They have looked all over the Amalfi Coast but none of the locations was perfect for what they wanted: a venue that embodied the Campania region that could comfortably hold 180 people and had grounds, where they could host the civil ceremony, the aperitif, dinner, and dancing until very late.
This is actually quite difficult to find, as in Southern Italy the wedding is really about dinner. In many wedding venues, there are time restrictions because they are located near inhabited places or because they are large hotels and have clients who may be annoyed by music.
They expanded their search between the Amalfi Coast and Paestum. An ancient town that was founded by the Greeks, Paestum is known for its temple ruins, buffalo mozzarella, and olive oil.
They came upon โMasseria La Morellaโ when they were interviewing wedding planners. Hidden away within sprawling vineyards, olive groves, apricot and peach fields, and Mediterranean thicket, lay this 18th-century venue. A โMasseriaโ, as they learned, is a kind of fortified farmhouse, a typical Southern Italy rural architecture from former centuries.
โIt was perfect because it looked like an ancient village in the countryside, and we were offered exclusive rights, with our guests, on all of it. The venue itself also provided all the catering services. It was also important for us to hire someone who spoke Italian and knew local vendors.”, said Elizabeth and Carl.
Elizabeth and Carl opted for Masseria La Morella and decided to create a quite unique food, wine and cultural experience for everyone attending! When planning their wedding, the couple focused on keeping it as authentic as possible. The menu they selected with the help of the Chef largely exploited La Morella organic garden, its oil, wine and fruit production, as well as home-made pasta. The food that was not produced on-site in the farm was local, above all the Mozzarella, a fresh cheese purely made with buffalo milk (the Paestum area, as they discovered, is renowned for producing the best mozzarella in the world). The arrangement they agreed for the wedding dinner included the presence of a Neapolitan โpizzaioloโ. It was their explicit wish that both the pizza and grilled meat preparation would be organized live, in front of all guests.
The choice of music and entertainment followed the same โlocalโ approach, to ensure everyone would have a memorable experience and get back with some knowledge about this very special Region.
On the wedding day, according to the colour palette chosen by the couple, Masseria La Morella was adorned with white English roses, small roses and hydrangeas, and green olive, ivy and eucalyptus leaves.
The civil ceremony was held in the magical atmosphere of the garden accompanied with romantic music.
For the wedding reception dinner, adhering to the country theme, bride and groom chose a private courtyard. They created a starry sky and illuminated the courtyard and the water well with lots of little lights. On the wedding table, they used candelabras to create a romantic candlelit setting.
After dinner, everybody moved to a new garden, where high illuminated trees stood out in the darkness of the night. The wedding cake, the champagne, a buffet of local cakes and sweets, and finally an open bar corner, were waiting for them. The music was soft and the air was warm. Elisabeth and Carl danced barefoot in the grass with their best friends until the early hours of next day.
