Today's real wedding is one of those ones you just wish you were a guest at. (Shout out to any of my engaged friends, get married in Tuscany please!).
Prosecco in the sunshine, jazz on the lawn, an al fresco dinner, and limoncello toasts into the evening, every detail of Emma & Mark's destination wedding in Italy sounds like a dream.
The most elegant tables, enchanting hanging lanterns, stunning style (I'm a tad obsessed with Emma's custom wedding dress!) and of course, that epic Tuscan backdrop – there's a whole lot to love (and want to borrow!) from this celebration.
And best of all, the Italian dream team behind it, with Stefano Santucci on photography, and Francesca of SposiamoVi on planning.
From the personalised ceremony to the laid back supper, we love the blend of effortless yet meaningful touches that flow through Mark & Emma's big day.
So, before you scroll down to swoon, and read a little more from the bride and groom themselves, the wonderful Stefano Santucci is going to tell us a little about this very special wedding.
From The Photographer
This is Emma and Mark's destination wedding in the south part of Tuscany.
We spent a joyful day in the amazing setting of Conti di San Bonifacio Wine Resort. This place was surrounded by hills and kissed by a warm Italian sun.
Emma and Mark were able to crown their dream of celebrating with their loved guests, thanks also to the perfect planning by Sposiamovi.
Emma and Mark are a very sweet couple from England, I really enjoyed being part of their big day, they were so in love and the entire event was a relaxing party, guests having fun, close moments, and also all the speeches were really beautiful.
Emma showed a certificate to her husband that she'd made him a Lord!
A special mention to how Sposiamovi organized everything, so special as always.
Wedding Day Snapshot
Our Love Story
Mark moved to Australia almost the same time that I moved to London – and it wasn’t until he returned that we met through some mutual friends.
He proposed on our first trip to Tuscany in the very same spot where we said our vows.
Our wedding in three words? Elegant, classic, and loving.
The Dresses
I wore a Charlotte Simpson dress and my bridesmaids were in Zimmerman, a favourite Australian brand.
I loved the experience of having my dress made by Charlotte. She was lovely and her style suited me perfectly. I looked forward to dress fittings to see her every few weeks.
Our Wedding Inspiration
Classic white against a beautiful backdrop of rolling Tuscan hills!
We wanted to keep the style simple and elegant and give the wedding an intimate dinner party feel. We made it a three day celebration with family and friends, many of who had travelled all the way from Australia.
The Venue
The location was perfect – high on a hill surrounded by Tuscan pines, olive groves and vineyards. We had booked a weekend away here in May 2014 – our first trip to Tuscany.
When Mark proposed there we knew it would be the perfect place for our wedding and we didn’t look at another venue.
The staff were wonderful from start to finish, so accommodating and helpful – it felt like they were part of the family on our day.
The Ceremony
The ceremony was very personal – our friend was the celebrant, and he had prepared a few surprises, including the sabering of a magnum of Prosecco to officiate the wedding!
After the ceremony our very talented friend, Charlie Lee sang with the jazz band and had all the guests on their feet.
Favourite Moments
All of the readings and speeches were so personal – including a few poems written just for us.
I couldn't believe how much effort everyone had put in to capture our life together. It was such a humbling experience, and something we will never forget.
The Budget
The food and wine were a big priority, plus the jazz band during the cocktail reception.
We had always imagined jazz and Prosecco on the lawn in the sunshine – this was one of our favorite parts of the day.
The Music
The first dance was ‘Fly me to the Moon’ by Frank Sinatra.
The father of the bride had also taken dance lessons and waltzed with the bride later in the night to Kate Melua ‘Taught me How to Dance’.
A moment I will never forget.
The Photography
We liked Stefano from the moment we exchanged emails – and his work is incredible.
I loved that he captured so many emotions on the day and we didn’t even know he was there.
The Decor & Details
We decorated the venue with flowers, lanterns and fairy lights.
For flowers we had sprigs of olive branch and garden roses.
Advice for Other Couples
Lock down accommodation early if you are planning a wedding abroad – this was by far the hardest thing to organize.
We couldn’t not have done this without the help of Francesca and her team too – I would highly recommend a wedding planner.
The Refreshments
We wanted our day to feel like a dinner party – we had three beautiful courses, followed by a traditional Italian wedding cake and limoncello to finish.
The Honeymoon
We had a beautiful few days in Italy with our family and friends after the wedding – they had travelled so far so we didn’t want to miss a moment with them.
We had a belated honeymoon in the Maldives later in the year which was pretty special too!
Oh, wow, I just want to go there! It just looks like the most perfect day. How cool that Emma made Mark a certified Lord – what a wedding gift!
I'd never heard of sabering Prosecco before either, but I'm very much into the sound of it!
Thanks so much to Stefano Santucci and the gorgeous Emma & Mark for sharing their Tuscan wedding with us.
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