Venue guide

A wedding at the Reggia di Venaria Reale

The Reggia di Venaria hosts civil ceremonies, receptions and wedding photo sessions. Here is what is allowed, where, for how many guests, and how the light behaves, from a photographer who has worked there.

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Toghrul NabiUpdated 2026-10-04

A Reggia di Venaria wedding sounds like something from a film set, and in a way it is: a baroque hunting palace, a gallery of white stucco 80 metres long, and gardens that run towards the Alps. It is also a working museum with rules. I photographed and filmed Mohammed and Hejrat's wedding day there in July 2026, and this guide puts together what the Reggia publishes with what I saw on the day.

What the Reggia di Venaria is

The Reggia was begun in 1658 for Duke Carlo Emanuele II of Savoy as a hunting and pleasure palace, designed by Amedeo di Castellamonte together with a whole new town, the borgo. In the 18th century Filippo Juvarra added the Galleria Grande, the Chapel of Sant'Uberto, the Citroniera and the stables, and Benedetto Alfieri continued the work. After military occupation and neglect, a vast restoration brought it back, and the Gardens were inaugurated in 2007.

It belongs to the Residences of the Royal House of Savoy, the ring of palaces around Turin that UNESCO inscribed as World Heritage in 1997. The Gardens are part of the Grandi Giardini Italiani network.

Which spaces host weddings and events

The Reggia rents its spaces for private events. These matter most for a wedding, with the uses and capacities the Reggia publishes:

Space	What it is	Uses listed by the Reggia	Capacity
Sala di Diana	The 17th-century great hall, overlooking the Gardens	Civil ceremonies	Up to 120 seated
Galleria Grande	Juvarra's gallery, about 80 m long and 15 m high at the vault	Aperitivo, gala dinners, symbolic and religious rites	Up to 600 seated or 850 standing
Cappella di Sant'Uberto	Juvarra's chapel, dedicated to the patron saint of hunters	Religious rites, concerts	Up to 250 seated or 350 standing
Citroniera	Juvarra's vast former orangery, about 146 m long	Gala dinners, civil and symbolic rites	Up to 1,300 seated
Giardino a Fiori	Flower garden with a view towards the Alps	Civil rites, aperitivo	Up to 800 people
Giardino delle Rose	Rose garden in the upper park, not lit at night	Aperitivo, symbolic rites	Up to 1,500 standing
Corte d'Onore	The main courtyard with the Fountain of the Stag	Aperitivo, gala dinners	Up to 2,000 people
Patio dei Giardini	The Reggia's restaurant by the kitchen garden	Aperitivo, dinners	64 seated inside, 40 outside

The Reggia's wedding page names only the Sala di Diana for civil ceremonies, so treat the other spaces as possibilities to ask about, not promises. Juvarra's stables (Scuderie) are on the visit route but not in the list of event spaces. Fees are not published: the events office (ilmiospazio@lavenariareale.it) quotes on request.

Can you have a civil ceremony at the Reggia?

Yes. In the Reggia's words, "on request it is possible to celebrate a civil wedding in the Sala di Diana", the great 17th-century hall that looks over the Gardens towards the mountains. The Reggia prepares the room, and on request its own catering can serve a reception afterwards.

The legal steps are the same as for any civil wedding in Italy: marriage publications or, for foreign couples who do not live in Italy, a declaration of intent, plus a nulla osta for each foreign partner. Book the room with the Reggia and the paperwork with the Comune at the same time, because the date must work for both. My free guide to getting married in Italy explains the papers by nationality.

Mohammed and Hejrat chose another route that works well: the legal ceremony at the town hall, then the Reggia for the rest of the day.

Hejrat wiping a tear during the civil ceremony, holding a bouquet of white flowers and trailing amaranthus, in black and white — Hejrat during the vows at the town hall. Moments like this are why I stay quiet and keep my distance.

Wedding photos at the Reggia: rules and permits

The Reggia's visitor rules say that visitors may take photos and video for strictly personal use, that any commercial use is forbidden, and that flash is not allowed inside the Reggia or the Castello della Mandria. A professional wedding shoot is therefore not something your photographer can do on an ordinary ticket.

The Reggia offers a wedding photo service ("servizio fotografico matrimoniale") inside the palace and/or in the Gardens, booked through the events office. Book it in writing, and ask which rooms and garden areas are included, at what times, and whether the Galleria Grande is part of it.

Drones are forbidden for visitors. Flights are allowed only to professional operators with prior authorisation from the Reggia's press office. The Reggia is also only about 11 km by road from Turin-Caselle airport, and Italian rules ban open-category drone flights in safety zones around airports.

Mohammed and Hejrat walking hand in hand away from the camera through the Galleria Grande, the floor a chequerboard of marble, in black and white — The Galleria Grande is so long that a slow walk away from the camera lasts a whole shot in the film.

Getting there: Turin, the airport, parking and the borgo

From Turin by car: about 12 km from Piazza Castello, 20 to 30 minutes depending on traffic. Take the Turin ring road (Tangenziale Nord), exit Venaria.
From Turin-Caselle airport: about 11.5 km by road, or the SFM4 train.
By train: lines SFM4, SFM6 and SFM7 stop at "Reggia di Venaria" on viale Roma, about 500 m on foot through the old town.
By bus: the GTT Venaria Express shuttle runs from central Turin and Porta Susa, Tuesday to Sunday and on public holidays.
Parking: car parks Castellamonte (A) and Carlo Emanuele II (B), unattended, €1.50 an hour (€1 from the fifth hour), open 6.30 am to 11 pm.

The borgo, today Venaria's historic centre, was designed with the palace: its long main street, via Andrea Mensa, runs through Piazza dell'Annunziata and its twin churches straight to the Reggia. It makes a lovely arrival on foot.

Hejrat smiling under a white parasol in front of the Reggia, surrounded by bridesmaids in sage green dresses — Sage green, white parasols and the palace behind.

Light and season at the Reggia

Inside, the Galleria Grande is lit by 44 tall windows and 22 oval openings in the vault. On a sunny day the light falls across the marble floor in long pale stripes, and the white stucco bounces it back onto faces. With that much daylight, the ban on flash costs nothing.

Outside, the Gardens are open and bright, with long avenues of clipped hedges and wide lawns. In July at midday the light is strong: the hedges give shade, and faces turned away from the sun stay soft. The Reggia's own timetable matters too: at the time of writing, the Reggia and Gardens open Tuesday to Sunday from 9.30 am, closing at 5 pm on weekdays and 6.30 pm at weekends, with last entry an hour earlier; from 7 November the Gardens close at 5 pm every day. With sunset after 8 pm from April to August, the best evening light falls after public closing time, so any late session must be agreed with the events office.

Late March: the Gardens' cherry trees usually flower in the last weeks of March.
May and June: fresh green and long days, but May is the rainiest month around Turin.
July and August: hot and bright; keep outdoor portraits to morning or late afternoon.
September and early October: softer, lower light.

A suggested Reggia di Venaria wedding day

A shape that works with the opening hours and the light; adjust it to the slot the Reggia gives you.

10.00 am Getting ready, at home or in a hotel in Turin or Venaria.
12.00 pm Civil ceremony, in the Sala di Diana or at a town hall.
1.00 pm A light lunch or aperitivo for family.
2.30 pm Galleria Grande first, while the sun still comes through the windows.
3.30 pm The Gardens: hedge avenues, lawns, the façade. Bridesmaids and family photos here.
5.00 pm Leave for dinner, on the Turin hill or in the countryside, with portraits there in the last light.

Mohammed and Hejrat's wedding at the Reggia

Mohammed and Hejrat said their vows at a civil ceremony at the town hall in July 2026, surrounded by family, with happy tears and a shower of petals as they walked out. Then the day moved to the Reggia.

In the Galleria Grande the light came through the tall windows in stripes across the floor, and her veil, several metres of lace, needed only a little air to lift. In the Gardens her bridesmaids, in sage green, opened white parasols along the hedged avenues, and the two of them found quiet minutes under her veil. I filmed the day as well as photographing it: a wedding film and three short reels. You can see their full story, film and photographs.

Hejrat in the Galleria Grande, looking back over her shoulder, her long veil spread across the marble floor behind her — Hejrat in the Galleria Grande, her veil spread across the marble.

Hejrat standing in the middle of a grass avenue between tall clipped hedges, holding a white parasol, bridesmaids blurred in motion around her, in black and white — A slow shutter in the hedge avenue: she stands still, the bridesmaids and their parasols move around her.

Hejrat at a stone balustrade overlooking the Gardens, raising her bouquet in the air, her veil falling behind her — The balustrade above the Gardens, and a bouquet raised to the sky.

Planning a day at the Reggia? I can help with the timeline and with what to ask the Reggia. More about how I work is on my Turin wedding page, and other options nearby are in my guide to wedding venues in and around Turin.

FAQ

Can you get legally married at the Reggia di Venaria?

Yes. The Reggia states that, on request, a civil wedding can be celebrated in the Sala di Diana, the 17th-century hall overlooking the Gardens, with up to 120 guests seated, and it prepares the room. You still complete the usual Italian paperwork with the Comune, so book the room and the legal formalities together.

How much does a wedding at the Reggia di Venaria cost?

The Reggia does not publish wedding prices. The ceremony room, the wedding photo service and any reception space are quoted on request by the events office. Ask for each item separately and check what each quote includes (setup, staff, timing). As for my own photo and film, I send my collections and prices personally once I know your date; write to me.

Can we hold the reception at the Reggia?

Yes, the Reggia rents spaces for dinners and aperitivo: the Galleria Grande seats up to 600 and the Citroniera up to 1,300, and the Patio dei Giardini restaurant has 64 seats inside and 40 outside. Its own catering can serve a reception after a civil ceremony. The Giardino delle Rose is not lit at night, so plan evening events indoors or in the courtyard.

Can we have a church wedding at the Reggia?

The Reggia lists religious rites among the possible uses of the Cappella di Sant'Uberto (up to 250 seated) and of the Galleria Grande. A Catholic wedding also needs the agreement of your parish and the local diocese, so confirm both with the events office and with your priest before you plan around it.

Do we need a permit for wedding photos at the Reggia?

Yes. Visitors may only take photos and video for strictly personal use, and commercial use is forbidden, so a professional wedding shoot must be booked as the Reggia's wedding photo service, inside the palace and/or in the Gardens. Flash is not allowed inside. Book in writing and ask exactly which areas and hours are included.

Can you fly a drone at the Reggia di Venaria?

Only with the Reggia's authorisation. It forbids drones for visitors and allows them only to professional operators authorised by its press office, and it lies close to Turin-Caselle airport. I am a registered EU drone pilot, but at Venaria I only plan aerials once both the Reggia and the airspace rules allow it.

When is the best time of year for photos at the Reggia?

Late March for the cherry blossom, which usually flowers in the last weeks of the month. Then May, June and September for soft light and long days. In July and August, keep outdoor portraits to the morning or late afternoon. Remember that the Reggia is closed on Mondays, except public holidays.

How do guests get to the Reggia from Turin?

By car it is about 12 km from the centre of Turin, with two paid car parks next to the Reggia. By train, lines SFM4, SFM6 and SFM7 stop about 500 m away, and SFM4 also serves Turin-Caselle airport. The GTT Venaria Express shuttle runs from central Turin and Porta Susa, Tuesday to Sunday.

Planning a wedding at the Reggia?

Send me your date and venue and tell me which parts of the Reggia you are thinking about. I will reply personally within a day or two, and we can talk through the timeline and the light on a free 20-minute video call, in English, Italian, Russian, Turkish or Azerbaijani. Send me your date and venue.