A symbolic ceremony is a personal ceremony with no legal effect. Many couples from abroad marry legally at home and then celebrate in Italy, in a garden, on a terrace or in an olive grove. There are none of the rules of a church or a town hall room, so the flowers are free, but still bound by the venue's rules.
For the flowers, this means building the scene from scratch: a backdrop or floral arch, the aisle, guest seating, sometimes a table for the celebrant. Outdoors you need a wet weather plan. The guide to flowers for a symbolic ceremony lists the elements; the one on getting married in Italy as a foreigner explains how it differs from civil and religious ceremonies; the destination wedding guide puts everything in order.
What to ask: where the ceremony goes if it rains, when the sun hits the spot, and how long it takes to move the flowers to the reception.
