Armenian destination wedding in Venice

Armenian destination wedding in Venice in San Lazzaro degli Armeni

Intimate armenian destination wedding in Venice in the summer 

It’s not just because Venice is such a magical place, perfect for a wedding. The city has a long history of friendship with the Armenian community.
Armenians started arriving in Italy as early as the 6^th century, but Armenian communities began to take shape in the 12^th and 13^th century in Venice.

Venice was a powerful city-state that traded throughout the Mediterranean Sea. One of its trading partners was the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia. Treaties were signed that allowed for Armenians to settle and build businesses in Venice.

In the Armenian community, Venice is best known as home of San Lazzaro degli Armeni

The Venetian Senate ceded this small island in 1717 to allow for the creation of an Armenian monastery that is still in use today. Mkhitar Sebastatsi of Anatolia founded the Mekhitarist Order (named in his honor at his death) in 1701.

The order was dedicated to raising the educational and spiritual levels of Armenians. Escaping from persecution in the Ottoman Empire, he and his order had made their way to Venice and established the monastery.

San Lazzaro degli Armeni is the perfect place for an Armenian destination wedding in Venice

After an amazing ceremony at the Armenian monastery, and couple photographs in Piazza San Marco, we all reached the reception by water taxi. Mariam and Hovanes picked Palazzo Zenobio for their reception, with exceptional food catering by La Dogaressa.

Palazzo Zenobio is also an Armenian heritage palace in Venice

Palazzo Zenobio is magnificent palace built in 1690 and in 1850 it became the home of the College of the Padri Armeni Mechitaristi di S. Lazzaro. It is also famous because Madonna shot her video Like a Virgin in Venice using this palace as a location.