Monteriggioni - Real Wedding

A  Catholic religious wedding ceremony for Andrew & Karina in Monteriggioni, a beautifully preserved  medieval Tuscan hill top town was the brief for Marry Me In Tuscany.

After lots of emails and having spoken to them on the phone to get an idea of what their dream wedding would be I set about putting a list of potential venues together for them so they could come up with a short list of ones that they would like to visit.

Like lots of couples, Andrew and Karina came out to meet up with me and to visit some venues, and suppliers and the local English speaking priest. On a cold winter's day we  headed off to the first venue that I had recommended for them, Il Piccolo Castello in Monteriggioni, they liked it so much that they decided that they didn't need to see any more  always lovely to know that I've picked up the essence of what the couples are looking for and great that Andy was so decisive!

We then headed off to visit with the priest, I always think that if you are having a religious wedding ceremony it's a good idea to meet up with the priest who is going to marry you, makes the ceremony so much more personal. But maybe I got that wrong this time, unfortunately a slight spat between Karina's dad Willie and the priest meant that they weren't too happy for him to marry them so the search was on for another priest.

Andy & Karina headed back to Ireland and I continued the search for a priest that would be willing to marry them. Finding English speaking priests can be like finding a needle in a haystack, there aren't too many of them and after a few false starts  and lots of comedy moments....I found Don Angelo who said that he would be delighted to marry them and so with a sigh of relief we moved onto the finer details of the wedding.

Karina had found a photo in one of the bridal magazines, which used peacock feathers in the bouquet and as the bridesmaid's dressers were a fabulous peacock blue I spoke to the florist and with a twist of Italian flair they produced this amazing bouquet for Karina. And not to be out done a gorgeous button hole for Andy and the men.

Some of the family arrived early to enjoy the build up to the wedding and then 35 guests arrived the day before the wedding, I had arranged transport for them to bring them from Pisa airport so they didn't have to worry about driving on the wrong side of the road, or getting lost, we'd arranged an informal BBQ the night before the wedding, where high spirits ensued and the groom was nearly dumped unceremoniously in the pool, fortunately Karina came to his rescue and sent them all to bed!

There were a few thick heads the following morning when I turned up with the hairdresser, Andy kept appearing and then heading back to bed, meanwhile all the girls and mums were getting their hair done and getting ready.

As Il Piccolo Castello is just outside Monteriggioni we'd arranged for a bus to come and pick them up and then a shuttle mini bus to take them up to the town itself, well when you're wearing high heels the last thing you want to do is climb a hill to a wedding!

Weddings in Monteriggioni take place in the beautiful little church in the main piazza, Santa Maria Assunta  which is a simple Romanesque church, but stunning all the same.

And so the fun began, after decorating the car, I headed up to the church to wait for the guests to arrive and for Karina and her dad to arrive in the cute vintage VW beetle they had chosen for the wedding car. The pianist started to play and the soprano started singing and Karina made her grand entrance in to the church, which had been decorated with the most amazing floral displays created by my talented florists.

And how about these for pew ends..

Andy & Karina bought these wonderful Candles with them for the wedding ceremony which they had had made specially for them in Ireland.

And so with the wedding ceremony over, the newly weds  headed out into the sun to have some photos taken, and I started dismantling the flowers from the church to take back to the hotel, I was just lifting the flowers from the altar, something I know you shouldn't do as they are supposed to be left as a gift, but I'm a northern girl so like to make sure that my clients get the full benefit of everything, when Don D crept up, so I made it looked like I was repositioning them, I think he was eying the rest but too but I was way too quick for him and had already loaded them into the van...;-D

And a little stroll round the town...

Before heading off back to Il Piccolo Hotel for the aperitivo and a scrumptious dinner..

Where Andrea captured this wonderful photo of Karina with the playful water fountains in the pool.

After dinner in the veranda, the tables were cleared and the craic began, with dancing to Guty and Simone the greatest wedding singers in Tuscany, we were all having such a great time, that it was difficult for Andrea the photographer and Simone the videographer and I too leave... in fact we were dragged on to the dance floor to enjoy the fun, till the wee small hours.....Irish weddings I love them!

And to finish how about this wonderful shot of Andy and Karina with Monteriggioni in the background, I think you'll agree it's the perfect location for a church wedding, it's certainly top of my list.

Photo credits:

• Andrea Pitti