Acquasanta Terme, Italy (CNN) They had been planning the perfect wedding for more than a year. The dress, the suit and the venue were all reserved.

And then four days before the big day, part of the church crumbled in an earthquake.

A photo posted by @atikacnn on Aug 28, 2016 at 2:40am PDT

Still, Ramon and Martina Adazzi tied the knot Sunday in the town of Acquasanta Terme, near the epicenter of a devastating earthquake in central Italy that has killed at least 291 people and flattened entire villages.

The couple were heartbroken when their celebrant told them the church's altar was covered in debris. Cracks had formed up the walls, and 16th-century frescoes had torn open and crumbled. The building was not usable.

A photo posted by @atikacnn on Aug 28, 2016 at 2:29am PDT

"At first I was shocked. We've been organizing this for more than a year," Martina Adazzi told CNN.

But the couple vowed to carry on with the ceremony.

"When Don Giovanni said the church was not safe, I told my wife: I want to celebrate my wedding there because they need a moment to think of other things now," Ramon Adazzi told CNN on the day of the wedding.

The band begins to play the wedding march. 6 year old Elisa is one of the flower girls strewing white petals before the bride. She takes her job very seriously. A photo posted by @atikacnn on Aug 28, 2016 at 3:26am PDT

"I love the city. I love the people. Why would I take my wedding to another city?" he said.

So despite the ongoing aftershocks they moved the service to a village square, with the green Marche mountains and the town's fractured buildings as their backdrop.

The wedding -- attended by dozens of people, including some from as far away as Brazil and Canada -- was a brief moment of joy in the grim central Italian quake zone and a testament that life does indeed go on.

"Of course I was worried and nervous. And I didn't want to create even more problems for the village," Martina Adazzi said. "But everyone has been so wonderful and welcoming."

The father of the bride walks her down the aisle to applause from guests. A video posted by @atikacnn on Aug 28, 2016 at 3:30am PDT

These are the cookies they baked. With Grandma's help. Alessandro is particularly proud of the bride and groom cookies A photo posted by @atikacnn on Aug 28, 2016 at 3:02am PDT

Demolition zone

Communities in this mountainous region of central Italy are grieving so much loss of life and overwhelmed by the thought of how to rebuild.

Some 20 kilometers to the southwest, the center of Amatrice was a demolition zone on Sunday.

The home of the famous Amatriciana pasta sauce was supposed to be bustling with tourists this weekend to celebrate the town's 50th spaghetti festival. Instead, rescuers had all but given up hope of finding any more survivors.

A church partially destroyed in the earthquake in Amatrice.

It has been four days since the earthquake jolted central Italy -- now well past the 72-hour window in which experts say the chance of finding survivors is most likely. Many more bodies may still be trapped under piles of rubble.

JUST WATCHED Towns destroyed in Italy's earthquake Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Towns destroyed in Italy's earthquake 01:01

But the task now has moved on to knocking down the buildings left half standing to make sure that they don't come crashing down in aftershocks, causing more deaths or injuries.

CNN correspondents in Amatrice saw bulldozers knocking down entire homes Sunday and cranes lifting containers to carry out mountains of debris in what promises to be an exhaustive cleanup.

A town razed

Much of the town's main street was destroyed or badly damaged. The popular Roma Hotel partially collapsed, its rooms gutted and its roof slumped on one side in the shape of a wave.

The community in Amatrice are worried that a bell tower built in the 1400s will be demolished.

A single bell tower built in the 1400s stood tall among the rubble. But with its deep cracks, shaky foundations and little left around it, many fear that it, too, will have to be demolished.

What's left of Amatrice, it seems, is being razed.

The town is usually home to just 2,000 people. But in the middle of summer its population can swell to 15,000, particularly on festival weekends.

This makes it more difficult to ensure that everyone is accounted for. Demolition and rescue crews were thoroughly searching each building with sniffer dogs and consulting with residents before knocking anything down in case another body might be found.

JUST WATCHED Why is rescue work in Italy so hard? Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Why is rescue work in Italy so hard? 01:55

The rescuers who worked through each night in the initial days to find survivors are now racing against time for a different reason: Storms are expected to hit central Italy in a few days, threatening to turn the mounds of dust to mud.

They are also working under a scorching sun. Temperatures soared to 34 degrees Celsius on Sunday, well above average in the mountainous town.

Laying loved ones to rest

JUST WATCHED Italy holds state funeral for earthquake victims Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Italy holds state funeral for earthquake victims 01:41

In his weekly Angelus prayer, Pope Francis offered condolences Sunday for those affected by the earthquake.

"Once more I say to those beloved people that the Church shares their sufferings and their worries. We pray for those who died and for the survivors. The quick way in which authorities, volunteers, civil protection members are working, shows how important is solidarity to overcome such suffering," Pope Francis said.

On Saturday Italy began burying the dead in a tearful state funeral attended by hundreds, many of them bandaged and bruised and still in shock from the week's traumatic events.

Some of the mourners at a state funeral for Italy's earthquake victims were clearly in shock as they said goodbye to victims.

In the town of Ascoli Piceno, a local gym was transformed into a funeral hall, a basketball net the backdrop of the altar.

Thirty-five coffins adorned with flowers and framed photographs sat in three rows for victims from the town of Arquata del Tronto. Taped to the foot of each coffin was a white paper with the name of the deceased.

Among the coffins was one belonging to a young girl named Giulia Rinaldi. Bishop Giovanni d'Ercole, who led the ceremony, told a painful story of how Giulia was found dead on top of her younger sister, Giorgia, who survived. The older girl apparently shielded her sibling from harm.

Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy Firefighters help residents recover personal belongings from damaged houses in the village of Rio, Italy, on Sunday, August 28. A 6.2-magnitude earthquake struck central Italy on Wednesday, killing more than 290 people. The death toll is expected to rise as rescue teams reach remote areas. Hide Caption 1 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy Firefighters stand by an excavator in Amatrice, Italy,on August 28, as dangerously damaged buildings and overhanging ledges are pulled down. Hide Caption 2 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy A rescued dog receives treatment in a veterinary care unit in Amatrice, Italy on August 28. Hide Caption 3 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy Volunteers on motorbikes drive through the town of Villa San Lorenzo a Flaviano, Italy, on August 28 as they bring supplies to smaller villages. Hide Caption 4 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy A destroyed house is seen on Saturday, August 27, in Pescara del Tronto, Italy. Hide Caption 5 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy Police inspect rubble and debris in Amatrice, Italy, on August 27. Hide Caption 6 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy A drone controlled by Italian firefighters flies over damaged houses in San Lorenzo, Italy, on August 27. Hide Caption 7 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy Damaged coffins and rubble are seen at the cemetery of Sant'Angelo, Italy, on August 27. Hide Caption 8 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy Rescuers of the Italian Red Cross carry the body of a victim in Amatrice, Italy, on Friday, August 26. Hide Caption 9 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy Firefighters and rescue workers stand near the damaged Sant'Agostino church and a destroyed ice cream shop in the Italian village of Amatrice on Friday, August 26. Hide Caption 10 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy A woman rests in the courtyard of a convent in Amatrice on August 26. Hide Caption 11 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy Firefighters inspect a damaged building from the elevated platform of a firetruck in Amatrice on August 26. Amatrice has been the hardest-hit town, with more than 200 killed there. Hide Caption 12 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy An aerial view shows the damage in the village of Saletta on August 26. Strong aftershocks in the region have rattled residents and emergency crews. Hide Caption 13 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy A man and woman comfort each other in front of a collapsed house in Amatrice on August 26. Hide Caption 14 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy Firefighters cordon off an area around the rubble from a destroyed building in Amatrice on August 26. Hide Caption 15 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy Emergency team members set up a tent camp for earthquake victims at a sports field in Arquata del Tronto on August 26. Hide Caption 16 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy Rescuers make their way through destroyed houses in Pescara del Tronto on Thursday, August 25. It's unclear how many people remain trapped under debris. Hide Caption 17 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy A field kitchen in Amatrice provides meals for emergency workers and earthquake survivors on August 25. Hide Caption 18 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy Rescue and emergency service personnel use an excavator to search for victims under the remains of a building in Amatrice on August 25. Hide Caption 19 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy An old building in Amatrice is partly damaged after the quake. Hide Caption 20 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy An emergency services helicopter takes off in Amatrice as rescuers continue the search for survivors. Hide Caption 21 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy A man rests on a bench after spending the night in a makeshift camp set up inside a gym in Amatrice on August 25. Hide Caption 22 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy A bird's eye view of Amatrice shows the devastation after the deadly quake struck on Wednesday, August 24. Hide Caption 23 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy Rescuers help a woman from the rubble in Amatrice on August 24. Hide Caption 24 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy Search-and-rescue teams survey collapsed houses in Pescara del Tronto on August 24. Hide Caption 25 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy A man cries as another injured man is helped in Amatrice. Hide Caption 26 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy This woman in Amatrice was wounded during the earthquake. Hide Caption 27 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy Rescuers carry a man through earthquake debris in Amatrice. Hide Caption 28 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy Rocco Girardi receives treatment after being rescued from the rubble in Arquata del Tronto on August 24. Hide Caption 29 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy The body of a unidentified child lies on a bench in Arquata del Tronto on August 24. Hide Caption 30 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy The quake left this house in ruins in Arquata del Tronto. Hide Caption 31 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy Two people hug each other next to damaged houses in Pescara del Tronto. Hide Caption 32 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy Two women pass along a stuffed toy in Amatrice on August 24. Hide Caption 33 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy Residents take in the damage in Amatrice. Hide Caption 34 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy This aerial photo shows damaged buildings in Amatrice. The quake struck at 3:36 a.m and was felt across a broad swath of central Italy. Hide Caption 35 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy An emergency hospital camp is set up to treat earthquake victims in Arquata del Tronto. Hide Caption 36 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy A woman tries to comfort her child in Amatrice on August 24. Hide Caption 37 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy Residents survey a collapsed staircase in Amatrice on August 24. Hide Caption 38 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy Residents of Pescara del Tronto care for an elderly earthquake victim on August 24. Hide Caption 39 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy Search-and-rescue teams look for survivors in Pescara del Tronto. Hide Caption 40 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy Survivors sit among the rubble of a house in Amatrice on August 24. Hide Caption 41 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy Residents search for victims in Amatrice. Hide Caption 42 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy An injured man is rescued from a collapsed building in Amatrice on August 24. Hide Caption 43 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy A man leans on a wall in Pescara del Tronto. Hide Caption 44 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy A dog searches for people trapped in collapsed buildings in Amatrice. Hide Caption 45 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy Rescuers search for victims in Amatrice on August 24. Hide Caption 46 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy A man is pulled alive from the rubble. Hide Caption 47 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy A man surveys damage near a dust-covered car in Amatrice on August 24. Hide Caption 48 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy Two people huddle together in Amatrice after the earthquake. Hide Caption 49 of 50 Photos: Earthquake strikes central Italy A rescue worker drives a truck of rubble as cleanup operations begin in Amatrice. Hide Caption 50 of 50

"They were holding each other, between them in embrace, both death and life," he said.

Wreaths delivered for the state funeral. A photo posted by @atikacnn on Aug 27, 2016 at 2:13am PDT

Hundreds attended the state funeral and Catholic service to lay their loved ones to rest.

A woman at the funeral named Maria said she lost friends and family in the quake, and described how she and her husband used their bare hands to dig neighbors out of the rubble.

"Community is very important. In small villages like this," she said. "The relationship with the land and those you love, with our family, is very, very strong. It will be even stronger. We won't give up."