Michael and Julienne, wedding in Ravello

Ravello, July 10^th 2014.

Our dearest Maddalena,

Grazie mille for your well wishes! But honestly, a simple thank you isn't enough for everything you've done for us! You are a beautiful person from the inside out! And watching our beautiful wedding come to fruition was only a reflection of you!

Any doubts, fears, or anxiety that comes with the whole process of planning a wedding... simply leave them at the door. With Exclusive Italy Weddings it has been a seamless process from beginning to end.

Like any couple planning a wedding, we did our due diligence with research on the best wedding planners in Italy, and reached out to a few vendors. We had corresponded with a few, but there was something about Exclusive Italy Weddings that we automatically were drawn to. Of course we had our skepticism since we were from the US and would be hiring someone we would never meet in person, but there was something that put us at ease... From their beautiful website, professionalism, and endless amounts of rave reviews online, we decided to blindly take a leap of faith and we never regretted it since!

We were first taken care of by Laura Frappa, and I could tell right away just from a few e-mails back and forth that this woman knew what she was doing. Her e-mails were very professional and extremely organized. She provided us so many details in such a timely manner that we were blown away immediately. Laura gave us reassurance throughout the whole process whenever we had any question or concern we had regarding the wedding. Thinking back, the only one hurdle we had to overcome was waiting upon our venue to process our payment. But with a little patience and reassurance from Laura, all worked out.

Halfway through our wedding planning process Laura informed us that a local coordinator would now takeover on her behalf, and that is when we were introduced to the lovely and unforgettable Maddalena! From the beginning her e-mails exuded pure excitement and joy. Something you truly need to feel when planning such a milestone event in your life. She was extremely diligent and patient with us since we had busy work lives, and never failed to let any detail go unaddressed by sending follow-up when needed.

After months of planning with Laura & Maddalena, the time for our big event had come. We were off to Ravello, Italy and were to finally meet the person behind hundreds of e-mails regarding our special day. Two days before our wedding we were to meet Maddalena, as she would accompany us for some final paperwork, a quick run-through of our venue, and other wedding related meetings. And just as we would have guessed we met one of the most beautiful people from the inside out waiting for us in the main square of Ravello. Maddalena greeted us with the biggest smile and hug, and right then and there all of our doubts and fears went away. She was real, everything we spoke about through email was real, and it was really happening… we were getting married in Italy!

We had requested the organization of a Welcome Brunch for our out-of-town guests the day before the wedding, and Maddalena suggested a trendy cafe in the beautiful beach town of Maiori. And let me tell you… let the lasting impressions begin! Our guests were already raving about how awesome the brunch was… that the location was phenomenal and the food was spectacular for just breakfast/lunch food. Had it not been for Maddalena's expertise, we would have never been able to find this beachfront location. Guests had already started to ask how we had pulled all of this off, and I would simply turn and point to our coordinator standing off to the side.

When our actual big day came, we literally just had to show up. The flowers, videographer, photographer, and musicians were all in place as planned, and we were able to just focus on ourselves and spending time with our loved ones. It was as if a magician conducted our wedding because we did not see any of the hustle and bustle behind getting everything in place, and the the end product was simply MAGIC! The Duomo, traditional Italian walk around the town, and venue were all so beautiful and beyond anything we could have thought of on our own.

Exclusive Italy Weddings, Laura, & Maddalena… none of it would have been possible without you. Grazie mille for everything and all that you do! You turn dreams into reality, and for that we are forever grateful. We cannot thank you enough and we will never forget you!

Love Always,

Julienne & Michael