Venice Wedding Photographer

Eloping in Venice has never been so lightful

As a lot of you might know I’m not based in Venice but – out of my beloved Tuscany – Venice is out of any doubt the place where I prefer to photograph a wedding! I’d say this is so far the best work I did in Venice as a wedding photographer. What’s you’re going to see is an elopement I soot at the very beginning of 2018 and that – in these COVID-ous days – I decided to publish again on the blog with slightly different colors and tones. An editing style that fits better with the vision I have developed lately. And what made incredibly happy that day is the light I found once I arrived in Venice.

When it comes to shooting an elopement, a wedding, or whatever – it could be in Venice, Florence, or wherever – the first thing that really matters to me (and probably to all the other photographers, of course), at which I immediately look at, is LIGHT. I mean, after the people I’m going to portray, their emotions and the way they’re connected of course! Anyway, light has a super-power: the way it shapes you can remarkably impact on the mood of the shooting. So – as a photographer – we always want to find good light conditions. It doesn’t mean there is a perfect light that works great with any couple or place, venue client. I just hope to find what – to me – seems to be the light that can enhance a given situation at its best. All these words just to say that I love this wedding because of the couple and because of how the light enhances their love and intimacy connection.

All of that said, let me introduce to you, Alicia and Ryan. The first person I met there was Ryan – the groom to be – that immediately told me: “as soon as Alicia stumbled over your website she decided that you were the one. No way Fra, you had to be our wedding photographer in Venice!” (“No pressure…“, I thought!) . Oh, but let’s rewind a few minutes, please. To be honest, the very first person I met was their wedding planner Gemma (from Italy2Weds) that helped me to reach the hotel Giorgione, where Alicia and Ryan were staying; and she did it despite the “High Water“, providing we with a pair of boots, a thing that gave us a few hilarious moments! Alicia and Ryan had their first look in one of Venice’s “calle” (that’s the name of the tiny alleys which Venice is full), in front of their hotel. Then we walked together through other Venetian alleys to reach the glossy water-taxi, with which they had a romantic trip immersed in the beautiful ancient buildings around the Canal Grande and the Venetian Lagoon before to get to the Scuola Grande dei Carmini. In this enchanting, old, charming building they celebrated their bond with an intimate ceremony (and where they had their first dance; I have another interesting story about this, but I’ll keep this private!). Another boat trip followed the ceremony, with which we reached San Giorgio Maggiore Church, a 16th-century church on the island of the same name that dominates the bay and offers the most amazing cityscape of Venice and Piazza San Marco (just an advice: compared to Piazza San Marco usually it’s almost empty! Take note if you’re searching for some intimacy on your Wedding-Day! Rent a water taxi may be worth the money). What is still missing to do? Of course, another walk through Venice’s calle to take some photos with the Venetian masks, a centuries-old tradition of Venice!

I think I wrote to much…let’s see what we did together!

Photography – Francesco Spighi; Event Planning – Gemma from Italy2Weds; Venue – hotel Giorgione; Ceremony Venue – Scuola Grande dei Carmini; Floral Design –Fioreria Fantin; Taxi-boat: Erik Tommasini (Taxi 221 –Rossella)