An intimate wedding in Tuscany
Both Cirine and her fiancé David are Lebanese. This lovely couple contacted me in July 2021 to help them plan an intimate wedding for October of the same year in Tuscany. Ideally, they wanted a location in a vineyard with rooms to accommodate their family. As October is not considered a very high season in Tuscany and Cirine and David were flexible about the dates, we managed to book the beautiful estate of Medicea di Lilliano for 3 nights.
This fine venue boasts impressive historical halls and stunning courtyards and gardens. Additionally, it has 5 private villas for accommodation and is set strategically 20 minutes away from Florence. The young couple initially started with a list of 15 close family members and friends that would come from Lebanon and Dubai. Covid restrictions were still enforced, but they were determined to get married no matter what. But as the planning got in full swing mode, they got enthusiastic, and their list of guests increased up to 53 persons!
Cirine and David wanted to treat their guests to an authentic Tuscan wine degustation the day before the wedding. So I booked them a private room in a stunning medieval castle in the Chianti area, where they would be served Tuscan specialties paired with locally produced wines. As for the wedding day, we planned to set up a shabby chic lunch in the middle of the Villa’s beautiful Medici garden. The ceremony would take place on the terrace with a breathtaking view of Florence city. However, the party would happen inside the “Limonaia” hall as the temperatures in October in the evening tend to be cold.
Unfortunately, due to a combination of dark clouds and strong winds on the wedding day, we had to move the ceremony to the “Granaio” hall at the very last moment. Nevertheless, Cirine and David had a beautiful and emotional civil ceremony shared with their guests. Luckily, the weather settled in, and we could continue the rest of the event as planned, although there was a drop in temperatures.
After the cocktail that followed the ceremony, everyone headed through the “Passaggio,” which connects the ancient courtyard of the Villa to the gorgeous garden. The doors leading outside had been closed from the beginning to keep the effect of surprise. From the top of the stairs, the guests stumbled in front of the beautiful view of the surrounding vineyards. The long reception table was elegantly set up with autumnal shades of flowers in front of the historic fountain in the alley, a masterpiece of architecture. It was chilly, but the bride and groom provided their guests with warm shawls. Of course, the lunch menu was all Tuscan-based dishes greatly appreciated by the guests. At sunset, after some emotional speeches, a few dances on the grass, and the cutting of the flat traditional Italian cake, everyone moved to the “Limonaia” hall with the DJ setting the party mood for the evening.
