A good romantic comedy provides plenty of laughs, induces a few tears, and creates characters that viewers can't help but fall in love with. But only the best romantic comedies use location scouting and set decorating to build a world that we actually wish we could disappear into — we're looking at you, every Nancy Meyers kitchen ever featured on film. Netflix's new rom-com Love Wedding Repeat, which is available to stream now, does this beautifully thanks to its gorgeous location inside a real 17th-century castle.
Love Wedding Repeat takes place, in large part, at Villa Parisi in Frascati, Italy. Dean Craig, the film's screenwriter and director, highlighted the shooting locations in a recent statement from Netflix. "Making this film was a true privilege, not least thanks to the amazing crew and Roman setting," he shared. "I think that the film will have something for everyone, and hopefully can provide some much-needed fun and escapism." Thanks to Villa Parisi, escapism is definitely baked right in.
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Located about 13 miles from central Rome, Villa Parisi is nestled in the Alban Hills, which means it's surrounded by breathtaking scenery, making it an ideal location for any wedding, real or fiction. According to the villa's official website, it was built in 1603 by Monsignor Ferrante Taverna, who was the Governor of Rome and a Cardinal under Pope Clement VIII. Villa Parisi is one of 12 villas that was built in the area in the late 16th and early 17th centuries for families linked to the papal court. Girolamo Rainaldi, who was a well-respected architect of the time, designed the original building, which included four floors.
As to be expected for any dwelling that has been around for over 400 years, Villa Parisi has changed hands many times and has undergone plenty of renovations. In 1614, Villa Parisi was purchased by Cardinal Scipione Borghese, who added two wings. Flemish architect Giovanni Vasanzio also designed several new features for the grounds around this time including a "secret garden," an artificial cave featuring a carved stone dragon, and a couple of elegant fountains.
During the 18th century, the villa's interior saw the addition of some truly exquisite painted decorations as well. The historic building's website reports that well-known painters and brothers Giuseppe and Domenico Valeriani decorated the main hall and the "Four Seasons" room, while Ignatius Heldmann decorated several galleries with landscapes of the Alban Hill so the beauty of the area can be enjoyed inside the home and out. Ahead of a 1741 visit from Pope Benedict XIV, the chapel and living room got their own ornate paint jobs.
The villa was purchased by Saverio Parisi in 1896, and his descendants still own it today. Its interior was restored and modernised between 1920 and 1930 to what you'll see in Netflix's Love Wedding Repeat. You can also see Villa Parisi in the 1974 film Blood of Dracula and several other movies and television shows, according to IMDB. However, a romantic comedy seems like the most fitting story to tell inside these ornate walls. A film that transports us from our couches to the rolling Italian hillsides and allows us to explore a dreamy castle while laughing along to a love story couldn't have come at a better time.