It doesn’t get any dreamier than an Italian villa destination wedding! Lindsey and Brendan wed in romantic Tuscany, at the gorgeous Villa Medicea di Lilliano near Florence. Surrounded by family and friends, the pair said their “I do”s at an outdoor ceremony in the villa’s gardens, in a sweet grotto with a fountain backdrop. Afterwards, they enjoyed aperitifs on the terrace, with spectacular views of the Tuscan countryside and the vineyards and olive groves beyond. Guests were then treated to a delicious sit-down meal inside the villa, at a long table adorned with olive leaves, fragrant eucalyptus, and candlelight. The bride shared their story with us.
“I studied abroad in Florence and immediately fell in love with the old world charm of the beautiful city. While sitting on the steps outside of the Uffizi one Tuesday evening, while listening to an acoustic guitar street performance covering Simon and Garfunkel hits, I vividly recall thinking to myself that when I met the love of my life I would bring him here. Fast forward nine years, and my fiancé, Brendan, and I found ourselves discussing over a glass of wine at which vineyard in Virginia we should get married. The conversation quickly turned into ‘if we are going to do a Tuscan style wedding, why not do it in Tuscany?’ Villa Medicea di Lilliano quickly came up in our internet search and with the exquisite vistas and easy communication with the staff, it was a no-brainer for us to lock in this estate.”
“It was important to us not to do too much decoration, because we always felt that the surrounding area served all the beauty we’d require. We’ve always thought of Italian food as simple with few ingredients, but powerful flavor. It was important to translate this concept in our design. With the help of Franci’s Flowers, we were sold on the idea of simple white peonies with a few soft pink flowers thrown in for the other ‘ingredients’, if you will. We let the fashion take care of the powerful ‘burst of flavor’. The groomsmen wore a bold blue that popped, while the bridal party was in soft grey for balance. This all worked well with our Tuscan vista. Our guests wore some vivid dresses and the cloudy sky coincidentally put the finishing touches on the scene.”
“There are a couple memories that we play on repeat in our heads. The first, oddly enough, was the day before the wedding when we both visited the venue for the first time to do a walkthrough. We made our way through the estate landing in the garden where our ceremony was to be set up. We were able to take in the watercolor-like backdrop of Tuscany, just the two of us. While what our eyes saw felt very surreal, the joy that overcame us was palpable. The other highlight for us came during our dinner reception. Suddenly, the music stopped just after our first course and in walked the tenor, who broke out in a beautiful Italian song. This moment shocked all our guests and even caused many happy tears. And how can we not mention ALL of the food?!”
“We were highly appreciative of the La Torre Villas at Villa Medicea di Lilliano. Having our guests in one area where we could spend the entire weekend together topped off our unforgettable wedding experience. Additionally, the preferred vendors that we worked with were as good as it gets. Special thanks to Delizia Ricevimenti, Alma Project, Jules Photography, and Franci’s Flowers!”
Congratulations to the newlyweds!
Destination Wedding Photographer: Jules Bower
Wedding Vendors: Venue: Villa Medicea di Lilliano, Flowers and Decor: Franci’s Flowers Wedding Design, Catering: Delizia Ricevimenti, Music: Alma Project
