We have compiled some of our must-haves when traveling abroad. Feel free to refer to this list for ideas about what to pack! - Passport!!! - Outlet adapters for Europe (can be found on Amazon)/Portable charger - Swimsuit! There is a pool at the venue, and we will be having a pool party the day before the wedding :) - Cocktail attire for the wedding day - Casual attire for the Pizza Night (khakis, polos, sundresses, nice blouses, skirts, etc.) - Travel attire! Whatever you feel comfy in during a long flight - Whatever attire is most suitable for your plans on the excursion day - Rain coat/Umbrella - Crossbody bag or other secure attachment for phone, waller, personal items while out and about - If you're planning on visiting churches or other holy sites, ensure you bring modest clothing that covers shoulders and knees. - Comfy walking shoes if you plan on sightseeing! Our last piece of advice is to pack light when traveling anywhere in Europe :)
In May, the weather is typically pleasant with warmer temperatures (70s) throughout the day and cooler temperatures (50s) in the evening. We recommend bringing some light layers to ensure you are comfortable throughout the entire day. Rain during this time of year is common, so bring an umbrella or rain jacket in case. To be fully prepared, it is recommended to check the local weather for Perugia as you prepare to travel.
We recommend getting a passport as soon as possible to ensure you are fully prepared for traveling. To do so you can visit travel.state.gov to fill out an application online or print one off and fill it out. Then prepare the necessary documents including a birth certificate, valid driver's license, and photocopies of each. You must have a passport photo that can be taken at CVS or the post office. Passport book application fees are $130 plus a $35 facility acceptance fee. After all of the documents, photos, and fees are gathered, schedule an appointment at USPS or another passport acceptance facility. Processing times for passports take about 6 weeks in addition to mailing time (approx. another 3-4 weeks). Please take this into consideration when scheduling your appointment. After sending off your passport application, your birth certificate will be mailed back to you as well.
When booking flights, we recommend flying into Florence Peretola Airport (FLR), also known as Amerigo Vespucci Airport. Some airlines to look for are Delta, American, Air France, and KLM, although feel free to book with whatever airline best suits your travel needs! After arriving at the airport, you have two options for getting to the venue: Renting a car and driving will be the most direct route and will allow easy access to transportation while at the venue. Our venue is located in the countryside, so having a car may be a good option; however, it is not required. One note to consider about driving is that the road up to the venue is a bit steep and small through the mountains. The second option is taking the train from the airport to Perugia. You can purchase tickets with main train companies like Frecciarossa, Trenitalia, and Intercity. Travel time is usually about 2 1/2 hours with options for high-speed trains with shorter travel times. We recommend purchasing train tickets in advance. After arriving in Perugia, there will be shuttles to bring guests from the train station to the venue. The shuttles will need to be coordinated with the venue ahead of time, so please let us know if this is needed for you.
Please refer to the following meal schedule as you make preparations: Breakfast is provided each morning for guests staying at the venue (wedding party and immediate family). Thursday May 13th (Arrival Day)- Welcome dinner provided to all guests, including those not staying at the venue. Please RSVP on the website. Friday May 14th- Everyone is responsible for their own meals throughout the day as this day is meant for guests to explore nearby areas of interest. Saturday May 15th- We will be hosting a pool party with light refreshments, and in the evening will be our Pizza Night Rehearsal Dinner. Please RSVP to both of these events. Sunday May 16th- Wedding Day!! There will be refreshments provided during our cocktail hour as well as dinner during our Reception. Please RSVP for these events. For guests staying at the venue, please note that there are kitchenettes in each apartment. You have the option to stock up each fridge with food, drinks, or snacks of your choice if you would like! There will be water and some other beverages stocked in the main fridge available to any and all guests as well.
We consider your presence gift enough, but if you are wanting to send a gift please refer to our Registry page on the website! Gifts should be shipped to our home address and not brought to the wedding.
Although we understand the enthusiasm to capture every moment of our special day, we kindly ask all of our guests to respect our wishes and keep any electronics put away during the ceremony. We would like our photographer and videographer to capture authentic and natural moments that are not interrupted by phones or other devices. You are more than welcome to use your devices at any other part of our celebration!
There is the option to rent a car during your time in Italy to allow you more freedom and easier access to the surrounding areas. If you do not want to rent a car, our venue helps coordinate shuttle transportation to and from the closest train station as well as shuttles, buses, and other transportation throughout the weekend. If you are expecting to use this transportation coordination, we will need to know specifics of your travel plans in advance to help you book transportation as needed.
Most major cities in Italy use card payments, but there are quite a few places that still only accept cash. The currency used in Italy is Euros (€). It is recommend to have some small bills just in case. There are a few options for exchanging currency when traveling abroad: - You can visit your local bank to exchange before traveling - You can use Bank ATMs in Italy to exchange currency - You can exchange currency at the airport, although this is not recommended as there are typically high fees associated with this option. The key things to remember when preparing to travel abroad are paying attention to the conversion fees when exchanging currency and trying to find the lowest fee when possible and having various small bills and change for places that do not accept debit/credit cards.
Because we are in the countryside, we are about 25 miles away from the city of Perugia. To aide in planning we have compiled a list of the closest important locations to our venue: - The closest hospitals are Umbertide Hospital (30 minute drive) and Ospedale di Gubbio e Gualdo Tadino (40 minute drive). - While there may be small local shops/cafes nearby, the main grocery stores (Coop and Eurospin) are about 20-30 minutes from the venue in Umbertide. Remember to bring a €1 coin to unlock shopping carts and to have reusable shopping bags! - The closest pharmacies are in Preggio and Umbertide for over-the-counter medication needs.
We want to ensure everyone has the proper information to contact the US embassy if needed. In Italy, there is an embassy location in Milan as well as consulates in Florence, Milan, and Naples. For emergencies like a stolen/lost passport, arrest, etc. call or visit the closest embassy or consulate during their business hours for assistance. For non-emergency services an appointment must be scheduled. An important note to be aware of is that large bags and large electronics are not permitted past security checkpoints in these facilities. Information for the Consulate-General in Florence is: Address: Lungarno Vespucci, 38, 50123 Firenze, Italy Phone Number: +39 055 266 951 Hours: 8:30am-11:30am Monday-Friday (for Emergency Passport walk-ins) Website: https://it.usembassy.gov/contact/ Emergency Number to call while in Italy: 112
We highly recommend looking into STEP for any international travel. This is the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program that is free for US citizens to enroll in before traveling abroad. Enrolling in this program allows for important updates and alerts to be emailed to you from the US embassies and consulates in the area you are traveling to. It also helps the US embassy or consulate contact you in emergency situations with instructions on what to do. Refer to their website for more information about the program and how to sign up: https://travel.state.gov/en/international-travel/travel-advisories/smart-traveler-enrollment-program.html