Positano, Ravello or Amalfi: where should you get married?

Three towns a few kilometres apart, and three very different weddings.

Couples planning a wedding on the Amalfi Coast usually arrive with the same shortlist: Positano, Ravello, Amalfi. On a map they're almost next to each other. On the day they feel like three different places. I've photographed weddings in all three, and this is how I'd describe the difference to a friend.

In short

• Positano for colour, the view everyone knows, and a party that runs late by the sea.
• Ravello for gardens, calm, cooler air and long dinners above the coast.
• Amalfi for a church wedding in a real town, with the whole piazza watching.
• Praiano if you want the coast without the crowds.

Positano: the view is the venue

Almost every terrace in Positano looks at the same thing: the town stacked on the cliff, the majolica dome, the sea. The background is guaranteed, which is why it's on every moodboard. At Villa Oliviero the ceremony faced the town, and the guests sat with Positano behind them. My job there was simple: keep the two of you at the centre of a picture that was already composed.

Positano faces south-west. The mountain keeps the morning in shade, and the best light arrives in the hour before sunset, straight along the coast. It's also the busiest of the three: early morning is the only time the steps and the beach are quiet enough for unhurried portraits.

Choose Positano if you want colour and energy, and you're happy with a terrace rather than a garden. More in my Positano wedding guide.

Ravello: the coast from above

Ravello sits about 350 metres above the sea, on a ridge between two valleys. It's calmer, a few degrees cooler, and built for gardens: pergolas, cloisters, terraces that seem to float over the Gulf of Salerno. At Villa Cimbrone we kept the Terrace of Infinity for the blue hour before dinner. At Belmond Hotel Caruso the portraits were more of a walk than a set-up: down the green steps, under the pergola, past the old towers.

The sun sets behind the ridges, not into open sea, so sunsets here are softer and layered. The gardens open and close to visitors at fixed times, which matters when we plan the portraits.

Choose Ravello if you want space, quiet and a long dinner outdoors, and your guests don't mind a winding road up the hill. More in my Ravello wedding guide.

Amalfi: a wedding in a real town

Amalfi still feels like a working town: a harbour, a busy piazza, and a cathedral at the top of a wide staircase. Coming out of Amalfi Cathedral, with the whole piazza stopping to watch, is one of the most cinematic moments on the coast. Pietro and Marina married there and then drove up to Ravello for the party. Donato and Ilaria got ready at Le Nereidi and walked into town for everything else.

The piazza sits between tall buildings, so it spends much of the day in soft, even shade, which is kind to faces on the steps. The waterfront keeps the light longer and lights up at dusk.

Choose Amalfi if you want a church ceremony with a sense of place, and you like the idea of the town being part of your day. More in my Amalfi wedding guide.

And Praiano

Between Positano and Amalfi, Praiano is quieter and faces west. At Villa Milu the ceremony stayed on the lawn among the olive trees, with the sea on three sides and the dome of Praiano's church right below. We were lucky with a clear afternoon, and the place needed very little else.

How I would decide

• Number of guests: large groups move more easily in Ravello than in Positano.
• Ceremony: a Catholic ceremony points to Amalfi Cathedral, Santa Maria Assunta in Positano or the Duomo in Ravello; a symbolic ceremony can be anywhere with a view.
• Mobility: Positano and Amalfi mean steps. If you have older guests, plan around them.
• Light: tell me your date and I'll tell you where the sun will be when you say your vows.

Any of the three towns can work. What makes the difference is how the day is planned.

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Already have a town in mind? Send me your date and venue and I'll tell you how I'd plan the light. You'll find more weddings in Amalfi Coast weddings. I reply personally within 24 hours.

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