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“If you’ve always dreamt of eloping but felt like it was a crazy and unrealistic dream, we are here to tell you that it’s not! Go for it! On any budget, with guests or without, and almost anywhere you dream of, you can make it happen. And don’t compromise your dream for anyone else’s expectations of your big day. It is an incredibly fulfilling and beautiful experience to elope”
Brooke and Kavon made their elopement dream come true on the gorgeous Amalfi Coast in Italy.
Why Did the Couple Choose Positano for Their Elopement?
Brooke & Kavon: We knew from the moment we got engaged that we wanted to elope overseas, so it was only a matter of finding the perfect destination. Neither of us had ever been to the Amalfi Coast, but Italy is one of our favorite countries to visit because of the food, history, culture, and incredible landscapes. We would have honeymooned on the Amalfi Coast anyways, so it made perfect sense for us to turn it all into one big vacation.
Positano had been on our radar for a long time since it’s featured a lot on Pinterest and other wedding blogs. Technically you can elope anywhere, but it’s a lot easier to plan in a place with an established wedding industry and somewhere already geared towards destination weddings and elopements.
Neither of us felt passionate about having a large wedding and we did not have the budget to do it. We don’t like being the center of attention or feeling overwhelmed with nerves. We would have loved to have some family there with us, but for various reasons it would not have been possible for all of them to come.
We didn’t want anyone to feel left out but we also weren’t willing to give up our dream of getting married in Italy, so we made the decision to do it on our own and celebrate with family and friends when we returned. Everyone was very understanding of our decision, and our post-elopement celebration was so fun!
What Makes Hotel Marincanto Special for Elopements?
Brooke & Kavon: We saved a picture of an elopement at Hotel Marincanto many years ago and it always stuck with us. It was the first place we researched when we started to wonder if we could make our dream of eloping in Italy a reality. We really wanted our elopement to feel luxurious and this hotel provided all the bells and whistles we were looking for, including it’s own private beach club and an amazing breakfast terrace. It is so romantic and serene, you feel like you are in a dream. The location is just close enough to the center of town that you can still walk to everything but you also get some quiet!
Hotel Marincanto was one of the few hotels on the Amalfi Coast that we could find that offered a package specifically designed for very small elopements. The package includes the honeymoon suite and use of the private terrace for your ceremony and private dinner afterwards (with cake and champagne!).
Since we did not use a wedding planner, it made sense for us to eliminate some of the stress of booking our own hotel, making dinner reservations, finding a ceremony location, and ordering the cake. We loved that we were able to stay at the hotel all day, get ready in the suite, and have the ceremony and dinner right on our own terrace. This was super important to us because we’re both shy and didn’t want to do our elopement in a public space where other people could watch.
Maria, the photographer: The stunning location and breathtaking views, combined with the incredibly helpful, fun, warm, and welcoming staff, made for a fantastic experience.
Can You Get Legally Married in Italy?
Brooke and Kavon opted for a symbolic ceremony.
What Sustainability Considerations Were Made (if any) For This Elopement in Positano?
Brooke & Kavon: None in particular, but we enjoyed working with vendors local to the Amalfi Coast.
Did the Couple Incorporate Any Cultural Aspects of the Amalfi Coast into Their Elopement?
Brooke & Kavon: Lemons are a big deal on the Amalfi Coast (and to us!) so we were very excited to incorporate them wherever we could. We put some lemons in our flower arrangements, on our elopement announcement, and made sure to take photos with the lemon trees around the hotel.
There are also beautiful Moor’s Head busts on the terrace of Hotel Marincanto which were a unique addition to our photos. Our officiant also bound our hands with an Italian ribbon which was a sweet touch.
What Was the Couple’s Experience with Getting Married in Positano During the month of June?
Brooke & Kavon: June is a great time of year in Positano because everything is bustling! You can’t beat the summer vibes on the Amalfi Coast, especially if you plan to honeymoon in the region on the same trip and spend a lot of time in the water. However, if you prefer smaller crowds and cooler weather, May or September may be a better option.
Thankfully, the day of our elopement wasn’t too hot, but there was a heat wave the rest of the week which made all the steps, walking, and ferry rides a bit more exhausting. If you want to have a summer elopement in Italy, plan for a morning or evening ceremony.
Maria, the photographer: Amalfi coast is incredible during all the seasons, I love it in spring and early summer.
What Are the Best Tips for Planning an Elopement in Positano?
Brooke & Kavon: We recommend using social media, Pinterest, and other blogs or articles to find vendors who align with your vision and work locally in the area. We found our photographer through a wedding blog and ended up using the same officiant and florist credited in that article as well. Positano is a small town and most people in the wedding industry have crossed paths before and work at the same venues very often, so everyone has recommendations and is excited to help you!
We also recommend being very thorough with your travel planning before you arrive. Positano can be difficult to reach and logistically complicated. If you’re like us and coming in from Rome, give yourself a full day before your elopement as a travel buffer and make sure to book your transportation in and out of Positano ahead of time. We opted for a ferry through Naples, but if you have the budget, we recommend booking a private car or boat. Small luxury upgrades such as this and porter service can make traveling with extra wedding bags less stressful ahead of the big day!
And finally, if you are flying in for your elopement, don’t separate yourself from any luggage that has elopement essentials (vow books, wedding bands, accessories, etc.). Thankfully we thought of this ahead of time and packed these items into a carry-on bag because one of our checked bags did not make it during our layover and we weren’t reunited with it until later.
Maria, the photographer: When planning a wedding here, please always consider the sunlight, remember the steps and choose shoes wisely!
How Did the Couple Personalize Their Elopement?
Brooke & Kavon: Since we did not have many vendors and wanted to keep our elopement pretty simple, we were able to put more thought into the small details that mattered to us. We spent time customizing the gown and suit, the flower arrangements, and finding beautiful and unique backdrops for our photos. We also enjoyed picking out our wedding scents, which still remind us of the elopement when we wear them now!
What Challenges Did the Couple Face While Planning Their Elopement in Positano, and How Did They Overcome Them?
Brooke & Kavon: Planning an overseas elopement presented some unique challenges! We decided not to use a wedding planner, which was partially due to our budget but also because we felt like we could handle the small number of logistical things that would need to be done. This meant we had to spend significantly more of our own time researching and booking vendors, planning the schedule, making deposits and payments, and ensuring everything would run smoothly. This lead to some uncertainty leading up to the elopement, such as how we would communicate with each of our vendors on the day of while we were getting ready and how the schedule would flow (moving between our first look and ceremony, for example).
We developed a schedule with our photographer first and then worked around that for delivery of the florals, arrival of the other vendors, and time for our private dinner. We made sure to write down our schedule and communicate it clearly with everyone, so we ended up having no issues.
Another stressful aspect of planning an elopement in a foreign country is currency exchange. Some vendors preferred cash payment in local currency which required us to carry a large amount of cash with us, and we also learned that bank transfers overseas can be quite expensive!
We also found it difficult to lug around our wedding stuff for the duration of our honeymoon, particularly around the Amalfi Coast on ferries, buses, and trains where it is best to have the smallest amount of luggage as possible. Overall, we found that many of the problems we could have faced were overcome by planning diligently and staying super organized.
What Advice Would the Couple Give to Others Planning an Elopement in Italy?
Brooke & Kavon: Make a list of what is important to you for your wedding day and ask yourself questions about everything. Do you want your ceremony to be in a private or public location, up high on a cliff or down on the beach? Do you want to have a private dinner or go to a local restaurant? Do you want to have some family and friends with you, and will you want everyone in the same hotel or to have activities planned over multiple days? There are different venues and towns (from Sorrento to Ravello to Capri!) that may be better suited for your exact wishes! Also decide early if you want to use a planner or not. The more complex your vision is, the more we would advise it.
What Were the Most Memorable Moments from This Elopement?
Brooke & Kavon: There are so many! We spent the morning at the beach club relaxing and drinking Aperol Spritz’ while we wrote our vows. It was exactly how we pictured the morning of our wedding–stress-free. We also loved our first look and reading our vows during the ceremony, both of which got very emotional.
The private dinner on our terrace was also a highlight. Seeing the twinkling lights of Positano below us as we soaked in the feeling of being married and living out our biggest dream was the most incredible feeling either of us has ever felt.
Why Is Positano One of the Best Places to Get Married in Europe?
Brooke & Kavon: Positano is as luxurious and dreamy as it gets, and the iconic cliffside is a once-in-a-lifetime backdrop for a once-in-a-lifetime moment. What we love about this destination is that you get a little bit of everything. You get the beautiful natural elements from the sea, beaches and coves, and greenery. You get the urban feel from bustling streets and alleys full of shops and restaurants. And you get the romance and luxury of the high-end hotels and amenities. You don’t have to choose which type of experience or backdrop you’ll have for your elopement, you get to have them all!
