Weddings in Friuli, Italy
Friuli-Venezia Giulia, one of Italy's most versatile regions, offers visitors everything from beautiful beaches to snowy mountains, calming lakes, Roman ruins, rock-strewn cliffs and extravagant Italian villas. This makes Friuli the ultimate choice for a marriage ceremony, as a couple can select from a range of exceptional vistas.
Friuli (Furlan: Friûl, German: Friaul) is located in north-eastern Italy, and covers the major part of the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region. Friuli is known as 'the land de Livence al Timâf,' which means from the Livenza river in the west to the Timavo river in the east. However, today these territories are divided in two region: Friuli-Venezia Giulia and Veneto and four provinces. During the Middle Ages, Friuli was an independent state controlled by the Patriarch of Aquileia. After 1518, the eastern part became a province of the Austrian Empire, while the western part remained Venetian until 1797. The latter part was included in the Kingdom of Italy in 1866, along with the region of Venetia. Friuli became completely Italian only in 1918 after World War I, but even today, it holds strong ties with Austria and others regions of Mitteleuropa. The region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia as it is known today was not created until 1963, and signs of Austrian and Slavic influence can be observed in the lifestyle, customs and cuisine of the natives.
The Italians here often require more autonomy from the central government than most other towns, as they seek to retain the region's strong traditions and language. While standard Italian is the official language of the region, several other regional languages and dialects are spoken in the province, such as Friulian, Venetian and Slovenian. Known as 'Vienna-by-the-sea,' Friuli is 7844 square km and is home to 1.18 million people. The economy is largely based on agriculture, the main crops being maize, beets, wheat, soy, and some well-known wines.
With such a multifaceted history and such intricate and unique local decorum, Friuli is sure to lend an original background to any special wedding celebration.
