Holiday in Italy, Um yes Please! Even Wedding Photographers get time off, admittedly not in June but hey, I’m the boss and I needed a break. I had an early influx of weddings this year with 11 Weddings from February to April, plus 14 pre wedding shoots, one surprise wedding proposal and 3 styled magazine shoots. Alongside being a wife and mum and sausage dog owner. So what’s girl to do? Book a family holiday in Italy of course.
I have traveled a fair bit and seen some beautiful places, Morocco, Turkey, The Grand Canyon, New York, Prague, Budapest, France, Germany, most Greek Islands some twice, Las Vegas (but the less said about that the better) but I still fall in love with Italy more and more each time I go.
This time I decided on a quick week of touring and first up was our base Lake Garda. We stayed at the southern part of the Lake in Sirmionie. Our apartment was fairly basic, We weren’t planning on being in it for long but it became our sanctuary, the ultimate hangout spot for our misadventures, and the backdrop of our memories. Well placed for evening walks around the lake to various restaurants.
Holiday in Italy-The next stop
Next up we visited Riva del Garda. As a wedding photographer, I have an eye for beauty, and boy, does Riva del Garda deliver! It’s vibrant streets, bursting with colors makes every street picture perfect. My broken Italian mixed with their hilarious hand gestures created a comedy show of my own. I must learn more Italian (makes note to book lessons). Lake Garda treated us to stunning vistas, but it wasn’t all about the views. Oh no! The real treat was that gravity-defying glass elevator that sent shivers down our spines. Unless you’re an 8 year old boy who then just wants to jump and see if it will hold us. Not Cool.
On day 3 we went time traveling in Bergarmo. Thanks to Ryan Air confusing it with Milan it has had a huge new influx of tourists and is a must visit if you love history and architecture. Which I do. This place had history oozing from its cobblestone streets. We meandered through the town’s ancient alleys, exploring awe-inspiring old churches. I couldn’t help but wonder if these sacred walls had witnessed any wild wedding ceremonies in their time. The juxtaposition of past and present was the perfect playground for my imagination.
City of Canals
My favourite day had finally arrived and I somehow convinced the family to get up at the crack of dawn to get to Venice. We decided to crack the code and unveil the secret to enjoying Venice without the crowds. Our mission? A 7 a.m. rendezvous with the city of canals. We sipped on steaming coffee in St. Mark’s Square, feeling like the rulers of the empty city. It was an early morning adventure that left us caffeinated and craving more. We hopped to a gondola just before the streets started to see their first swell of tourists.
After lunch we made a quick sop to my favourite book shop on all the world it has the coolest vibes on the planet. Aqua Alto, my friends, this bookstore is an absolute treasure trove. When I first visited Venice I left a piece of my heart there and going back with the family especially early in the morning was pretty special. I just need to book a wedding here and that will be the icing on the cake.
Our Holiday in Italy wouldn’t be complete without a visit to Verona. The home of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. I took the boys to see Juliet’s balcony, again early in the morning, to beat the crowds. I hate queueing for anything. We strolled around the cobbled streets in blistering heat until we got to the Arena. The ancient stadium was built before the more famous colosseum and was the 4th largest Arena in ancient Rome. The boys enjoyed this the most.
More of my wedding blogs can be found here https://www.sarahcarterphotography.co.uk/hadsham-farm-tipi-wedding/