Introducing Luxury Wedding Planner in Italy Simona Chiavaccini

What makes me most happy about being an Italian wedding photographer in London, is to get asked frequently to document my couple’s destination wedding in Italy, giving me the opportunity to master my profession in the beautiful Italian landscape as well as being able to share invaluable tips and insights to all couples wanting to celebrate their wedding in the land of La Dolce Vita.

Today, you will get to know of a legendary wedding planner in Italy that will be able to help you make your dream wedding in Italy a wonderful reality!

From opulent Portofino to the Lakes, the rolling vineyards in Piedmont to the Amalfi Coast, her name is often mentioned among Italian wedding professionals as a leading excellence in the management and organisation of luxury weddings and events in Italy, often celebrated across the most exclusive locations in the Italia Riviera and all over the country.

When Simona agreed to my request of meeting her for an interview, I was over the moon! I immediately got ready for our appointment in her offices at the historic Villa Lo Zerbino, a dream location for many brides and grooms wishing to celebrate their lavish wedding in Italy.

After a brief introduction, Simona agreed to have some photos taken outside the Villa. In these stunning surroundings we got to know each other, just like this, in between the portrait session. Simona is fascinating, spontaneous, attentive and patient, her extensive experience and dedication shines undoubtedly through her passionate smile!

Who is Simona Chiavaccini and how have you become a leading wedding planner in Portofino, Genoa and Cinque Terre?

“For many years, I used to work as a general manager at Sheraton Hotel, a prestigious Venue at the time that was also part of Starwood Group. My team and I used to travel often in between Hotels belonging to the group and each time I was totally fascinated by the splendid events held here! Among my duties, I was also responsible for organising my own events at the Sheraton. Shortly after, the first wedding planning requests arrived from our clients and I had found my passion! I had noticed that couples were more and more referring to me as their wedding consultant, they loved my personal touch and they were completely relying on me for the success of their wedding.

Meanwhile, I had completed my studies in journalism whilst pursuing this profession also, when a colleague from the same TV channel I was working for, back in 2005, convinced me to create my very own brand…it just bloomed! Today, at Simona Chiavaccini Wedding Planner we help many weddings materialise in the Italian Riviera and most affluent areas in Italy, although we do only take one booking at a time.”

Who is your ideal couple and how do you differentiate from other wedding planners?

“Most of my brides and grooms are mainly based in Milan, our fashion and industrial capital city, but I have been increasingly planning exclusive destination weddings for clients from America, the UK and Europe.

I am a very honest and straightforward professional. I believe that simplicity is synonymous with elegance. My couples appreciate my style and concept, ultimately they hire me for my ability to provide them with an exclusive service and total dedication to their weddings from start to end. When the wedding day comes, I will be on site assisting my couples and – sometimes – getting emotional together! I find it an extremely rewarding profession that often leads to new and close friendships.

I work closely with an entourage of trusted wedding suppliers and I can tell who is best for my couples. I also make sure that we all meet together with my clients half way thorough the planning stage, as I believe that building strong bonding between my couples and their suppliers is key to a successful and seamless wedding day.”

Tell us about your favourite wedding locations…

“This is a difficult question! Wherever you turn your eyes on in the Italian Riviera, but also in other areas of Italy, you will find stunning, unique venues to celebrate your dream wedding in a true la Dolce Vita Style. It really depends on your taste and budget, and on how you will be envisioning your wedding day. Together with leading catering company Capurro Ricevimenti, we have a portfolio of over fifteen locations… I shall keep our favourites in our hearts!”

What is your view on Destination Weddings in Italy and what needs improving to satisfy the needs of foreign couples wishing to get married in Italy?

“Italy is certainly no new country to foreign weddings, and the trend is definitely on the rise. I am a strong believer of collaboration over competition and have worked together with Regional bodies like Agenzia in Liguria, on initiatives to promote our areas to international wedding planners wishing to explore local resources.

We help each other in identifying new trends and always strive to provide services for a more attentive clientele, because you see, nowadays our brides are much more creative and knowledgeable with their wedding requests as they take inspiration from the numerous industry blogs or platforms like Pinterest, it is our mission to keep striving to find the ideal solutions for our brides so to make their wedding visions come true.”

Finally, how does your typical wedding planning day unfold?

“I get up at 7am and start working immediately after helping my daughter get ready for school. When I am not working on site at a wedding or meeting with my brides and suppliers, you can find me at my office in Villa Lo Zerbino or Villa Durazzo. With two laptops, two phones and a team of wonderful girls under my wings, the day runs through many phone calls and email replies. I usually skip lunch but around 6pm I would treat myself to a 100% Italian aperitivo!”