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It’s every girl’s dream to have a memorable wedding, but to have a wedding in Tuscany is magical. If you are looking for a destination wedding or you are just a hopeless romantic, this story is for you.
The bride comes from a line of Italians (Sicilian specifically) and spent some time in Italy during her college years. She fell in love with Tuscany and chose it for her wedding destination.
She and her parents sought out a villa where guests could stay, but after 150 people committed, another villa had to be booked! We stayed at Fonte De’ Medici where the welcome party was held, while the groom’s family stayed at Castello di Bibbione where the rehearsal dinner was held. Bringing all of the Italian family together in Italy was like a family reunion at its roots!
Welcome Party
What’s a wedding party without a welcome?! Fonte De’ Medici’s Trattoria Della Fonte (their restaurant) put on the grandest pizza party with several bottles of wine and a large selection of fresh Italian cuisines and a variety of pizzas. They even served gelato from a mini Italian Fiat! The restaurant sits above flowing hills of vineyards and is the perfect place for a dinner party and for guests to watch the sunset. This all took place in April, so once the warm Tuscan sun set, it got a little chilly.
Rehearsal Dinner
We had welcome apรฉritifs on a garden terrace and dinner in Castello di Bibbione, a 9th-century castle overlooking the Chianti hills. The grounds were gorgeous, especially while the Eastern Redbuds were in bloom.
Wedding
The wedding ceremony was held at Pieve di S. Stefano a Campoli, one of the oldest churches in the Florentine Diocese dated March 3, 903. The antique pews have one board for support; interesting, but quite uncomfortable for sitting long periods of time. Out of respect, I only took one photo upon entering the church.
Wedding Reception
Celebrations began at Castello il Palagio Ricevimenti with cocktails and a wide selection of meat, cheese, and fruit. We then sat down for a three course dinner. The dessert was a traditional Italian millefoglie, a 1,000 layered wedding cake, which was assembled by a chef in front of everyone. The layers consist of Chantilly cream, puff pastry, and berries and was topped with powdered sugar.
Since there was rainfall on the wedding night, a clear tent was set up in the center of the castle, but this allowed for them to hang massive arrangements of fresh flowers above our heads. Regardless, the setting and experience was breath-taking. When dinner was complete, the tables and chairs were removed for dancing, which was lead by a solo saxophonist and a percussionist.
Hope some of you lucky girls out there can use this story for inspiration! If you would like more information about the villa where we stayed and where the welcome party was held, read The Rural Life of Tuscany (Toscana): Small Town Clusters & Villas.
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