Myself and my husband live in London but we always imagined a destination wedding in gorgeous Tuscany after having made so many wonderful memories there together. Even though my husband, James, spoke Italian, it was absolutely the right call to hire DIW as our wedding planners, opting for the full package.
Stefania was our planner and she was absolutely brilliant throughout the process. From the beginning she listened carefully to our vision and our preferences and from this, she was able to curate a wedding that exceeded our high expectations -from the perfect venue, to the caterers, to the florist, the the band etc etc!
For anyone else who is a control freak (like me), be rest assured that the level of involvement you prefer in your wedding is entirely possible. Stefania did all of the hard work and all we had to do was choose from a few carefully selected vendors who met our budget and other requirements. As a result, the planning process was collaborative, stress-free and so much fun. Without Stefania and DIW's expertise, there is no way we would have had such a positive experience if we had to source and secure vendors ourselves. I would highly recommend using DIW as your wedding planner. Stefania was responsive, trustworthy, efficient and her enthusiasm in helping us create our dream wedding really shone through. Thank you!
Sent on 06/30/2020
Distinctive Italy Weddings's reply:
Thank you so much Francesca for your kind review! We are so happy that your wedding planning experience was such a positive one and that you enjoyed working with our Stefania! Thank you for taking the time to share with others your experience with DIW. Wishing you both a wonderful life together! Rosanna and the Team
Zoha I.
· Getting married on 01/09/2023
5.0
Quality of service:
5.0
Responsiveness:
5.0
Value:
5.0
Flexibility:
5.0
Professionalism:
5.0
Amazing wedding planners that truly care about what the Bride and Groom want
I can’t say enough of how much of a pleasure it was working with DIW. Rosanna and her team put in so much time to understand what we were looking for even before a contract was signed and did an incredible job at making recommendations based on our desires and budget. I love that Rosanna truly understood our requirements and therefor was able to guide us to something that fit perfectly for our dream wedding. It was clear that DIW truly cares about making this an unforgettable and amazing day for their clients. The advice that we received, the understanding of what we wanted, the speed at which they worked, among other things was truly amazing and made them a joy to work with. DIW made it very easy to enjoy this process rather than feel stressed. While external circumstances caused us to change our plans and no longer hold a wedding in Italy, I am confident that we would have received our absolute dream wedding by working with DIW. Highly recommend DIW to anyone looking to have a wedding in Italy who wants to pull off their dream wedding while having a fun planning experience!
Sent on 07/06/2020
Distinctive Italy Weddings's reply:
Thank you Zoha! It was our pleasure to assist you and work with you. Thank you for taking the time to review our services!
Alyda S.
· Getting married on 10/01/2021
5.0
Quality of service:
5.0
Responsiveness:
5.0
Value:
5.0
Flexibility:
5.0
Professionalism:
5.0
Great experience!!
My fiancé and I always wanted to plan an Italian destination wedding, but we had no idea where to start. We were recommended by a friend to reach out to Distinctive Italy Weddings, and I’m so glad we did! Rosanna and senior planner Stefania were everything you would want in wedding planners—helpful and responsive, and so very pleasant to work with!
Our entire experience with Distinctive Italy exceeded our expectations and eased my worries about how difficult it would be to effectively communicate with a wedding planner abroad.
Although unfortunately our plans for a destination wedding plans had to be tabled due to family reasons, we were extremely satisfied with their service throughout the multiple video chats and email exchanges. DIW helping us scout possible venues (across 3 different regions) and even assemble a rough estimate for a budget. If you’re thinking of a destination wedding, you can’t go wrong with Distinctive Italy!
Sent on 11/22/2020
Distinctive Italy Weddings's reply:
Thank you Alyda for taking the time to share your experience with DIW. It means a lot to us. We wish you and Nick a wonderful life together! All our best. Rosanna
Lucy M.
· Married on 12/08/2020
5.0
Quality of service:
5.0
Responsiveness:
5.0
Value:
5.0
Flexibility:
5.0
Professionalism:
5.0
Fantastic Partner
DIW were a fantastic partner to work with to plan our wedding of dreams in Italy. Can't thank them enough!
Sent on 10/16/2019
Sharmila L.
· Married on 09/21/2019
5.0
Quality of service:
5.0
Responsiveness:
5.0
Value:
5.0
Flexibility:
5.0
Professionalism:
5.0
They took care of everything!
DIW team, I cannot thank you enough for making our destination wedding a dream come true!
My partner and I have very busy jobs, so we needed a planner who was able to communicate with us easily and quickly. Someone who was going to take care of everything.. and these guys exceeded our expectations. My friends kept telling me I was the least stressed bride they’ve ever seen!
Thank you again team - we highly recommend them!!! :)
Sent on 11/01/2019
Heather D.
· Married on 09/09/2019
5.0
Quality of service:
5.0
Responsiveness:
5.0
Value:
5.0
Flexibility:
5.0
Professionalism:
5.0
Phenomenal experience
Our wedding was better than we ever expected! Distinctive Italy Weddings did a phenomenal job with everything we asked of them. The assistants that helped us with our paperwork, once we were there, were extremely helpful and accommodating.
Corey and Heather Degetaire
Sent on 10/08/2019
Freena C.
· Married on 08/25/2019
5.0
Quality of service:
5.0
Responsiveness:
5.0
Value:
5.0
Flexibility:
5.0
Professionalism:
5.0
Professional Dream Deliverers
Distinctive Italy Weddings made sure we had the most dreamy, perfect wedding weekend. My husband and I had 2 ceremonies and 5 events in addition to those ceremonies, and each one was stunning. We could not have had a better weekend and we could not have done it without DIW.
Sent on 09/05/2019
Alexandra B.
· Married on 07/25/2019
5.0
Quality of service:
5.0
Responsiveness:
5.0
Value:
5.0
Flexibility:
5.0
Professionalism:
5.0
Above and beyond
I can't even begin to put into words how phenomenal, professional, and amazing the team at Distinctive Italy Weddings is!!! From beginning to end Stefania made the entire process seamless and easy! At times I even forgot I was planning a wedding she was that good. Look no further...I would highly recommend Distinctive Italy Weddings to whoever wants to get married in Italy! The wedding was a dream come true and every detail was superb. My husband and I, and our family and friends can't stop raving over how beautiful and perfect the day was. We certainly will never forget it!! We can't thank Stefania enough for making all of our dreams come true.
Sent on 08/06/2019
Christopher G.
· Married on 07/19/2019
5.0
Quality of service:
5.0
Responsiveness:
5.0
Value:
5.0
Flexibility:
5.0
Professionalism:
5.0
Christopher Goetz
It’s almost impossible to articulate in a few sentences how amazing Rosanna and her team are. It was apparent almost immediately after our initial call with Rosanna that we were in great hands and our wedding day would be perfect. The venue selection process was seamless, Rosanna set us up with Rita, her local contact in Lake Como, and we spent the day visiting venues around the lake. Rita knew Lake Como and its history better than the tour guide our hotel connected us with the day prior. As soon as we walked into Villa del Balbianello, we knew this was where we were going to get married. Soon after selecting the venue, Rosanna set us up with our wedding planner, Sarah. Again, within a minute of our first call we knew that we were in great hands. Sarah was able to take our vision and bring it to life. Her advice, calming demeanor and overall exceptional ability to execute made the planning process fun and easy. Sarah was able to quickly grasp our vision and worked tirelessly for twelve months to ensure our vision came to life on our wedding day. Rosanna and Sarah used Aisle Planner to plan almost every aspect of our wedding with us. The platform is intuitive and keeps vendors, payments, notes, design ideas and the budget centrally located and extremely organized. Aisle Planner was very helpful throughout the planning process. The day of our wedding, Rita and Lara were with us. There was very little for us to worry about. They took control of everything and we were able to relax and thoroughly enjoy being surrounded by friends and family. Our wedding was truly a dream come true, and that dream became a reality because of Rosanna and Sarah’s hard work, dedication and meticulous attention to detail. We owe Rosanna, Sarah and their team a huge thank you for making our wedding the most memorable event of our lives to date.
Sent on 08/02/2019
Tiago B.
· Married on 06/23/2019
5.0
Quality of service:
5.0
Responsiveness:
5.0
Value:
5.0
Flexibility:
5.0
Professionalism:
5.0
Amazing experience!!!
We are from Portugal and we were afraid of organizing our wedding in remote. Rosanna was great, always available, giving us great tips and very professional. The same with her team and their service providers. Everything went way above our best expectations!!! Thank you so much for making our special day so Magic!!!
Sent on 07/03/2019
Jonathan M.
· Married on 06/08/2019
5.0
Quality of service:
5.0
Responsiveness:
5.0
Value:
5.0
Flexibility:
5.0
Professionalism:
5.0
Tuscany Wedding
Planning a wedding for anyone will be stressful, however everyone that helped us from Distinctive Italy Weddings was absolutely. They planned everything out with amazing detail, communication was effortless and the experience that they had was invaluable.
They truly helped make our wedding to be the most amazing day and soo much more than we ever hoped for!
Sent on 06/25/2019
Distinctive Italy Weddings's reply:
Thank you Jonathan for taking the time to write such a lovely review.
We are delighted that you had a stress-free wedding! Most of all thank you for choosing us to plan your celebration.
Auguri! Rosanna
Thomas M.
· Married on 05/06/2019
5.0
Quality of service:
5.0
Responsiveness:
5.0
Value:
5.0
Flexibility:
5.0
Professionalism:
5.0
Loved working with DIW
DIW were amazing to work with, very knowledgeable, extremely helpful and worked so hard to help us plan our day, It was absolutely perfect and full of little personal touches that they suggested and helped us organise
Sent on 07/05/2019
Distinctive Italy Weddings's reply:
It was a pleasure to plan your wedding Thomas and Evelyn! Such a gracious couple throughout the entire planning process.
For us to be able to create happy memories that last a lifetime is an honor. Thank you again!
Rosanna Lyman
Benjamin B.
· Married on 03/10/2019
5.0
Quality of service:
5.0
Responsiveness:
5.0
Value:
5.0
Flexibility:
5.0
Professionalism:
5.0
Perfect, Highly recommended without reservation!
We highly recommend Distinctive Italy Weddings for your wedding experience! Sarah and her team were second to none in helping plan our big day. Everything went perfectly and our guests have been raving about the wedding ever since our big day! Honestly, if you are planning a wedding abroad an experienced local wedding planner is a MUST! We could not have done it without them. They were very creative, helpful, timely, nice, and had a great attitude. There services were helpful in scouting/finding our venue, coordinating all the vendors and contracts prior to the wedding, as well as helping us on the actual wedding day/welcome dinner!
Sent on 10/13/2019
Distinctive Italy Weddings's reply:
Thank you so much Benjamin for taking the time to share your experience with Distinctive Italy! We are delighted that you had a perfect wedding day and planning experience! Grazie!
Justin
· Married on 09/30/2018
5.0
Quality of service:
5.0
Responsiveness:
5.0
Value:
5.0
Flexibility:
5.0
Professionalism:
5.0
Raffaela and Rosanna - From the bottom of our hearts, please accept our sincerest thanks! You exceeded our expectations and made the process so smooth and stress free.
We were watching the flower arrangements being put together and the tea lights being hung with care as wood logs passed by for the altar. It was like this beautifully organized and choreographed dance that we watched unfold with awe. Everyone we know has said it was the most beautiful wedding they have ever been to, and that’s a phenomenal compliment considering some of these guests are in their 60’s. You have set the bar so high for any wedding we attend that I can only imagine my beautiful wife and I whispering into each other’s ears saying “well it sure doesn’t top our wedding”! (And I’m sooo fine with that :)). From the sitar and tabla players setting the stage during our Hindu ceremony, to the jazz band serenading us with the Girl from Ipanema during ravioli appetizers, we continued to float through each night like our feet never touched the surface. Your vendors, such as the photographer and videographer had such personalities that they made us shine in moments of embarrassment or anxiety. They were patient with us and asked us what we wanted, but directed us when we needed structure. We could not have asked for more in Villa Oliviero. It’s quintessential backdrop of Positano and our colorful procession up its steep stairs; we have too many sensational moments to memorialize.
We are indebted to you for making our most special day more than we could have ever imagined.
With so much love,
Pooja and Justin
Sent on 10/12/2018
Timothy
· Married on 09/01/2018
5.0
Quality of service:
5.0
Responsiveness:
5.0
Value:
5.0
Flexibility:
5.0
Professionalism:
5.0
It is hard to understate how much we loved our experience with DIW. It was honestly the best money we spent on our wedding.
Raffaela, Rosanna and team are so helpful, responsive, transparent and on top of their game that it made planning a wedding abroad a breeze. They helped us find and coordinate with an incredible venue and recommended the best wedding band we have ever seen. There is nothing about our wedding experience that we would change.
They did this at less than half of the cost of similar US wedding planners. If you are contemplating a wedding in Italy, do yourself a favor and reach out to DIW.
Sent on 09/09/2018
Distinctive Italy Weddings's reply:
It was a pleasure to assist you and Libby! From the moment you reached out to us to help you find your perfect venue to the actual wedding day, we really enjoyed every moment of the planning process with you! So happy you had a great experience with DIW!
Libby
· Married on 09/01/2018
5.0
Quality of service:
5.0
Responsiveness:
5.0
Value:
5.0
Flexibility:
5.0
Professionalism:
5.0
Rosanna, Raffaela and DIW generally were absolutely INCREDIBLE. The whole team went above and beyond to help make our wedding truly unforgettable. I have been a bridesmaid for 10+ friends, and have seen their planning process in the States first hand and I have to say- DIW blew everything I've seen/heard away. I have friends who have paid 10, 15, even 25K for wedding planners who have not held a candle to the quality of service DIW provides. Truly. Can not speak highly enough for DIW and the whole team there...if you're considering a wedding in Italy, DEFINITELY use this professional, organized and absolutely epic team.
Sent on 09/11/2018
Distinctive Italy Weddings's reply:
Thank you so much for your kind words!
It was such a joy to plan your wedding Tim and Libby. What a fantastic celebration! We loved every minute!
Ana L.
· Married on 09/01/2018
5.0
Quality of service:
5.0
Responsiveness:
5.0
Value:
5.0
Flexibility:
5.0
Professionalism:
5.0
Distinctive Italy Weddings Does Not Disappoint!
Choosing a planner for one of the most important days of your lives isn’t easy, but Distinctive Italy Weddings did not disappoint! From the very first day, Rosanna was incredibly understanding of our needs, especially considering our somewhat short timeline for the wedding we wanted. She immediately connected us with Stefania who helped us quickly find a wedding venue that was available and that held over 120 guests for the wedding reception and all accommodations. Castello di Gargonza was a dream location for us and all our guests and we couldn’t thank Stefania and the Distinctive Italy Wedding team for helping us find it!
When it came to planning, Stefania was knowledgeable, attentive to details and extremely responsive. She always had a solution for our sometimes-outlandish requests and handled any roadblocks we came across with extreme professionalism and grace. For example, we were originally bringing a florist over to Italy from New York to handle all of the event design/florals. A few weeks before the wedding, our florist fell through. Within a few days, Stefania had a backup plan in place and our florals ended up being some of the most beautiful arrangements we have ever seen! We continue to get compliments about them to this day. I’ve always been told that planning a wedding isn’t easy, but Stefania ensured we were at ease throughout the entire process.
When we arrived in Italy for our wedding weekend, we knew we were in good hands with Stefania which allowed us to relax and enjoy the time with our family and friends instead of worrying about the details. Even when it poured on our wedding day, Stefania calmly walked us through all of our plan-B options and ensured a seamless event for us and all of our guests!
We can’t thank Stefania and the DIW team for all their hard work. From our welcome dinner, to the pool party and the wedding itself, each day could not have been more of a success! Thank you for making our dreams come true.
Sent on 06/02/2019
Distinctive Italy Weddings's reply:
Stefania and the DIW team were truly honored to bring to life your wedding vision and we are thrilled that you have happy memories of your Tuscany celebration. It was a delight to plan this event - thank you for trusting us with such an important day!
Cyndi
· Married on 08/30/2018
5.0
Quality of service:
5.0
Responsiveness:
5.0
Value:
5.0
Flexibility:
5.0
Professionalism:
5.0
I worked with Rosanna from Distinctive Italy Wedding from the very beginning and she was wonderful throughout the entire process! She was always quick to respond and provided me with detailed packages meeting my requests from the beginning, even when I kept changing my mind. She was patient and continued to provide me with additional packages and was courteous. I highly recommend Distinctive Italy Wedding to help plan your destination wedding in Italy.
Sent on 03/10/2018
Distinctive Italy Weddings's reply:
Thank you Cyndi for your kind review. We are so happy that you had a wonderful experience with Distinctive Italy!
Krista
· Married on 08/18/2018
5.0
Quality of service:
5.0
Responsiveness:
5.0
Value:
5.0
Flexibility:
5.0
Professionalism:
5.0
My (now!) husband and I worked with Sarah and Rosanna to plan our picture perfect wedding in Greve in Chianti, Florence, Italy this August. Our expectations were far exceeded. We are so grateful to Sarah and the rest of Distinctive Italy Weddings for making the planning of a destination wedding as easy as possible. From venue sourcing, to choosing flowers, music, food, and all the other small details, they were on top of it all! I was a little nervous not being able to hand pick certain details like flowers, but we were able to send pictures of what we wanted and a mood board was created. The day of the wedding, everything was EXACTLY as we picked and wanted! From the colors, to the table design, it was perfect! We chose a Catholic Church ceremony and ran into some issues with gathering paperwork, and Sarah was on top of it directly connecting to the diocese and staying in touch with us. She made us calm and was so supportive. The day of our wedding my husband and I were able to focus on ourselves and our families, getting ready, and enjoying the entire day because Sarah was there from start to finish ensuring the vendors were setting up properly and everything was on point. If you are planning on having a wedding in Italy, WE HIGHLY RECOMMEND DISTINCTIVE ITALY WEDDINGS!
Sent on 08/29/2018
Distinctive Italy Weddings's reply:
Thank you Kirsta!
We want every Distinctive Italy wedding to be magical. Sarah is thrilled that you and Patrick had a memorable stress free day with your loved ones! That is what we strive for!
Martine
· Married on 07/22/2018
5.0
Quality of service:
5.0
Responsiveness:
5.0
Value:
5.0
Flexibility:
5.0
Professionalism:
5.0
Firstly thanks for organising such a magical day for us! It was truly outstanding - we loved everything from the venue, to the flowers, to the food and the extra little touches like the caricaturist and Gelato cart that Stefania suggested, which really made the wedding extra special. Our celebrant Rosa was amazing, as were our photographer and hairdresser (especially doing 5 very excited flower girls!!). Villa Eliana was truly spectacular and so accommodating to our needs - all our guests have taken away memories they will treasure forever. Many people commented that the food was the best they had at any wedding and the cheeseboard and late night pizza were a hit! The music was truly special - the quarter was lovely and the band really really stole the show!
And finally, a very, very special thanks to Stefania for keeping me organised and on track and being so wonderful on the day. We really couldn’t have wished for more!
Sent on 08/05/2018
Distinctive Italy Weddings's reply:
After 2 years of careful planning we could not be more thrilled to read that Martine and Steven had the wedding they hoped and dreamed for in beautiful Sorrento! Stefania was honored to be part of the planning process. Thank you for choosing us to plan your wedding!
Stephanie M.
· Married on 07/19/2018
5.0
Quality of service:
5.0
Responsiveness:
5.0
Value:
5.0
Flexibility:
5.0
Professionalism:
5.0
Our enchanting Italian wedding
Both Tim and I were over the moon to be married to each other and to have celebrated our love in castle in Tuscany thanks to DIW. They took care of every last detail, which gave Tim and I the chance to live in the moment and enjoy our wedding without a worry! Spending the year collaborating with DIW was amazing because of their professionalism, accuracy, and resilience to produce for their clients. We were always provided with detail explanations, images, and videos when making descisions. We never felt left in the dark or that we didn’t have control of our wedding plans.
Many of our guests are still talking about the "wedding of the century". People have told us they felt like they were in a fairy tale and it is all thanks to the DIW team and the vendors they recommended. My husband and I are a tough sale but we really were blown away by the entire process. Our wedding was enchanting and truly an adventure for everyone.
The McCulloch's love DIW and would recommend them to any engaged couple. Your wedding dreams will come true with DIW.
Here’s a peak of our wedding day:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kAMrhR6KUBk#dialog
Sent on 02/13/2019
Katie
· Married on 07/02/2018
5.0
Quality of service:
5.0
Responsiveness:
5.0
Value:
5.0
Flexibility:
5.0
Professionalism:
5.0
I was so happy that I used DIW to plan my event. Planning an international destination wedding is not the easiest, but my planner, Junko, made everything as easy as possible. She helped me stay organized and on top of things that I would have definitely forgotten or not known what to do for almost a year before my wedding. She was always available when I had questions or concerns, and would respond by e-mail very quickly.
Most importantly, she was there every step of the way during my wedding weekend. She helped with everything and even carried an extra pair of shoes for me because I was worried my feet would start hurting. She was so nice and made me feel so comfortable and happy. Thank you so much DIW!!
Sent on 07/19/2018
Alexa
· Married on 06/23/2018
5.0
Quality of service:
5.0
Responsiveness:
5.0
Value:
5.0
Flexibility:
5.0
Professionalism:
5.0
All I can say is.... AMAZING! Distinctive Italy weddings is very professional and helped me create the wedding of my dreams. I couldn’t have asked for a better vendor to plan and organize my wedding. I don’t have one bad thing to say about them, please look no further in finding a vendor for yourself!! Distinctive Italy assigned me with Sarah Bongini - the most amazing wedding planner. I am still receiving compliments from my family and friends about how incredible the day turned out. All thanks to Sarah and her amazing team! I couldn’t thank them enough!
Sent on 07/11/2018
Distinctive Italy Weddings's reply:
What an amazing time we had planning Alexa and Brian’s 3 day wedding celebration in Tuscany! Fantastic couple!
Being able to design such a beautiful event was a pleasure for Sarah and the DIW team. We are very happy that you have wonderful memories of your time in Italy!
Nick
· Married on 06/23/2018
5.0
Quality of service:
5.0
Responsiveness:
5.0
Value:
5.0
Flexibility:
5.0
Professionalism:
5.0
My wife and I really enjoyed working with Distinctive Italy Weddings to plan our wedding. Everything we arranged was as expected, if not better. The location for our ceremony was amazing, the venue for the reception was great, and the lodging arranged for our wedding party was impeccable. Our on-site coordinators were wonderful to work with, and we had no issues despite traveling to multiple cities and venues to accomplish all of our paperwork. Our planner even helped arrange a trip for our entire party to a local vineyard that was a great experience for all. If you are thinking of getting married in Italy, then do not fret about planning your big day. You are in good hands with Distinctive Italy Weddings!
Sent on 07/23/2018
Natasa
· Married on 06/13/2018
5.0
Quality of service:
5.0
Responsiveness:
5.0
Value:
5.0
Flexibility:
5.0
Professionalism:
5.0
Dear Junko,
We can’t thank you enough, our wedding day was perfect, we couldn't have asked for anything more!
From the beginning you made everything so easy for us and answered all our questions so promptly, I couldn’t believe it!
Paola, our wedding coordinator, was fantastic! She was so kind and helpful, we were able to not stress about anything on our wedding.
I didn't know what to expect from my hair and make-up since I didn’t do a trial run but both were such professionals, it was exactly what I was hoping for.
The flowers... Wow! When I saw my bouquet I fell in love with it! It was so beautiful I couldn’t stop staring at it! The boutonnière was made to match my bouquet and was Perfect.
We ordered a flower arch and matching rose petals for the aisle. The arch exceeded my expectations and was Gorgeous! The florists did an amazing job.
The venue at the Giardini Principessa in Ravello was perfect for the two of us. What a spectacular view! The view from the garden was breathtaking. The town itself is very quaint and romantic I’m so happy with our decision to get married there.
We chose a classical Guitarist to play at the ceremony and requested if he could play a special song for us. He did a perfect job! It gave me goosebumps walking down to meet my future husband while he played our special song for us!
Our photographer rocked! We felt so lucky to have gotten Domenico for our photographer. He made us so comfortable and captured exactly the artistic photos we were looking for.
After the ceremony we had our dinner together at the Belmond Caruso Restaurant. The food was absolutely delicious and the service was impeccable. We had the restaurant make us a small wedding cake. It was Beautiful and delicious!
We had such a great wedding day and want to say thank you for everything! We left Italy with huge smiles on our faces and are still smiling!
We highly recommend DIW!
