(Full highlights below)
Before the wedding
Steve & Becky immediately struck me as cool characters when we first met up for a coffee, who had some BIG plans and knew exactly what they wanted their wedding day to look and feel like, and they DEFINITELY pulled them off!
Whether it was driving (yes, driving) all the way to Tuscany from the UK with a van full of stuff, or shrugging at the mammoth task of flying out a whole band and arranging instruments for them as if it was no big deal, Steve & Becky were determined to do their day exactly as they wanted, and bloody hell did they succeed.
Upon arriving in Tuscany the day before the wedding, I headed to Borgo Il Castagno where I met Steve who was welcoming guests. After settling in and having a chat over a beer, Steve & Becky also planned a lovely relaxed party on the lawn of the villa that evening, with towers of proper Italian pizzas and live music courtesy of some very very talented family and friends. It definitely warmed everyone up and set the scene for the following day.
Preparations
Planning a later afternoon ceremony meant a lovely slow start to the day, allowing me to wander around the grounds of Borgo Il Castagno before meeting Becky and the girls for bridal preparations, which was super relaxed and just a great laugh, with last minute sewing and corks from bottles ending up down the toilet. I headed over to meet Steve & the boys for groom preparations, which was equally fun and silly, with some dodgy dancing to Down The Road by C2C.
Ceremony
The Italian villa garden wedding ceremony was simply beautiful. Once guests were seated, Becky walking down from the villa to meet Steve was a sight to behold, the whole thing felt like a something from a classic Italian film. This is where the celebrations began!
Going for a drive
After the lovely ceremony, Steve disappeared momentarily, before pulling up in a GORGEOUS cherry red vintage Alpha Romeo to take Becky for a drive into the Tuscan countryside, with her veil blowing in the wind. We headed down towards an incredible lake for a walk, giving us a chance to slow things down for some wonderfully natural and relaxed couple portraits in the Italian countryside.
Cocktail hour(s)
Rejoining guests on the terrace for some proper Italian nibbles and cocktails in the sunshine felt incredibly authentic, especially with three piece Italian jazz band the couple found busking in Florence, and asked to come along to play at their wedding, which the band gladly accepted (presumably in Italian).
Evening Reception
As usual, the Italians blew everyone away with several courses of the best food ever. This, coupled with very emotional speeches meant that everyone was geared up and ready to dance the night away. The party got into full swing with the band (Swagger) as you can see from the photos of everyone having the best time and fully letting their hair down. Becky’s dad Taff (who is an insanely talented guitarist) was even persuaded to jump on the guitar and stop everyone dead in their tracks with a solo. I was deep into the dance floor taking photographs until 2:30am, and had the best time ever catching some colourful dance floor wedding photography.
Final Thoughts
I would like to say another huge thank you to Steve & Becky for letting me join them and their lovely family and friends for what was SUCH an incredibly classic, fun Italy destination wedding in Tuscany. Hope you enjoy some highlights below!
Venue: Borgo Il Castagno
Planner: Efffetti
Band: Swagger Function Band
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