Get ready for some serious wedding-envy. How would you feel about a weekend of celebrations in Tuscany at a sprawling, 1,000 acre private estate complete with stables, a vineyard and the perfect reception venue under the Tuscan sun (and stars)? Does it get much better? I really don’t know if it does. Thanks to the talent and knowledge of Italia Celebrations the couple was able to plan their overseas affair effortlessly, ending up with a weekend beautiful enough to make anyone envious. For even more lovely images by Joanne Dunn Photographers be sure to check out the full gallery.
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From the Groom… Elena and I met in Boston while studying for our MBAs. Both of us grew up in the countryside; Elena from a village in Eastern Europe and I in rural New England. It could be as a result of living in a big city, but we both suspect that we were both farmers in a former life, because we constantly crave fresh air, fresh food and the warmth of good company. After proposing to Elena in the back country of Washington, VA, I tossed out the idea of getting married in Italy. A friend of ours told us about a wedding she had attended in Tuscany where a dozen of the couple’s closest friends came the week before the wedding to cook, horseback ride, and drink wine. At the end of the week, additional family members flew in for the wedding. Elena loved the idea.
We met Brenda of Italia Celebrations by serendipity. Elena and I had just returned from Italy looking at villas and meeting with wedding planners we had discovered online. None fit us. While lamenting the results of the trip to friends, one friend mentioned that a co-worker had recently celebrated a wedding in Italy planned with Brenda. We connected with her instantly. She fit us.
We wanted our wedding to celebrate Italian traditions and for all of our guests to stay on the property with us. Our theme was vintage yet modern that celebrated the fresh Italian harvest. Brenda had a perfect, hidden gem location in Tuscany called Il Borro that could easily make our families feel at home. This sprawling 1,000 acre estate owned by the Ferragamo family featured a main villa and Medieval hamlet, newly built spa, horse stables, and vineyard. On the property they make their own wines, extra virgin olive oil and honey. It was also able to house everyone comfortably and within walking distance of each other, which was exactly what we wanted. In addition, we wanted the three days of our wedding celebration to be a lot of fun and so we arranged for different musical entertainment each of the three evenings.
The night of arrival we hosted a welcome dinner in the tiny piazza of the Medieval hamlet with the idea of it being a typical Italian Osteria, complete with Italian accordian players, where a selection of typical Tuscan salads and three pastas were served. Around the pool of the main house the following night, we had an Italian barbeque with meats from around Tuscany followed by an authentic Opera featuring a soprano and tenor from an opera company in Florence. The menu was written on a blackboard and the escort cards were made to be a copy of the tickets to the famous La Scala opera house with the guests name and table assignment at the bottom. The night wouldn’t be complete without dancing in the gardens with music from DJ Daniele.
In September the wedding fell right at the moment that they were harvesting the grapes. The ceremony was held right at the edge of a vineyard with the luscious, ripe grapes just waiting to be plucked and made into wine. A string quartet strummed “O Sole Mio” as Elena walked down the aisle in her stunning Lazaro dress. After the wedding we moved to the main villa where dinner was served on two 30 foot long tables and we sat as one big family for dinner. Afterward, we danced until 3:00 am outside on the veranda with music from the DJ once again. An amazing way to begin our lives together!
Wedding Photography: Joanne Dunn Photographers / Floral Design: Noosheen / Event Design & Planning: Italia Celebrations / Wedding Ceremony & Reception Location: Il Borro / Wedding Dress: Lazaro