Guest Post: Planning a Chic Destination Wedding in Tuscany

A destination wedding in Tuscany offers a myriad of possibilities; beautiful cities such as Florence, Siena, Lucca, and Pisa, charming hilltop villages, majestic castles, stunning cathedrals, quaint abbeys, gorgeous seaside locations, not to mention the history, art, climate, culture and warmth of the Italian people {and I'm not just saying that because my dad's family hails from Lucca}...
Tying the knot in Tuscany truly guarantees a spectacular setting, and a one-of-a-kind experience for your guests.
Are you are dreaming about having a Tuscan wedding, but unsure of where to start? Chiara Sernesi, owner of Weddings in Tuscany, a boutique wedding planning firm that has designed hundreds of unique weddings for couples from all over the world {and whose goal is to ensure that the clients weddings flows seamlessly}, is guest blogging on Merci New York today with her tips on how to plan a perfect Tuscan wedding. Welcome, Chiara!
Where to start:
The first thing I ask our clients to do is set a budget and work out a tentative head count, this influences the style of wedding. After that, we work out the style guide. For example, what do they want their day to look like? What are the ‘must-haves,’ what Tuscan elements do they want to incorporate? After that, I guide our clients through each step of planning and designing, suggest specific vendors that I have carefully screened and will ensure that all these elements come together perfectly. My primary focus is create an event that is a reflection of each couple, full of love, fun and celebrating. It’s all about the unique experience!
Legal details
Next up, the legal documents need to be processed. There are no residency requirements in Tuscany, which makes the process fairly simple and in most cases the documents can be processed with short notice. However, if our clients are not fluent in Italian, I always prefer to process the documents for them. Italy is famous for its bureaucratic red-tape for good reason, and I want to make sure our clients don’t sweat the small stuff so that they are free to sightsee, relax, and join in on what their guests are doing.

Give your guests plenty of notice
After working out all the essentials, it’s important to give your guests plenty of notice. That means sending your save-the-date cards out at least six months in advance. This will give your guests plenty of time to make the necessary vacation and travel arrangements.
What kind of Tuscan experiences do you want to share with your guests?
There are an abundance of fantastic things to do and see in Tuscany. Private wine tours, Cucina Rustica cooking classes, shopping in Florence, walking tours, or a hot air balloon ride over the countryside. I help our clients organize an itinerary making sure they get to experience the heart of Tuscany, yet at the same time I encourage our clients not to over-plan, and make sure they leave some free time for themselves and their guests to relax, catch their breath and reflect on seeing their dream become a reality.

Planning Your Packing
Make sure you have the right-sized suitcases or boxes ahead of time. Carry all your wedding apparel and rings onto the plane, ask the airline if this is possible {you might have to pay an extra fee}, this way you won’t have the stress of replacing it on short notice if your luggage goes missing. If you are shipping anything, make sure everything is sent at least a month in advance.
Upon arrival
I usually meet up with our couples upon arrival, either at the airport or the wedding venue, just to help them settle in and guide them through the wedding details, so that they know what to expect. I also encourage our brides to do a trial hair and makeup run, and organize for their wedding attire to be steamed. After that, all they are required to do is sit back, relax and soak up the Tuscan atmosphere... We do the rest.
In the end, a destination wedding is designed to take the pressure off the couple, and to create a unique experience for everyone. All that our couples do is enjoy themselves and not stress about the little things, {that’s my job}. I remind them that they must not forget why they are in Tuscany, and make sure they have the time to enjoy it!
Learning more...
For more information about planning your wedding or event in Tuscany, visit the Weddings in Tuscany Web site, or you can check out their blog, or drop them a line at info{at}weddingsintuscany{dot}info.

All photos courtesy of Weddings in Tuscany.