The glamour of the villa pairs beautifully with the vintage theme of this wedding.
FINDING THE RIGHT LOCATION
Sophie is Swedish and Magnus is Danish. They met in Dubai where they were both living. They had contacted me 6 months before the date of their wedding. It was a scramble to find an epic location in Tuscany or Florence that was available on a Saturday in early September, one of the biggest wedding dates of the year. After extensive searching we lucked out with Villa Gamberaia in Florence. It is an historic villa with extensive, exquisite gardens which would play host to all the wedding events throughout the day.
THE WEDDING CEREMONY
As the ceremony was about to begin it began to drizzle. We had worried about there being too much sun and had ordered paper sun umbrellas for the guests. In the end they used them to ward off the intermittent rain. Fortunately the group was mainly Scandinavian and so they were hearty souls used to inclement weather and ready to enjoy themselves come rain or shine. Shortly after the ceremony began the skies cleared and we were able to proceed on to what was a beautiful and heartfelt ceremony. The symbolic ceremony was a reflection of the personalities of the bride and groom and of their relationship.
WEDDING RECEPTION
Once the ceremony was over it was on to the cocktail hour. In addition to a champagne tower there were lawn games and lounges for the guests to alternately play or relax. The seated dinner was in the front of the lawn with a spectacular view over Florence. It was magical watching the sun set over Florence from their dinner tables. The bridal party was seated at a long table festooned with dozens of yards of tulle trimmed with garlands of olive leaves.
AFTER DINNER DANCING
The festivities were topped off with a band that we had flown over from London. They were just spectacular and an experience that no one present will ever forget. So much talent, so much charm. The evening concluded with a tequila teepee, which seems to be a Scandinavian custom, and a late night hot dog stand. The perfect ending to a remarkable day.