A chance meeting in the bar of a hostel brought two adventurers together. Laura and Niall, both hailing from the emerald isle of Ireland, found themselves in a new phase of their lives…and found each other. Having both been relocated to Vancouver, these two world travelers began to build a life together. As the sun set casting a radiant glow across the sky, Niall dropped down to one knee and asked Laura to be his forever and always. Craving the sunny summer weather, wine and amazing food, the bride and groom set their sights on Italy ending up at Villa Il Poggiale.

As the happy couple began to envision what their venue could be, they put together a plan of action. Getting in touch with a wedding planner was the first order of business and they soon settled upon the services of Gallorini & Giorgi Events. Wanting to be able to marry among the country’s natural beauty, the planner got to work on finding some amazing venues to match Laura and Niall’s vibe. “We made a list of a number of different destinations within Italy,” says the bride. “But ultimately decided on Tuscany for the beautiful rolling hills and its proximity to Florence.”

It was important for the couple to be able to have an outdoor wedding and reception. They were presented with a few options and one place shined above the rest. Villa Il Poggiale, a quaint Renaissance manor house a mere half hour away from Florence showcased beautiful grounds and incredible vistas. As an added bonus, the estate was able to accommodate 44 guests at the villa making it easy to enjoy pre and post-wedding fun. For Laura’s 30^th birthday, Niall surprised her with a trip to see the venue. Stepping onto the estate, Laura felt it was the place for their celebration. “Our final request was that the venue had a pool,” the bride tells us. “We wanted to have a pizza pool party for our guests the day after the wedding. I love to swim so that was a must-have!”

Between having the help of the wedding planner and the internet, Laura found just the right aesthetic for the big day. Being surrounded by the finest attributes of the manor was important. Still, the couple was extra pleased when the florist created a spectacular wedding arch of roses for the ceremony to match the bouquet and centerpieces. As Laura made her way to her husband-to-be, the strains of ‘Can’t Help Falling in Love’ played by a string quartet filled the air. The reception proved to have its own magical moments.

A tunnel of fairy lights hovering over the long banquet table made it extra magical once twilight descended on the party. For entertainment, their amazing wedding band played lively tunes and even surprised the party with their rendition of ‘An Evening in Roma’. Some extra thoughtful touches Laura wanted to include was biscotti from a family-run bakery in Florence.

Not having to transport favors was key and with the help of her mum. They were able to put them in favor bags for their guests lovingly.  At the end of the night, cutting a traditional Italian Mille-Feuille wedding cake was one of the bride’s most favorite moments!

Looking back on how the planning went and the went itself, Laura had a few pieces of knowledge she wanted to pass on to future wedding couples.

Make sure you have transportation for your guests.

“It was difficult to find drivers to bring guests to and from the wedding as there are no local taxi companies in San Casciano so we had to rely on local drivers. We arranged transportation to and from the wedding venue for all our guests for the entire wedding weekend to make it much easier for them.”

Work with a wedding planner.

“I would highly recommend future couples to work with a wedding planner, especially if the wedding is overseas. Having a wedding planner took all the stress out of planning our wedding, and I thoroughly enjoyed the entire planning experience.”

Book everything well in advance.

“We had almost two years of planning, and I was so glad we did because we managed to book all the vendors we wanted!”

Vendors: Planning: Gallorini & Giorgi Events; Photography: Vincenzo Errico; Venue: Villa il Poggiale; Florist: Stiatti Fiori; Music: Firenze Classica; Music: The Italian Wedding Band; Videography: Yes! Wedding Videos; Lights: GB Audio; Décor: Spirito Toscano; Hair & Makeup: Adrienne Aereboe; Gown Designer: Calla Blanche; Groom’s Clothing Designer: Louis Copeland