Lauren + Sam’s stylish intimate wedding in the Tuscan hills
Photography: Emily & Steve Photography | Wedding Planning: Wiskow & White
Lauren + Sam’s intimate and stylish wedding at the magical Villa il Pozzo in Certaldo, Tuscany is really something special.
The couple and 19 of their close friends and family made it out to Italy in July 2021 (despite many Covid-related obstacles) to celebrate in Tuscany surrounded by beautiful vineyards, rolling hills and seriously good vibes.
The day was completely unique and personal with every touch and detail carefully considered by Lauren and Sam. From the custom embroidery on Lauren’s veil, to personally selected love poems on everyone’s menus to those simply stunning Ginori plates that formed the basis of their table design - this day is full of style, warmth and personality.
Lauren and Sam always wanted a smaller and more personal wedding, as Lauren explains “intimate dinners are how we love to spend time with our friends and family, so we always wanted something very relaxed, comfortable and intimate, with just a dash of glamour and luxury.” And oh man, did they pull this off!
Scroll on for lots of super-stylish intimate wedding inspiration as well as tons of planning advice and tips from the couple, who faced more Covid drama than you can shake a stick at. Well done guys for pushing through and getting your dream day!
SUPPLIER DREAM TEAM -
Wedding Planner: Wiskow & White, Photography + Videography: Emily & Steve Photography, Venue: Villa il Pozzo, Catering: Italian Taste Lodovichi, Flower Design: L’Oasi, Hair + Makeup: Anna from BLBS, Stationery: White Vines Studio with watercolours Lana Dreams Design, Bridal Dress: Martina Liana Bridal Designs, Veil: Essense of Australia, Veil Embroidery: Ink & Thimble, Head-dress: Eden b. Studio, Shoes: Manolo Blahnik, Bride’s Wedding Ring: V by Laura Vann, Custom Kilt Jacket & Waistcoat: Kilts 4 U, Groom’s Shoes: Loake Birmingham, Groom’s Ring: Rachel Boston, Bridesmaid Dresses: Needle & Thread.
APPROACH TO PLANNING -
Lauren says, “the biggest step was committing to having our wedding in Italy. We knew that if we held our wedding in the UK, it could easily become bigger & busier than we wanted. We always wanted something very intimate and relaxed, and Italy was always a dream destination - it’s the perfect backdrop. Not everybody understood our decision but it was what we wanted and we’re so glad we stuck it out.”
BIGGEST CHALLENGE -
Lauren says, “having it in Italy. Up until the pandemic, this wasn’t too much of a problem but COVID made our wedding planning extremely challenging. We had several postponements, and even when we had our final date, ours and all of our guests flights were cancelled & changed countless times, leading to many panicked and worried moments. Besides that, planning our wedding was quite simple. Having Wiskow & White to source suppliers and brief them made it very easy.”
PERSONAL TOUCHES -
Lauren says, “we’re both extremely detail focused so we spent a lot of time thinking about all of the small details that would make the day ‘ours’ - from custom embroidery on my veil, to playlists crafted & curated over several years, to a personally selected love poem on everyone’s menu.”
ADVICE FOR FUTURE COUPLES -
Lauren says, “if you’re having your wedding in Italy soon, make sure all of your guests have their Green Passes, that they are up to date, and they have QR codes on.”
STANDOUT MOMENT -
Sam says, “seeing my bride walk down the aisle, and finally seeing her in her dress for the first time. It was very peaceful and calm inside Palazzo Pretorio where we were married, which was just the relaxed moment we had hoped for. I also loved walking around the medieval streets of Certaldo as husband and wife, with our photographers following closely behind. I love those photographs.”
ADVICE FOR FUTURE COUPLES -
Lauren says, “one for the brides - everyone tells you not to do this but you probably will - don’t hold your bouquet too high! I knew I wasn’t meant to and I did it anyway.”
FAVE STYLING DETAIL -
Lauren says, “Sam’s outfit took a lot of planning and several trips back home to Scotland. He wore his own kilt which he had for his 21st birthday, and had the jacket and waistcoat custom made in a lighter wool suitable for the warmer climate.”
DID ANYTHING GO WRONG? -
Lauren says, “being so detail focused there were plenty of little things that weren’t as we would have hoped - for example my veil wasn’t neat during the ceremony. These are things that nobody could really foresee before the moment, but I would say if there are things that are especially important to you - like having at least one photograph of your dress & veil set out neatly, tell someone beforehand to make sure it happens, or the time will fly past and you won’t realise until it’s much too late.”
BIGGEST WIN -
Lauren says, “simply being able to have our wedding. There were so many months when we felt it was never going to happen and that we were pouring money, time and love into something that would eventually be a disappointment. Finally getting to Italy with our guests, and having a few days to relax together before the wedding was the most incredible feeling.”
FAVE STYLING DETAIL -
Lauren says, “our table! I’m a huge fan of Ginori dinnerware (their shop window in Florence quite literally stopped me in my tracks many years ago), and being able to have their plates on our table was a huge win for us. With our planners, we built the table from there, finding the right chargers, napkins, tablecloth, stationery and flowers to complement them. We are very keen gardeners with a large rose collection so we were so happy with how beautiful our flowers by L’Oasi were - there were many tears on leaving them behind in Italy.”
BEST MONEY SPENT -
Lauren says, “our venue! We had our wedding at the magical Villa il Pozzo in Certaldo, Tuscany. We fell in love with the Villa when we first visited in 2018 and waited so long to be able to share the beauty with our guests. Watching them arrive and take it all in for the first time was the most magical moment. The Villa was incredible, making sure we had everything we needed, and hosting a wine tasting evening and a vineyard tour, which added so much to the magic and memories of our wedding.”
STANDOUT MOMENT -
Lauren says, “it’s so hard to choose, because although the day was about marrying Sam, it was also about having beautiful moments with everyone else too - sharing a glass of champagne with our mums and my Maid of Honour in the morning. Driving into Certaldo with my Dad. A crowd cheering as I got out of the car. Having a sneaky gelato with a few guests before returning to the Villa. Sitting at the table with everyone, listening to speeches as the sun went down. But if I had to choose one moment, I think it would probably be hearing Sam read his vows to me. They were beautiful, as I always knew they would be.”
THE VIBE ON THE DAY -
Lauren says, “very relaxed and romantic, which is exactly what we wanted. Intimate dinners are how we love to spend time with our friends and family, so we always wanted something very relaxed, comfortable and intimate, with just a dash of glamour and luxury. In all of the photos you can feel the love and friendship between us all. Every single person was included and formed a very special part of our wedding.”
STANDOUT SUPPLIER -
Lauren says, “there is no doubt, it has to be our wedding planners, Wiskow & White. Without them, our wedding would never have happened. They organised and arranged everything, made the legal side of it simple, and talked us through every step. They were fantastic, and we loved working with them. I can’t imagine trying to plan a wedding in Italy without a planner. I’m sure there were plenty of small processes, procedures and plans that had to be put in place that we were never even aware of, and it was so lovely to not have to think about them!”
“Lauren & Sam went through so many ups and (mostly) downs to make their wedding in Italy happen and we couldn’t be happier seeing it finally go ahead. All of their efforts paid off and this wonderful couple were finally married. We adored working with such a design centric brief, creating an overall atmosphere and very detailed tablescape that was deeply personal and intricate. We’ll always be so grateful to have been part of this day"
SUPPLIER DREAM TEAM -
Wedding Planner: Wiskow & White, Photography + Videography: Emily & Steve Photography, Venue: Villa il Pozzo, Catering: Italian Taste Lodovichi, Flower Design: L’Oasi, Hair + Makeup: Anna from BLBS, Stationery: White Vines Studio with watercolours Lana Dreams Design, Bridal Dress: Martina Liana Bridal Designs, Veil: Essense of Australia, Veil Embroidery: Ink & Thimble, Head-dress: Eden b. Studio, Shoes: Manolo Blahnik, Bride’s Wedding Ring: V by Laura Vann, Custom Kilt Jacket & Waistcoat: Kilts 4 U, Groom’s Shoes: Loake Birmingham, Groom’s Ring: Rachel Boston, Bridesmaid Dresses: Needle & Thread.
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Written by Beth Butler, marketing person and lover of all things weddings; with a particular passion for beautiful photography, muted florals and a good cup of tea.
