WE DO Matera 2026 connects over 180 wedding industry professionals as the platform expands internationally

More than 180 wedding industry professionals, including international wedding planners, buyers, destination specialists, hospitality representatives and industry stakeholders, gathered in Matera, Southern Italy, for WE DO Matera 2026, the latest edition of the travelling industry platform created by Tourism for Weddings.

Held from 19 to 21 October, the event brought together an international community for three days of B2B meetings, professional development, strategic discussions and immersive destination experiences, reinforcing WE DO's ambition to connect destinations, businesses and professionals across the global wedding industry.

Hosted at Alvino Relais, the event took place with the support of the City of Matera, under the patronage of APT Basilicata, and with the involvement of Confindustria Basilicata.

The edition also marked a new step in WE DO's international development, with the announcement of an upcoming initiative in Brazil's Rota Ecológica dos Milagres, in the state of Alagoas, scheduled for April 2027.

Founded by Laura D'Ambrosio and Fabio Marcianò, WE DO brings together professional networking, destination discovery and education in a format designed to create meaningful, long-term business relationships.

A GLOBAL INDUSTRY, CONNECTED THROUGH DESTINATIONS

At the heart of WE DO Matera 2026 was a curated professional programme combining structured B2B meetings with All-to-All sessions, a networking format developed within WE DO to encourage connections beyond traditional buyer-seller relationships.

Wedding planners, venues, destination representatives, hospitality operators and suppliers came together to exchange expertise, explore partnerships and identify new business opportunities.

The programme's Learning Rooms addressed international markets and specialised industry segments, including China, India, luxury weddings and the LGBTQ+ wedding market.

The Beyond Borders panel further explored the role of cross-market collaboration and professional partnerships in shaping the future of destination weddings.

Among the international industry representatives attending was The Wedding Privé, a private network specialising in luxury and multi-destination weddings. Represented by members of its team and founder Laura Somma, the network brings together more than 20 specialised wedding planners operating across six continents.

Creative thinking and brand positioning also featured in the programme, with Riccardo Pirrone of Kirweb delivering the talk Unconventional Marketing. Unconventional Thinking., exploring the relationship between creativity, communication and contemporary brand strategy.

MATERA AS AN INTERNATIONAL WEDDING DESTINATION

The event placed the Basilicata region in the spotlight as an emerging destination for the international wedding market, highlighting the importance of collaboration between public institutions, local businesses and global industry professionals.

The institutional panel Destination Basilicata – Wedding Tourism as a Driver of Regional Development, moderated by Giacinto Marchionna of Matera Collection, brought together Simona Orsi, Councillor for Tourism, Culture, Cinema and Events of the City of Matera; Marcella Di Feo, representing APT Basilicata; Cosimo Latronico, Regional Councillor of Basilicata; and Francesco D'Alema, President of Confindustria Basilicata.

Discussions focused on destination competitiveness, tourism development and the potential of the wedding industry to generate opportunities across local economies.

Matera's designation as Mediterranean Capital of Culture and Dialogue 2026, a title shared with Tétouan in Morocco, provided a wider cultural context for the international gathering.

"WE DO 2026 offers a valuable opportunity to showcase Matera through its history, landscapes and rich cultural identity. Bringing together professionals from different countries strengthens intercultural dialogue and highlights the Mediterranean as a place of connection and exchange. Culture is an essential part of what Matera can offer the world: a living heritage capable of building relationships, inspiring new projects and promoting the city far beyond its borders", — Simona Orsi, Councillor for Tourism, Culture, Cinema and Events, City of Matera.

Matera's Mayor, Antonio Nicoletti, also attended the WE DO Gala, emphasising the city's potential as an international wedding destination.

"Matera is a city that knows how to tell stories of love. Even international cinema has recognised this: in No Time to Die, Matera is where James Bond and Madeleine share some of the most intimate and happiest moments of their love story. Hosting WE DO 2026 reinforces Matera's international appeal, bringing together cultural heritage, Mediterranean identity and the quality of our hospitality. Welcoming over 180 wedding industry professionals creates concrete opportunities for local businesses and helps introduce our destination to new markets. Weddings are not simply one-day occasions. They attract visitors who stay longer and often return. Initiatives like WE DO contribute to a sustainable, high-quality tourism model rooted in the identity and excellence of our territory", — Antonio Nicoletti, Mayor of Matera.

The programme also featured The Mediterranean as a System – Relationships, Culture and New Wedding Economies, a panel exploring opportunities for cooperation among Mediterranean destinations, industry operators and international markets. Participants included Claudia Di Perna of Fondazione Matera-Basilicata 2019.

BEYOND THE CONFERENCE: THE WE DO EXPERIENCE

Designed as a travelling platform, WE DO develops each edition around the identity and professional ecosystem of its host destination.

In Matera, this approach translated into a programme combining business meetings with curated hospitality, local discovery and immersive experiences.

The creative concept From Earth to Expression drew inspiration from Matera's distinctive architecture, natural materials, light and cultural heritage, shaping the visual and experiential identity of the edition.

One of the highlights was the WE DO Gala, an immersive production bringing together scenography, gastronomy, music, performances and entertainment, with significant creative and production contributions from Eclittica – Creating Emotions and Panta Rhei Wedding.

The experience continued beyond the main programme through post-event destination tours organised on 22 October by Tourism for Weddings in collaboration with Calderoni Martini, offering participating professionals further opportunities to discover regional venues, hospitality services and destinations.

Local engagement was coordinated in part by Valentina Trotta, Destination Wedding Planner and WE DO Ambassador, who played a key role in developing relationships across Basilicata's professional network.

"Bringing WE DO to Matera has meant placing Basilicata's potential in the international spotlight. This edition has demonstrated how wedding tourism can become a tangible driver of economic and tourism development, generating opportunities across the local industry. The collaboration between institutions, businesses and international professionals is essential to building a destination strategy with long-term impact. Our ambition was never simply to introduce Basilicata to the world, but to create the conditions for the world to choose Basilicata", — Valentina Trotta, Destination Wedding Planner & WE DO Ambassador

THE NEXT CHAPTER: WE DO GOES INTERNATIONAL

Following the Matera edition, WE DO is continuing its development through new destinations and WE DO Lab, a dedicated format focused on working with local territories, professional communities and destination supply chains.

A new international initiative, announced during WE DO Matera 2026, is scheduled to take place in April 2027 in Rota Ecológica dos Milagres, a coastal destination in the northeastern Brazilian state of Alagoas.

The announcement represents a further step in WE DO's ambition to create connections between destinations and wedding professionals across international markets.

Further details of the Brazil project will be announced by Tourism for Weddings.

Reflecting on the Matera edition, WE DO's founders highlighted the importance of meaningful professional connections and long-term collaboration.

"Matera has shown us how a destination can become a meeting point for people, cultures and different perspectives. Over these three days, professionals from different markets have shared experiences, discovered a territory and become part of a community. This is the direction of WE DO: creating connections that continue to generate value long after an event has ended", — Laura D'Ambrosio, Co-founder WE DO.

"The most significant achievement of WE DO Matera is not simply the number of professionals we brought together, but the quality of the relationships established. We connected wedding planners, businesses, destinations and institutions, creating tangible opportunities for dialogue and collaboration. The next challenge is to transform these connections into lasting opportunities for the industry", — Fabio Marcianò, Co-founder WE DO.

THE PARTNER NETWORK BEHIND WE DO MATERA 2026

WE DO Matera 2026 was made possible by a collaborative ecosystem of institutional stakeholders, hospitality partners, creative companies, local businesses and industry professionals.

Alvino Relais, serving as Host Partner and main venue for the professional programme, played a central role in welcoming the international community.

As Main Partners, Eclittica – Creating Emotions and Panta Rhei Wedding contributed to the creative direction, production design and delivery of the event's immersive experiences.

Strategic partners included Matera Collection, supporting destination relationships and local industry connections, and Ed!cola Studio Creativo, responsible for communication strategy, brand positioning, visual identity and communication direction.