A Chinese wedding in Italy usually combines a tea ceremony for the family, a civil or symbolic ceremony, and an Italian dinner, often over two or three days. Kiss Me Italy wedding packages with guests start at €47,000 for 30 guests near Rome and reach €102,000 for three nights of full board in a Tuscan borgo. Spring, early summer and September are the most comfortable months, and the date can follow the Chinese almanac.
Wedding Packages for a Chinese Wedding
These live packages suit a wedding with family and guests. None is labeled as a Chinese wedding: the tea ceremony, decorations and menu are added on request. Prices are all-inclusive, in euros, as published on each package page.
| Package | Location and guests | Price |
|---|---|---|
| The Rome Castle Wedding | Castello Tor Crescenza, Rome · 30, 50 or 70 guests | From €47,000 |
| Multi-Day Wedding — Tuscany | Relais Val d’Orcia · three nights of exclusive use, 40 guests (18 staying) | €57,000 |
| The Noble Palace Wedding | Palazzo Nani Bernardo, Venice · 50 guests | €59,000 (low season), €65,000 (high season) |
| The Tuscan Borgo Wedding | Borgo Stomennano, Monteriggioni · 50 or 80 guests, or 45 guests for three nights full board | €68,000 to €102,000 |
| The Imperial Palace Wedding | Palazzo Brancaccio, Rome · 100 or 150 guests | €69,000 to €84,000 |
| The Pincio Wedding | Casina Valadier, Rome · 50 or 80 guests | €69,000 to €84,000 |
| The Hilltop Tuscan Castle Wedding | Castello di Bibbione, Tuscany · 50 or 90 guests, up to three nights | €69,000 to €98,000 |
| The Grand Lake Como Villa Wedding | Villa Erba, Lake Como · 50 or 100 guests | €72,000 to €84,000 |
| The Grand Canal Venice Wedding | Ca’ Sagredo, Venice · 50 guests | €72,000 (low season), €79,000 (high season) |
| Multi-Day Wedding — Lake Garda | Villa Arcadio · two nights, 40 or 80 guests (40 staying) | €84,000 to €99,000 |
The tea ceremony, a bilingual celebrant, interpreters and Chinese decorations are not listed in these packages. They are quoted on request. A celebrant for a symbolic ceremony costs about €800 to €2,500.
The Tea Ceremony
The tea ceremony is one of the best known moments of a traditional Chinese wedding. It is a family ritual, held with parents and close relatives.
The couple serves tea to their parents and elders as a sign of respect. According to the Chinese Historical and Cultural Project, the elders sit while the couple kneels and offers each cup with both hands, calling each relative by family title.
- Order: it starts with the groom’s parents, then moves from the oldest relatives to the youngest
- Titles: each relative is addressed by family title, such as first uncle or third aunt
- Gifts in return: elders give lucky red envelopes, called lai see, with money or jewelry
- Before the wedding: in some families the bride also serves tea to her own parents at home, to thank them
Customs differ between regions and families, so the order and the words are always set with your parents.
Can You Hold a Tea Ceremony in Italy?
Yes. A tea ceremony is a private family ritual, not a legal act, so it can take place in a villa, a hotel suite, a garden or a palazzo. It needs only a table, two chairs for the elders, cushions and a tea set.
There are three common slots:
- The morning of the wedding: calm, private and with soft light for photos
- Between ceremony and dinner: possible, but it shortens the aperitivo
- The day after: relaxed, for example before a farewell brunch
Bring your own tea set if it has family meaning, or ask us to source one. Some historic venues limit candles and incense indoors, so we check the rules before the day.
Choosing a Lucky Date
Many Chinese families choose the wedding date with the Chinese almanac, the tong shu or huangli. It marks favorable dates based on zodiac compatibility, element cycles and the moon, as this Singapore wedding guide explains.
The same guide notes that the 7th lunar month, known as Ghost Month, is avoided by many traditional families for weddings. Families who follow these customs often ask a feng shui master to confirm the date.
In Italy, a lucky date has to meet a few practical limits:
- Venue availability: popular villas book Saturdays in May, June and September far ahead
- Town hall days: a civil ceremony follows the opening days and fees of each Comune
- Weather: July and August are hot in Rome, Tuscany and Venice; spring and September are milder
- Travel: check flights for guests coming from China, the US and Europe at the same time
Weekday dates are often cheaper: Castello Tor Crescenza and Borgo Stomennano publish separate weekday prices. Our Italian wedding calendar shows the busy and quiet months.
Documents for a Legal Wedding in Italy
The tea ceremony and a symbolic ceremony have no legal value. For a legal marriage you need a civil ceremony at the town hall, or a religious ceremony recognized by the State.
Foreign citizens must present a nulla osta, a certificate showing there is no impediment to the marriage under the laws of their own country. The Comune di Venezia states it is issued by the competent authority of your country, or by its embassy or consulate in Italy.
- Translation and legalization: documents issued abroad must be translated into Italian and legalized or apostilled, as the Comune di Firenze explains
- Consular signature: in Florence, the consul’s signature on the nulla osta is legalized by the Prefettura
- US citizens: Venice asks for a sworn statement made at the US Consulate in Italy, then legalized, plus a declaration made at an Italian consulate in the US
- Banns: in Florence, non-resident foreigners marrying under article 116 of the Civil Code do not need banns
Rules vary from one Comune to another, and we could not verify the specific steps for Chinese citizens on an official page. Check with the Chinese consulate in Italy and with the Comune where you will marry, well in advance.
Many couples marry legally at home and hold a symbolic ceremony in Italy, which removes the paperwork. Our guide on how to get married in Italy as a foreigner covers the full process.
Combining a Chinese and a Western Ceremony
Most Chinese weddings in Italy keep two moments: the tea ceremony for the family, and a Western ceremony with vows and rings for all guests. A sample plan over three days:
- Day one: guests arrive, welcome dinner at the villa or in a nearby restaurant
- Day two, morning: tea ceremony with parents and elders, in red if you wish
- Day two, afternoon: civil or symbolic ceremony in white, then aperitivo and dinner
- Day three: brunch, or a short tour for guests who are visiting Italy for the first time
Some brides change outfits during the day, for example a traditional red dress for the tea ceremony and a white gown for the Western ceremony. Decorations, colors and dress codes follow your families’ customs.
A symbolic ceremony gives you the most freedom. It can be in English, Mandarin, Cantonese and Italian, and can include both families’ readings. See our overview of wedding ceremony types in Italy, the interfaith wedding in Italy guide and who can act as wedding officiant in Italy.
Where to Hold a Chinese Wedding in Italy
- Rome: palazzi and a castle for 30 to 150 guests, with a large international airport. See wedding venues in Rome and Rome wedding.
- Tuscany: estates with rooms on site, so the tea ceremony, wedding and dinner happen in one place. See wedding venues in Tuscany and vineyard wedding in Italy.
- Lake Como: lakefront villas with gardens and terraces. See Lake Como wedding.
- Venice: palazzi reached by water; all transport and deliveries go by boat. See Venice wedding cost.
- Lake Garda and the Amalfi Coast: see Lake Garda wedding, Amalfi Coast wedding cost and our villa wedding in Italy guide.
Catering, Guests and Other Costs
The wedding dinner in our packages is Italian. Many families add Chinese touches: a dish from home at the welcome dinner, tea service, or a dessert table with both traditions. Our Italian wedding menu ideas help plan the courses.
For international guests, plan the details early:
- Bilingual programs and signs, in Chinese and English
- A host or interpreter for older relatives who do not speak English
- Dietary needs from both families, collected with the RSVP
- Seating that mixes the two families, or keeps them close, as your parents prefer
Costs outside the packages, from prices published on our site:
| Service | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Symbolic ceremony celebrant | €800 to €2,500 |
| Airport transfers, 50 to 100 guests | €3,000 to €6,000 |
| Private coach | €1,200 to €2,500 per day |
| Photographer, full wedding day (8 to 10 hours) | €5,000 to €12,000 |
| Second photographer | €1,500 to €4,000 |
| Videography | €4,000 to €18,000+ |
| Live band, evening | €3,000 to €12,000 |
| Interpreter, tea set and Chinese decorations | On request |
See also our pages on wedding photographers in Italy and wedding entertainment in Italy. To check dates and venues, contact Kiss Me Italy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the Chinese wedding traditions?
The best known is the tea ceremony, in which the couple serves tea to parents and elders and receives lucky red envelopes in return. Many families also choose the date with the Chinese almanac and avoid the 7th lunar month.
Can you hold a tea ceremony in Italy?
Yes. It is a private family ritual, so it can take place in a villa, hotel suite, garden or palazzo, usually on the morning of the wedding. You need a table, chairs for the elders, cushions and a tea set. It is added on request to any of our wedding packages.
How do you combine a Chinese and a Western wedding?
The simplest plan keeps two moments: the tea ceremony with the family in the morning, often in red, and a civil or symbolic ceremony in the afternoon, in white, followed by dinner. A symbolic ceremony can be in several languages and include readings from both families.
Is a wedding in Italy legal for foreign citizens?
Yes, with a civil ceremony. Each foreign spouse presents a nulla osta from their own authorities or consulate in Italy, translated into Italian and legalized where required. Rules vary by Comune, so check early. Many couples marry legally at home and hold a symbolic ceremony in Italy.