Just want to renew vows

SieMad

New member
Hi. I will be in Siena in the first week of October 2016 with my husband and 2 young children. We are looking to have a simple blessing or vow renewal by a catholic priest in a church/chapel. It it our 10 year wedding anniversary. I am trying to organise this from Australia and have found it quite difficult. Wedding planners that I have contacted tell me that they are booked out and the only english speaking priest that I contacted wanted 550 euro plus his travel plus Church fee. I find this exhorbitant when all we want is a simple blessing. Can anyone please assist with finding a priest? I have contacted the hotel that we are staying at and they told me that they don't know anyone?!
 
Renewal

Buongiorno,

Beautiful idea!! You didn't mention where you will be staying - so I can try and look at the churches in the area to see what might be available. However the price does not surprise me, especially if you are in a more "touristy area" or if you contact one of the prettier or historic churches.

However, as an alternative you might want to try contacting Taverna di Bibbiano, if you read the review here you will see that they are prepared for exactly this type of situation and their wedding planner may be able to help (in addition to giving a lovely setting for the event.)

Buon Viaggio,

Donna Denise
 
Hi Donna and thank you for the response.

I have messaged Taverna Di Bibbiano to see what is available - it looks stunning! I like the beautiful gardens.
We will be staying at Hotel Chiusarelli in Siena. Is there anywhere around where we are staying that could also be a good venue? We will not have a car and will rely on taxi's to get around. As it is only the four of us, we do not need a Cathedral for the renewal just a small chapel will do and then we would like to have a nice lunch or dinner afterwards depending on what time the renewal of vows is.

Also Donna, are you able to tell me the most direct way to get from Rome airport to Siena? As we are travelling with 2 young children.

Thanking you in anticipation.
 
Rome to Siena

Hi there,

read this article which will give you some good back ground info on how to get to Siena from both Rome (city center) and Rome (airport)

https://www.discovertuscany.com/siena/tourist-info/getting-to-siena-without-a-car.html

as per a venue...Taverna could make a great place because you could incorporate after the ceremnoy/lunch a visit to one of the great little towns nearby (for example San Gimignano)

Instead of a taxi you will want to use a NCC (driver with car...and I am sure that Taverna can help you arrange that)

Instead closer to Siena, you could also look at Hotel Fontanelle...they actually have a shuttle bus which might work in your favor (just throwing it out there). This isn't a church - but they have a lovely garden, restaurant on site and it would create splendid memories.

If you really want a church...all I can really offer is that they are a bit complicated. I have worked with the diocese in Siena and unless you have the language skills and/or a wedding planner there is a lot of paper work to be done...where as one of these other two options will definitly give you a lovely stage for the renewal with a qualified staff that knows where to go to get the right people for the job.

I am absolutely not trying to disuade you from searching out a small church...but for the costs and extra foot work - either one of these options would be competitve in both economic costs as well as physical effort.

Donna Denise
 
Ciao SieMad,

Did you find a solution for your wedding vows?
You didn't mention who you had contacted but since you mention travel expenses, I suppose it was someone outside of Siena.

If you want the blessing in English, I'd try with the two churches in Siena that offer english mass. I found on this page http://www.comune.siena.it/Il-Turis...ligione/Luoghi-di-culto-e-cerimonie-religiose

that the Basilica of San Francesco offers english mass in summer, and the Basilica di Provenzano on holidays.... so that means they have the means to bring in someone to do the mass in english or even a priest within the diocese who speaks English.

If you're still looking, I would suggest you contact the two churches and see if you can get in touch with someone who can help you out from there. Unfortunately all I found were phone numbers and this is where a local event planner might help make the calls for you. I would suggest you contact Cindy if you still need help and see whether she might be able to make the calls for you and find a priest from Siena to do it for you, maybe in one of these two churches who already offer mass in english at one point or another during the year. Here's my interview with Cindy, with links to her site: https://www.discovertuscany.com/weddings-in-tuscany/cindy-salgado-tuscany-wedding-experience.html

Luoghi di culto Basilica di San Francesco - Piazza San Francesco
Tel. - E-Mail - Sitoweb +39 0577289081
Orario Tutti i giorni: 7.30 - 12.00; 15.30 - 19.00
Celebrazioni Sabato e Vigilia delle Festività: ore 18.00
Domenica e Festività: ore 10.00; ore 11.15; ore 18.00
Celebraz. in lingua: in estate la domenica alle ore 9.00: SS. Messa in inglese

Luoghi di culto Basilica di Provenzano- Piazza Provenzano
Tel. - E-Mail - Sitoweb +39 0577285223
Orario Tutti i giorni: 8.30 - 12.00; 16.00 - 17.30. Lunedì pomeriggio chiuso.
Celebrazioni Sabato e Vigilia delle Festività: ore 11.00
Domenica e Festività: ore 11.00
Celebraz. in lingua: Pasqua e Natale: SS. Messa in inglese
 
Hi Lourdes,
We had given up on renewing our vows. We contacted several wedding planners in the region and they kept telling us that they were unable to assist as there was no church in Tuscany that could provide a Blessing. Which to me did not make sense.

Thanks so much for your suggestions - That is exactly what we were looking for a church that has an English mass and a priest that could just incorporate a Blessing for us. I have contacted Cindy to see if she can assist with contacting both churches.
So we have crossed our fingers and are hoping to hear from Cindy.

Thanks once again!
 
Aside from a lot of Italians not getting married nowadays and just cohabiting, I've been asking friends who tell me it is not a cultural practice here to do blessings. If you got married by the Church once, it counts forever! I was told that the only practice is for couples to receive a blessing in their community church upon 50 years! none had heard of anyone doing anything before then..... so I am thinking this is what you've run against so far. Let's hope Cindy is able to figure something out!
 
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