Cinque Terre Wedding Photographer

Gaby and Matt’s destination wedding in Cinque Terre was one of the most scenic celebrations we have photographed in Italy. The ceremony took place at Chiesa di San Pietro in Porto Venere, a medieval church perched on a rocky promontory at the southern end of the Ligurian coast. After the ceremony, the couple and their guests boarded a boat along the coastline to the Doria Park Hotel for the reception. The combination of the ancient church, the boat transfer along the cliffs, and the hillside hotel created a day with the kind of natural drama that only the Italian Riviera can deliver.

Chiesa di San Pietro

The Church of San Pietro sits at the very tip of Porto Venere, surrounded by the sea on three sides. The building dates back to the 13th century, and the black-and-white striped marble facade is a landmark visible from the harbour and the coastal path. The ceremony space inside is intimate, and the views from the terrace outside are extraordinary: the Ligurian Sea stretches south toward the islands of Palmaria and Tino, and the coloured houses of Porto Venere cascade down the hillside behind. As a Cinque Terre wedding photographer, this is one of the most powerful ceremony locations on the Italian coast.

The Italian Riviera by Boat

The boat journey from Porto Venere to the reception passed along the Cinque Terre coastline, with the five villages visible from the water. Seeing the terraced vineyards, the coloured buildings, and the dramatic cliffs from sea level is a completely different experience to walking the famous trail, and for wedding guests it created a shared moment of awe between the ceremony and the dinner. The Doria Park Hotel in Lerici provided a reception setting with terraced gardens and views back across the bay. For couples considering a destination wedding in Italy, the Ligurian coast offers a combination of history, natural beauty, and Mediterranean warmth. Get in touch to discuss options. See more Italian wedding photography from our portfolio: Lake Como, Salina, the Aeolian Islands, and the Dolomites.

We Love Italy

There’s something about Italy. One of our first adventures there was in Lipari, and ever since, we’ve been hooked. The Cinque Terre wedding photographer guidebook – if there is one – was not on our radar when we first started doing weddings in 2009, but we wish it had been. We can’t believe what a paradise it is there, so experiencing it ourselves for Gaby and Matt’s wedding was surreal.

Gaby & Matt

In particular, we loved how it all began with Gaby and Matt. Like many inquiries we receive, it started with an email. In the email, they laid it all out in a to-the-point fashion which we loved.

We love the fact that your pictures are natural. – Gaby

So the location was set, they loved our style, so the stars aligned and we were en route to Italy for the celebration.

Venues

Set in the Golfo Dei Poeti on the cusp of Cinque Terre, Gaby and Matt combined a kaleidoscope of cultures into one magical destination wedding.

Gaby brought her Welsh heritage, and Matt the Scottish side. And, of course, Matt dressed appropriately in a kilt designed by MacGregor and MacDuff.

The day itself was fun filled with a lot of sun-drenched action in this Italian paradise. At the same time, Gaby and Matt respected traditions and as such hosted the ceremony in the ancient church of Chiesa di San Pietro. This was followed by a swift boat adventure to the reception in The Doria Park Hotel, a location where the evening allows the terrace to be bathed by the glow of lights of Lerici and it’s castle.

Cinque Terre Wedding Photographer

When we asked Gaby and Matt to describe their wedding afterwards, Emotional, Colorful and Magical were their words. Completely accurate in every way. This wedding had culture, views, great weather, and an incredible story all wrapped into one.