2Brides

Last year we traveled to Bolgheri in Italy for Chiara and Matteo’s local Tuscany wedding. Chiara and Matteo are local and grew up in Tuscany. They picked the charming winery Osteria Caccia Al Piano for their reception. The whole wedding was so relaxed and joyful and I really treasured photographing a local Tuscany wedding!

Tuscany Weddings & Traditions

Italian weddings are full of unique traditions. The traditions are meant to celebrate the couple’s history and bring affluence to their future. Some practices are essential to Italians, as well as being accepted in the rest of Europe. Others are a bit more specific to the region of Tuscany. For example, it is customary that the night before the wedding, the bride spends the night at her parents’ home. On this night before the wedding and for the rehearsal dinner, she could also wear green to promote good fortune. It’s also custom for the groom to carry a small piece of iron in their suit pocket. And for the bride to rip a small portion of her veil to invite good luck to the matrimony.

Buying The Flowers

Although the bride is obliged to choose the flowers and decide on a color palette, the groom must pay and deliver the bridal bouquet on the wedding day. Such a sweet tradition, don’t you think!

The Bride Is The Only One Wearing White

Even if the bride isn’t wearing a white dress, the guests still should refrain from wearing the color! White hasn’t always been the color of choice for brides either. In Tuscany, it could be a black dress with a white hat, and in other parts of Italy, brides would sometimes have two dresses. One more lavish dress being reserved for the first waltz.

The Bridal Veil

A tradition in Italy is that the length of the veil should reflect the length of engagement. One meter for every year, and even though that is a sweet tradition, brides today often go for a Cathedral length veil also if the engagement is short.

Tuscany Wedding Ceremony

After the ceremony, the guests will exit the church first while the newlyweds sign their marriage documents. When exiting, the guests will shower the couple with rice to celebrate and promote fertility. Frequently newlyweds will tie a ribbon on their church door, symbolizing tying the knot. No matter how the couples exit the church, they are sure to hear the locals cheering “Auguri!”, meaning best wishes, whether they know you or not because in Italy, everyone is family!

A Local Tuscany Wedding Reception

Later, when the bride and groom arrive at the reception, it’s time to eat. Food is incredibly vital in Tuscany and the rest of Italy! Enjoying a meal together at a local Tuscany wedding is a celebration like no other, and you will see just how abundant it is when you scroll down. Tuscany weddings offer up to 15 different courses, including a mix of local meats, cheeses, and other produce. Naturally, a novel selection of wine from the local vineyard is a must! Whenever guests aren’t discussing the delicious dinner, they are likely to be cheering and singing. Shouting out “Per Centanni!”, meaning for a hundred years, or “Evviva gli sposi!”, Hooray for the newlyweds! The expressions are a salute to the happy couple.

I think you’d like these nuptials in Italy too! See Jocelyn & Ben’s Ravello wedding here!