Amanda and Dan brought 100 guests from NY to the beautiful countryside of Tuscany, for a 2-day celebration full of love, joy and laughter. They entertaned their guests with amazing activities and experiences and made our job so easy, even without having a chance to visit during planning.

“We used Tuscan Tours & Weddings (Serena & Klaidji) to plan our wedding in Tuscany, and I have to say, they were absolutely amazing! It was the best day of our lives, and everything completely exceeded our expectations. They were on top of every single detail, and made planning a wedding in Italy (from the US) easy and simple. I am SO glad we worked with them, and highly recommend anyone interested in a Tuscan wedding use them.

Thank you Serena and Klaidji for giving us our dream wedding!!!”

Thinking of skipping the tradition and marrying with just a handful of guests? Not a bad idea and lately a very popular type of destination wedding in Tuscany, Italy.

Ana & Luka’s intimate modern affair in Tuscany was one for the books. Coming from LA with their closest family and friends, the couple opted for a classic minimalist style amidst the beauty of Val D’Orcia and a stunning venue rich in historical character and picturesque spots.

Looking for advice and inspiration? send your enquiry to info@tuscantoursandweddings.it

Plan to visit Arezzo? Then you should not miss

• The monthly Fiera dell’Antiquariato, one of the most famous antique markets of Italy and a unique occasion to live the historic center of Arezzo with its ancient shops and the many market stalls rich in interesting items from the past
• The Giostra del Saracino, to experience the ancient traditions of this city, known already at the time of the Divine poet Dante for its jousting and tournaments
• The Medici fortress, recently restored and opened to visits, in which you find lot of traces of Arezzo’s past and from where you enjoy one of the best views of the city center
• Piazza Grande and the characteristic windy streets that reach the heart of the historic center and its many old-time shops and atmosphere
• Old taverns, traditional restaurants and shops where one finds the authentic flavors of the territory

But most of all do not miss the chance to see all this with me, expert tour guide of Arezzo, to hear about the city’s history and many anecdotes of the past and present of this important Tuscan city now known as the ‘city of gold’.

Italia, the land of pizza, pasta, wine and all things romantic. Plan a trip across the boot once it is safe to travel again? do not miss out Tuscany! Here’s my top 5 reasons you should include it in your ‘must see’ list when visiting Italy:

1. Drive along windy roads surrounded by lush vineyards and olive groves, or find yourselves in the middle of yellow sunflower fields
2. Explore postcard-perfect off-the-beaten-path walled towns where time seems to have stopped – that take your breath away
3. Get surprised by the unique beauty of winding streets full of flowers, red bricks, ancient details and folklore
4. Taste and fall in love with our incredible wine, olive oil and cheese or reconfirm your passion for them
5. Stop for a casual meal that becomes a feast and learn how Italians live for such food marathons

If your heart is set on any of these, then you absolutely have to come!

I always get so emotional when I am part of a beautiful love story in Tuscany!

And I am honored and happy to have been featured on Style Me Pretty front page with this beautiful editorial that I designed with an international team of creatives in August.

The castle grounds formed the inspiration for the color palette. Soft and romantic pink and mauve tones with a touch of dusty blue, to announce the delicate transition from summer to fall.

Every single detail of the design like the dress, the stationery, the shoes, the head piece and florals were carefully chosen to achieve an elegant romantic style that blended perfectly with the unique old-world vibe of the venue.

Intimate ceremony with breath-taking view of the castle, classic champagne tower and beautiful outdoor dining table in the Italian garden created a unique timeless setting with a modern and elegant twist.

And of course there was a stunning vintage car for the couple’s exit.

This feature is perfect if you plan to have a small intimate affair in Tuscany – check this link for more information on the different types of weddings available with me, and here the link to read the full article.

Project planning & styling: Tuscan Tours and Weddings | Styling: Tuscany Wine Food Adventures | Photography: Alexandra Vonk | Floral design: Corcortez Floral | Video: Katia Casprini | Venue: Castello di Celsa | Hair: Frank Giacone | Headpiece: Sibo Designs | Make up: Ilaria Calabrese | Wedding Dress: Daalarna Couture | Shoes: Bella Belle Shoes | Tuxedo: Sartoria Teatrale Antonietta | Stationery: Pen To Paper | Rentals: Preludio Divisione Noleggio | Silk ribbons and napkins: Corcortez Floral | Vintage car: Slow Hills | Styling Mats: Marry and Lilo | Ring boxes: Voeu du Coeur | Couple: Ilaria & Tommaso

“Famous art cities, castles and hill towns, rolling hills lined by cypress trees, sunflower fields, olive groves, vineyards, the purest olive oil and the best pecorino cheese, excellent wines. in one word: TUSCANY.”

When visiting my beautiful Tuscany why book a private tour with a local expert guide? To live a great Tuscany experience with high quality guiding services and a more relaxing pace than that of mass tourism. Mine are unique, interesting, fun, professional guided tours & activities that give an added value to your vacation in Tuscany and let you experience it like local Italians.

Together we will visit the homeland of Michelangelo, Piero della Francesca, Giorgio Vasari, Luca Signorelli, we will discover the landscapes painted by Leonardo and the charme of the mysterious Etruscans, the sets of famous films like “Life is Beautiful” and “Under The Tuscan Sun”, we will visit walled hill towns and medieval castles, Romanesque churches and ancient monasteries, jewellery labs, wineries and farms where the typical products of Arezzo are born.

Wanna read further? Here you go! at these links you find overview of my most popular guided tours

cultural

food & wine

See you in Tuscany!

With Tuscany staying high in couples’ dreams and micro weddings on the rise I think you may enjoy some insider’s tips about where to get married, especially if you’d like to choose a small hill town with pretty architecture and lots of views to celebrate the most important day of your life.

Here are my top five Tuscany hill towns that boast a picturesque and very romantic setting, perfect for intimate weddings:

1. Cortona, this almost 3-thousand-year-old hill town was made famous by the film Under the Tuscan Sun and became a very popular wedding destination for all those seeking beauty and romance. Cortona lies on top of a hill with open views of a lush green valley that in summer fills with sunflower fields – Valdichiana – and is fully surrounded by silvery olive groves that add extra beauty to the scenery. The Medieval Town Hall palace and the many ancient churches are perfect to say I do with legal or religious ceremony, while if you plan to have a symbolic rite, the surroundings are dotted with charming villas and farmhouses that perfectly accommodate small parties. And the town centre – that spreads around the two main piazzas, Piazza della Repubblica and Piazza Signorelli – has so many picture-perfect spots that you may not want to leave!

2. Pienza, so pretty and romantic! This small town has one of the most amazing views of Val D’Orcia and its quaint streets with evocative names like “street of love” and street of kiss” make it unique. The historical centre develops along Corso Rossellino and is full of beautiful architecture all around. This is perfect for a small wedding with civil ceremony in the Town Hall; religious ceremonies are held in the beautiful renaissance Cathedral or in the ancient the Pieve di Corsignano, but best to check availability first, because both churches are currently under restoration. No worries in case these are still unavailable on your date, because in the immediate countryside there is a lovely venue with own church and pretty setting, and lots of accommodation! No need to speak of villas and venues to stay, as the region is dotted with so many beautiful options, perfect if you wish to stay a full week or just a few days. And the area has so many picture-perfect spots like Vitaleta chapel, just to name one!

3. Montepulciano, this hill town overlooks two valleys – Valdichiana, green and lush, and Val D’Orcia, with the famous rolling hills of Tuscany – and features lots of historical character and beautiful architecture. It is mostly known for Vino Nobile – the excellent local wine produced with Sangiovese – but I recommend it also for intimate weddings: the ancient Town Hall palace set in the Piazza Grande is perfect for civil ceremonies. Or you may marry with symbolic rite at one of the many beautiful villas with breathtaking views located in the immediate countryside. No church weddings for the moment here, but there is so much more that I am sure you’ll want to add it onto your list!

4. San Gimignano is undoubtedly a place full of charme and romance. Its beautiful historic centre characterized by the many medieval towers and the overall architecture make it a unique destination for weddings. You may marry with civil ceremony at the medieval Town Hall palace, or with a religious rite in one of its beautiful churches filled with ancient frescoes. Imagine walking along its main street, stopping in the Piazza della Cisterna and take a few romantic shots by the pozzo, and a few more in front of the Collegiata church with stunning towers as backdrop. Each moment here is really magical and you’ll love reliving it through the photos! And not far from San Gimignano there are beautiful venues that accommodate small to medium parties, so you have everything covered!

5. San Galgano, this is not a town but an amazing roofless church immersed in the open countryside south of Siena. I could not but include it in my top 5 romantic wedding destinations of Tuscany as this site is one of the most unique and special of our region. Imagine to marry in this gorgeous roofless church and have its incredible architecture as backdrop for your civil ceremony – it really is a dream place and in fact it gets booked out so fast, but it is worth a try for sure! No problem about accommodation because nearby there are lovely places to book.
Inspired? Drop me a message with your ideas and questions and we’ll start from there!
Wanna read further about wedding ceremony locations?

My olive harvest started earlier this year, because olives seemed to be ripening earlier, and since I had lots of free time, I followed the latest trend of picking them in late October to have a more fragrant oil and already got my fresh olive oil!

It is such an emotion to be at the oil mill. I follow each phase of the production personally: from weighing, cleaning, washing olives, to when they are smashed into a paste and passed into the gramola, a sort of kneading machine that works the paste for at least 40 minutes to allow oil to come out.

And at the end, from this loud noise of machinery and engines my liquid gold finally comes out, so green and full of perfume that I would love to stick my finger in it right there. But I put it in a storage tank and take it home, ready to savour it on bruschetta or one of Tuscany’s typical dishes.

Also, since I use lots of olive oil in my diet and what my small olive grove produces never suffices, I buy more from the oil mill right away to be covered until next harvest. Sounds crazy but I have to get my year’s supply before quantity goes down and price goes up, don’t you agree?

Because we Italians use so much olive oil that you cannot imagine …  guess how much, can you?

And if you plan to visit Tuscany and have in your bucket list a private olive oil tasting tour, have a look at my offers at this link

Francesca & Brian’s love for all things Italian made them choose to marry in Tuscany. Their amazing destination wedding in Italy was celebrated at a beautiful villa near Florence with historical character and open views onto the lush countryside.

Together we planned a wonderful weekend of celebrations starting from a sunset time welcome cocktail in downtown Florence – where everyone enjoyed drinking and chatting in front of breath-taking views of Ponte Vecchio and the city roofs – to an exclusive wedding celebration in the countryside.

The couple wanted to have not just an ordinary Tuscan wedding, so their BIG day was designed with special attention to detail: from the romantic vows in the villa’s scenic terrace with view of Florence, to the delicious and refreshing Tuscan cocktail in the villa court, to the incredible ‘al fresco’ reception seated at a 22,5 metre long tablescape in the villa garden, under twinkling lights and in front of iconic views of Tuscany – and of course a night party full of music, drinks and fun!

A lot of attention was dedicated to the reception décor, to obtain a lux Tuscan vibe, and their amazing tablescape had that perfect rustic, timeless, elegant feel: wooden table and chairs, soft white organza runner, abundant olive & eucalyptus greenery runner, candles of different sizes and height, cute olive oil favours with pale blue velvet ribbons and beautiful pale blue stationery created the fabulous look of the reception that everyone loved.

The delicious wedding cake was made in front of the bride and groom, and was followed by a lovely tunnel with sparklers with which all guests escorted bride & groom onto the dance floor.

Last but not least, the bride and groom could not resist driving a red vintage Alfa Romeo into the green countryside and the pics are just stunning!

Bride & groom looked amazing and their “just married” look was so full of joy that everyone could only rejoice with them!

I cannot but be blessed to have been chosen by this beautiful couple and have worked with an amazing bride full of energy and contagious enthusiasm – thanks guys for having me plan the most beautiful wedding ever!