Our Destination Wedding in Puglia

Last Updated on October 18, 2026 by Lauren Belzer Sanford

On June 11, 2025, a golden, sun-soaked day in Puglia, Italy, I married my handsome husband (I still can’t believe I get to say that!), Max, surrounded by the olive groves and stone walls of a centuries-old masseria. It was 81 degrees and breezy, the kind of day you wish you could bottle up forever.

For two and a half magical days and three dreamy nights, we gathered with our closest family and friends in the heart of the Italian countryside. It was more than a wedding. It was an adventure, a celebration of love and life in a place that now holds a permanent piece of our hearts. And the best part? We have every excuse to come back again and again (and again!).

All photos by Courtney Linden Photography

We married at Masseria Grieco, a family-owned masseria outside Ostuni in Puglia, on June 11, 2025, with 53 guests and a three-night celebration: a welcome barbecue, the wedding, and a pizza-and-pool day. We chose Puglia for value (three nights in Italy cost about the same as a single evening wedding at home in Southern California), for a region new to both of us, and for an experience our guests could turn into a vacation.

Why Puglia?

Back in 2019, long before there was a ring on my finger, Max and I had each visited Italy separately with our families and fallen for everything about it: the culture, the history, the food, the way time seems to slow down. Italy stayed with us. So when it came time to choose a destination, we kept circling back to the country that had already captured both our hearts.

We considered the rolling hills of Tuscany and briefly flirted with the Amalfi Coast. (Spoiler: Amalfi Coast views come with Amalfi Coast price tags. Shocker!) But there was something about Puglia, something simpler, more authentic, more us. Even though neither of us had been, we chose this corner of the world for a few reasons.

Value

Max and I are big believers in value, not just in price but in experience. If we were going to spend a certain amount no matter what, we wanted it to count. There’s nothing wrong with a beautiful single-day wedding at home or a celebration with 200+ guests; it just wasn’t what we envisioned.

We wanted something experiential, something that spanned more than a few hours. When we crunched the numbers, we realized we could spend three unforgettable nights in Italy with our closest people for around the same cost (or less) as a six- to eight-hour event at home in Southern California.

Within Italy, popular areas like Tuscany, Lake Como, and the Amalfi Coast come with much higher price tags. Puglia let us stretch our budget toward what mattered most. Our venue could host 50 to 65 guests on-site for what some Tuscan properties charge to sleep 15 to 30: more space, more time, more memories.

Location

We wanted somewhere that felt like ours, not a place only one of us had loved before, but a new adventure we’d discover together. Puglia was the perfect mix of familiar and blank page: a country we’d both visited, a region neither of us had explored.

In all my research (and there was a lot), I kept coming back to one venue: Masseria Grieco. I’d even had it pinned on Pinterest for years without knowing its name. The timeless stone architecture, the peaceful countryside, the way it didn’t need over-the-top florals to be stunning. I loved that it was family-owned rather than a big resort, and true to form, I’ve always been a sucker for boutique properties with soul.

Yes, we chose both the region and the venue sight unseen. But we did our homework: we asked friends and family, read reviews, scrolled through every photo and blog post we could find, and researched dozens of wedding venues in Puglia to be sure Grieco was truly the one. Everyone who’d been to Puglia talked about it with a spark in their eyes, like a secret they couldn’t wait to share. Now we understand why. (If your guests want to stay on, my guide to where to stay in Puglia is the place to start.)

Fun fact: Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel married in Puglia in 2012, at Borgo Egnazia, one of Puglia’s most luxurious hotels. So we’re in good company!

Experience

From the beginning, we wanted an experience that brought our favorite people together for a few unforgettable days, not just one night.

Our friends and family are scattered across the U.S., Canada, and Europe, so our wedding would have been a destination no matter where we held it. If most guests were already getting on a plane, why not make it worth the trip, something they could turn into a bigger European adventure?

We kept telling our families, friends, and our wedding planner the same thing.

And that’s exactly what it was. From Aperol spritzes by the pool to Italian dinners under the stars, every moment felt like a dream we didn’t want to wake up from. It wasn’t just a celebration; it was a shared memory we’ll all carry forever.

Our Wedding “Weekend”

Okay, technically it wasn’t a weekend. We married on a Wednesday, but our days at Masseria Grieco felt like the most magical long weekend of our lives. Guests arrived Tuesday afternoon to hugs, Italian wine, and sunshine, and we said our goodbyes after breakfast on Friday the 13th, hearts full and suitcases slightly lighter (a few lost jackets and ties, ha).

Benvenuti: The Welcome Party

We kicked things off with a casual welcome party, the perfect start after almost 18 months of planning. At the pool bar behind the masseria, our Apulian barbecue was rustic and relaxed. Guests arrived in dressy-casual euro summer attire, think color, linen, and sundresses, to chilled wine and the golden glow of a Puglia sunset.

It wasn’t overly decorated, just simple and cozy, exactly as I’d imagined. Grilled meats and vegetables, plates piled with Apulian specialties, a sweet toast from Max’s dad, and that unmistakable feeling of this is really happening. The night ended with a gelato cart and a low hum of excitement for the day to come.

Matrimonio: The Wedding Day

Waking up on our wedding morning felt surreal. Blue sky, warm but not too hot, everything just right. My bridesmaids and I got ready in the suite on the masseria’s upper floor, with its own private stairway, the one Max and I called home for those few days. It overlooked the aperitivo site, where our vendors were buzzing around below. Max was a few doors away getting ready with his guys, and I loved knowing we were both so close, surrounded by our tiny but mighty groups.

The ceremony took place behind the masseria under a giant, gorgeous tree, our colorful florals blending naturally into the setting. I walked down a grand staircase for a princess moment, my uncle officiated our symbolic ceremony in front of 53 of our nearest and dearest (we’d married legally at Laguna Beach City Hall a few weeks before), and we wrote our own repeat-after-me vows: emotional, a little funny, and very us. That moment lives rent-free in my heart forever.

The reception was in the courtyard, lit by string lights and stars. Long tables full of color: lemons, fresh apricots, candles, and florals in pinks, peaches, and buttery yellows. We ate, danced, toasted, and laughed until late into the night (midnight, to be exact). It went by way too fast, but there was no rush, just flow, joy, and so many smiles.

Recupero: Pizza and Pool Time

One of our best decisions was that third night, so we could host a laid-back pool day after the wedding without anyone rushing off. Everyone gathered around the masseria’s giant pool in swimsuits and sunglasses for one more day of sunshine: handmade pizza, Aperol spritzes, and slow recovery in the sun. It gave us time to soak in what had just happened, and to say slow goodbyes before everyone parted ways the next morning.

If your guests are staying on, a Puglia boat tour or cooking class makes a perfect group activity for the day after.

A Few Favorite Details

So many small, meaningful touches made the whole thing feel unmistakably ours: the handwritten playing cards my sister passed around instead of a traditional guest book, limoncello and taralli welcome gifts, and the most beautiful seating chart display I could have dreamed of.

I didn’t plan a second look, but I did step out of my dress later in the evening into something lighter, because the heat was no joke and the dancing was too good to miss. We skipped the bouquet toss, the guest book table, traditional favors, and almost all signage. None of it was missed. Every choice felt intentional, and every moment felt whole. My bridesmaids wore intentionally mismatched dresses, too.

Getting married in Puglia wasn’t just about the wedding; it was about slowing down and being present. It was the feeling of golden hour, stretched into three days, if you know what I mean. Laughter echoing through olive trees, happy tears, and late-night conversations with our favorite people. It was exactly what we wanted, and more.

Now, Puglia isn’t just a dot on the map for us. It’s a feeling, a place we’ll return to again and again, chasing the memory of that perfect, sunny June day and the love that wrapped around us.

Ready to plan your own? My guide to wedding venues in Puglia covers every property worth considering, and my tips for planning a destination wedding in Italy is where I’d start your timeline. We stayed on for the honeymoon, too; here’s our 12-day Italian honeymoon itinerary. For more wedding photos and videos, follow along on Instagram.

Planning your own? I made a Wedding Planner Spreadsheet for Google Sheets to help you keep every detail in one place.