5 Tips for Planning a Destination Wedding in Tuscany
Can there be anywhere more perfect for a place to marry than Tuscany? The heart of Italy, the incredible vista and views, the warmth in the air and in the people. The best of Italian culture, and cuisine. Amazing wines, and of course, gelato.With all the goodness that Tuscany offers, it's no surprise it has become a hot-spot for destination weddings. Our next couple definitely thinks so. Tessa and Daniel fell in love traveling around Tuscany, and ten years later it made perfect sense to get married there. Trust us as you scroll down, you too are going to want to start planning your ultra-romantic Tuscany wedding. All photographed by The Fashion Wedding. Not only do we have their boho-chic Italian wedding, they shared 5 tips for planning your own destination wedding in Tuscany.
Tip #1 Plan Your Wedding Date
Summer in Tuscany is hot - around 80's to 90's. The most reliable months for good weather without too much of that heat are usually May, June and September. July and August are the warmest, but also the driest. For good deals, out of high season in April and October can be a great cost saving, and help pin down the perfect venue in a less requested period of the year.
Tip #2 Hire A Wedding Coordinator
More than likely you do not live in Italy. Hiring a coordinator is hands down a must on planning a destination wedding. They know all the venues, vendors and basically can act as your proxy while you are on the other side of the world. Tessa and Daniel used Italyweddings who have been assisting couples with events in central Italy for over twenty years, and who took care together with the couple, of all the aspects of their stay in Italy.
Tuscany wedding venue
Tessa and Daniel opted for the Villa Di Ulignano for their Tuscany destination wedding. A private oasis perched atop the Tuscan hills, and surrounded by trees that are hundreds of years old. The perfect place for your Tuscany wedding. See prices and availability here.
TIP #3 VISIT IN ADVANCE
If you are planning a Tuscan destination wedding, be sure to visit beforehand. Ideally, this is the time to explore your venue and meet with your vendors. It’s a great opportunity to see the venue first hand and understand the best ways to use the spaces, to meet with caterers to try the menu, and to have a reassuring salon trial. For the wedding trip itself, arrive a few days beforehand, to not only acclimate to the time change but meet with your wedding planner, complete any paperwork, rehearse the ceremony and generally to turn what would be a one day event back home into a several day experience, adding perhaps a pizza night the day before, and a recovery brunch or barbecue the day afterwards.
tip #4 The dress
Select a dress for your wedding destination. Tessa went with a sleeveless Jenny Packham gown that has to die for appliqués. A lovely choice for her destination wedding. Remember if you select a very large ballgown or something that does not easily fit in a garment bag, it might be a smidge difficult getting the dress on the plane.To ensure that your dress stays safely with you, you can do the following:
1. Purchase a first class ticket, so you are guaranteed an overhead bin to put your dress in
2. Purchase priority boarding to try and get an overhead bin (however the dress might get jammed in there)
3. Purchase a plane ticket for your dress.
4. Send it to your planner ahead of time.
TIP #5 The Legalities
If your marriage documents are issued in a foreign country, it is up to you to make sure that they are recorded in the US. Another way is to have a lovely meaningful destination wedding at your venue and then have a civil ceremony at the courthouse when you return. Tessa and Daniel had Italyweddings arrange the symbolic ceremony at the venue, allowing them not only to create a romantic, intimate wedding ceremony tailored to their own ideas and cultures, but also avoided transporting guests off site on the day of the wedding, keeping things fluid and saving them costs ...
If you'd like to do it legally in Italy you can find out everything you need to know here.
- Event Planning & Design: Italy Weddings
- Flowers: Le Petit Jardin
- Groom & His Men: Groom Suit
- Venues: Villa di Ulignano
- Wedding Dresses: Wedding Dress