The best of Italian design is classical, simple, and understated.

I think you are off to a great start with classical urns.

I would use very plain tablecloths, perhaps mixing your colors around the room (if you have lots of tables), white napkins, white china, perhaps with a simple gold rim, and very simple stemware, to let the flowers and colors be the star. I would also keep the candles on the tables as simple as possible, and make sure that the candlelight lands on faces and on the table rather than way up in the air.

If I were designing flowers for an Italian theme, I would use only three or four kinds of flowers, with plenty of various greenery; and I would add bunches of grapes, both red and green, and lots of trailing ivy. If you are adding more decoration in the room itself, and it is in your budget, consider bringing in some large potted trees. Ficus trees have some of the same leaf shape and pattern as olive trees, although the color is different.

Get an overall image in your mind, and keep it there to refer to as you go. Once you have established Italy with the urns and flowers and perhaps with a little opera playing at the beginning, keep everything else as simple as possible, which will strengthen the theme better than adding layers and layers of ideas. For instance, you might think about the image of an Italian family eating outside on a stone terrace under a grape arbor with the Tuscan hills in the distance...and resist the urge to over-decorate or over-theme...

It sounds like it will be a perfectly lovely event. Congratulations!

I came across this site today. I hope you can find some inspiration. It sounds like you are off to a great start already.

Here is a link that might be useful: Italy

I come from an Italian family and have been to several Italian weddings over my life time.

But we never had an Italian wedding theme. But let me suggest just one thing and I don't think it was cheesy.
When my niece was married my brother and her danced to the theme song from The Godfather. It was just beautiful and we all cheered and some got teary eyed.

Good luck and your ball room sounds perfect.

Ciao....Jane

BMom:Thank you, excellent point. We tend to get in the over decorate mode. I like the idea of plain table linens.

Thanks GG, I'll check into that site.

TM

Check out this site and look at the one with the olive color table cloth. I think it's very elegant and beautiful.

http://weddingsbysocialites.blogspot.com/2009/07/pretty-diy-tablescapes.html

Yes, I was also going to suggest a tablecloth color that is in contrast with your color scheme to emphasize the pinks and lavenders and plums...a very pale yellow or an olive green would be lovely. Actually, I like that idea more than my first one...!

Do a google search for destination weddings Italy. That's how I found the link below. I think it depends on what part of Italy you all want to capture as a theme. The warm rich hues of Tuscany or the clear blues of the Amalfi coast, you can't lose either way! What time of year is the wedding? The venue you have picked sounds wonderful!!!

Here is a link that might be useful: Italian inspired weddings

I like the green too but DD has an aversion to it.

I'm starting to picture white rustic urns with white or crisp light lavender linens. I hope she allows green grapes in the arrangement at least.

To answer Lesmis, the wedding is in June and the venue is an estate that was turned into a golf/country club.

A rental company has plum stemware we can rent or plum glass chargers. We might splurge on those.

Thanks for the suggestions. If anyone has any other ideas about linens I'm all ears.

Consider posting your question in the Holiday forum. The people there are always creating tablescapes, generally for Holidays but many times for themes. Their ingenuity always impresses me!

Here is a link that might be useful: holiday forum

Thanks Neesie, I'll try that too.

I love your user name. That was my daughter's nick name when she was a baby. In fact I thought is might be her responding.

How funny, tiamaria! It's what my Grandpa used to call me when I was a child. My real name is Denise, is that your daughter's name too?