Positano has quickly become the destination for adventurous couples looking to elope in a picturesque destination and escape the pomp and circumstance (and price!) of US Weddings. This carefree city is full of stunning views, delicious foods, and is a truly idyllic place to tie the knot. To anyone wishing to flea to the Amalfi Coast and have a stress free experience, here is what you need to know about eloping in Positano, Italy (from someone who just planned one!)

Getting to Positano

Getting to Positano is a little bit of a trek, but SO worth it! If coming from the US, you will fly into the Naples airport, which is just about 35 miles outside of Positano. Once you are in Napes, your best options to get to Positano are either by taxi or ferry. Either way, it is worth arranging airport transportation before you arrive in Naples! And before getting into a taxi, always ask if they take card- we found it was about 50/50 while in Italy!

Getting around Positano

Because Positano is built on a cliffside, there is A LOT of walking, and it is all mostly stairs. So be prepared to walk, and if bringing friends/family to your elopement, consider accessibility for your older loved ones. Positano is also closely located to other popular cities like Amalfi and Ravello, which are very easy to get to by bus, and much cheaper than taking a taxi! Once in Positano, just remember that almost everything requires walking up a lot of stairs- so even if on your phone tells you it is a 6 minute walk, just know that means it is a 6 minute walk up a staircase!

Elopement Locations

Positano has a few different options for intimate elopements! If you are wanting to do something on the simpler side, you can get married at Commune Di Positano, or Positano Town Hall! It is about $670 USD to get married at the town hall. If you are looking for something a little more formal, the most popular locations to elope in Positano are within hotels. Hotels in Positano offer a little more hospitality and convenience than the town hall, with some gorgeous terraces overlooking the sea! Your last option for elopement locations in Positano would be the beach/a boat! The beach in Positano is one of the most iconic/famous beaches in the world. Because it is so popular, it fills up quickly- so if the beach is your desire, I recommend doing the ceremony early in the morning! The gorgeous Positano cliffside with brightly colored buildings is the backdrop of the black sand beach and striped umbrellas. From there, you can hop on a boat for a cruise along the coast and say your I Do’s at sea! Just make sure you have a back up plan if the weather or sea conditions are not ideal!

Logistics

Like any destination wedding, there are still some logistics you have to consider when planning a destination elopement! The first is the legality of the wedding ceremony. The easiest way to elope in Italy is to have a “symbolic” ceremony, meaning that the marriage won’t be legal and you will have to legalize it once you are back in the states. You can technically legally get married in Italy, but it is a complicated process with a lot of paperwork, so a symbolic ceremony is always recommended! I found Positano to be a fairly easy place to travel/get around, even as someone who does not speak any Italian. Because it is a popular destination spot, most everyone speaks english, a lot of the signage and menus are in english, and almost everywhere takes credit cards with tap pay!

Planning/Vendors

Even with an elopement, I still recommend hiring a planner to help coordinate all the little things! Depending on how elaborate you want to go, you will need a photographer, officiant/celebrant, flowers, cake, champagne, car service, dinner, etc. Although most everyone speaks English around Positano, communication with vendors can still sometimes be difficult. Venue and vendor websites can be out of date or have misinformation, and contact information can be difficult to find a lot of the time. Additionally, you are also dealing with a significant time difference between Italy and the US, so communicating with vendors can get complicated. Even with intimate elopements, I recommend having a planner who can take that stress off of your plate, so that you can enjoy the elopement experience- and let your planner handle the language barriers, time difference, and overall coordination with vendors so that you can have the best possible experience! If you are interested in our Elopement Coordination Services- fill out our contact form and let’s start planning!