My first experience of Capri was as a little girl traveling with my family. I can remember taking the hydrofoil boat from Naples and then catching the magical funiculare cable car to the top of the island. From there, we walked the narrow cobblestone streets lined with shops and crowded with people, before finally arriving at our hotel. Ever since that first trip, Capri has been a magical place for me, alluring me with its shades of blue sky and sea, flower-lined pathways and what seem like the happiest people on earth. I never tired of gondola boat rides to the fantastical Grotta Azzurra (or Blue Grotto), the private bath of Emperor Tiberius and my own private Narnia. After several years of absence, I recently returned as an adult to discover that the island's magic was the same, now mixed with adult pleasures such as hikes along the jagged coastline, red wine made from Capri grapes and risotto with truffle oil. It was during that trip that I decided this was where I wanted to be married. In spite of what seemed like insurmountable logistical and financial constraints, I convinced my fiancee to go along with the idea. Though we encountered our own set of difficulties in planning our wedding on this faraway, foreign island, getting married there was a dream come true for me.
Our biggest concern was making sure our friends could come. We realized that getting to the island, located off the coast of Naples, Italy, would be no easy task. It required a transatlantic flight to Rome, traveling to Naples either by car or plane and then taking a boat to the island. I did my best to block reasonably priced flights on various airlines going in and out of different US cities; I also spent a significant amount of time blocking reasonably priced hotel rooms. When I sent out information packets 8 months in advance of our wedding, I provided airfare and hotel information, as well as pictures of the island, a tentative schedule of events, including four nights of parties, and a list of things to do in Capri. Ultimately, the combination of the island itself and our wedding enticed many to take a vacation or a long weekend holiday (we planned it over Labor Day). We had over 200 guests!
The next step was living up to the expectations created by our information packet, especially given the lengths to which our guests would be going to attend. Planning the wedding from so far away and with such significant language barriers was definitely a challenge. Fortunately my bilingual, Milan-based sister was a big help. My mother, my sisters and I traveled to Capri for a long weekend several months prior to the event. Since I had spent so much time in Capri, I knew where I wanted the festivities to take place. It was a matter of planning the details. There were certain details, however, that we had no control over; for example, due to a church rule, we were not able to decorate the church with flowers except at the alter. Of course, the church was so rich in historical detail that it didn't seem to matter. Instead of resisting cultural nuances, we tried to do things in the spirit of the island and the Italian culture. In addition to incorporating Italian food and drink (for our wedding we served bellinis during cocktail hour and a local whitefish as our entrée; for a pre-wedding event we offered gelati ice cream cones for dessert), we also planned activities distinctive to the island, like a trip to the Blue Grotto, a hike to Tiberius's castle, a gathering on a yacht down by the docks, and a party overlooking the sea with a view of the famous Faraglioni rocks. In the end we think our guests appreciated the unique experience that the venue provided.
For me, the best part about getting married in Capri was holding my friends captive for four days and nights in such a spectacular place that had such personal significance. After the first two nights, introductions had been made and people had become so comfortable with each other that it made our wedding night that much more of a celebration. As the weekend progressed our guests began to blend with the island, and I will never forget exiting the church and being surrounded by the townspeople of Capri staring and chanting "Auguri, auguri" (best wishes). It was at that moment that I truly felt like a princess, the magic of Capri regaling once again, this time so I could share it with my friends and best of all, my new husband!