There are some weddings where one aspect stands out and calls for all of your attention; for Janet and Michael’s destination wedding, that would be the location. Beautifully photographed by Jules Photography the shots capture the versatility of the Italian countryside – the mountains, lush greenery and sweeping views of the ocean (it doesn’t hurt either that Janet and Michael take absolutely stunning photographs).

Janet worked with the historical elements of their locale (the hotel where they were married is from the 11th century!) creating details that had a classic feel for an overall romantic effect. Be sure to read more about her thoughts and how they chose their location after the photos.

Janet’s Thoughts

Michael and I are both avid travelers. As soon as we were engaged (in
Paris!), neither of us had a doubt that a destination wedding would be the
most befitting way for us to exchange our vows. We had been to the Amalfi
Coast during one of our first European vacations together and fell in love
with its out-of-this-world scenery. So it wasn’t long before we decided to
bring our loved ones to the the charming little town of Ravello, that sits
atop a 1000-foot limestone cliff, overlooking the Mediterranean. In addition
to the destination element, we wanted our ceremony to be both romantic and
with a strong sense of history. So we chose the 11th-century estate that is
now the Hotel Caruso Belvedere to have our ceremony. Its garden, perched
above the Gulf of Salerno, had a mountain-meets-sea view that served as the
best ceremony backdrop. We also chose plum and ivory roses accented with
eucalyptus leaves as our flowers.

We held our reception at the Hotel Caruso Belvedere as well. The
waters of the hotel’s magnificent infinity pool fade seamlessly into the
mountainous horizon, providing a beautiful setting for our reception. The
dinner reception was held at the hotel’s Belvedere Balcony and the dancing
celebration was held directly next to the infinity pool.

Every moment of the entire day’s celebration will remain in our hearts as
cherished memories. The single moment that stands out the most is watching
the fireworks unfold before our eyes with 76 of our dearest family and
friends that traveled from all over the world to celebrate with us.

We certainly splurged on the venue itself for our wedding because we wanted
to make sure that our guests who traveled such a great distance enjoyed the
best food and scenery that Italy had to offer. At the same time, because the
hotel was surrounded by so many beautiful flowers and gardens, we were able
to spend less on flower decorations overall for both the ceremony and
centerpieces of the reception.