By Giorgia Fantin Borghi, Founder & Lead Wedding Planner — luxury Italian weddings since 2004 (background in institutional protocol since the 1990s) | Last updated: August 2026
Quick Answer
Italian wedding traditions blend Roman-era symbolism with vivid regional character. The most cherished are la serenata (the groom serenading his bride the night before), confetti (five sugared almonds for health, wealth, happiness, fertility and long life), bomboniere (keepsake favours), the exchange of la fede (the wedding band, meaning “faith”), and showering the couple with rice for prosperity. Many customs are deeply regional — the Sicilian tarantella, Neapolitan doves, the Venetian breaking of glass. For a destination wedding, the art is choosing a few meaningful traditions and weaving them into a modern celebration. This guide explains what each tradition means and how international couples use them today.
In two decades planning weddings across Italy for couples from the US, UK and beyond, I have watched the same thing happen again and again: couples arrive wanting an “Italian” wedding, and what they are really reaching for is the meaning behind the rituals. Understanding the traditions — where they come from and what they symbolise — is what lets you choose the ones that belong in your day. Here is the guide I share with our couples. If you are still shaping the bigger picture, start with our overview of how to plan a wedding in Italy.
Before the wedding: the most romantic rituals
La serenata — the night-before serenade
One of the most film-worthy Italian customs, la serenata sees the groom arrive beneath the bride’s window the night before the wedding — often with musicians and friends — to sing to her and “wake” her for the big day. Strongest in central and southern Italy, what starts as a private serenade usually becomes a neighbourhood party with food and wine. Couples marrying in Italy love recreating it in miniature the evening before.
The groom’s bouquet and the “no gold” custom
Traditionally the groom sends the bride’s bouquet on the morning of the wedding — the last gift she receives as an unmarried woman, and his to choose. Older superstition also held that the bride should wear no gold before the ceremony (the wedding band being the first piece), and that the couple should not see each other the night before — customs many couples still enjoy honouring.
The symbols and what they mean
La fede — the wedding band as “faith”
The Italian wedding ring is called la fede, meaning faith. It is worn on the left hand, a habit dating to Roman times when the fourth finger was believed connected to the heart by the vena amoris — the “vein of love.” The plain band symbolises a bond with no beginning and no end.
Confetti — five sugared almonds, five wishes
Confetti are sugared almonds (not the paper kind), given in an odd number — classically five, because an odd number cannot be split evenly between the couple, symbolising an unbreakable union. The five almonds carry five wishes: health, wealth, happiness, fertility and long life. The sugar shell is the hope that married life will be more sweet than bitter; the almond within is a reminder that life can also be hard.
The Five Confetti
Five sugared almonds · five wishes for the marriage
Health
Salute
Wealth
Ricchezza
Happiness
Felicità
Fertility
Fertilità
Long life
Lunga vita
Bomboniere — the keepsake favour
The bomboniera is the small keepsake each guest takes home, traditionally holding the five confetti in a tulle or satin pouch alongside a little gift. In Italy the bomboniera is taken seriously — a marker of the family’s care and taste — and Sicily is famous for the most elaborate of all.
The ceremony: fertility, prosperity and blessing
As the newlyweds leave the ceremony they are showered with rice — a Roman-era wish for fertility and prosperity. In parts of Sicily wheat was historically thrown instead, with the same meaning. In Naples couples may release white doves as a symbol of peace and harmony. Whether you marry in a Catholic church, a historic villa or a civil ceremony shapes which rituals fit; our guide on how to find a wedding venue in Italy covers how venue choice interacts with the ceremony.
The reception: dancing, sweets and the tie
La tarantella and the sweets table
In the south, no reception is complete without the tarantella — a fast, whirling folk dance that pulls every generation onto the floor. In place of a single cake, Sicilian celebrations often feature a lavish sweets display: cassata, a tower of cannoli, or a table of regional pastries.
Cutting the groom’s tie & la busta
A favourite icebreaker: the groom’s tie is cut into pieces and “sold” to guests, the proceeds going toward the honeymoon. It pairs with la busta — the custom of giving the couple a money envelope rather than a registry gift, a practical blessing for the life ahead.
Traditions by region: a quick map
| Region | Signature tradition |
|---|---|
| Sicily | Tarantella, wheat instead of rice, cassata/cannoli, the most elaborate bomboniere |
| Naples & Campania | Release of white doves for peace and harmony |
| Veneto | Breaking a glass or vase — the shards counting years of happiness |
| Tuscany | Rustic vineyard celebrations and long convivial banquets |
| South (general) | La serenata at its most heartfelt and communal |
Because the customs differ so much, the region you choose colours the whole celebration — see our regional guides for Tuscany, the Amalfi Coast and Sicily.
Weaving traditions into a modern destination wedding
The couples who get this right do not stage every custom — they curate. Choose two or three that mean something to you: a serenata the night before, confetti and bomboniere for your guests, a tarantella to close the night. The role of a planner is to source the authentic version — the right confetti, real musicians, a genuine ensemble — so the tradition feels lived-in rather than costume. Traditions also travel across cultures: we regularly blend Italian customs with a couple’s own heritage, as in our guides to a Jewish wedding in Italy or an Indian wedding in Italy. If you dream of something small and intensely personal, many of these rituals suit an intimate elopement beautifully. For budgeting the celebration around them, see how much a wedding in Italy costs.
Renewing your commitment rather than marrying for the first time? Many of these customs suit a vow renewal in Italy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the most important Italian wedding traditions?
The best-known are la serenata (the groom serenading his bride the night before), confetti (five sugared almonds symbolising health, wealth, happiness, fertility and long life), bomboniere (keepsake favours), the exchange of la fede (the wedding band, meaning faith), and showering the couple with rice for prosperity. Many are regional: Sicily is known for the tarantella and elaborate bomboniere, Naples for releasing white doves, Veneto for breaking a glass whose shards count the years of happiness. Most couples marrying in Italy choose a handful to weave into a modern celebration.
Why are Italian wedding confetti given in odd numbers?
Confetti are sugared almonds, traditionally given in an odd number — usually five — because an odd number cannot be divided equally between the couple, symbolising an unbreakable bond. The five almonds represent health, wealth, happiness, fertility and long life. The sugar coating expresses the hope that married life will be more sweet than bitter, while the almond inside is a reminder that life can also be hard. They are wrapped in tulle and given to guests inside the bomboniera.
What is la serenata in an Italian wedding?
La serenata is a pre-wedding tradition, strongest in central and southern Italy, in which the groom arrives beneath the bride’s window the night before the wedding — often with musicians and friends — to sing to her and wake her for the big day. What begins as a private serenade frequently turns into a neighbourhood celebration with food and music. For a destination wedding it is an evocative moment couples can recreate on a smaller scale.
Do Italian wedding traditions vary by region?
Yes — Italy is twenty regions, each with distinct customs. Sicily is known for the tarantella, wheat thrown instead of rice, and towering cannoli or cassata in place of a single cake. Naples releases white doves. Veneto breaks a glass whose shards count the couple’s years of happiness. Tuscany leans on rustic vineyard celebrations. A good planner helps international couples choose the regional traditions that suit their venue and story.
Can foreign couples include Italian traditions in a destination wedding?
Absolutely, and most do. Traditions such as la serenata, confetti and bomboniere, a tarantella at the reception, or a dove release travel beautifully into a modern destination wedding and give international guests an authentic sense of place. The key is curation: choosing two or three meaningful customs rather than staging every one. A local planner sources the authentic elements so the traditions feel genuine rather than costume.
What is the Italian tradition of cutting the groom’s tie?
At many Italian receptions the groom’s tie is cut into small pieces and sold to guests, who make a small contribution in exchange. The money collected helps fund the honeymoon, and the ritual doubles as an icebreaker. It sits alongside la busta — the tradition of giving the couple a money envelope rather than a registry gift.
Bring your traditions to life in Italy
Whether you want a full serenata under a Tuscan window or a single, quiet ritual that means the world to you, we help international couples celebrate with traditions that feel authentic — not staged. Get in touch with our team to start planning.
Sources
- Italian Cultural Foundation at Casa Belvedere — Italian Wedding Traditions (casa-belvedere.org)
- Italy Segreta — Italian Wedding Traditions: Serenades, Sugar-Coated Almonds and Silver Confetti (italysegreta.com)
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