Stunning Destination Wedding, Tuscany, Italy
Emily and Mark's Mantaione Wedding, Tuscany
WOW WOW WOW, Where do I start? Every wedding I photograph is special to me in a different way but Emily and Mark's wedding in Italy is just something that I will never forget and will remain with me for a very long time.
Emily first contacted me to see if I could photograph her 'English' wedding reception at Bashall Barn and of course I said yes, having got married in Italy myself we exchanged a few emails about how to go about planning the Italy wedding and then it occurred to me to offer my services as their wedding photographer - in Italy. The more and more I thought about it the more it made sense on their part and mine; I LOVE to travel and would love to shoot a wedding in Italy and from Emily and Mark's point of view, we could meet in England before hand, there was no language barrier and there would be consistency with their wedding pictures - I liked they idea and luckily so did they!
The Bride and Groom flew out on the Monday and myself and my sister-in-law Rachel flew out the day before the wedding. After a short de-tour in to Pisa for a token picture with the leaning tower and a glass of red we headed off to Montaione, a small town in the rolling Tuscan hillside.
On the day of the wedding itself both bridal parties got ready on the estate and then we headed off in to the beautiful, old town of Certaldo. It couldn't have been more Italian, everything about it was just perfect, Emily was even driven to Certaldo Town Hall in a pastel blue Fiat 600 - divine. The ceremony went perfectly and afterwards we went to one of the small street side bars in Certaldo for prosseco and antipasti. I could have taken pictures there all day, the backdrop was amazing, however we needed to get back to Villa Montaione for the wedding reception, which was equally as beautiful. We stopped off on the way in the Fiat 600 for some 'Tuscany' road side shots and then returned to the estate where wonderful wedding planner Valentina had everything in place for an afternoon of feasting and fun.
Before a game of Mr and Mrs, the wedding guests enjoyed a selection of canapés like I have never seen before - the Italians know how to feed you! And once everyone had eaten in the evening it was over to the lake for Emily and Mark's first dance and watching the sunset. It was an amazing day from start to finish, and made even more special by how welcoming all their family and friends were.
A special thanks goes out to Valentina the wedding planner who was incredible and my wonderful Sister-in-law Rachel, who not only drove the Bridesmaids in to town, but also provided endless amounts of entertainment and company over the weekend.
Other thanks go out to:
The Venue - Villa Montaione,
Wedding Planner - Valentina Nardi at www.posarellivillas.com
Flowers and Caterers - Organised by Valentina
Bride's Dress - The White Gallery in Ramsbottom - Noya by Riki Dalal
Bridesmaids Dress - Monsoon
Groom's Suit - Greatest Thread suit from Kurt Muller
It was hard going choosing which images to share with you! But here are some of my faves from the day - I will warn you now, its a long one!
Enjoy and please do leave a message for me or the Bride and Groom at the bottom. Also if you or some one you know is getting married abroad please do let them know that I would love to travel to shoot their wedding!
Kirsty x
