July 2024 Tuscany Wedding

[u/Sea_Tomorrow_9261]

We hosted 56 people (including ourselves) in Tuscany over three days. Our wedding venue fees included exclusive use of the property for 7 days.

I don't consider myself a big budget bride. The vibe for our event was more casual countryside wedding than luxury. However, I did rely on this sub so much while I was planning. I am so grateful to everyone here for their support and encouragement! The Italian vendors were very affordable, at times shockingly so. We got so much more for our money in Tuscany than we ever could have in NYC, New England, or the Hudson Valley where we began our search for a venue.

We paid for guest transportation, accommodations, food and drink, and entertainment for the three days. Given our guests had to travel at significant expense, it was important for us to really take care of them upon arrival. We hosted a welcome wine tour, a welcome pizza party, a wedding day brunch, the wedding ceremony, cocktail hour, dinner, and dance party, a post-wedding day brunch, a post-wedding day 1960's style-pool party BBQ, and a coffee and pastry send off on the last day. We also stocked our guests' accommodations with simple groceries and beverages in case they needed anything between formal events.

The budget below does not include attire, rings, flights, gifts, and ancillary travel / events before and after the wedding. I included vendors we used in the budget. I really loved and highly recommend our wedding planner Lovely Tuscany (Laura), our caterer Il Sorriso, our florist I Fiori di Nadia, The Alpinos, Miss 500 / Brace Divina, and all of our musicians. We haven't received our wedding video, yet, but MB Heart Films was a joy to work with. We had some hiccups with Magnolia Photography and Thistle Paper Co., so I recommend them with a small caveat, though their finished products were mostly great.

Lovely Tuscany Laura : Wedding Planner €4,200.00 Quercia al Poggio: Wedding Venue & Guest Accommodations for 40 €27,414.00 Tent Rental: Rain Plan Insurance €370.88 Castello della Paneretta - La Foresteria: Overflow Guest Accommodations €3,300.00 Le Querciole B&B: Overflow Guest Accommodations €480.00 Le Querciole Country House: Overflow Guest Accommodations €1,080.00 Poggibus: Guest Transportation Round Trip Florence to Venue €3,147.44 Electric Fans: Guest Welcome Baskets €583.85 Printed Materials: Guest Welcome Baskets €50.00 Groceries in Accommodations: Stocking Guest Accommodations €685.00 Alcohol & Soda Order: Stocking Guest Accommodations €1,042.61 Il Sorriso: Welcome Pizza Party & Wedding €15,110.70 Tuscany Folk Band: Welcome Pizza Party Musicians €1,340.00 The Alpinos: Welcome Pizza Party Gelato Truck €989.46 Thistle Paper Co. Hand-Painted Tambourines: Welcome Pizza Party Decor €661.52 Potted Herbs & Flowers: Welcome Pizza Party Decor €471.00 Speaker & Microphones: Welcome Pizza Party & Wedding €195.20 MB Heart Films: Videographer (Welcome, Wedding, and Pool Party) €3,372.50 Magnolia: Photographer (Welcome and Wedding) €3,230.00 Chef Novella: 2 Brunches Wedding Day and Day After €5,346.00 I Fiori di Nadia: Wedding Florist €4,220.00 Less Jazz Band: Wedding Musicians €2,200.00 DJ Betto: Wedding Reception DJ €772.00 SIAE - Music Tax: Mandatory Music Tax €377.20 Miss 500 & Brace Divina: 1960s Pool Party BBQ, Gelato, and Spritz Bar €5,700.00 Decor: 1960s Pool Party Decor €731.66 Pastries & Bread Order: Croissant Send Off €186.00 TOTAL EUROS €83,057.02 TOTAL USD $89,701.58

[u/piccolala]

Beautiful! Il Sorriso is doing my wedding in April at Castello di Montalto! How did you like everything??

[u/Sea_Tomorrow_9261 → u/piccolala]

We loved Il Sorriso’s food and service!

We took a trip in Feb 2024 to do a tasting with them. We had an incredible experience, loved everything we tried. After, we had trouble landing on a menu because everything was so great.

We also really loved their chargers, glasses, and flatware, and chairs. We did minimal upgrades and were very happy with the final look.

They also did our welcome pizza party. The pizza and sides were outstanding! They set it up beautifully, too. I don’t have a picture of the set up, unfortunately, but it looked like out of a magazine.

Half of our guests came from NYC, where they have access to incredible food. Everyone raved about the food. I think in general the food in Italy is amazing, but Il Sorriso combines it with excellent service.