Luisa and Andrea first met in a club in Piazza Santo Spirito in Florence, nine years ago. "We lived 50 meters away from each other and we didn't know it! We started dating and we did not imagine that after 7 years we would get married. Nine years have just flown by in an instant - maybe because Andrea is an engineer and he travels a lot for work. I am a wine expert of an auction house in Torino and am often not home either."
The couple have lived in Florence for twenty years, but originally come from two different towns (the bride from Vinci, the birthplace of Leonardo da Vinci and the groom from Castiglion Fiorentino – Arezzo - birthplace of Piero della Francesca!) and they needed to find a place in the middle.
Luisa and Andrea knew they wanted to celebrate their wedding in a way which was authentic to them as a couple and were clear about their choice in also having Lelia Scarfiotti capture their day. "We both wanted a wedding that was not too conventional and wanted to host a party for and with our closest friends and relatives." The couple invited 100 of their nearest and dearest to the ceremony at the Sala Rossa in Palazzo della Signoria, on a very hot Saturday afternoon at the end of June. They then went on to celebrate with champagne and martinis on the stunning terrace of Palazzo Gondi with live music by Redtree Groove.
The bride equally didn't want a conventional look for her wedding. She wore a white tuxedo by Stella McCartney for the ceremony. ("Special thanks to Renata and Camila of the shop in Florence for their patience!") and a white hat by Reinhard Plank. Luisa chose to wear a gown for her cocktail reception, again by designer Stella McCartney. To complement the bride's impeccable style, Andrea wore a black tuxedo by Saint Laurent ("special thanks to Lorenzo from YSL in Florence!")
The couple's rings were vintage heirloom pieces from the bride's side of the family. "We melted the rings that my great grandmother gave to my parents as a gift for their wedding in 1979." Luisa had a long stemmed rose bouquet from Fluida Design as a finishing touch to her contemporary and elegant statement look.
The choice of the location was fundamental to both Luisa and Andrea. "Our desire was to bring all our loved ones together in the heart of Florence and have an incredible evening with them. With our guests coming from different countries however, we wanted it to be an easy, short walk from one venue to another. We also did not want a boring and lengthy Italian style wedding with a never-ending dinner. We wanted a cocktail party with a beautiful view on the main monuments of Florence."
The location where the bride spent the last night before the wedding, where she got dressed and where Luisa and Andrea spent the first night as a married couple was also very important to the couple. "The stunning 5 star luxury Bernini Palace Hotel which is in the heart of Florence, between Palazzo Vecchio and Palazzo Gondi, was fundamental to the success of the wedding."
Ceremony location : Sala Rossa in Palazzo della Signoria (Palazzo Vecchio) - Firenze
#salarossafirenze | Reception location : Palazzo Gondi Firenze @vittoriagondi | Photographer : Lelia Scarfiotti @lscarfiotti | Celebrant : Officer of the Municipality of Florence | Entertainment :
Live Music by Redtree Groove @redtreegroove | Flora : Fluida Design @fluidadesign | Catering + Beverages : Catering by Roland's @rolands_florence + Champagne selection by Spezie Rare @spezie_rare | Getting Ready Venue : Bernini Palace Hotel @hotelberniniflorence | Bride's Tuxedo : Stella McCartney @stellamccartney | Bride's Reception Dress : Stella McCartney @stellamccartney | Bride's Hat : Reinhard Plank @reinhardplank_hats | Bride's Shoes : Crystal Sandal by Aquazzura @aquazzura | Groom's Suit + Shoes : Saint Laurent @ysl | Rings : Redesigned Vintage