tell me more …
Q: why choose a sweet & simple wedding?
Weddings are meant to be felt - to deepen connections and honor two people in love with a beautiful, joyful, unforgettable moment. There’s a perfect wedding for everyone, and couples choose Ciao Bella do so for both practical and emotional reasons.
A Sweet & Simple Wedding offers a way to move ahead with important life matters such as military housing, health care access, estate planning, and more, without waiting because of family or financial pressures. Many couples also prefer an intimate moment with those who matter most, or simply with each other, over a big and lavish spectacle.
With everything in one place, designed for our intimate setting, you can celebrate for less than 10% of the cost of an “average” wedding. We’re an ideal solution for military couples, second-chance love stories, blended families, and anyone who wants a meaningful, affordable and stress-free celebration.
All Weddings at Ciao Bella Include:
Planning. We work with you directly once you book. Details for your elopement or wedding are captured with an advance visit, e-mails, messaging and/or phone calls as needed.
Officiant. Our licensed officiants work with you to conduct your ceremony as you wish, serve as your legal witness and file your marriage license from anywhere in Virginia for certification. A Spanish-speaking interpreter is available.
Deejay. We use a legal music streaming service and help with music selections for your ceremony and first dance as part of every wedding package. Trouble choosing your processional, recessional and/or first dance song? Our Playlist has over 1,000 suggestions!
Flowers & Decor. Your wedding includes use of our Sola Wood and silk bouquets, props and signs for your ceremony & photos. Our venue has neutral décor that’s easy to personalize with use of arbors, chairs, tables and linens included.
Add Value-Added Services to Any Ceremony:
Professional Photography. We offer award-winning photography with unlimited non-commercial use and a flash drive with your finished images. Coverage includes ceremony, formal photos with family and friends and a romantic couples’ session in beautiful historic Old Town Warrenton.
Champagne Toast. Soft drinks and bottled water are included with all wedding packages, and we offer beer, wine, champagne and a mimosa bar at reasonable rates.
Wedding Cake. We offer cakes that serve 15-25 from $75-140, and our Hors D'oeuvres selections start at $22 per guest.
q: how many guests can we invite?
Our Little Wedding Chapel & Venue is designed to accommodate the couple and up to 25 guests. Guest limits are determined by local safety and health regulations and must be strictly enforced. Our weddings are designed and priced for specific blocks of time and group size, so additional fees apply, and your ceremony may be delayed, if more guests arrive than expected. Pricing is based on travel for offsite officiant services at your home, a park, or other venue, where you can invite as many guests as the location permits.
do our children count as guests?
Yes, all guests count except the couple and kids under 2. This little sweetheart got to join Mom & Dad’s wedding free of charge.
our photographer?
Yes, everyone you invite or hire is a guest.
our wedding party? our kids?
Yes, everyone.
q: How Much Does It Cost?
Our online booking system can show exactly what your wedding will cost for the ceremony and services you select. Click or tap Save Your Date to start and when you’re ready to book, you can pay online or select “Invoice Me Later” for anything except a non-refundable retainer to secure your date and time. We invoice any remaining charges as your wedding date approaches, with everything to be paid in full before you arrive.
Do You Offer Special Discounts?
No, because we’ve priced our Sweet & Simple Weddings as low as possible for everyone.
Why do Value-Added Services show 5 minutes?
Our booking provider doesn’t allow service selections with zero time to be visible online. All our value-added services are managed within the time slot for your chosen wedding package.
q: how do we get our marriage license?
We can accept your valid marriage license from any county or city Circuit Court in Virginia.
Marriage licenses are issued by the Clerk of the Circuit Court. You don’t have to be a Virginia resident to obtain a marriage license in Virginia, but office hours vary and many courts require appointments and/or online pre-application. There is no waiting period or blood test requirement. Your marriage license will be valid for 60 calendar days, and your ceremony must take place in Virginia.
Q: what happens if we’re late?
Our wedding packages are designed to provide sufficient time to get dressed and have your ceremony, photos, cake cutting, first dance, etc., with a short buffer for late arrivals, etc. Timelines can be flexible within reasonable limits, and couples can purchase extra time; however we often perform multiple weddings in a day and cannot violate agreements we’ve made with other couples. Because of this, our departure times must be strictly enforced.
can we livestream?
Yes, our Little Wedding Chapel has free Wi-Fi and tripod stands you can use with your phone or video gear. Our weddings are viewed by family and friends from all over!
Q: ARE YOU LGBTQ+ FRIENDLY?
Yes! We believe Love is Love and we’re proud to offer our love, warmth and hospitality to couples in love from every background, every faith tradition, and every walk of life. LGBTQ+ couples, military families, interfaith & immigrant couples, second marriages - EVERYONE is welcome here, and everyone deserves a wedding day that feels genuine and joyful as you celebrate one of life’s greatest moments. ❤️
Q: do you conduct religious ceremonies?
Our officiants were sworn in at the Fauquier County circuit court to operate in Virginia as Civil Celebrants. We’re not clergy, but we welcome and respect all people of faith and you’re welcome to use someone you prefer or include prayers and traditions in your ceremony as you wish. We serve as legal witness and check “Civil” ceremony on all licenses we file for certification.
Q: can you conduct multilingual ceremonies?
❤️ Yes - Love is our Universal Language! ❤️
We’re happy to work with bilingual or multilingual family members or arrange for an interpreter ($150), and we have a technology solution that allows us to conduct your ceremony in dozens of languages including Spanish, Japanese, Danish, Italian, Portuguese and many more!
q. can we get ready at your venue?
Yes, it’s best to plan for your ceremony to start 30-45 minutes after you arrive. This gives you time to get dressed and take care of final touches, we can make sure the two of you don’t see each other before your ceremony if you wish.
q. can we bring …
our own flowers ?
Yes! There are lots of options for flowers including our local partner Village Flowers. Our Chapel is designed with neutral colors to make it easy to personalize in a matter of minutes.
our own photographer / VIDEOGRAPHy ?
Yes! We offer reliable quality photography, or you can invite your favorite. Please note that any hired assistants count as guests.
what’s your photograpy LIKE?
All photos on this website were taken and retouched by us from real weddings. Anyone who buys a photo package receives finished photos with unlimited non-commercial use, delivered within 30 days of your wedding.
our own food ?
Yes! To bring your own food we ask a $75 service fee which includes assistance with setup and cleanup, use of chafing dishes and service-ware, disposable plates & napkins.
We also offer appetizers for your guests at $22 per person, made fresh at our venue and available when you book.
our own CAKE ?
Yes! If you bring your own cake we ask a $25 service fee which includes use of a cake stand and cutlery, disposable plates & napkins and a picture of your special moment. We also offer Sweet & Simple cakes when you book.
our own alcohol ?
Sorry but No, our insurance and ABC licensing don’t allow it. We offer beer, wine, champagne and a mini-mimosa bar which can be purchased for your guests in advance. Over-21 guests are welcome to purchase (or not) a drink at their leisure.
q. can we bring our dog ?
Only licensed service animals are permitted in our venue because of insurance and health code standards, but you’re welcome to bring your dog for photos after your ceremony. A wedding in a park or backyard (which we’re happy to officiate) is usually best for animal-friendly weddings.
q. how doeS my wedding unfold?
Your Sweet & Simple Wedding begins and ends according to your booked arrival time and the package you’ve selected.
Our Sweet & Simple Weddings are designed to ensure you can celebrate without feeling rushed. Most ceremonies start 30-45 minutes after you arrive and typically last no more than 15 minutes, even with personal vows or special readings. After the ceremony, we move right into family and guest photos. We start with a group photo of everyone and move on to smaller groups, usually finishing in 15-30 minutes. We also take romantic photos whenever it works best, often as guests head to dinner or a home reception. Your toast and cake-cutting usually take 10-15 minutes, meaning the major events of your wedding take place within 60-90 minutes (even less for elopements). This leaves plenty of time for arrivals, getting ready, and soaking in the moment.
To help everything run smoothly, arrive prepared and relaxed with a small buffer for unexpected delays like late guests. If you have out-of-town guests, ask them to arrive 30 minutes before the ceremony to allow for traffic. Have hair and makeup done beforehand (grooms should arrive ready) and leave a little time for last-minute touches, a mimosa, or some mingling. At the end, take a moment to breathe, gather your belongings, change clothes if you wish, and leave enough time to get to your next destination.
A final thought: No matter the wedding you choose, remember why you’re getting married and the joy that finding love brings you. Do this and everything else will fall into place.