Julie and King were married at Abbazia San Pietro in Valle, in Ferentillo, Umbria, on Sunday 25 May 2025. She is French, he is from Hong Kong, and they live in London: they brought thirty people to the Valnerina and kept them close for three days, inside a monastery founded in the eighth century. A ceremony in the panoramic garden at 5.30pm, dinner at a single table in the cloister, a champagne tower to end the night.
This page tells the story of the day, with the photographs. Further down you will find what you need to know if you are planning an Abbazia San Pietro in Valle wedding of your own: where the ceremony can be held, how many guests fit, where everyone sleeps, what it costs and what happens if it rains.
At a glance
- Where — Abbazia San Pietro in Valle, Ferentillo (Terni), in the Valnerina, Umbria, Italy
- When — Sunday 25 May 2025, with a welcome dinner on the Saturday
- Guests — 30
- Ceremony — outdoors, in the panoramic garden, at 5.30pm
- Dinner and party — in the cloister, from 7pm to 1am
- The couple — Julie, from France, and King, from Hong Kong; they live in London
Thirty guests and a silent valley
With thirty guests a wedding becomes a different thing. There are no tables to work through and nobody to greet in a hurry: there is one table, and the couple sit in the middle of it. Julie and King chose it that way, and they chose a place that suits the scale: the abbey sits on the slope of Monte Solenne, above the river Nera, with nothing around it but woodland.
They came from London, with family and friends travelling from abroad. When guests come from far away a wedding lasts more than a day, as it should. I write about how to plan a celebration like this in my guide to a micro and intimate wedding in Italy and in the one on planning a destination wedding in Italy.
A three-day wedding at the abbey: the programme
The printed programme was among the details I photographed that morning, next to the bride's shoes. It is a good example of how to build a wedding weekend at a venue where everyone stays the night.
- Saturday 24 May, 6pm — BBQ under the stars in the garden of Alloro, the abbey's restaurant
- Sunday 25 May — drinks and cocktails, ceremony in the garden at 5.30pm, dinner and dancing in the cloister from 7pm to 1am
- Monday 26 May — breakfast from 8 to 10am, shuttle for departures at 11am
The Saturday dinner takes the introductions off the wedding day: by Sunday the guests already know each other, and it shows in the photographs.
Getting ready in the monks' rooms
The abbey's bedrooms were made from the cells of the Benedictine monks: thick walls, small windows, terracotta floors. Light comes in from one side only, which is the best light you can ask for while getting ready.
Julie got ready there, with hair by Bloom Parrucchieri and make-up by Elena Belloni and the Nour Bridal Beauty Team. I photographed her in the reflection of an antique mirror while the dress waited at the window. King, meanwhile: a midnight-blue tuxedo, bow tie, braces and a pair of round sunglasses he was happy to keep on. We made his portraits on the stone steps and the outdoor staircase, where the sun was still full at that hour.
The ceremony in the panoramic garden
The ceremony was at 5.30pm, in the abbey's panoramic garden. The flower arch — peach roses, yellows and blues — stood against the parapet, with the Valnerina hills behind it and nothing else. King walked in arm in arm with his parents; Julie came down an aisle of petals between two rows of chairs. There was a harp.
They read their own vows, each from their own card. In a wedding of thirty these are the minutes everyone feels most: nobody is far away, and everyone can see the faces. Julie laughed and wiped her eyes at the same time, and that is the ceremony photograph I care about most. Then the rings, and a kiss King made sure to do properly.
Those seated face the arch and the valley; those standing under the arch face the Romanesque bell tower and the cypresses. For a photographer that means two different backdrops without moving anyone.
Portraits: cloister, cypresses and bell tower
While the guests stayed in the garden for the aperitivo, Julie, King and I walked around the abbey. It is a venue where everything changes within a few steps: the arches of the cloister, the stone staircase, the ivy arch at the entrance, the cypress avenue.
The avenue is my favourite spot. In the late afternoon the sun drops behind the hills and comes in low, from behind, between the trunks: the veil lights up and the dust on the road turns to light. Turn around from there and you see the whole abbey, with the bell tower among the cypresses. I had them walk rather than pose, and by the gate it turned into a spin of a dance.
Dinner in the cloister
Dinner was at seven, in the cloister. One imperial table for all thirty, laid along one side of the courtyard: white linen, crystal glasses, a continuous runner of peach, yellow and blue flowers. Above it, strings of bulbs stretched from arch to arch and crystal chandeliers hanging in mid-air.
The cloister has a loggia on the upper floor, and that is where a dinner like this should be photographed from: from above the table becomes a line, and you can see how the place is made. The food was by Alloro, the abbey's restaurant. Between courses, the toasts.
Champagne tower, cake and dancing
For the party Julie changed dress: short, patterned, made for dancing. The champagne tower was set up under a stone archway, with the lit garden behind it. King popped the cork and poured, and the champagne ran from coupe to coupe down to the table.
They cut the cake in front of the carved portal, under the cloister lights. Then came the dancing in the courtyard: the programme said until one.
Getting married at Abbazia San Pietro in Valle: what to know
If you are considering the abbey for your wedding, here is the practical information. Where I am not speaking from direct experience I name the source, and for dates and quotes the abbey always has the final word.
Where it is
Abbazia San Pietro in Valle is on Via dell'Abbazia in Ferentillo, in the province of Terni: the Valnerina, halfway between the Marmore Falls and Spoleto, at about 370 metres above sea level. From Terni, where I live, it is roughly twenty kilometres. The nearest airports are Rome, about an hour and three quarters by car, and Perugia, about an hour.
The history, briefly
The monastery was founded in the eighth century by Faroald II, the Lombard Duke of Spoleto, who retired here as a monk. The church holds a mid-twelfth-century fresco cycle of Old and New Testament stories, among the most important of Romanesque painting in Italy, along with several Roman sarcophagi. The complex is a national monument. The monastery is privately owned and is now a historic residence; the church belongs to the diocese and has recently been restored.
Symbolic, civil or religious ceremony
According to the abbey:
- Symbolic ceremony — held in the panoramic garden.
- Civil ceremony — held in the town halls of the nearby villages: Ferentillo, Scheggino or Montefranco.
- Religious ceremony — can be arranged in the adjoining church, by agreement with the parish priest of Ferentillo.
The spaces
- The panoramic garden — ceremony and aperitivo, with a view over the valley, the apses of the church and the bell tower.
- The main cloister — the reception.
- The small cloister and the Chapter House — the party after dinner.
- The refectory — the indoor alternative.
How many guests
The abbey hosts up to 80 guests for a wedding reception. With thirty, as for Julie and King, the cloister takes a single table and leaves all the room you need to dance.
Accommodation at the abbey
The rooms can be reserved exclusively for your guests: the abbey lists 43 beds in total, and there is a bridal suite for the couple. This is what makes a three-day wedding possible: nobody drives at night, and the morning after everyone meets again at breakfast.
How much an Abbazia San Pietro in Valle wedding costs
For costs, the abbey's own quote is what counts. As a guide: La Lista's listing gives exclusive use for 2026 at between €4,500 and €9,500 depending on season and day of the week, with a two-night minimum stay at weekends; Matrimonio.com reports menus from €115 per person. These are third-party figures and may change. On the photography side, I have written a guide to what a wedding photographer costs in Italy.
The best time of year, and the rain plan
From May to September the garden and the cloister can be used late into the night. At the end of May the sun sets after 8.30pm, but in the valley it slips behind the hills earlier: a 5.30pm ceremony leaves time for portraits in low light. If it rains, the aperitivo moves under the cloister arches or into the refectory, and dinner can be served there too.
How I photograph an Abbazia San Pietro in Valle wedding
- Getting ready. In the rooms the light comes from a single window: curtains open, lamps off. The antique mirrors and pale walls do the rest.
- Garden ceremony. Two backdrops to work with, the valley on one side and the bell tower on the other. I move along the sides so I never block anyone's view.
- Portraits. The cypress avenue in backlight in the late afternoon, then the cloister and the ivy arch, where the light is soft at any hour. Twenty minutes is enough, if they are in the schedule.
- Dinner. From the upper loggia of the cloister you can photograph the whole table. Under the string lights I work with fast lenses, to keep the atmosphere that is actually there.
- Party. The champagne tower and the cake cutting are short moments: decide beforehand where they will happen, and choose a stone backdrop rather than any old wall.
I have written a separate guide on the running order of the day: what to expect on your wedding day, with a timeline.
The vendors of this wedding
- Venue — Abbazia San Pietro in Valle, Ferentillo · @abbaziasanpietroinvalle
- Catering — Alloro, the abbey's restaurant · @alloro_sanpietroinvalle
- Photography — Manuel Diamanti · @manueldiamanti_photography
- Second photographer — Alessandra Carobelli · @alessandracarobelli
- Videography — Marco Rompietti · @marcorompietti
- Hair — Bloom Parrucchieri · @bloom_parrucchieri
- Make-up — Elena Belloni · @elenabelloni_makeup and Nour Bridal Beauty Team · @nour_bridal_beauty_team
Frequently asked questions
Can you get married at Abbazia San Pietro in Valle?
Yes. Abbazia San Pietro in Valle, in Ferentillo, is a historic residence that hosts weddings on an exclusive-use basis: a symbolic ceremony in the panoramic garden, the reception in the cloister and the party in the small cloister or the Chapter House.
Where is Abbazia San Pietro in Valle?
In Ferentillo, in the province of Terni, in Umbria's Valnerina: between the Marmore Falls and Spoleto, about twenty kilometres from Terni. It is roughly an hour and three quarters by car from Rome and about an hour from Perugia.
How many guests can an Abbazia San Pietro in Valle wedding host?
Up to 80 guests for the reception, according to the abbey. It is a venue made for smaller weddings: Julie and King had 30, seated at a single table in the cloister.
Can you have a civil ceremony at Abbazia San Pietro in Valle?
The ceremony held at the abbey is symbolic, in the panoramic garden. Civil ceremonies take place in the town halls of the nearby villages — Ferentillo, Scheggino or Montefranco — and religious ones in the adjoining church, by agreement with the parish priest of Ferentillo.
How much does an Abbazia San Pietro in Valle wedding cost?
It depends on the season, the day and the number of guests: ask the abbey for a quote. As a guide, La Lista gives exclusive use for 2026 at between €4,500 and €9,500, and Matrimonio.com reports menus from €115 per person.
Is there accommodation at Abbazia San Pietro in Valle?
Yes. The rooms, made from the monks' cells, can be reserved exclusively for wedding guests: the abbey lists 43 beds, and there is a bridal suite for the couple.
What happens if it rains?
The aperitivo and dinner move under the cloister arches or into the refectory. For a garden ceremony, agree the alternative with the abbey when you book.
When is the best time for a wedding at Abbazia San Pietro in Valle?
From May to September, when the garden and cloister can be used late into the night. At the end of May the late-afternoon light on the cypress avenue is the best for couple portraits.
Is Abbazia San Pietro in Valle a good venue for a destination wedding?
Yes: everyone sleeps on site, it is under two hours from Rome and the programme can be spread over several days. Julie and King came from London with thirty guests and stayed for three days.
At Abbazia San Pietro in Valle I also photographed the wedding of Valentina and Thomas, celebrated in the church. You will find the abbey in my guide to wedding venues in Umbria, and more about working with me in the guide to choosing an Umbria wedding photographer.
If you are thinking of getting married here, have a look at my portfolio and the other wedding stories, or tell me about your wedding: I reply to every message personally.
