It’s not often you go to Venice twice in thirty days. We had arrived after a car trip of more than nine hours, it was one o’clock at night and I and my collaborator videographer, Vincenzo, finally arrived near the central station. Once again, Venice seemed extraordinary to us, even though it was late into the night . However, never before did we discover the most hidden and mysterious face of the city. The fault was of the hotel, of course, that did not immediately meet to welcome us.

We were tired of driving all day and we were as full of luggage as ever, but we relied on my unfailing sense of orientation and on Google’s one: “Google Maps is never wrong”. And so it was that after an hour’s walk, through alleys and alleyways, up and down the bridges, we found ourselves between the Central Station and the Calatrava Bridge. We’re back where we started. I cursed Larry Page, Google, Facebook, Zuckerberg and all the technology, from the Stone Age to this new, high-tech world. And so I relied on the traditional method (the only never fails): I asked for a passer-by. The hotel was two steps away from there.

The next day was a splendid day. The sun of June 17th shone on the waters of the lagoon. Ryan and Nareen were waiting for us at Palazzo Paruta in the early afternoon. The charm of young New York spouses was amplified by the magnificence of the city, the them destination wedding. We had not had the pleasure of meeting them before, but we felt like we’d always known each other. After a brief video at Palazzo Paruta, we jumped on a boat that it would carry us to San Lazzaro degli Armeni for the celebration of the religious ceremony.

San Lazzaro degli Armeni is a small island just few minutes away from the city, entirely occupied by a monastery. It is one of the first Armenian culture centers in the world. When we arrived on the island, we crossed a large portico surrounded by an immense garden, and then we came to be in a church. “Look Fabio – Vincenzo called me – it’s an odd sort of place, isn’t it?
There is not even an altar”.The altar was not there because it was an Orthodox Church: it was the first time that we’ve ever been in an Orthodox function. The sobriety of the ritual exalted the elegance and the beauty of Ryan and Nareen. An experience that I often remember with pleasure.

Meanwhile, a small boat was waiting for us at the pier of San Marco. The beauty of that moment kept me in balance despite the swing of the small boat. The eyes and the smiles of Ryan and Nareen were the most concrete testimony of a dream in the midst of its realization. And I can’t say I blame them: the Grand Canal, the Lido of Venice, the Palazzo Ducale and the very lively aristocratic houses in the water, are incredibly romantic. Venice, once again, proved to be the most romantic place in the world.

It was at that magical moment that I had to show all my athletic skills, long since left to sleep. In a destination wedding in Venice, a kiss in the shadow of the Ponte dei Sospiri is a must. I asked the helmsman to stop the boat to get me down: I wanted to go on the bridge in front, to get the perfect framing. His “no” was emphatic: he could not stop the boat.

I insisted a lot, until he was convinced to slow down and to approach the lowest point of the quay. “Jump” – said the helmsman. “What do you mean ‘Jump’?!” – I just smiled with amazement and fear, but I could have never draw back. It was then that Carl Lewis, who was sleeping in me, woke up and I found myself on the platform because of a jump, I found myself on the platform because of a jump, worthy of a gold medal to the Olympics. So I reached the bridge: the Ponte dei Sospiri at sunset is a must-see, the kiss between Ryan and Nareen was extraordinary.

The aristocratic Palazzo di Ca Sagredo was waiting for us for the dinner. I can say it, no rhetoric but, it will be difficult to ever see a more romantic place in the world than in Venice. Thanks and good life to Ryan and Nareen.

That’s the film:

Fabio Stanzione, is an italian wedding videographer, he makes wedding film (o wedding video). He lives in Apulia, land of weddings.