Nordelaia · Piedmont · Italy
Planning a Family-Friendly Destination Wedding in Italy
Jordy and Judith’s celebration at Nordelaia, with their daughters, their favourite people and thoughtful ways to make everyone feel welcome.
Start with the people
How do you plan a destination wedding in Italy with children?
Start with the people who are coming: where families will stay, how the day will flow and when younger guests can eat, rest and join in. Then add a few personal touches. At Nordelaia, Jordy and Judith made room for their daughters, chose gelato for the children and welcomed their guests with wine and handwritten letters.
A family-friendly celebration takes shape through decisions like these. From a filmmaker’s perspective, they also create opportunities for the gestures, conversations and small discoveries that make a wedding feel like the people living it.
- The couple
- Jordy & Judith, from the Netherlands
- The setting
- Nordelaia, Cremolino, Piedmont
- Wedding planning
- The Italian Wedding
A little of their day
Jordy & Judith at Nordelaia
A short preview of the children, the people around them and the changing energy of their celebration. Watch the sneak peek alongside the planning notes below.
Jordy & Judith at Nordelaia
A 53-second wedding sneak peek
Their daughters, in the story
Begin with the family you already are
Jordy and Judith celebrated their marriage with their two daughters. That relationship runs through the images: children playing, reaching for their parents and finding their own place within the celebration.
If you are getting married with children of your own, decide which moments you would love to share with them. Keep those ideas simple and suited to who they are. A walk together, a family photograph or a few minutes in your arms may matter more than an elaborate role.
Speak with your planner about the transitions too. Knowing who will accompany a child while you are needed elsewhere can make the schedule easier for everyone.
Choose the moments you hope to share, then give your children room to experience them in their own way.
The setting and the experience
Choose a venue around the people who will use it
Nordelaia sits among the vineyards and hills of Monferrato, in Piedmont. Its farmhouse architecture, gardens and terraces gave Jordy and Judith’s celebration a distinct setting. You can explore the property’s event spaces on Nordelaia’s official wedding page.
When comparing venues for a wedding with families, picture the routes your guests will take. Ask about accommodation, the distance between the ceremony and dinner, meal arrangements and a place for a quieter break. Confirm what is available for your own guest list and event.
Give the indoor alternative the same attention. A workable wedding rain plan helps you keep the experience comfortable if the setting changes.
A small experience, shared
Give children something to look forward to
Jordy and Judith chose gelato especially for the children. In the film, that becomes a whole sequence of curiosity, choosing, tasting and sitting together.
A shared activity can be modest and still become memorable. Think about what your younger guests will enjoy, then discuss the practical details with your planner and caterer: when it fits, where it happens and what the parents need to know.
Keep the rest of the timetable generous enough for ordinary things. Children may need a snack, a quieter moment or time to finish what they are doing. A little flexibility helps parents stay part of the day as well.
Another way of remembering
A few moments, on film
Before everyone takes their place
Make the arrival feel personal
A destination wedding begins for guests with a journey. A thoughtful welcome can help them feel they have arrived somewhere that has been prepared with them in mind.
Jordy and Judith arranged welcome bags with wine for guests to take to their rooms. It was a gesture connected to the experience they were sharing in Italy.
For your own celebration, pair a personal gift with useful information: where to meet, the next day’s timings and who to contact with a question. Tailor the contents to the people receiving them. The aim is to make arrival simple and welcoming.
A place at the table
Write something only you could write
At each place, Jordy and Judith left a personalised letter written by hand. Their guests were welcomed to the table with words from the people they had come to celebrate.
It is an idea you can adapt without creating another elaborate part of the wedding. Begin with one memory, something you appreciate about that person or a few words about why you are glad they are there.
Give yourselves time to write. A short, specific note can feel more personal than a long message that could belong to anyone. Keep the envelopes easy to identify so they can still help people find their seats.
Touches like this give a celebration its own character, alongside the setting and the design.
The people working together
A collaboration I am always happy to return to
The principal wedding planner for Jordy and Judith’s celebration was The Italian Wedding. I work with them regularly, and it is a professional relationship I value.
Sharing several weddings creates familiarity: you get to know how each other works and build a conversation around the couple and their plans. It was a pleasure to work alongside them again for this celebration at Nordelaia.
For couples organising from the Netherlands, their focus on weddings in Italy offers a starting point for discussing the venue, the suppliers and the experience you want to share.
The family, and the two of you
Leave room for the moments that find you
A family wedding also needs space for the couple. Talk about a small amount of time together and agree how it can fit into the day without a long absence from your guests.
When I film, I pay attention to what develops around those plans: a child reaching for a hand, a glance across a table, the shift from the ceremony to the evening. Movement, relationships and the way people respond to one another give a film its identity.
If you are thinking about what you hope to recognise in your own film, explore my guide to what makes a wedding film feel personal.
A few practical answers
Planning a wedding in Italy with family
Can we plan a destination wedding in Italy with children?
Yes. Begin with your guest list and ask venues about family accommodation, the event spaces included and the arrangements available for younger guests. Build the schedule with parents and your planner, allowing time for meals, rest and the parts of the celebration everyone wants to share.
How can we include our own children in the wedding?
Choose a few moments that suit their personalities, such as walking together, sharing a family photograph or spending time with you after the ceremony. Leave those plans flexible. Jordy and Judith’s daughters were part of their celebration through both planned moments and spontaneous affection.
What should we ask a wedding venue about families?
Ask about room arrangements, distances between the spaces you will use, meal options and a place for a quieter break. Confirm age policies and any childcare arrangements directly. For Nordelaia, discuss your own guest list and event requirements with the venue rather than assuming every wedding has the same setup.
What can make destination wedding guests feel welcome?
Clear arrival information and a personal gesture can work together. Jordy and Judith chose welcome bags with wine to take to the rooms, and handwritten letters as place settings. Choose something meaningful for your guests and make useful details about the celebration easy to find.
Is gelato a good idea for children at an Italian wedding?
It can be a simple shared experience. Jordy and Judith chose it especially for the children. Discuss the practical details with your caterer and the parents, including timing and food requirements, and keep the activity easy to enjoy alongside the celebration.
How do you film a family wedding naturally?
I pay attention to relationships, movement and the moments developing around the couple. Tell me who matters most and how your family spends time together. That helps me recognise the gestures and interactions that belong in your film while you experience the wedding.
Jordy & Judith at Nordelaia
The wedding team
- Wedding film
- Luigi Rainone Films
- Venue
- Nordelaia
- Wedding planning
- The Italian Wedding
- Additional planning
- Zand Events
Your people, your story
A wedding that makes room for your people.
Tell me where you are getting married, who is coming with you and what you would love to remember. We can talk about a wedding film shaped around your family and the way you want to experience the celebration.