Italian wedding photographer Gianfranco Catullo talks about a traditional Italian wedding:
“I first met Massimo and Paola in February last year. It was a cold and snowy day. Yes, yes, do not be surprised! In Rome, sometimes it snows too. As you know, the climate in the Eternal City is mild, as in the whole of central Italy, so it is very rare to see the city in all white. Despite some mobility problems (I was driving home from a business trip to Basilicato), I opened the studio on Sunday, and in a quiet, almost surreal atmosphere I met the couple.
Massimo is from Sicily, and Paola was born in Rome, they live and work together on Lake Garda, but they decided to get married in the center of Italy - in Lazio, in the region of Castelli Romani. This is a very beautiful hilly area, full of greenery and many lakes, in addition, it is very close to Rome and is considered one of the most favorable for living. Many tourists come here to experience the spirit of medieval cities, touch art and enjoy the local Italian cuisine.
Massimo and Paola are a very beautiful couple, they literally glow from the inside, we very quickly found a common language and soon made friends. After all, it is very important to always be on the same wavelength with the young. I was also pleased that they, like me, prefer live photos with natural, soft and warm light. And with light we were lucky! The sun was bright, and everything around was filled with pleasant warm light. But to avoid harsh shadows, we hid in the shade of trees and alleys.
Wedding day
The wedding day was clearly different from the day we first met. The sky was clear, the sun was shining, which made it possible to create all the conditions for an ideal wedding. After I finished shooting Massimo's fees at the hotel, I went to Paola, to her parents' house. While the bride was finishing her final preparations, I amused her with stories about the ridiculous occasions that are only possible at weddings, so she was not at all worried. Around noon, we arrived at the church, where by tradition the groom was already waiting for his bride.
Wedding ceremony
The ceremony was scheduled for October, in a small but very beautiful church in the city of Grottaferrata. This small town with a population of only 20,000 people is famous for its cathedral of Santa Maria de Grottaferrata, or as it is also called the abbey of St. Nile. It is the only continuously existing Byzantine rite cathedral in Italy, founded in 1004.
Only the closest friends and relatives of Massimo and Paola were invited to the ceremony, which created a very intimate atmosphere. Everyone felt part of the great mystery of creating a new family. Nothing violated this idyll, and only the priest's calm voice, accompanied by quiet live music, rang through the hall.
One of the most common Italian wedding traditions is showering newlyweds with rice right at the exit from the church. In accordance with the old adage “where there is rice, there is abundance”, guests throw pre-prepared rice at the newlyweds, wishing them love, prosperity and wealth. The Italians even have a joke about this: “If we, Italians, throw rice at the bride and groom during the wedding, then what do the Chinese throw? Pasta?"
So, after the traditional sowing of newlyweds with rice, we decided to take a few shots in the alleys near the church, surrounded by beautiful vineyards. Photos turned out to be very gentle and bright. Paola was incomparable: elegant, sensual, feminine. True Italian.
Castell Gandolfo
Further celebration was planned in the small town of Castel Gandolfo, located on the Albanian hills above Lake Albano. This lake of volcanic origin is known not only for its stunning scenery, but also because it is a historic resort of the pope. Instead of the stony and stuffy Vatican, many pontiffs of the Catholic Church preferred to relax here in a summer residence, built in the 18th century especially for Pope Urban VIII.
In the end, we got to the lake, where, thanks to the soft October sun, I took some beautiful and warm photographs of Massimo and Paola.
Then, of course, we went for a walk around the historic center of Castel Gandolfo. Cozy narrow streets led us to the main square, where an incredible fairytale atmosphere reigned.
The celebration continued in a restaurant near the lake, where everyone could enjoy local dishes, try red and white wines from barrels stored in the old cellars of the restaurant. There we held another small photo shoot. By the way, Castelli Romani is also famous for its wines, because it is one of the largest wine-growing regions of Italy. Local craftsmen passed the tradition from generation to generation, dating back to ancient times. The wine festival is celebrated here every year.
These are good days spent in beautiful places in the company of positive and open people, make me love my work more and more! No, I won’t exchange her for anything. ”
- Photographer Gianfranco Catullo specifically for Italy4.me
- Photographer Gianfranco Catullo Official Website www.gianfrancocatullo.com
