Italy paying couples thousands to get married after Covid devastation

Couples hoping to tie the knot this year can add an extra $3000 to their wedding budget by simply getting married in one of Europe’s most beautiful spots.

Couples hoping to tie the knot can now get paid almost $3000 to get married in Italy.

The tourism board for one of Italy’s most popular regions Lazio – which includes Rome – has launched a fund giving people the chance to have their dream destination wedding, The Sun reports.

Italy is a popular choice for couples looking to get married abroad, but the sector has been hit hard by the pandemic.

The ‘In Lazio with Love’ scheme aims to bring weddings back to the country by enticing people with a free €2000 ($A2940) to spend on their wedding.

Love news? Stream 25+ news channels in 1 place. New to Flash? Try 1 month free. Offer ends 31 October, 2022 >

If you’ve always dreamt of an Italian wedding, this could be the answer. Picture: iStock

Nicola Zingaretti, president of Lazio, said the scheme was a way of revitalising the crippled wedding industry.

“The scheme is needed to support a sector that has suffered badly from the economic crisis,” she said.

“We have put the significant investment in place also with an eye on the tourism sector, and with the awareness and pride of being able to boast about every part of our region, with many locations among the most magical and fascinating in the world thanks to an unparalleled cultural heritage.”

According to local media, 9000 couples have wed in Lazio since the start of the pandemic, compared to more than 15,000 in 2019.

The Lazio region, which encompasses Rome, is one of the most beautiful in Europe.

To bring weddings back to the region, almost $15 million has been set aside to help fund ceremonies, and both locals and tourists can apply.

Valentina Corrado, Lazio’s tourism councillor, said the industry was ready to restart after a devastating two years.

“Let’s relaunch a sector that has been on hold for a long time,” she said.

“The whole wedding chain has suffered economically during the last two years.”

To qualify for the grant, couples must get married anywhere in the Lazio region which includes Rome, Viterbo, Tivoli, Latina and Bracciano which is where Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes got married in 2006.

The money must be spent on Lazio-based wedding services, such as planners, venues, catering, and photographers.

Applications can be made up to the end of January 2023, or until the fund runs out.

This article originally appeared on The Sun and has been republished here with permission