Laura and Blair’s Beautifully Elegant Outdoor Tuscan Wedding by Nataly Montanari

Happy Friday everyone, I hope you have survived the cold this week, it sure is getting chilly! Roll on spring! To bring you some summer sun today we are heading off to beautiful Tuscany for this gorgeous wedding that was sent into me by wedding planners, The Tuscan Wedding. It was captured by Nataly Montanari and it really is a stunner. With the most gorgeous outdoor ceremony, followed by a jaw dropping reception, this wedding screams out Boho Chic, mixed with a true elegance and classic styling. A stunning day with the most amazing of backdrops. Enjoy!

To put it simply, the seemingly endless beauty and intimacy provided by our romantic Italian wedding was matched only by the love and support of our friends and family who joined us.

Laura and Blair were married on the 18th July 2016 at Villa di Maiano, Italy. ‘The venue was beautiful; we loved how it over looked Florence.  To us it represented traditional Italian countryside.  It was authentic and the venue had tremendous history.  We also appreciated how all of the rooms and accommodations were different. There was plenty of exploring to do, and the views and the grounds were just breath-taking. We had 75 guests. We started planning about one year in advance. This allowed us to notify our guests early and made the planning process well-paced and not rushed. It was indescribably beautiful.  We have difficulty putting the whole experience into words to be honest.  The venue, the setting, the ceremony; they were right out of a fairy tale.  We were very fortunate to have our guests attend.  The celebration would not have been what it was without them.’

How they met
We met 6 years ago while Laura was working on a project in Toronto.  At the time she was living in Ottawa and making the weekly commute.

The Proposal
The proposal happened along the waterfront in Toronto.  We went out for a bike ride and ended up on a secluded point of Ashbridges Bay.

Where did you splurge and where did you save?
We are foodies at heart, so we knew that hosting a luxurious meal for our friends and family would be very important. We splurged on a Michelin star chief and couldn’t have been happier with the fantastic meal that she put together – from the extravagant cheese table to the traditional Italian wedding cake. As our wedding venue brought endless beauty and charm of its own, we saved on decorations and added only enhancements of lighting and natural floral arrangements.

Why did you choose your photographer? –
We both liked her approach, and the artistry behind her photography.  She was present, but by no means a “presence” the whole day.  She managed to capture every moment beautifully.  She was a pleasure to work with.

The Dress
The wedding gown was by a Canadian designer, Paloma Blanca, which was important for us to have a piece of home as we were married at a destination.

The Suit and Bridesmaids
The groom wore a classic black suit by Hugo Boss, which matching bowties and pocket squares for the groomsmen. The bridesmaids wore floor-length matching grey dresses of different colours – each of a slightly different style.

Theme or Colour Scheme
We consciously choose not to have a colour scheme, as we wanted to elicit a natural, easy vibe that would allow us to seamlessly blend into the beautiful surroundings. We choose natural tones (whites, greens) and elements (wood, greenery) with small hints of varying shades of pinks and peach.

Flowers
We had an assortment of flowers – including an assortment of roses (English, spray, etc.) astilbe, dahlia with an even spread of greenery (succulents, olive branches, eucalyptus).

Food
We hosted an elegant cocktail hour with passed appetizers, an extravagant cheese table and various welcome cocktails, followed by a three-course meal of risotto, pasta, and fillet of beef… and our traditional Italian wedding cake!

The Wedding Cake
Traditional Italian wedding cake – Millefoglie with chantilly cream and red fruits or chocolate prepared in front of the guests

Entertainment
We had a classical guitarist perform for the ceremony, as well as the aperitif hour.  It suited the venue quite well. Diane Ross, a personal friend, sang at the appertif hour as well.

Stationery
The stationery was supplied by Wedding Divas.com

Special Moments or Highlights
The ceremony was very special to us.  It took place under a massive tree in a courtyard that overlooked rolling hills of olive trees and the view of Florence.  Our grandmother also took part in the ceremony, it was a moment that we hold very dear to us.

Advice for other couples
Let go, and enjoy every moment!

What was your biggest surprise of the day?
Two “memorable” moments come to mind: 1. The father of the groom breaking into song during his wedding speech – and successfully invited all the guests to join in; 2. One of the groomsmen losing his pants 15 minutes before the ceremony.

Supplier Shout Outs:

• Photographer: www.natalymontanari.com

For more information on The Tuscan Wedding Planners go to:

www.thetuscanwedding.com / www.thetuscanwedding.com/blog / [email protected] / +39 339 1935563 / FACEBOOK / T: @Tuscan_Wedding  / I: @the_tuscan_wedding / PINTEREST /

The Tuscan Wedding is a creative wedding planner based in Florence, Tuscany. We specialise in organising weddings for couples from all over the world who want to experience their day surrounded by the beauty of Italy. We believe in the importance of the details and that they all contribute towards creating a unique and personal day for our couples. The Tuscan Wedding is one of the very few Italian wedding planners with international competence and perfect “mother-tongue” knowledge of the Anglo-American languages and cultures. We provide expert help Getting Married in Italy and supplying traditional Tuscan Weddings