!!!

Maria Jose & Pablo

Lorna & Dan

Rachel & Tim

Caroline and Simon

We would like to say a huge thank you to you all for making our wedding day and week in Maratea, so fantastic from start to finish. What an incredible day! We hardly know where to start as there was so much that you did, but here goes.

We were firstly extremely impressed by your comprehensive website (head and shoulders above the rest) that includes so much info to make things easy to plan. On our visit to Maratea in October we were enchanted by the town and the coastline as we were guided, by Bill, through our options.

Over the following 8 months Janie (so sorry never to have met you in person) was prompt and helpful with her replies to all our emails concerning everything from the big decisions about the day to the tiniest details.

Our choice of the Santavenere Hotel could not have been better. Our guests were treated to one idyllic setting and view after another as they made their way from the welcome drinks on the terrace, to the ceremony looking over the sea and finally down to the beach side restaurant. Lucia (you are amazing) was constantly on hand throughout the week and on the day itself to ensure things went smoothly and we are hugely grateful to you for your friendly, calm and efficient qualities.

The sunset provided the perfect backdrop for our exquisite meal and our guests were both surprised and impressed by the fireworks before dancing into the small hours of the night.

All our guests said it was the best wedding they’d ever been to and that they’d had an amazing time. That was not only down to the coastline and the hotel but the planning, organisation of the day and indeed the whole week. Thank you, thank you. Nothing was left to chance and as a result we felt extremely relaxed (the massage helped as well!) on what could have been a stressful day.

We would thoroughly recommend Maratea as a stunning location for a wedding and Slow Dreams as the organisation to run it.

Many guests said they would return to the area, as we will, very soon and also others are already thinking of recommending that friends should get married in Maratea.

We hope you are still operating when we return to renew our vows in 25 years time as we will put ourselves and our guests in your so very capable hands again.

With lots of love and thanks

Caroline and Simon

Helen & Robert

We knew we had made the right choice of company and place and but work commitments meant we were unable to visit the location  beforehand so we didn’t actually get to see stunning Maratea and the Hotel Santavenere, until our arrival 2 days before the wedding!  We needn’t have worried, Lucia was on hand to answer any questions we had and her professional and engaging personality relaxed us immediately.

The day itself was absolutely the best day of our lives-we had the ceremony at Il Carrubo, a stunning and secluded part of the hotel grounds overlooking the sea, our guests were lost for words at the stunning setting, the beautiful Italian ceremony, and the food was nothing less than 5*.  All 25 of our guests said it was THE best wedding they had ever attended and that they felt part of something special, which is exactly what we wanted.

We danced the night away to out favourite music with our special friends and family in a place that only fairytales are made of!  Thank you Slow Dreams for making this possible and for being so helpful and friendly in the run up to the day!

We have just made the choice of our pictures, which are fantastic and we had so much fun in the Old Town, we felt like movie stars and each shot captures how happy we are, again, exactly what we wanted!

If you, like me, were searching for that dream place to have your wedding, look no further than the Hotel Santavenere with Slow Dreams, don’t hesitate, it will be the best decision you have ever made!

Helen & Robert.

Terra & Elliot

Tom & Clare

From the outset Bill was so quick and efficient with all our queries on location , accommodation, flights and quotes, usually replying to emails within the day. After the initial organising Janie and Lucia liaised with us to sort all the details of the day from flowers to table settings, readings and local info. When we encountered problems with flights and airport issues, they calmly advised us and adapted the accommodation needs.

We stayed in the Hotel Villa delle Meraviglie with 35 friends and family. The area of Maratea took our breath away immediately. It is totally unspoilt and stunning. The town of Maratea itself is full of character and gives guests somewhere to wander, eat out and relax in the days up to the wedding. Hotel Villa delle Meraviglie is so secluded, with beautiful grounds leading down to the sea. The staff were fantastic and catered for our every need, from providing meals throughout the day, drinks by the pool and taxis. They were so friendly and professional and we are already talking about going back there for a group holiday!

We chose the Hotel Santavenere venue of Il Carrubo which is down by the sea, for our ceremony and venue. Without having had the time to visit the venue at all, we were a little apprehensive about seeing it the day before. However the photographs on the website are an absolute true reflection of just how beautiful and stunning a venue it is.

Unfortunately the day of the wedding was rainy but Lucia was immediately on hand to reassure us of any concerns and had an amazing Plan B. We ended up having our ceremony in the Hotel Santavenere which was so beautiful and intimate for us and our guests. Even with the rain the views from the balcony were stunning and the photographs came out so well. Everyone has commented on the venue and the delicious bellinis and vast selection of 'nibbles' were very popular!

The hotel staff were fantastic, so professional, but friendly. We had the reception on a large terrace and enjoyed the most delicious meal. Even when our speeches ran on and on, the staff stood back and were very understanding.

The whole event was completely magical and so many guests have said how beautiful they found the hotel, views, food and accommodation.

We strongly recommend anyone to book their wedding with Slow Dreams. The team were so fantastic that we can't put into words how impressed and grateful we still are.

Thank you Bill, Janie and Lucia and we only wish we could do it all over again!
Love Clare and Tom x

Sarah & Andrew

Billy & Gina

We would like to thank you for organising the most perfect wedding we could have ever dreamed of, we couldn’t have asked for a more stunning location than the Hotel Grand San Michele.  We would like to especially thank Ornella (owner of the hotel) and her staff who made sure all our guests felt welcome with their exceptional service.  The wedding itself was no less than perfect from the amazing view on the terrace to the delicious five course wedding meal, everything met our expectations and beyond.   

The hotel staff even managed to help Billy when he forgot to bring his wedding trousers which we discovered the night before the wedding.  They found a matching pair of trousers and even had them tailored on the morning of the wedding itself, I think without the help of the staff we wouldn’t be married today! 

We had the most fabulous wedding with many special memories to last a lifetime.  Some of our guests commented they enjoyed our wedding so much they were thinking of doing the same, which I think says it all.

All our love

Billy and Gina xx

Fiona & Clive

Sorry it's been so long coming but here, finally, is our testimonial.

As you can see, we had an absolute ball and exactly the wedding we wanted.  And it was all thanks to you guys.  We can't thank you enough.

If we can exchange the favour at any time just let us know.

Best regards

Fi and Clive

Occasionally, just very occasionally, you do something absolutely right and they say things happen in three's!

Deciding to get married in Italy was one.  Picking Slow Dreams was the other and taking Bill and Janie's advice to stay at the Santavenere Hotel was the third.

Our huge thanks to Janie and Bill who right from the start were always there.   Bill with his clear advice and transparent costings.  Janie with her good ideas and support.

Ours was only a small wedding, in fact just the two of us, but having both been married before we wanted it to be absolutely right and extremely special.   As we're well travelled our expectations were high – wow – were they not only met they were exceeded beyond our hopes.

The Santavenere Hotel was amazing.  Lucia, Slow Dreams' Italian-American partner in Maratea, handled all the paperwork with aplomb.   Her arrangements were immaculate and the day went off just as we wanted – low key, high class and fun, so many thanks Lucia.

The wedding pictures were superb.  Thanks to Luigi and Silvia, the laid back, ultra professional photographers, who helped the make the day so relaxed and fun and captured all of those things.

Many thanks to the staff of the Hotel, always friendly and courteous.   It's hard to pick out one but special mention must go to Denisa, the hostess, concierge, helper, friend and hand-holder.

Take our advice.  Have your wedding in Italy, have it in Maratea, stay in the Santavenere – and sit back and let Slow Dreams to do it all the hard work for you knowing their professionalism will result in your perfect day. 

Alice & Steve

Mark & Gail

Dear Janie, Bill, Lucia, Ornella and all at the San Michele,

arianne & Chris

Laura & Micheal

I have to say we had the most amazing time in Maratea, everything went perfect!  It was the day I had dreamt about all my life!  We had around 80 guests who came out with us to Maratea, each and every one of them loved it and couldn’t get over how beautiful the place was.  The hotel staff couldn’t do enough for you and they made us feel so welcome and joined in with our celebrations.  The food was amazing and the cake was stunning!  I just got the photos back from the photographer and they are out of this world, truly amazing. 

If you’re thinking of getting married in Italy, go for it, it’s the best decision we made, and definitely use Slow Dreams, they’re fantastic!

Thank you to Janie, Bill, and especially Lucia.  She really is a fairy godmother, she looked after everything on the day, making sure it all went smoothly!

Thanks Slow Dreams for giving us the best day of our lives, we are eternally grateful.

Laura & Micheal Newell 

Galway, Ireland

Justine and Andrew.

We arrived home at 2am this morning but felt that my priority was to let you know how pleased we were by how well everything went. Andrew and I would like to say a big thank you to all of you. Initially thanks to Bill on his guidance on a hotel to suit our group; secondly, to Janie for the quick and clear response to our many questions. When we arrived in San Marco, we had a meeting with Alessandra who went through the day's events and was very friendly and professional and actually went above what we would have expected which included being our personal shopper! She also sorted out any “non wedding” queries which  was much appreciated. We met Lucia on the wedding day and again she was lovely, very calm and efficient which is just what was needed!

Also the flowers, music, food, etc, were fantastic.  The staff in the hotel (L'Approdo) were great, especially the head waiter whose  name unfortunately I  didn’t get. All my guests were very impressed also,  so you could well be getting some more English wedding requests.

Thanks once again for making our day so special and easy!

We will be adding on to the testimonials,

Thanks once again,

Justine and Andrew.

Melissa & Sam

Thank you ever so much for making are dream wedding come true. It was perfect and a day that we and all our friends and family will never forget.

The way we could do everything in our own way made it a different and original one of a kind wedding just for us.

The boat was really ideal as all of Sam's family are great boat lovers it went down really well. The beach is now a place that we will always love and want to go back to.

The reception was beautiful, really peaceful and relaxing everyone was so wonderful and took good care of us and our guests. The food was great and what a setting at Santojanni.

The magical part for us was the fact that the statue  was over looking everything and the weather was perfect.

We could not of asked for a more perfect day.

The weeks holiday before relaxed us both so we were not nervous at all just enjoying the beautiful scenery and having our friends and family around us it felt like Christmas everyday.

Any concerns or worries we did have Lucia was on the end of the phone line ready to help.

We were both pleased with the service that you gave us. It took the pressure off us so we could enjoy ourselves.

We just wish we could do it all again.

Many thanks.

 Sam and Melissa.

Leanne & Mark

We’re glad to say that we were proved to be absolutely right on both counts. What a special place, we honestly could not believe how beautiful it is, the website doesn’t do it justice really. As we drove south from Naples airport the scenery grew more and more breathtaking and we knew we had made the right choice.

Obviously us Brides have a few wobbles and niggles and I have to say that Lucia was brilliant. I needn’t have worried, and when I did, she knew exactly what was needed. All in all, I have to say that it was relatively stress free, any changes or additions to day were never too much trouble and dealt with straight away.

We arrived at Villa Cheta quite late in the evening, so it wasn’t until the following morning that we realised just how gorgeous the grounds and patios were. Everyone at the Villa was lovely, so excited for us and helpful. They really helped to make our day special and nothing was too much trouble. In fact, the Villa is one of the best places we have ever stayed and absolutely perfect for a wedding. The service was excellent, food lovely, and it had such a pleasant, calm atmosphere, everyone was smiling.

Our room was fantastic, we had our own terrace, which made life interesting on the day of the wedding. Mum, sister and myself all in various stages of make up and hair preparations, and hairdresser and beautician despairing of us as we tried to catch a few last rays of sun before the ceremony.

Lucia popped up all over the place, honestly, we never felt any anxiety, she gave us a phone to keep in touch, took us through everything on our first morning, made sure everything was going well at the beauticians and even told off the hairdresser for me! Our guests have also asked me to thank Lucia, they really appreciated her help from booking their nail appointments to helping my mum pin on her corsage.

All the guests stayed in the San Diego, which is actually right next door, very handy for keeping tabs on them and everyone getting to know each other. Many a happy hour was spent socialising in the bar and the pool is something else!

So, to the day itself, well, it had been a little chilly in the evenings for a few days and being British we decided that we would not let that deter us from holding our wedding breakfast on the terrace overlooking the bay. Luckily, we woke up on the morning to brilliant sunshine and an excellent weather forecast (I know it sounds insane, but we weren’t entirely sure Lucia hadn’t had a word!), which I think greatly relieved the owners, they had been quite sweet - worrying about us being cold.

The beautician and hairdresser were great, and our lack of Italian wasn’t a problem, we managed to have such fun. The flowers were wonderful they had recreated my ideas and added a touch of flair which really wowed everyone. The ceremony was wonderful, everyone at the Villa had put so much effort into creating a beautiful setting and making all our guests feel special, and the photo’s went brilliantly. Our photographer didn’t have that bossy wedding photographer thing going on, he was so laid back and fun, everyone just went with the flow.

We couldn’t have imagined that everything would go so well, and looking back we really wouldn’t change a thing. The wedding breakfast was superb, from the setting and the service, to the food and wine. People are still remarking on the meal and the staff, who we really didn’t thank enough. The whole occasion was so elegant and well managed and it was the people that made it so special.

We have fantastic memories, not only of the day, but of our whole stay, as do our guests; Mark’s parents are determined to return to the Villa next year.

Sara & Anthony

Best,

Sara.

Pip & Neil

Thank you so much to all the people involved for making our wedding such a  special and stress free occasion. Castello Praja was such a beautiful venue and everything we wanted, relaxing, picturesque and friendly.

The team at Slow Dreams have been fantastic from the very initial arrangements. Many thanks to you all, we had a truly memorable and amazing time.

Neil and Pip

Patrycja & Gavin

We would like to thank Ornella and All Staff at San Michele for their hospitality, advice, help and patience! Also a huge thank you to everyone at Slow Dreams – Janie, Bill: thanks for promptly answering thousands of my emails, Lucia : thank you so much for everything on our wedding day…your help, advise, translation service… not sure how we would do it without you!

We recommend the Grand Hotel San Michele to any couple looking for the perfect wedding… San Michele offers everything from amazing history, through stunning location, breathtaking views, fantastic cuisine, beautifully furnished rooms and finally the true Italian hospitality! From the minute we arrived we became the members of the San Michele family…Ornella's warm welcome followed by the tour of San Michele estate were outstanding!

All Staff were so friendly and helpful we couldn't have asked for more…in fact EVERYTHING we asked for was not only delivered on time and to requested specifications…no EVERYTHING was bigger and better…I still can't believe the size of our beautiful wedding cake, a true masterpiece!

The Italian Religious ceremony and the reception were excellent; our guests couldn't stop complementing the waiters and our Maitre De who was fantastic on the night and also did a great job with table arrangements and seating plan suggestions, THANK YOU!!!

When we were leaving Ornella asked me if we were planning to have children I said yes, then she smiled mysteriously and said "there is something special and magical about San Michele…good luck" well I can confirm the "magic" as I'm now 7 weeks pregnant and am the happiest wife and mum to be!

Thanks again and see you soon, we can't wait to visit San Michele again!

Patrycja & Gavin

Russel & Janice

John & Debbie

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

Catherine & Jeff

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

Lisa - Bride's Sister & Wedding Arranger

Mark & Sara

    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

Jennifer & Scott

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

Mandy & Mark

Kristen & Mark

Dee & 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

Deidre & Cian

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

Emma & Nick

Rachel & Dan

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

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.

Manda & Rob

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                  

Creena and Michael

Gemma & Rob

Natash & Jody

Diana & Ian

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

Gina & Terry

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

Lucy & Mark

Melissa & Ben

            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

Laura & Dave

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

Olga & Nick

I wanted to thank you all for a wonderful job that you did organizing our wedding – it has been a great experience for us and our friends and family.  From the very beginning you have been very responsive and professional.  Organizing a wedding in a different country may be very difficult but you made it very easy and efficient for us!

The event was exactly what we both wanted our wedding to be.  I think the choice of the country and the location was perfect!  Maratea will always be a very special place for us and we will be going back for many years.  It is such a beautiful place and the fact that it is so secluded makes it even more special.  I think we were very privileged that we were able to find such a special place and such a great company to work with! 

Special thanks to Lucia for being so helpful and suggesting so many great ideas.  Her knowledge of the area, the venues and other options was incredible.  It’s a shame that we couldn’t have a boat trip due to the weather but again Lucia was very efficient in keeping us up to date and cancelling the arrangement.  And the party was such a success that not that many people would have been able to make it to the boat anyway J. 

For me a bride organizing a wedding overseas it was a real pleasure to work with both Janie and Lucia finalizing all the details for the big day.  Thank you to both of you for being so flexible and supportive – I must have been the most “unstressed” bride as you made wedding planning a very easy and fun job for me. All I had to do is research what I wanted and let you know. 

The set up of the dinner area was absolutely beautiful and the wedding flowers were stunning!  The food was great!   We seemed to have run out of appetizers but it was only a minor issues as we hade plenty of the main courses left.  Thank you again for all your help! 

Olga and Nick ​

Ashley & Jason

We chose Italy first and then chose Slow-Dreams because when the gorgeous pictures came up on the internet, we felt like there was no other place in Italy to get married.  We began emailing Slow-Dreams to get information...From that point on, everything was handled so professionally. No question was left unanswered, no request was made unattainable.  Over a year and a half's time, we were in communication with Slow-Dreams at least a few times a week if not more. They took the time to really get to know us and our personalities.
They were so accommodating at every turn.  No matter what it was we asked, they made it happened.

Over time, we sent them pictures that we found in a bridal magazine of the flowers we would like. In the bouquet there were these unripened raspberries that added a touch of greenery.  It was so beautiful.  Our expectation was hopefully the colors would at least be the same as the ones in the magazine (because all those brides out there who like to be in control, it's a scary things to relinquish it).  We discussed what we wanted in the cake, and again we tried not to expect too much because they do wedding cakes very differently in Italy than they do in the U.S.  Also, not being able to do the cake tasting yourself, anything could happen, right?

When it came time to do the paperwork, Slow-Dreams stayed on top of us to make sure we completed everything we needed to on our end.  Everything you read about getting married in Italy, tells you  there is a lot of red tape.  Luckily for us, it seemed that Slow-Dreams absorbed most of that hassle and made the process very easy  for us.  They even had someone meet us in Naples to take us around to get our paperwork in Italy completed.  And my goodness!  We would have been so lost without their help in Naples! They took amazing care of us.  Thanks John and Marta!

Now for the week of the wedding...Slow-Dreams was incredibly accommodating, even to our guests.  Making sure we had transportation wherever we needed to go, suggesting the best places to eat (which there are MANY). They really just wanted to make sure that we were always happy.
The day of the wedding, it was pouring down rain!  Slow-Dreams was so comforting to me that day, and Lucia and Rosa worked with the hotel (The Santavenere) to make sure that plan B was  just as amazing as plan A would have been.  One thing I really appreciated was that while I was stressed out all day because of the rain, Lucia was behind the scenes talking constantly to the hotel about what we needed to do, without me even knowing or being bothered with it.  They really do everything they can to take all of the stress away from the bride. And not only did it turn out beautifully, but the sun came out and we even got a rainbow!  How is that for good luck?

As for the cake, food, and flowers...When they brought the flowers into my room,  I was in awe!  They bouquets were an EXACT replica of the flowers in the magazine.  The un-ripened raspberries were even in it!  The food was out of this world!  And usually, at many weddings, that is the most disappointing part!  Not at our wedding!  We can officially say that is was the best food any of our 25 guests had ever tasted at a wedding!
And the cake was beautiful!  It had fresh flowers that matched my bridesmaids bouquets and it tasted incredible and moist.  It was so perfect!

We began this experience feeling like we would possibly have to settle because we were letting other people take care of everything.  Now we realize that is the beauty of doing something like this.  Because as they bride, I'm so glad I didn't have to worry about every little detail.  Literally everything was handle for me, and I was just able to relax and enjoy the moment.  This also speaks to how important it is to choose a great company to plan your wedding. You want a company that is going to handle every little detail with the same care and importance, just as if it was their own wedding.  That is exactly what Slow-Dreams did for us.  Jason and I got very lucky finding Slow-Dreams.  Even some of our guests who had been to other destination weddings said how lucky we got with this company.  It was truly unbelievable!  We did not have to settle at all. In fact, it not only exceeded our expectations, it was the kind of wedding you think you can only dream about.

Bill, Janie, Lucia, and Rosa...our dear friends...thank you so much for making the most special day of our lives everything that it should have been.  We are so grateful for the special care you took to make sure that we had everything we wanted.  Maratea is a magical place, and you all are wonderful people.  Thank you.

Ashley & Jason DeFranco

Hi Janie!

We just got back last night, and it was amazing!  I don't think we could have picked a better time to be in Italy with the World Cup finals and ITALY WINNING!  The whole experience was unbelievable.  And the wedding...I'm sure you all are used to getting these gushing emails from all the weddings you do, but it too was unbelievable.  I'm sure you heard that I was stressed about the rain.  But you know what, as soon as it was time to put on my dress, I didn't have a care in the world. 

Lucia and Rosa were a godsend!  The flowers, I can't even tell you how happy I was with them.  And the food!  My only regret on the food was that I wished I could have eaten A LOT more but I didn't want to be busting out of my beautiful dress! :)

I cannot wait to see the photos!  They said they took 400 and I imagine we will upgrade our package.  I need to send you a list of songs for the video.  After discussing it with the videographer, I decided that it would be better to do so.  I will get those to you by tomorrow.

I cannot believe we have been talking for so long.  I'm sorry I didn't get to meet you.  Thank you so much for everything!  I'm sure you hear this from every wedding you do, but we loved it and we could not have wished for ANYTHING more.  In a few days, once I get settled, I will be sending a great testimonial for you to put on your website.  I just have to wait a few days to let my brain start functioning again.

Thanks again for EVERYTHING!  I will talk to you soon.

Ashley

Vivian & Todd

Bill, Janie & Lucia with Slow-Dreams made planning our wedding effortless from the moment we sent off our first email through the wedding dinner. The entire experience was stress free (with the exception of driving in Naples and our parents being inconvenienced by a train strike) and virtually seamless. We planned every detail by email and fax and just showed up! Everything from the planning, the accommodations, the site of the wedding, the food and wine, the Italian civil ceremony and the photographers was handled beautifully, professionally, and with unparalleled excellence.

John Waddington, our navigator through the legalities in Naples, escorted us from our hotel to the American Consulate and then to the Italian government office, where his assistant, Marta, was already waiting with the necessary stamps and a number that placed us at the front of the line. John was delightful and made what could have been a chaotic & frustrating process easy.   

Our Slow-Dreams event manager, Alessandra at the Villa Sirio, coordinated everything beautifully. The accommodations were beautiful. We and all of our guests had rooms with views and the sounds of the sea. Alessandra eased us through all of the paperwork, escorted us to the town hall several times and provided translations beyond what we would have expected. She arranged mini buses to take groups to Paestum and Pompeii and arranged transportation to the train station for our guests. Her husband even drove a guest to the hospital in the middle of the night after a fall, and Alessandra met us at the hospital the next morning to assist with communicating with the doctors. She is a truly amazing!

Thanks to everybody at Slow-Dreams for a truly wonderful experience.

Vivian & Todd Harrington

Winchester, Virginia

Hannah & Rob

Naomi & Frank

We wanted to share with you just how pleased we are with our experience using Slow Dreams to plan our destination wedding.

We left all of our wedding plans in your hands and could not have had a more pleasant, memorable and relaxed experience. From the beginning, when we contacted you only 6 months from our desired wedding date to the end when we said our vows, we could not have been happier.  Our ceremony went off without a hitch and Lucia and Emma were so helpful.  They were pleasant to work with and their demeanor made it seem as if we had two friends there with us.  The civil service at the town hall was handled beautifully as well as the romantic sunset ceremony at the Villa and we are lucky enough to have wonderful pictures and video of the event that perfectly captured our experience.  The photographers that you chose from TTL Photo, Silvia and Luigi, were so professional and nice that we ended up having drinks with them the day after our wedding.

Villa Cheta was absolutely fabulous with breathtaking views of the countryside, mountains and ocean.  The staff was superb and the food was simply perfect.   Every evening there was a pleasure.  As a matter of fact, our experience in Maratea was so wonderful that we decided to cancel the rest of our trip which was going to be in Capri and remain at Villa Sul Golfo for an extra 5 days!

All in all, we couldn’t be happier with the planning; right from the translator, Mr. Waddington in Naples (personal guide to take couples to the American consulate) to the Maitre’D, Biaggio at the Villa we had an incredible time.

Again, thanks so much for your help and we will most certainly recommend your services to any one of our friends looking to do a destination wedding in the future.

Sincerely,

Naomi and Frank Licari

Donna & Tim

Tim and I could not have been more pleased with our decision to have our wedding at The Villa Cheta.  Their setting was perfect for an outdoor evening ceremony.  The Villa has such a wonderful atmosphere with a friendly professional staff, comfortable rooms, very enjoyable meals and not to forget their beautiful grounds!  We chose to have all our wedding pictures taken there and if the photos look as good as the proofs we made a great decision!

You three, along with the rest of your staff, were great in addressing all our issues and questions along the way and we can’t thank you enough for helping to make our “special day” just that.  We would not hesitate to tell everyone we hear that wants to get married to use Slow Dreams and especially the Villa Sul Golfo as the place to make their dreams become a reality!

We know we’ll be returning again.

Best regards,

Donna & Tim

Natasha & Nick

Emma & Irwin

Please thank Lucia and Emma for their help and guidance on the day.
We will be back in Ireland mid week so will get back to you on the choice of photos then.

We will definitely be sending on a glowing testimonial when we get back, we couldn't be happier with how it all turned out.

Once again thanks so much!!

Emma and Irwin Malone                

Jez & Liz

Belinda & Mike

First I must thank Bill for his patience. I lost count of how many times I emailed him to add more guests and hotel rooms to my ever-growing guest list.  Janie answered all my pre wedding questions at lightning speed, which was great. Although I was in another country while my wedding was being arranged I still felt like I was involved but without any of the stress! It was just a matter of outlining what I wanted and Janie did the rest.

Lucia, Francesca and Rosa met us at the Hotel Gabbiano days before the wedding to go over minor details. It was obvious from the start that Lucia had everything under control and I was immediately put at ease.

On the day of the wedding all Mike and I had to worry about were getting ourselves ready. The rest just seem to magically happen! Rosa translated the vows from Italian to English (so romantic), the weather was perfect and the backdrop was stunning. I never dreamt for a second that our wedding day would be so perfect. I have asked myself what would I change about the day if I had the chance? The answer is nothing; I honestly would not change a single thing.

The Hotel Gabbiano was a dream come true, I am so glad that’s were we chose to get married.  It is a very secluded hotel and we felt like we were in our very own paradise, the view was breathtaking, and the food was fantastic and both Mike and I were completely relaxed during the lead up to the wedding. Maratea is just beautiful.

Slow Dreams did and amazing job of making our wedding day more perfect than we ever thought possible. A perfect way to start married life!

Thank you all so much

Belinda and Mike xx

Saree & Nick

We'd like to start by saying thank you to Janie and Bill, for making the planning of our wedding easy and stress-free. We weren't sure how planning a wedding in another country would be, but the entire process went so smoothly, and we would do it again in a heartbeat! We appreciate your flexibility with our changing schedules and last minute updates!! Every email we sent to you guys was responded to quickly and we really felt like we were being taken care of. Thank you for your expertise and input along the way, and helping us make decisions. Thank you so much for helping us choose a location to have our wedding, it couldn't have been more perfect. Honestly, we can't think of anything we would have done differently. Our flowers were beautiful, and the photographers did an awesome job of capturing our day, and making our photos look more like art than just pictures.

We especially appreciated that as a part of our package we had a guide in Naples for our paperwork. John was incredibly resourceful and made something that could have been stressful more like a fun adventure. He helped us carry our luggage to the train (he actually carried my dress!) and waited there until our train left.

We want to say thank you to the Villa Sirio for being absolutely amazing and wonderful to us during the course of our stay. They treated us more like family and really touched our hearts. Andrea and Alessandra worked so hard to make sure our stay was perfect, from taking us to get our nails done to hanging out with us on the beach. Our wedding dinner was spectacular, our guests agree it was the best meal they've ever eaten. We can't say enough about their staff, especially Gino and Franco who were so much fun and so wonderful to us. The town of Castellabate itself was incredible. The people welcomed us, and took the time to celebrate with us. We can't wait to go back and visit!

Thank you again Slow Dreams for making our dream wedding possible!

Saree and Nick Lorch

Mary & Sean

Brent & Lynda

Jennifer & Billy

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

Jody & Darren

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

Carley & Mike

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

Brian & Lisa

Mary & Itai

• they do not add extra costs
• they are totally transparent
• they are trustworthy and very kind
• they love the region of Maratea and are committed to sharing it

Blair & Victor

Kate & Antony

Sharon & Peter

Tina & Kevin

Sandra & Dominic

Dan & Linda

Melissa & Kevin

Laura & Bryan

Chris & Karen

Jeremy & Autumn

Amanda & Nicholas

Michelle & Tim

Brad & Emma

Stephanie & Guy

Sandy & Jerry

Shawn & Phil

Becky & James

Haley & Martyn

Rachel & Duncan

Joanne & Chris

Vera & Korstiaan