Weddings in Tuscany are a classic for foreigners who decide to come to celebrate their love in our country. Getting married with the scenery of the hills of this wonderful region is a real daydream, even more so if we have the opportunity to share so much beauty with people dear to us. However, every wedding has its own story, something that makes it precious and unique when compared to the others: in the case of of Phil and Rocelle’s story – that I will tell you today – it’s the set of different factors that make their union really special. The two met when they were still very young and decided to celebrate their wedding not only with their loved ones but also with a large group of friends, in a charming villa on the Apennines.
The result was a touching ceremony and a really fun day, with guests who were not just extras but were also an integral part of the reasons why this wedding will be remembered for a long time! It is no coincidence that the couple chose a place that they could actually share together rather than the classic five-star hotel, an experience that I was really happy to be able to film and witness. Today I will tell you about this truly unique day, and all those elements that have actually made it so special: not only the couple and their guests, but also a characteristic villa in the hills and the region that hosts it: Tuscany.
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Tuscan Excellence: Food, Wine and Perfect Atmosphere for a Fabulous Wedding
Everyone knows Italy is rich in beautiful landscapes from North to South, from the Dolomites to the sea of the Gulf of Sorrento, and every Italian region has a rich and fascinating history, with its traditions and its peculiar characteristics. So why do so many couples choose specifically Tuscany for their wedding? First of all, surely because it offers a landscape that is in perfect balance between sea and mountains: on the rolling hills of the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines, in fact, you can literally touch the sky with a finger, but at a reasonable distance from the coast and the most beautiful cities of art throughout Italy. The second reason is precisely this: when we talk about Italy we cannot help but think of Dante, of Michelangelo, in general of the Renaissance, whose cradle was precisely this beautiful region. Not surprisingly, it is still possible to visit beautiful museums that preserve priceless works of art and tell a fundamental piece of the history of our country.
In addition, I am sure that any couple, when thinking about their wedding, wants not only to live their special day in a fairytale setting, but also the weather to be particularly lenient to celebrate without discomfort: Tuscany is also perfect from this point of view, because its central position in our peninsula prevents it from being targeted by the most typical rains of the northern regions, but at the same time makes sure that there is not the sometimes excessive heat which characterizes the southern regions.
Nestled in the hills, at an optimal temperature… What more could you want? Great food? Well, even in this Tuscany is an absolute excellence: the cuisine of this region attracts visitors from all over Italy for its characteristics, also because in addition to satisfying the most demanding palates is often accompanied by wines of international fame! In this region, in fact, world-famous wines are produced, such as Chianti, which takes its name from a specific area of Tuscany, and which, by law, must be produced exclusively in this area to be defined so.
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The discreet elegance of Villa Cungi
To enjoy all this beauty, it is essential to choose the right location. In Tuscany there are certainly many possibilities, it is almost as if each hill had its own villa or mansion as a lookout on the surrounding area. Phil and Rocelle have chosen Villa Cungi, an estate almost in the middle of three beautiful regions: Umbria, Emilia-Romagna and Tuscany: an enviable location for sure! But in addition to the view and the opportunity to visit not one but three Italian regions there is much more that struck me about this villa. Often couples of international newlyweds also bring with them friends and family, and try to spoil them in every way by choosing the most luxurious resorts: something certainly beautiful, but that sometimes makes the stays a bit cold and that allows only for few moments to spend all together.
In the case of Villa Cungi, it is the opposite: you will not have a butler to serve you 24/7, but you will all live under the same roof, sharing spaces such as the pool or the beautiful terrace where you can dine all together and even try to bake a pizza in a traditional stone oven! The decor is typical of a villa of these lands, in its simplicity is extremely welcoming. I think it was a perfect choice for Phil, Rocelle and their friends: in the time I spent with them I saw a very close-knit group, which besides getting emotional together was also able to laugh and have fun as if they were a group of kids on a trip with school. I was lucky enough to capture some of these moments and when watching them while I was making the video for the newlyweds I couldn’t help but smile too!
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Phil and Rocelle’s special day
The key words for this wedding were definitely these two: emotion and fun. It’s not every day you can share a stay like this with friends of a lifetime, and the fact that this happened at the wedding of Phil and Rocelle, boyfriends from high school, has made it even more magical. The two are a beautiful couple, and it was very exciting for me to be able to film the key moments of that day, starting from the preparation of the bride and groom, which is always very touching.
It is in these moments that parents, who usually help their children to dress up, really realize that their have grown up and are about to start a new adventure with the person they love, retracing their steps and creating a new family. The moment of the exchange of promises was equally touching, with the friend of a lifetime as officiator for the ceremony that retraced the stages of the love story of the spouses, started on the school desks. After that, I followed the newlyweds in the most hidden corners of the villa, among its gardens and its views, to gather their first tenderness as husband and wife, before returning them to the group of friends and relatives for one of the most awaited moments: dinner!
While the guests tasted typical dishes of our kitchen, they took turns at the microphone to make their speech of greetings to the newlyweds: in this case too we saw how united and amused the group was! To conclude sweetly, instead of the classic wedding cake, the two have chosen a solution which was in my opinion fantastic: a cart of ice cream and homemade desserts. Between a laugh and a bite we arrived at the end of the day, at the time when guests were wild in dancing and properly celebrated the union of their friends of all time on the beautiful terrace of the villa, accompanied by the beautiful view of the Tuscan hills at dusk.
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Two Perspectives, a Single Memory: The Synergy between Videomaker and Photographer
The wedding of Phil and Rocelle was a truly unforgettable day, one of those to tell and remember even after years. But on the most important day it is easy to be distracted by the emotion, the things to do and the general swirl, so sometimes after a while what remains is surely exciting memories but to which we can not associate an image, details that vanish or that we may not be able to grasp. This is why I love my work as a videomaker on these kinds of occasions: my mission is to make sure that the memory of such an important day can remain indelible even after years, and that it can also be told to those who could not be there or handed down to those who were not there yet.
I always try my best to capture all the emotions of newlyweds and guests in the key moments of the ceremony and of the day, but always keeping a certain discretion: to capture the emotions they need to be natural! In particular I have a soft spot for Tuscany, and for weddings in these very scenic locations, also because they allow me to make spectacular (and fun to shoot) shots with my drone: they really give a different dimension to the final video, that becomes not a simple report but a real love movie, starring the lovers who chose me for their ceremony.
On this occasion, moreover, I had the opportunity to team up with Les Anagou, exceptional photographers and partners also in life, specialized in weddings, who collaborated with magazines such as Vogue: working side by side with professionals of this level makes everything easier, as we both know the spaces and times that the other needs and we can thus ensure maximum fluidity in our work, without hindering the couple in any way.
My advice is to always consider an appropriate budget for the whole team that will take care of the organization and testimonies of your special day: a group of experienced professionals in the field can really make a difference in the success of the whole wedding, and especially in how it will be remembered by you and your loved ones.
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