Ravello Wedding Videographer: Antonia & Andrew at La Rondinaia

La Rondinaia

La Rondinaia: Gore Vidal's house on the cliff

La Rondinaia, the swallow’s nest, was built in the early twentieth century on a ledge of rock next to the gardens of Villa Cimbrone. For three decades it was the home of the American writer Gore Vidal, who wrote some of his best-known novels there, including Burr and Lincoln. Today it is a private villa that hosts weddings and events from spring to autumn, with a ceremony lawn that looks straight down to the sea.

The ceremony above the sea

The ceremony took place beneath an arch of white flowers between marble statues, with nothing behind the couple but the sea. Antonia came down the garden steps and walked down the aisle among the guests, and Andrew waited for her at the arch, moved to tears. We recorded the vows with dedicated microphones, so the film keeps their voices, and filmed the scene from above, to show where they were standing: on the very edge of the Amalfi Coast.

Dinner under the chandeliers, and a party under the stars

Dinner was set on the lawn at round tables in pale pink, under crystal chandeliers hung from white arches, with the mountains of the coast behind. Then came the first dance, speeches full of laughter, napkins waving in the air and a dance floor that stayed full long after the lights of Ravello and the coast came on below.

Filming a wedding on the Amalfi Coast

The Amalfi Coast is spectacular, and demanding. Many villas can only be reached on foot, by narrow lanes and long staircases, so we travel light and plan every move in advance. The midday light is strong, so we build the timeline around the late afternoon. Drone flights need authorizations and, near the cliffs, experienced pilots. And the wind off the sea means the vows are always recorded with wireless microphones, never with the camera alone. We film weddings in Ravello, Positano, Amalfi, Sorrento and Capri.