The Ultimate Guide to Planning a Destination Wedding in Tuscany

Planning our destination wedding in Tuscany was an absolute dream, but I won’t lie—it was also a bit overwhelming at times. From picking the perfect venue to sticking to a budget (and failing), and coordinating with vendors from afar, there were a lot of details to juggle. In my guide to planning a destination wedding in Tuscany, I’m sharing everything we learned along the way to help you plan your own Italian wedding. Whether you’re just starting out or already deep into the planning process, I hope our experience and tips make your journey a little easier and your big day absolutely unforgettable.

Why Tuscany?

• Weather: We wanted an outdoor summer wedding, but Ireland’s unpredictable weather made that impossible. We explored several European countries with dry summer climates and ultimately chose Italy.
• Location: Tuscany offered a multitude of venue options in close proximity, making it worthwhile to fly out and tour them in person.
• Pricing: The competition among venues in Tuscany meant prices were competitive. Venues that would cost upwards of $50k per day in the U.S. were under €10k, sometimes even under €5k.
• Destination Necessity: We have family and friends in both the U.S. and in Ireland, so our wedding would be a destination event regardless. We wanted a location that would excite our guests, and Italy was the perfect choice.

Love at First Pin: Finding Venue Inspiration

I’ve had a “Wedding Inspiration” mood board on Pinterest for as long as I can remember, so it’s no surprise Pinterest was the first place I turned to when hunting for my dream wedding venue.

It wasn’t long before I stumbled upon the Medici Villa of Artimino. If you’re a history buff like my husband and I, then you are familiar with the infamous Medici family. So the idea of getting married in one of their prestigous villas (which is classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site) was like a dream come true. We loved everything about it, from it’s sprawling vinyards, picturesque rolling hills, and of course it’s stunning architecture.

Of course, we knew we still needed to see it in person, and we also didn’t rule out any other potential venues, or get too excited, only to find out it was out of budget or already booked out on the day. We knew if we were making the trip to Italy, we would need to line up multiple venues to tour, so we could really get a feel for what we needed out of our venue. That’s where our wedding planner came into play.

Wedding Planner Magic: Finding the Perfect Fit

Hiring a wedding planner was the best decision we ever made, and I HIGHLY recommend you budget for this if you are planning on doing a destination wedding.

I was lucky enough to come across Cecilia, the owner of Amia Events. From start to finish, she was kind, organized and professional, and truly made the wedding planning process a breeze for us. Seriously, we couldn’t have done it without her. She went to bat for us on many occassions when we ran into issues with vendors, and ensured we were never taken advantage of. She also plans weddings in many other parts of Italy including Venice, Lake Como, Sicily, and more. 10/10 would recommend her to plan your dream Italy wedding! Check out her Instagram HERE.

Here’s Why You Need a Wedding Planner

The One: Choosing Your Dream Venue

As I mentioned in the “Pinterest phase” of this blog post, I already had a good idea of the venue that I wanted to go with. However, we still toured four venues in total. (Bare in mind all prices are 2024 rates and subject to change).

Here is a breakdown of the venues we toured

We absolutely loved everything about Artimino, both inside and out. Our only concern was that it was slightly over our budget, as we hoped to keep the rental fee around €5,000. However, we decided it was worth the splurge and vowed to cut costs in other areas to make it work.

Of all the venues we toured, Villa Il Pozzo was our least favorite. While there was nothing inherently wrong with it, it simply didn’t align with our taste. We were seeking a venue with a more historical feel. Despite its beautiful grounds, it just wasn’t the right fit for us. Additionally, with 65 guests attending our wedding, we needed a venue that could accommodate everyone on-site.

Upon touring Tenuta Corbinaia, we absolutely fell in love with it and initially planned to choose this venue. However, it could only accommodate 16 people, and at the end of our tour we were quoted a significantly higher rental fee than what was initially given. We found these new rates to be outrageous, especially considering the early 9am check-out time.

• New Rental Fee Option 1: Check-in on Aug. 8th at 1pm – Check-out on Aug. 9th at 9am: €8,500 + 22% VAT
• New Rental Fee Option 2: Check-in on Aug. 8th at 1pm – Check-out on Aug. 9th at 7pm (classifed as 2 events): €14,400 + 22% VAT

Villa Barberino offers the best value among all the venues we considered. At €2,000 per day for exclusive use, it’s hard to find a better deal. The venue can accommodate up to 72 guests in beautiful, newly renovated rooms with unbeatable views. You might be wondering why we didn’t choose this venue. The truth is, it just didn’t feel like our perfect fit. Additionally, the 50-minute drive from the airport posed a challenge for our guests. However, if the commute isn’t a concern for you, I would highly recommend Villa Barberino.

Show Me the Euros: Budget and Costs

There’s a common misconception that if the venue is affordable, the entire wedding will be, too. Unfortunately, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Unless you’re ready to take on a lot of DIY projects (which is quite challenging for a destination wedding) or plan to forego a sit-down dinner in favor of small snacks or hors d’oeuvres, the costs can quickly add up.

I created this pie chart to visually break down our wedding expenses, offering a clear picture of where our money went. Hopefully it helps anyone planning and budgeting for their own destination wedding in Italy.

Where to Save and Where to Splurge

Mastering the Timeline: Planning and Logistics

Keeping everything on track can be challenging, especially when you’re on a different continent. Here’s our tips:

• Start Early: We began planning well over a year in advance. Early planning means there’s more of a chance your venue will be available on your wedding date, and there will be better vendor availability. It also gives your guests time to save and plan for the trip.
• Stay Organized + Coordinated: Regular video calls with our planner ensured nothing was lost in translation, and she always made sure to keep our budget spreadsheet updated as we began making decisions and selecting vendors. She also kept on top of the task list, reminding me when important decisions needed to be made.

Handling Invitations and Guests

Managing invitations and guests can be tricky, but here’s what worked for us:

• Save the Dates & Invitations: We opted for virtual save the dates and invitations using Greenvelope. This platform tracks each invitation, notifies you when it’s been opened and RSVPd, and tracks responses. It also sends follow up reminders to guests who have not responded to the invitation yet.
• Wedding Website: We created a wedding website on WithJoy, where we provided a detailed map of the venue, schedule, travel information, and answers to frequently asked questions.
• Follow-Up: One month before the wedding, we followed up with all guests to confirm the final headcount.
• Guest List Reality: We invited 80 guests and had a 70% attendance rate. Be prepared for some declines due to travel, budget, and family emergencies.

Travel and Accommodations

When planning a destination wedding, travel and accommodations are key considerations:

• Proximity to Airport: Choose a venue within close range of an international airport to make travel easier for your guests.
• Rideshare Services: Inform guests of the best rideshare services ahead of time so they can download the apps before arriving. This is typically cheaper than flagging a taxi upon arrival.
• Venue Accommodations: Inquire about the number of rooms available at your venue and how many guests can be accommodated. If on-site accommodations are limited, look for nearby bed and breakfasts or Airbnbs and provide this information on your wedding website. We prioritized a venue that could accommodate all our guests on-site to avoid transportation worries at the end of the night.
• Shuttle Service: Consider booking a shuttle service if many guests are staying off-site. Even though our on-site accommodations were a short walk, we opted for a shuttle due to the extreme August heat. This ensured all guests could travel comfortably and safely to and from the venue.

Here is a map we provided our guests, so they could understand exactly where the accommodation they booked was in proximity to the venue. Our venue had three different accommodation sites, which I noted on the map.

Bringing the Vision to Life

Creating the perfect ambiance was a priority for us, and we wanted to honor the historic charm of our venue, a UNESCO World Heritage Site from the Renaissance era. Here’s how we styled our day:

• Theme and Style: To complement the venue’s historic significance, we chose a romantic theme with a touch of elegance. Our decor was simple and minimal, using local florals and greenery such as olive and sage leaves, as well as lemons. The table decor leaned towards traditional rather than modern, and my wedding dress and hairstyle reflected a modern-Renaissance vibe.
• Planning the Decor: Armed with a Pinterest board, we shared our vision with our wedding planner. She created several mood boards for us to review. Once we selected our theme, we coordinated with the caterer and florist to bring our vision to life.
• Personal Touches: To ensure our stationery fit the theme, I designed all the menus and seating placement tags in Canva. These personal touches made our decor unique.

Food and Catering

The menu was a top priority for us, and we invested a lot of time in selecting each dish. We wanted our guests to experience authentic Italian cuisine, with all the wine and pasta they were expecting. Knowing we had some picky eaters among our guests, we carefully chose options that would appeal to everyone, minimizing the need for major menu modifications. We only made adjustments for those with food allergies or specific dietary requirements.

These were our dinner menus and cocktail menus, designed by me on Canva.

Reflection and Advice

After all is said and done, here is my reflection and advice for planning a destination wedding in Tuscany:

• What We’d Change: While our menu was a big hit with our guests, in hindsight, we wish we had spent more time researching catering companies. We encountered several issues with the service we chose, and often felt they were being less than transparent, which added unnecessary stress.
• Top Tip: Start early, stay organized, and don’t sweat the small stuff! Your guests won’t notice if every flower is perfectly arranged or if the silverware isn’t the fanciest. What truly matters is celebrating your love with the people who mean the most to you.