Our Indian Weddings Team
The Distinctive Italy Wedding's team is made up of highly skilled, passionate and dedicated professional planners.
The DIW team’s first goal is to get to know you and understand your vision to create a fabulous Indian wedding in Italy.
We offer outstanding vendors to bring your vision to life! From knowing the best mehndi artist for Indian brides, to sourcing talented dhol drummers in Italy, to working with both English and Hindi speaking Hindu priests, our planners are excited to create your dream destination Hindu wedding in Italy.
Both Italian and Indian cultures enjoy such rich wedding traditions. It is a delight for the Distinctive Italy team to fuse together a lavish Indian wedding with Italy’s breathtaking panoramas and venues. We think it is a perfect combination!
Get to know Us
Rosanna
My mother came back from India when I was young with a suitcase full of what to me seemed like a fairytale……gorgeous saris, ethereal fabrics, jewelry and so much more. I still remember the scent of sandalwood when she opened the suitcase!
Years later it was my turn to visit India and its varied regions and come back with as much of the country as I could bring with me (it’s fair to say I ate my way across India!).
So when that first phone call came one afternoon asking about how Distinctive Italy could plan an Indian wedding in Italy I could not contain my excitement. It was a perfect fit. Years later, Distinctive Italy is now the premier wedding planning team for couples dreaming of an Indian wedding in Italy.
Raffaela Cian
My dream has always been to be an event and wedding planner. My background is hospitality and accounting - strange bedfellows, I know - but somehow a perfect mix to prepare me for the exciting world of wedding planning!
I met Rosanna through a friend and have never looked back. I was present at the very first Indian wedding in Italy Distinctive Italy ever planned years ago and now hold the position of Wedding Director at DIW. Those who work with me would describe me as calm, extremely methodical and always ready to try something new!
Designing weddings ensures that nothing is ever the same and creating Indian weddings in Italy’s amazing venues has been an absolute pleasure.
I met Rosanna through a friend and have never looked back. I was present at the very first Indian wedding in Italy Distinctive Italy ever planned years ago and now hold the position of Wedding Director at DIW. Those who work with me would describe me as calm, extremely methodical and always ready to try something new!
Designing weddings ensures that nothing is ever the same and creating Indian weddings in Italy’s amazing venues has been an absolute pleasure.
They say
From the bottom of our hearts, please accept our sincerest thanks! You exceeded our expectations and made the process so smooth and stress free. It was like this beautifully organized and choreographed dance that we watched unfold with awe.
Everyone we know has said it was the most beautiful wedding they have ever been to, and that’s a phenomenal compliment considering some of these guests are in their 60’s. You have set the bar so high for any wedding we attend that I can only imagine my beautiful wife and I whispering into each other’s ears saying “well it sure doesn’t top our wedding”!
(And I’m sooo fine with that :)).
Poojah and Justin
From the bottom of our hearts, please accept our sincerest thanks! You exceeded our expectations and made the process so smooth and stress free. It was like this beautifully organized and choreographed dance that we watched unfold with awe.
Everyone we know has said it was the most beautiful wedding they have ever been to, and that’s a phenomenal compliment considering some of these guests are in their 60’s. You have set the bar so high for any wedding we attend that I can only imagine my beautiful wife and I whispering into each other’s ears saying “well it sure doesn’t top our wedding”!
(And I’m sooo fine with that :)).
Poojah and Justin
Stefania
My glass is always full; the word pessimism is not part of my vocabulary! I welcome the daily challenges of my job and the opportunities to think out of the box. During the wedding season you will find me one week in Lake Como, the next in the Northern Alps or catching a boat ferry to the Isle of Capri to supervise a 3 day celebration. I love the ever-changing aspect of my creative work and the opportunity of curating amazing events throughout my beautiful country in incredible locations. I have participated at almost every Indian wedding DIW has planned.
My team would tell you that patience is one of my best-known qualities. My nickname is “Ms Zen” because I don’t stress when overseeing an event despite the guaranteed surprises which inevitably will always happen at a wedding!
My team would tell you that patience is one of my best-known qualities. My nickname is “Ms Zen” because I don’t stress when overseeing an event despite the guaranteed surprises which inevitably will always happen at a wedding!
They say
…. you made this as simple as possible, and walked us through the process well in advance….In the end we couldn't believe how straightforward the process seemed, thanks to your help and efficiency.
You were very responsive to emails throughout the process (despite us bombarding you with requests!) and were always polite, helpful and effective with your responses.
The vendors you recommended were on the whole excellent, especially the caterers who were amazing! We've had so many fantastic comments about the food, the bar and the service in general on the wedding day. Even the tasting session in March was way above our expectations! We were delighted with this choice.
The weekend we spent in March was really valuable, not just for the tasting but also the venue tour, meeting the florists and running through the hair & make-up. Thank you for the time you spent in making this weekend such a success, we left that weekend so confident that everything would be as we hoped.
Your response to the threat of rain and the move to 'Plan B' was amazing – you were decisive, assertive, and made an unbelievable wedding happen despite the very last minute change of plans!
Neil and Alexandra
…. you made this as simple as possible, and walked us through the process well in advance….In the end we couldn't believe how straightforward the process seemed, thanks to your help and efficiency.
You were very responsive to emails throughout the process (despite us bombarding you with requests!) and were always polite, helpful and effective with your responses.
The vendors you recommended were on the whole excellent, especially the caterers who were amazing! We've had so many fantastic comments about the food, the bar and the service in general on the wedding day. Even the tasting session in March was way above our expectations! We were delighted with this choice.
The weekend we spent in March was really valuable, not just for the tasting but also the venue tour, meeting the florists and running through the hair & make-up. Thank you for the time you spent in making this weekend such a success, we left that weekend so confident that everything would be as we hoped.
Your response to the threat of rain and the move to 'Plan B' was amazing – you were decisive, assertive, and made an unbelievable wedding happen despite the very last minute change of plans!
Neil and Alexandra
Sarah
After working for one of Florence’s most prestigious luxury hotels I spent a number of years at Italy’s premier catering company, planning many high-end Indian events.
Now with Distinctive Italy I not only have the opportunity of creating amazing menus but also curating the entire event down to the smallest details! I am passionate about planning Sikh and Hindu weddings in Tuscany or any part of Italy for that matter…….and yes, when it comes to cuisine it’s fair to say I am an expert😊.
Aesthetics are very important to me and I love the design aspects of the events I create. Set me loose with a palette and mood board and I am happy!
My team members will tell you that I am very precise and detail oriented with a good macro as well as micro picture of each event I curate.
Now with Distinctive Italy I not only have the opportunity of creating amazing menus but also curating the entire event down to the smallest details! I am passionate about planning Sikh and Hindu weddings in Tuscany or any part of Italy for that matter…….and yes, when it comes to cuisine it’s fair to say I am an expert😊.
Aesthetics are very important to me and I love the design aspects of the events I create. Set me loose with a palette and mood board and I am happy!
My team members will tell you that I am very precise and detail oriented with a good macro as well as micro picture of each event I curate.
They say
“We got back home over the weekend after an amazing few weeks away and the best wedding day spent with all our closest friends and family - thank you for helping us plan the perfect day! The day was everything we hoped, and much much more! We can’t believe it’s now all over but haven’t been able to stop talking about it since.
We were both extremely happy with all the services you/DIW provided; from Andrea to the DJ, as well as your help with general recommendations.
The location, you already know our feelings about, but as soon as we first went to the Castle, we both knew that was where we wanted to spend our wedding day. All the staff at the castle were brilliant and couldn’t have asked for more from them.
As we’ve never planned another wedding we can’t say anything about planning one in England on our own, but it was a huge weight off our minds having you there to support us with decision making or queries we had. So I guess you could say it was much less stressful with your help 😊
Thanks so much Sarah, it was a pleasure having you there with us on the day.”
Ailsa and Neil
“We got back home over the weekend after an amazing few weeks away and the best wedding day spent with all our closest friends and family - thank you for helping us plan the perfect day! The day was everything we hoped, and much much more! We can’t believe it’s now all over but haven’t been able to stop talking about it since.
We were both extremely happy with all the services you/DIW provided; from Andrea to the DJ, as well as your help with general recommendations.
The location, you already know our feelings about, but as soon as we first went to the Castle, we both knew that was where we wanted to spend our wedding day. All the staff at the castle were brilliant and couldn’t have asked for more from them.
As we’ve never planned another wedding we can’t say anything about planning one in England on our own, but it was a huge weight off our minds having you there to support us with decision making or queries we had. So I guess you could say it was much less stressful with your help 😊
Thanks so much Sarah, it was a pleasure having you there with us on the day.”
Ailsa and Neil
Junko
I hold a bachelor’s degree in wedding planning from a Japanese university and have lived in Italy for over 15 years planning weddings and events all over the country, but particularly in the Amalfi Coast and Tuscany! I teach professional wedding planning courses in Japan several times a year.
Precision, accuracy and customer service are essential elements of my work ethic and part of my DNA. I absolutely love planning weddings and working with my couples – each event is so unique to them! My team would say that I keep a cool head under pressure and can handle logistically complex situations with ease. My culture values customer service very highly (understatement). Promptness and kindness are therefore second nature to me.
Precision, accuracy and customer service are essential elements of my work ethic and part of my DNA. I absolutely love planning weddings and working with my couples – each event is so unique to them! My team would say that I keep a cool head under pressure and can handle logistically complex situations with ease. My culture values customer service very highly (understatement). Promptness and kindness are therefore second nature to me.
They say
"Dear Junko,
We can’t thank you enough, our wedding day was perfect, we couldn't have asked for anything more! From the beginning you made everything so easy for us and answered all our questions so promptly, I couldn’t believe it!
Paola was fantastic! She was so kind and helpful, we were able to not stress about anything on our wedding. We couldn’t thank her enough either!
I didn't know what to expect from my hair and make-up since I didn’t do a trial run but both were such professionals it was exactly what I was hoping for. I can’t tell you how many compliments I got on my hair and makeup! I really did feel beautiful!
The flowers... Wow, wow,wow! When I saw my bouquet I fell in love with it! It was so beautiful I couldn’t stop staring at it! The boutonnière was made to match my bouquet and was perfect.
We ordered a flower arch and matching rose petals for the aisle. The arch exceeded my expectations and was Gorgeous! The florists did such an amazing job, I was trying to figure out a way to take it all back home with me! Lol
The venue at the Giardini Principessa in Ravello was perfect for the two of us. What a spectacular view! The view from the garden was breathtaking. The town itself is very quaint and romantic I’m so happy with our decision to get married there.
We chose a classical Guitarist to play at the ceremony and requested if he could play a special song for us. He did a perfect job! It gave me goosebumps walking down to meet my future husband while he played our special song for us!
Our photographer rocked! We felt so lucky to have gotten Domenico for our photographer. He made us so comfortable and captured exactly the artistic photos we were looking for. We can’t wait to see the them all!
After the ceremony we had our dinner together at the Belmond Caruso Restaurant. The food was absolutely delicious and the service was impeccable.
We had such a great wedding day and want to say thank you for everything! We left Italy with huge smiles on our faces and are still smiling!
! We highly recommend DIW!"
Natasa & Chris – Amalfi Coast
"Dear Junko,
We can’t thank you enough, our wedding day was perfect, we couldn't have asked for anything more! From the beginning you made everything so easy for us and answered all our questions so promptly, I couldn’t believe it!
Paola was fantastic! She was so kind and helpful, we were able to not stress about anything on our wedding. We couldn’t thank her enough either!
I didn't know what to expect from my hair and make-up since I didn’t do a trial run but both were such professionals it was exactly what I was hoping for. I can’t tell you how many compliments I got on my hair and makeup! I really did feel beautiful!
The flowers... Wow, wow,wow! When I saw my bouquet I fell in love with it! It was so beautiful I couldn’t stop staring at it! The boutonnière was made to match my bouquet and was perfect.
We ordered a flower arch and matching rose petals for the aisle. The arch exceeded my expectations and was Gorgeous! The florists did such an amazing job, I was trying to figure out a way to take it all back home with me! Lol
The venue at the Giardini Principessa in Ravello was perfect for the two of us. What a spectacular view! The view from the garden was breathtaking. The town itself is very quaint and romantic I’m so happy with our decision to get married there.
We chose a classical Guitarist to play at the ceremony and requested if he could play a special song for us. He did a perfect job! It gave me goosebumps walking down to meet my future husband while he played our special song for us!
Our photographer rocked! We felt so lucky to have gotten Domenico for our photographer. He made us so comfortable and captured exactly the artistic photos we were looking for. We can’t wait to see the them all!
After the ceremony we had our dinner together at the Belmond Caruso Restaurant. The food was absolutely delicious and the service was impeccable.
We had such a great wedding day and want to say thank you for everything! We left Italy with huge smiles on our faces and are still smiling!
! We highly recommend DIW!"
Natasa & Chris – Amalfi Coast
Raffaella
Raffaella is our back office queen. The first contact many of our vendors and venues receive and as such, our ambassador. Without her we would truly be lost. Somehow she keeps a hundred balls in the air and manages to keep them from crashing all around her. Negotiating difficult situations, helping the team obtain proposals, dealing with vendors, hotel bookings, quirky situations and more: her outstanding skills and personality are an amazing asset to the team. Not to mention blending it all with a wonderful sense of humor ,which during high season’s many challenges is always appreciated!
Mariana
Mariana has extensive experience working in the hospitality industry around the globe. She is an articulate communicator, with a very positive, calm personality that is unperturbed by whatever may come her way. IEssential qualities for a wedding planner.
Her background in luxury hospitality and tourism has equipped her to provide a white glove service to all of her couples.
Mariana has a proven record of providing excellent customer service and is extremely organized, reliable and dedicated to her couples. Armed with strong communication skills and super positive attitude she will make sure that you’ll have an unforgettable wedding experience.
Rosanna about Mariana
Poised and positive are adjectives that quickly come to mind when thinking about Mariana. She inspires confidence at first contact. Couples will inevitably discover that her quiet and self-assured exterior reveals a very organized mind able to handle the many challenges that planning a multi day celebration entail!
Her background in luxury hospitality and tourism has equipped her to provide a white glove service to all of her couples.
Mariana has a proven record of providing excellent customer service and is extremely organized, reliable and dedicated to her couples. Armed with strong communication skills and super positive attitude she will make sure that you’ll have an unforgettable wedding experience.
Rosanna about Mariana
Poised and positive are adjectives that quickly come to mind when thinking about Mariana. She inspires confidence at first contact. Couples will inevitably discover that her quiet and self-assured exterior reveals a very organized mind able to handle the many challenges that planning a multi day celebration entail!
Curious about how Distinctive Italy Weddings can plan your dream Indian wedding in Italy?
Our Indian Weddings
