A lavish jazz-era destination wedding in Tuscany (with four stunning dresses!)

Lavish Jazz-era Italian Destination Wedding – Stefano Santucci 66

Whenever we see an email from photographer Stefano Santucci, we get quite giddy. Before opening that sweet little message we know what to expect: cinematic photos of the undeniably dreamy Tuscan countryside.

As if that expectation weren’t already enough, this particular micro wedding submission instantly captured our hearts: today’s destination bride & groom spoils us all lavish jazz-era details & four out-of-this-world beautiful wedding dresses.

Further South from our last dreamy Tuscan wedding (yes, I’m still writing to you all from the Florence leg of our honeymoon!) Anqi & Sijie found the incredible Borgo Stomennano. Opulent ballrooms, immaculate grounds and a rustic exterior – this Siena villa was the perfect canvas for the detail-rich scene of their intimate wedding.

You’ll likely find oodles of details worth saving & swooning-over but it’s impossible to miss Anqi’s incredible sense of style. Wearing four different wedding dresses, all captivating in their own right, Anqi channeled the lavish & luxe Gatsby bride. A grand ballgown, a beaded ceremony dress with matching veil, a glittering jazz-era reception gown and 1920s headpiece, and a vintage shimmering gold gown to waltz into the night.

Our Wedding Story

We met at a party of our friends in New York. When we first talked with each other, we found that we have a lot of things in common. We both love Jazz, love Japanese culture, love dessert and so on.

When we both saw the road of olive trees, we knew this is the place where we will get married. We both love vintage details and the Italian countryside – the Italian villa & decor of Borgo Stomennano excited us.

If every story is an art form, ours is a film. For us to have our wedding in Siena was not very easy, it took a lot of time for us to plan, and so many troubles to solve, something I even wanted to give up. But I always persuade myself that our wedding was the best movie for us, a lifetime memory.

From Stefano Santucci

Anqi & Sijie wanted to do an intimate wedding in Tuscany – they were looking for an authentic villa with a history. We selected Borgo Stomennano and we knew it would be perfect for the style they were looking for, they immediately fell in love with the magnificent alley leading to the venue. The villa is a family-owned Borgo which we could entirely privatize their wedding party. The wedding was very intimate and relaxed, only close family and good friends who stayed for three days in Borgo.

The Design & Decor

For the wedding design, the bride wanted a vintage, elegant feel. We (the planners) set the ceremony in the front garden with a beautiful fountain; it gave the whole design a romantic touch. Flower petals and big blooms were arranged by Flowers Living around the fountain leading to a tall arch decorated with blush chiffon, candles and pretty florals. The overall colors were blush, white, antique rose with small touches of deep burgundy to emphasize on centerpieces.

Vintage sofas & décor were placed to create lounges for the cocktail time while the caterer set a magnificent buffet of Italian delights and sweet tunes were playing in the background. For many of the guests, it was their first time in Italy so we wanted to make sure they enjoy their experience.

Lavish Jazz-era Italian Destination Wedding – Stefano Santucci 67

Lavish Jazz-era Italian Destination Wedding – Stefano Santucci 68

Lavish Jazz-era Italian Destination Wedding – Stefano Santucci 71

The Reception

The dinner took place in the beautiful living room by the garden, the table setting and centrepieces matched perfectly with the elegantly decorated ceiling and antiques.

As the end neared, the couple prepared and cut a traditional millefoglie followed by their first dance: a waltz in front of the decorated fireplace.