Tuscany has a certain magic all its own. Maybe it’s in the soil, maybe it’s in the wine, maybe it’s the special sunlight that basks on its hills. What is certain is that it is one of the most intimate ways to celebrate your marriage, bringing together your closest family and friends to live and play side by side among the olive trees and vineyards.
When marrying in Tuscany I would suggest finding the right size villa for your group and have everyone stay together at the villa for three nights. If you can only manage two nights then make sure that the location is within 1.5 hours of an airport for ease of travel. I do not recommend organizing the wedding celebrations for more than three days. If so many guests will not stay for all and will pick and choose among the days. Better to stipulate a core three days/nights with planned events. This way most guests will follow your lead to stay for those days. I would avoid properties where you have to rent by the week. With Tuscany it is imperative to have flexibility, particularly when accommodating a group.
Travel in Italy:
Although Tuscany looks small on a map things are not so close once you start traveling on narrow, winding country roads. And most Tuscan villas are deep in the heart of nowhere, surrounded by little other than olive groves, vineyards and rolling hills as far as the eye can see. This means that many locations will be difficult to get to for your guests on their own. You may want to have us organize a bus to take everyone from Rome to the villa at the beginning and then to take everyone back to Rome the day after the wedding. This is always appreciated when the guests are coming from the US.
Depending on the location of the villa we will make recommendations on the best way to handle transportation.
Wedding Ceremonies:
In Tuscany there are Medieval castles and monasteries that have been convered into villas and there are traditional stone farmhouses as well to choose from. Some villas will have a Catholic church on site where the wedding can be celebrated and for many others there will be a charming country church or spectacular Cathedral for the ceremony in the near vicinity. A symbolic ceremony can be arranged on the lawn of the property if you prefer to go that route. Most civil ceremonies would need to take place in the designated civil hall. This is usually in a charming, historic town nearby and not at the villa itself although there are some exceptions. Each option has its particular charms and all are unforgettable.
Most Tuscan villas are only open from April 1 through October 31, with May through September being high season. The summer months have ideal weather in the evenings for the dinners outside. In addition the pool at the villa is an excellent place for the guests to congregate in the afternoons. October is frequently gorgeous and sunny during the daylight hours but chillier at night. It is less likely that you could dine outside unless specific arrangements were made for a tent with heat lamps. But October is when the olives and grapes are harvested and should not be ruled out.
