Dream Destination Wedding in Tuscany Italy – You have to see this!

This past April, I had the opportunity to travel with a photographer friend of mine, and help photograph this incredible destination wedding in Tuscany. When I say this was one of the most amazing weddings I’ve ever done, I MEAN IT. Not even just because I was in the gorgeous country of Italy, but also because the people I got to share this incredible experience with.

Only their closest family and friends.

The bride and groom chose to have a small and intimate countryside wedding with only their closest family and friends. They didn’t do a lot of the big traditions that are normally done at weddings. No floral installments, no wedding party. Without these things though, you could still feel all of the love and warmth and beauty of the day. There were about 30 people total, which was the perfect amount for their celebration. It genuinely felt like a big, warm family dinner. So many hugs and tears, I just know that this family is going to talk about this day for the rest of their lives.

It started with a thunderstorm

Believe it or not, even if you can’t tell from the photos within this post, the morning started off with a thunderstorm. Some might think of rain as a bad sign, or even see it as ruining your plans of having a beautiful outdoor wedding, but this was the opposite of the case.

The location in which they had hosted the event was a large villa in the Gavorrano region of Tuscany. The couple along with all of their closest guests were actually able to stay on this property, or in a nearby resort. Think big, cozy and airy bedrooms with gorgeous views of the tuscan hills. Seeing the dark rain clouds sweep over the vast landscape was honestly an incredible sight. It made you feel almost lucky that you were there to witness it.

Hair, Makeup, and Aperol Spritz’s

One of my favorite parts about visiting Italy, was having an Aperol Spritz with every meal. There truly is no wrong time of day to drink it. The bride and her closest friends had a couple of glasses, along with cafe and mimosas for breakfast. It was such a slow and laidback morning, all of the girls were able to actually take their time and enjoy getting ready together.

Before getting officially dressed, the couple chose to sit out on the balcony and share their private vows. This was also another untraditional element of the day that I absolutely loved. Typically at weddings, there are “first looks”, where you see each other fully dressed and ready, and this is when you read your vows together. Well, what I loved about this vow exchange, is that this couple was able to be so comfortable with one another on the patio and cuddle up on the couch. I’m pretty sure they forgot that we were even there capturing them.

The Wind Swept Us Away

We were lucky enough that the rain stopped before ceremony time. Though it was so beautiful, everyone did appreciate having a dry place to sit to watch the wedding take place. With the rain leaving, we were greeted with huge wind gusts; it didn’t help that we were also on top of one of the many hills in Tuscany. Even though hair and veils were flying, the ceremony went off without a hitch. The couple was even able to plant their own olive tree during the ceremony. The venue stated that in 5 years, the could would be able to come back and see it planted – as they are surrounded by olive orchards. I just thought this was incredibly special.

The wind really was a paid actor during the bride and groom portraits after the ceremony. While the guests enjoyed the drinks and appetizers, we snuck off with the couple to take some photos with the amazing scenery and sunset. The wind seriously worked to our advantage, and we were able to catch some incredible shots – and ones that I will be drooling over for years to come.

Cheers and Tears

The bride and groom was able to enjoy an extended cocktail hour after we got through their couples portraits. They were able to chat, snack, and drink. One of the benefits of having so much excess time in your timeline, is that you are truly able to relax and enjoy the moment. Sometimes timelines can really crunch the moments we are trying to savor, but with this wedding, every moment was an entire experience.

Everyone sat at a long extended table inside the villa for dinner, covered in candles, wine glasses, and delicious food. I will say, Italy has some of the best food I’ve ever had internationally. I hold myself personally responsible for any bread and olive oil shortages that occurred while I was there!

After dinner, almost everyone stayed up partying until 2 am. Drinks were served, cake was cute, moves were busting. It was so much fun. Typically I leave weddings feeling so exhausted, but after this wedding, I left feeling so inspired and grateful to be living this dream.

Want to get married in Italy?

Here are some of the details from this specific wedding – which can hopefully be a good starting point!!

Venue: Conti di San Bonifacio Wine Resort
Officiant: Roberta Bertazza (The couple completed all of their legal paperwork in the U.S.)
Videographer: George Hughes Films

If you have any questions or are interested in having me capture your destination wedding in Italy, fill out a Contact form. I would absolutely love to hear from you. 🙂