How to Elope in Italy from Australia: The Complete Guide
The short answer: Australian couples can elope in Italy two ways. You can do the Italian legal paperwork and marry at a town hall in Italy. Or you can do the legal ceremony in Australia, before or after your trip, and have a symbolic ceremony in Italy. Most Australian couples choose the second, because it gives you an Australian marriage certificate and no Italian paperwork.
If you're reading this, you've probably already decided you don't want a big wedding. In this article we’ll go through the practical steps to elope in Europe, in the order you'll need it: the legals, where to go, where to stay, who to bring, what it costs, and the things about Italy that catch people out.
Quick facts
Australians don't need to live in Italy to marry there.
A marriage done in Italy can't be registered in Australia, and you won't get an Australian marriage certificate.
In NSW, an overseas marriage certificate can't be used to change your surname.
Australians can stay in Europe's Schengen Area for up to 90 days in any 180 without a visa.
September is a popular month to elope in Italy. It's warm, and quieter than July and August.
Lovefool Elopements is taking Australian couples to Lake Como (late August to early September 2027) and Sicily (mid-September 2027).
What counts as an elopement in Italy?
An elopement today means a small, personal wedding. It can be just the two of you, or it can include your closest people. Lovefool's Italy elopements go up to about 30 guests. Anything bigger than that starts to become a destination wedding, with the planning that comes with one.
If the word "elope" is new to you, read What Does Elope Mean?
Step 1: Decide how you'll make it legal
This is the decision that shapes everything that goes into your planning, and it's the one couples worry about most.
Option 1: Marry legally in Italy. You'll need an Atto Notorio from an Italian consulate in Australia, a Nulla Osta signed at the Australian Embassy in Rome or the Consulate-General in Milan, and a civil ceremony at an Italian town hall.
Option 2: Marry legally in Australia, celebrate in Italy. You sign the legal paperwork at home with an Australian celebrant. Then your day in Italy doesn't need a registered celebrant, a script written to satisfy a court, or witnesses standing exactly where the law says. You say vows written the way you actually want to say them, wherever you want to stand. Here's how it works, step by step.
Why most Australians choose option 2:
You get an Australian marriage certificate.
Changing your name is simpler. In NSW, an overseas certificate can't be used for it.
No appointments at an embassy, a Prefettura and a town hall in the busiest wedding months.
Your ceremony location isn't limited to places that allow civil weddings.
With Lovefool, Izzy does your legal ceremony in Australia, either before you leave or after you get home, and runs your symbolic ceremony in Italy. Anywhere in NSW, we come to you. Outside NSW, we'll help you find a local celebrant for the legal ceremony, and you get a discount on your Lovefool package.
Step 2: Choose where in Italy
Make three decisions, in this order.
The region. What feeling are you after? Lakes and mountains, a coastline, rolling hills, an old stone town. Narrow it down to a region, like Lake Como or Sicily, rather than just "Italy".
The town. Pick the pocket of that region that suits you, and that's easy to get to.
The property. This is where the real character lives: the villa, the garden, the terrace you'll actually stand on.
Two regions come up again and again for small weddings.
Lake Como is in the north, about an hour from Milan. Think villas, gardens, wooden boats and mountains dropping straight into the water. It's the most searched Italian elopement location in Australia. On Google Trends, "lake como elopement" is the fastest-rising search linked to elopements in Australia over the past five years. It's very popular, so costs can add up quickly without a plan. Read the Lake Como elopement guide.
Sicily is the island off the southern tip of Italy. It's warmer, wilder, more affordable in places, and far less crowded with weddings. Read the Sicily elopement guide.
Other popular regions include Tuscany, the Amalfi Coast, Puglia and the Dolomites.
Not set on Italy? Lovefool also travels to other places in Europe. Our 2026 couples eloped in the south of France. See our Destination Elopement Package page.
Step 3: Choose where you'll stay
Your villa or Airbnb does more work than you think. It's where you get ready, often where you say your vows, where your photos can happen, and where you collapse afterwards. Both of our 2026 couples married at their Airbnb and took most of their photos there.
Five things to check before you book:
Close to a town. Local vendors like florists and hair and makeup artists charge to travel. Twenty minutes from somewhere is cheaper than two hours from everywhere.
Privacy. Not on a busy public street, and not sharing a wall with your host.
Good spots for photos. Gardens, terraces, staircases, doorways. The more of these, the more places to shoot without going anywhere.
A fun extra, if you can get one. A pool or a lake view changes the whole afternoon.
Something worth walking to. An old town, a lemon grove, a wine bar, a beach or the water's edge.
Step 4: Decide who's coming
Eloping doesn't have to mean just the two of you. Plenty of our couples bring a handful of the people who matter most.
Guests in Italy aren't guests for a day. At home, people come for the ceremony and go home. In Italy, they're there for the week. They're at breakfast, on the boat with you, and asking what the plan is on Tuesday. So it's less about who'd be offended not to be asked, and more about who you'd want around on day three.
A few things change once you add guests:
Flights and accommodation are on them, so don't expect everyone you invite to say yes. In our experience, roughly half the list makes it. Sometimes fewer.
Some of it gets decided for you. Villas come with a bed count, some venues cap numbers, and every extra person is another seat at dinner and another airport transfer.
More guests means more moving parts on the day: transport, seating, who's standing where.
Step 5: Work out the cost
An elopement in Italy is usually cheaper than an average Australian wedding. The big costs are flights, accommodation, your photographer and celebrant, and whatever you add on the day.
Lovefool's Italy packages are $9,500 AUD (Edition 1, 4 hours of photography) and $12,500 AUD (Edition 2, 6 hours). Both include the legal ceremony in Australia, a ceremony written for you, film photography, behind-the-scenes reels, and our own flights and accommodation. There are no extra travel costs. On top of that, you'll pay for your own flights, accommodation, and any extras you'd like, such as a musician or more photography time.
For a full budget in Australian dollars, including real costs from one of our 2026 couples, read How Much Does It Cost to Elope in Europe from Australia?
Step 6: Choose your team
You can hire a local Italian photographer, planner and celebrant, or bring a team from home. Both work. The right choice depends on what you care about most. We've laid out the trade-offs in Destination Wedding Photographer in Italy or Europe: Bring One from Australia or Hire Local?
Finding vendors in Italy is harder than it looks. Some of the best florists, musicians and private chefs run entirely on word of mouth. No website, no reviews, just a name passed between photographers and planners. That's a big part of the value of booking a team that's already been there. We've been in touch with vendors in Europe and often know other Aussie vendors heading over for the season, and helping you plan this is part of our service.
Do you need a wedding planner?
It comes down to how much needs managing on the day.
Our package already covers ceremony writing, vow support, a timeline for the day, and coordination on the day. A wedding planner does a different job: managing logistics at scale, like lots of vendors, catering staff and a run sheet with more than a handful of names on it.
Two of you and a few close family? You're covered.
Twenty guests, a private chef, a florist and a live musician all in one place? That's planner territory.
Signs you'd want one: more than about fifteen guests, several vendors on site, a reception with its own run sheet, or a location with its own logistics, like a boat, a private estate or a celebration over several days. You don't want to spend your wedding day pointing people toward the bathroom.
Step 7: Plan the day around the light
The worst time for your ceremony is the middle of the day. Harsh sun means squinting, sweat and shadows across your faces.
The best light is golden hour: the soft light just after sunrise or before sunset. Build your ceremony around the light, rather than fitting the light around your ceremony. In Sicily especially, a late afternoon ceremony is cooler as well.
Getting around on the day:
A private driver beats public transport. No timetables, and no twenty-minute walk in heels between spots.
On Lake Como, the water is the road. Public ferries link the main towns, and a private boat is faster and doubles as a photo location.
Pack flats for the in-between. Cobblestones and steep lanes don't mix well with a wedding dress. Save the heels for the vows.
Step 8: Know what catches people out in Italy
Learn the word sciopero. It means strike, and Italy has them often, especially on trains. They're announced ahead of time and usually last a day, but they can cancel a regional train without much warning. If a train ride matters for your elopement day, build in a buffer day. Some guaranteed services still run in the morning and evening peaks on strike days.
Watch for "ZTL" signs if you're driving. Many Italian old towns have limited traffic zones. Driving into one without a permit can mean a fine in the mail weeks later.
Mid-August is a holiday. 15 August (Ferragosto) is a national holiday, and plenty of small businesses close for part of the month. If you're arriving in August, confirm vendors in writing well ahead.
Famous gardens aren't private. Lake Como's villa gardens usually have timed entry and fees, and other visitors will likely be there. Contact the villa directly for wedding photo prices.
Step 9: Sort out your travel
Passport: check it's valid for at least 3 months after the date you leave Europe. It also has to have been issued in the last 10 years.
Name on tickets: book flights in the name on your passport. Don't change your passport name before the trip.
Border checks: Europe's Entry/Exit System has been running at all Schengen borders since 10 April 2026. Expect fingerprints and a photo on arrival instead of a passport stamp.
ETIAS: a new €20 online travel approval for Australians is coming, but it hadn't started as of September 2026, and there's no confirmed start date. It's expected in 2027. Don't pay any website claiming to sell it before the EU officially opens applications.
Visiting the UK too? Since 25 February 2026, Australians need a UK Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before flying. It costs £20 and lasts 2 years.
Step 10: Book, and when
Best months: May, June and September. July and August are hot and crowded.
How far ahead to book: couples planning an Italian elopement usually book their photographer 12 to 24 months ahead. We don't have a booking deadline, but popular dates go first.
Lovefool's 2027 dates:
Lake Como: late August to early September 2027
Sicily: mid-September 2027
Frequently asked questions
Can Australians legally get married in Italy?
Yes. You'll need an Atto Notorio, a Nulla Osta and a civil ceremony at an Italian town hall. You don't need to live in Italy.
Is it easier to get married in Australia first?
For most Australian couples, yes. You get an Australian marriage certificate, a simpler name change, and no Italian paperwork. Your ceremony in Italy is then symbolic.
Is a symbolic ceremony in Italy a real wedding?
Emotionally, yes. It's the ceremony your people see, with the vows you wrote. The legal part happens at home, before or after, so you're married either way.
How many guests can come to an elopement in Italy?
As many as you like. Lovefool's Italy elopements go up to about 30 guests.
Do we need a wedding planner to elope in Italy?
Usually not. With a few guests, your photographer and celebrant team can cover the timeline and coordination. With more than about fifteen guests or several vendors on site, a planner is worth it.
What's the best time of day for an elopement ceremony in Italy?
Early morning or late afternoon, when the light is soft and the popular spots are quieter. Avoid the middle of the day.
What happens if there's a train strike?
Strikes in Italy are announced ahead and usually last a day. Build a buffer day into your trip if you're relying on a train, or book a private driver for the day itself.
When should we book an elopement in Italy?
12 to 24 months ahead is common, especially for September.
Can we elope somewhere in Europe other than Lake Como or Sicily?
Yes. Lake Como and Sicily are our set dates for 2027. We also travel to other European destinations on request, for the same price.
Can couples from outside Australia elope with Lovefool?
Yes. Couples from outside Australia get a discounted package, and we'll give you guidance on the legal rules in your own country.
About Lovefool Elopements
We're Emily and Izzy. Emily photographs on digital and 35mm film. Izzy is an authorised Australian marriage celebrant. We're based in Newcastle, NSW, and we've worked together for years. From late August to mid-September 2027 we're running small weddings and elopements on Lake Como and in Sicily. Izzy does the legal ceremony in Australia, before or after the trip, and your ceremony in Italy. Our travel costs are included in the price.
If Italy's on your list, get in touch early. We can’t wait to hear from you!