Bella Roma Wedding!

The beauty of this job is that every wedding and every couple are different so irrespective of how many times I photograph weddings in Rome it's still exciting to revisit locations like the Spanish steps and the Colosseum.

   And what a genuinely lovely couple these two were, fun to work with and they really made the most of their wedding day in Rome.

We started the afternoon at the beautiful Palazzo Manfredi Hotel overlooking the Colosseum. As you can see from the picture below the roof terrace offers an incredible view of the Colosseum as a backdrop. 

The ceremony itself was at the Caracalla Wedding Hall right next to the Roman Forum, formally an old church within the ruins of the baths of Caracalla.

It's the perfect location in central Rome for a civil ceremony.

The hall itself is beautiful inside as you take your vows under the beamed ceilings.

Once the vows are completed and the rings are exchanged then it's time to get out into Rome!

We were a small party of twelve so we all headed off together to the Spanish steps where the bride and groom got to mingle with the tourists as we took a selection of shots.

The Roman crowd always love a bride and our couple were greeted with claps, cheers and congratulations as we worked our way around the steps.

And it's these moments between the posed pictures that I love when you can just catch the enjoyment of the day on everyone's faces.

And even though it's a bit of a scrum at the steps you can still always find an angle where the bride and groom have place all to themselves.

Once we were finished we headed off to the Colosseum. With plenty of opportunies in between to catch some more spontaneous pictures.

Above is one of my favorites, it seemed to capture a whole range of expressions from the wedding party!

And you can't beat the combination of a veil and 'Dior' sunglasses on a bride!

Happy smiles all around as we arrive at the Colosseum before the wedding party get to enjoy the hospitality of the Palazzo Manfredi for the evening.

As iconic backdrops go you can't beat the Colosseum, whichever angle you photograph it from!

And the picture below sums up the day for me, a group of happy faces stepping out in front of the Colosseum! 

Your Italian Wedding Photographer in Rome, JHales Fotografia.

Summer Wedding in Rome

I love weddings in Rome, and I really loved this one as it had all the elements to make for an unforgettable day.

The preparations began just after midday on what was one of the hottest days of the year so far. One of the big differences working as a wedding photographer in Italy rather than the UK is that the climate is a significant factor in how you work here. 

The way the day came together was perfect for me as I got to spend plenty of time with the bride while she prepared before we all headed into Central Rome together for the wedding.

The preparations are always one of my favorite parts of the day as you get a real sense of anticipation building before the ceremony.

 Arriving early at the Church of Santa Susanna also meant I had plenty of time to get some shots of the groom and the church before the service started.

I've covered the church in another blog but I've still included a few shots here of the interior since it's such a beautiful and historic building.

The service was conducted in English by Father Greg and I had plenty of freedom to move around the church to get a variety of angles to really show off the magnitude of the building.

And even though it's a large and impressive church it still manages to create an intimate atmosphere for a wedding.

After the ceremony it was a whistle stop tour of a couple of Rome's iconic sites. The first being the Pantheon.

It's always a pleasure to accompany brides and grooms around Rome like this just to experience the ovations and good wishes they receive.

On a Saturday afternoon in the summer these places are very busy but we normally manage to find an angle where there isn't so much of a crowd.

These little walkabouts are also a good chance to get some off beat pictures.

After the Pantheon we did a final stop off at the Colosseum.

And from here we took a drive out of Rome to the beautiful Frascati for the reception.

The reception was held at the Villa Tuscolana, a place with deep historical connections to Rome. The Villa is actually built on the site of the ruins of the ancient house of Cicero.

Clearly Cicero chose the site because it commands the most outstanding views and with the reception held on the top floor of the villa the guests were treated to a stunning vista.

The day was completed by some touching and emotional speeches followed by the traditional first dances. For more information on booking 

your own Italian wedding photographer click here.

Rome Wedding at Santa Susanna

As well as meeting a lot of great people being a wedding photographer in Italy also gives me the opportunity to photograph in some of the most beautiful locations. The Church of Santa Susanna in Rome is one of those. 

It's one of the 25 oldest churches in Rome and is dedicated to Saint Susanna who was martyred in 293AD. A church was first built on the site in 330AD but it wasn't until the 16th Century that the church took on the form it has today.

It makes the most incredible setting for a wedding in modern Rome. The stunning architecture and frescoes give a backdrop that's a brides dream. And of course a photographers dream too! 

The wedding itself was on one of the hottest days of the year so far in Rome so extra credit to the bridal party for looking so great in the conditions!

 It was a engaging and personal service, one of those days that made you realise the job of photographer can be quite a privilege.

 I also was very fortunate that the priest allowed me to move around the church freely so that I could get so many different angles to really show off the beauty of the frescoes.

 Of course at the end of the day it's all about the bride and groom and what a beautiful backdrop this makes for the vows.

 This picture below was one of my favorites from the day as it truly gives you a perspective of the enormity of the Church, something that's not always easy to appreciate in a photograph.

But what really made it a great occasion was people, and ultimately that's my real joy of photography, capturing moments!

 Santa Susanna is the National American Catholic Church in Rome.