Simple Italy

Celebrating Your Inner Italian

  • Home
  • Contact us
  • Links

Renewing Wedding Vows Italian-Style

Posted July 7, 2018 by Sharon 12 Comments


By Walter

When Sharon and I married in 1978, we had to jump through secular and ecclesiastical hoops to get to the altar in Santa Croce’s Medici Chapel in Florence.

Forty years later, all we had to do was cross a small piazza to the parish church of San Michele Vetere in Cremona.

As we planned our May 2018 trip to Italy, we intended to renew our marriage vows but, unlike four decades ago, we had no formal plans.

Sharon was looking to sharpen her Italian language skills and found an immersion program through La Studentessa Matta. Sharon reserved back-to-back sessions with Elena and Gianna in Bergamo. She lived with the teachers in their homes and did EVERYTHING in Italian.

I planned to meet Sharon after her programs and we would spend a couple of weeks savoring life in a small city Italy. I flew on mileage reward tickets (thank you, United and Lufthansa) and had to travel around available dates.

That led me to spend some time in Milano then in the Lunigiana of Tuscany with old pals James and Martha of Wandering Italy and Martha’s Italy.

My Wife Has AirBnB Radar

Sharon has the knack for finding stellar AirBnB accommodations hosted by spectacular people. She has consistently demonstrated that talent on four continents and counting.

Once we chose Cremona (grazie Fred Plotkin for the recommendation in Italy for the Gourmet Traveler) as our base in northern Italy, she worked her magic once again.

“This looks nice, doesn’t it? It’s in a palazzo…” she said as we scanned the Casa Vergani listing.

“How are the reviews?” I responded.

“Wonderful! People love Benedetta.”

It was available for the two weeks we wanted, and Sharon booked it.

Saturday evening mass at San Michele. We felt like celebrities in the nuptial aisle.

Saturday evening mass at San Michele. We felt like celebrities in the nuptial aisle.

I arrived on a Sunday, a day after Sharon. It was hot, but I walked to Casa Vergani from the train station.

I surprised Sharon at the gate of the palazzo as she didn’t know exactly when I was arriving. While I was hugging her, a tall, thin man in shorts, a sleeveless tee, and flip flops approached. He had a tattoo on his left upper arm and was carrying a broom. I don’t know what he had been doing, but he’d worked up quite a sweat at the task. Sharon introduced us. It was Gianpaolo, the owner of the palazzo that has been in his family since the 1860s. We bonded.

I learned that Gianpaolo is a prominent attorney in Cremona … and one of the hardest working people I’ve met. He always has a project or three underway at home. Benedetta, our hostess, is smart, warm, and efficient. She is a culinary professional so she and Sharon spoke the international language of food.

We had dinner together a couple of times, and I rode shotgun with Gianpaolo on a number of diverse missions. They showed us around lovely Cremona and offered bicycles that made exploring the city and environs a breezy treat.

At one point I casually mentioned to Gianpaolo that we were celebrating our fortieth wedding anniversary and pulled up photos from the long ago wedding. He was entertained. I asked him if he would be willing to preside over a casual renewal of our wedding vows. He said no, that as an attorney he had no authority to do so.

The next day he dropped by and asked us if we were free the evening of Saturday, June 9, 2018. We had nothing planned. Then he got excited. “Please come to San Michele Vetere, the church in the piazza, for the evening Mass at 6:30.

Don Aldo renewed our vows at the end of the mass.

Don Aldo, the parish priest will have everything prepared for you.”

More Nervous the Second Time Around

Time passed. Sharon had fun shopping for a dress, shoes, and accessories. I was glad that I had packed my trusty blazer for the trip. We delighted in day trips to Crema, Mantova, and Fidenza. Then suddenly it was Saturday.

Sharon jumped on her bicycle and pedaled for a floral bouquet at the bustling Saturday market surrounding the cathedral. She returned with a beauty. I shopped for Prosecco to enjoy after the ceremony, and also returned with a beauty.

By 5:30 I had gotten dressed and was pacing around the apartment.

“Sharon, I’m nervous. More nervous now than at the wedding,” I said.

“Calm down,” she said.

I spotted Benedetta in the courtyard. She was readying a table for refreshments after the mass.

I went down and said hi.

“How are you?” she asked.

“It’s strange but I’m more nervous today than I was forty years ago.”

She paused, then smiled. “Of course you are. Because now you know what marriage is all about.”

Sharing our joy with our host family.

Cue the recessional video here

Filed Under: AirBnB, Cremona, Florence, Hotels, Language, Lifestyle, Miscellany, Travel Tagged With: Cremona, Italian destination weddings, Italian weddings, La Studentessa Matta, marriage in Italy, Martha's Italy, SimpleItaly, Wandering Italy, wedding vow renewals in Italy

« Bresaola
Pasta with Delicata Squash and Fall Vegetables »

Comments

  1. Patrizia e Jack Angelo says

    April 8, 2019 at 10:04 AM

    Favolosi ❤️❤️
    Tanti auguri, tanta gioia ! !
    P
    J

    Reply
  2. Wandering James says

    July 9, 2018 at 1:38 PM

    Great story! It’s what I like about the boot–in Italy everything is possible if it involves people and/or food.

    Reply
    • Sharon says

      July 9, 2018 at 3:56 PM

      Here’s to romance and ravioli!

      Reply
  3. Ann says

    July 7, 2018 at 7:42 PM

    Wal & Sharon! Google translator came up with this:
    “congratulazioni per il tuo matrimonio”

    …which ain’t about renewals of vows, but will have to do. This story is lovely–as are the two of you, and yes–you DO know what marriage is all about!

    Reply
    • Sharon says

      July 8, 2018 at 6:47 AM

      Thanks, Ann. Kind words and warm wishes from a special person who also knows what marriage is all about. Big hi to David.

      Reply
  4. Kathleen Parrish says

    July 7, 2018 at 3:47 PM

    Beautiful. I got teary-eyed. Love to you both and Congratulations.

    Reply
    • Sharon says

      July 8, 2018 at 6:50 AM

      Ah, thanks…but don’t be getting all misty over us. We have to get together.

      Reply
  5. Cindy says

    July 7, 2018 at 2:54 PM

    So cool! Loved this.

    Reply
    • Sharon says

      July 8, 2018 at 6:51 AM

      Thanks, Cindy. And you two have been at this marriage for quite a while as well. Hope all is well with you and yours.

      Reply
  6. Charlene Costa says

    July 7, 2018 at 2:29 PM

    This is such a beautiful story!!!! I am so happy for you two!!!! Congratulations and Happy Anniversary!!!!

    Reply
    • Sharon says

      July 8, 2018 at 6:52 AM

      Thanks, Charlene, for sharing in our joy.

      Reply
  7. Walter C Sanders says

    July 7, 2018 at 2:09 PM

    Marriage renewal photo and video credits to the talented Gianpaolo Bellini. Grazie, Gianpaolo

    Reply

Join the Discussion! Cancel reply

Please submit your comment with a real name.

Thanks for your feedback!

Follow Simple Italy on FacebookFollow Simple Italy on RSS
Lasagne_19 Simple Italy's Greatest Hits at a click!
Lasagne alla Bolognese and more

Recent posts

  • The Hill Towns of Molise
  • Fior di Latte Cheese
  • In the Mood for Molise, Italy
  • Silk from the Sea in Sardinia
  • Driving a Ferrari Spider

Posts by Category

  • Abruzzo (12)
  • AirBnB (1)
  • Amalfi (8)
  • Archeology (3)
  • Architecture (21)
  • Art (19)
  • Artisans (4)
  • Automobiles (1)
  • Bakery (1)
  • Basilicata (3)
  • Bologna (4)
  • Books (21)
  • Calabria (4)
  • Campania (17)
  • Cooking Classes (5)
  • Cremona (2)
  • Culture (174)
  • dreamofitaly (1)
  • Driving in Italy (2)
  • Emilia Romagna (2)
  • Ferrari (1)
  • Ferrari Museum (1)
  • Film (22)
  • Florence (30)
  • Food (134)
  • Fred Plotkin (1)
  • Friuli-Venezia Giulia (2)
  • Gardening (25)
  • Genoa (2)
  • Golf in Italy (1)
  • Guides (1)
  • History (8)
  • Hotels (14)
  • Inner Italian Q & A (11)
  • Italian seafood (7)
  • Italy Artisans (3)
  • Italy restaurants (17)
  • Language (86)
  • Le Marche (4)
  • Lifestyle (113)
  • Liguria (2)
  • Lombardy cooking (5)
  • Lucca (3)
  • Mantua (1)
  • Markets (26)
  • Mediterranean diet (55)
  • Milan (1)
  • Miscellany (86)
  • Modena (1)
  • Molise (3)
  • Mt. Etna (1)
  • Music (9)
  • Naples (2)
  • New Orleans (2)
  • Opera (1)
  • Palermo (3)
  • People (3)
  • Photography (4)
  • Piedmont cooking (1)
  • Puglia (9)
  • Quotes (4)
  • Recipes (64)
  • Rome (8)
  • Salerno (3)
  • Sardinia (4)
  • Sicily (15)
  • Test Drive (1)
  • Testimonials (2)
  • Travel (110)
  • Trentino Alto-Adige (1)
  • Tuscan cooking (17)
  • Tuscany (30)
  • Venice (2)
  • Videos (2)
  • Wine (23)

Inside SimpleItaly

  • American Couple Marries Italian-Style
  • Appearances
  • Contact us
  • Cooking Up an Italian Life
  • Le Marche Tour with Luisa
  • Links
  • Palazzo Donati Sample Itinerary
  • Palazzo Donati Tours
  • Privacy and Site Policies
  • Publications and TV
  • Sharon’s Inner Italian
  • SimpleItaly Adventure in Tuscany Tour
  • Thank You
  • Walter’s Inner Italian

Tags

Abruzzo bucket list Ferragosto Florence Gardening gelato Genoa Inner Italian Italian cooking italian culture italian food Italian food stores italian language italian lifestyle Italian music italian recipes Italian tourism italian travel italian wine Italy Italy travel Lago di Como Lake Como Mediterranean diet mozzarella di bufala Naples tourism Paestum Paolo Conte pasta polenta porcini Puglia Rome Santa Croce Sardegna Sardinia Sicily Southern Italy Stile Mediterraneo Sulmona Tuscan cooking Tuscany Uffizi Gallery Villa Pipistrelli women and travel