Alison and Alex’s wedding at Villa Il Poggiale

Alison and Alex dreamt of a fairytale destination wedding in the heart of Chianti, in Tuscany. Their dream was to dine under a tunnel of fairy lights, and so it was.

A wedding weekend at Villa Il Poggiale

They picked a beautiful villa on the Florence hills, Villa Il Poggiale: a historic venue in the heart of Chianti, a few minutes from San Casciano and very close to Florence. Here all their dearest guests joined them for the whole wedding weekend.

With the help of the wedding planner Olivia Sodi, they planned the reception starting from the lighting project, and everything else was built around this dream. They did not want a formal reception: they wanted a completely relaxed atmosphere for their guests. Together they found a great balance between the style of the venue and the wedding design, and every extra element found its perfect match in natural local elements such as wood, oak leaves and stones.

Ceremony in the park and portraits by the pool

The outdoor ceremony was held in the park of the villa, with elegant music by Firenze Classica. During the aperitif above the main villa lodge, overlooking the main garden, we took the newlyweds, the bridesmaids and the groomsmen for some photos together. Then we had a couple session with the bride and groom in the garden and by the pool, surrounded by a wonderful panorama of cypresses, vines and olive trees.

Dinner under a tunnel of fairy lights

For the al fresco dinner there was one long table in a tunnel of fairy lights, with the bride and groom in the centre, in a blaze of warm lights swaying in the wind. The speeches of parents and witnesses cheered up the dinner. The cake was decidedly unusual: it was made entirely of soft cheeses and Tuscan pecorino.

As soon as the guests got up from the long table, the party moved to the dance floor, outdoors under a colonial style tent, where it really came alive with the couple’s dances followed by disco.

With our reportage approach, we tried to tell the real emotions in the air: the day became a story of spontaneous, authentic and joyful images, capturing the natural beauty and elegance of both the venue and the couple.

As seen on: Wedding Chicks

Photographing at Villa Il Poggiale

Villa Il Poggiale gives couples plenty of space for photos. The park is a beautiful setting for an outdoor ceremony, and the aperitif area above the main villa lodge, overlooking the main garden, works well for group photos with bridesmaids and groomsmen. For couple portraits we love the garden and the pool, with their panorama of cypresses, vines and olive trees, and the front of the villa is a lovely backdrop too, as with Alex and his groomsmen.

In the evening the long tables set under the trees or between tall hedges become the stage. At the weddings of Alison and Alex and of Sarah and Simon, a tunnel of fairy lights filled the dinner photos with warm light.

More weddings in the Florence hills: Sarah and Simon at Villa Il Poggiale and Pascal and Jamil at Villa Corsini a Mezzomonte. Planning yours? See how we photograph weddings and check your date.