A Gothic-Inspired Tuscan Wedding at Villa Cini

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Brynn and John met when Brynn was visiting a friend and spotted John walking his dog back into his apartment. She knocked on his door and told him, “Hey, I saw you walking your dog and thought your dog was cute, but I saw you and thought you were even cuter.” Once John got over his surprise, they exchanged contact information and started dating soon after. He proposed in 2022 in the Boboli Gardens in Florence.

Location: Tuscany, Italy
Style: Gothic, Romantic, Moody
Number of guests: 35
Time of planning: 2,5 years
Setting: Villa Cini in Arezzo

The wedding took place at Villa Cini in Arezzo, Tuscany, outdoors in the spring countryside on a beautifully sunny day. While the couple wasn’t inspired by a specific piece of media or time period, the haunting beauty of gothic architecture and vampiric castles stayed in mind throughout, carefully balanced so the day never tipped into a full vampire-themed wedding. Anna Ascari of Hakuna Matata Weddings captured the entire day on both photo and video, bringing that same atmosphere to life in every frame.

Fashion

Brynn’s look started with a custom-made ivory gown by Caribis. Underneath, she wore ivory satin pointed-toe flats, a pearl anklet fastened with an ivory satin bow, and a genuine freshwater pearl choker with a matching bracelet. Her fragrance was Devotion by Dolce & Gabbana, her makeup was done by her, and her bouquet was a full arrangement of large white roses, the flower long tied to marriage and union. As for how it all felt, one word covers it: excitement.

John wore a suit and tie from J. Ferrar, finished with Calvin Klein shoes. His one piece of advice for anyone planning their own look: set aside part of your suit budget for tailoring. “The most expensive suit will look bad if worn off-the-rack in comparison to a more modestly priced suit that is tailored to fit you perfectly.”

Ceremony

The ceremony took place in front of a beautiful tree on the property, overlooking the scenic countryside. Brynn and John expected it to be beautiful, and it was, followed by a rush of excitement and happiness afterward. They used red wine from the Chianti region during the exchange of vows, lit a candle, and read the vows from antique-style books.

Napkins printed with the words “Happy Tears” were left on every chair at the start of the ceremony, and plenty of them got used. Several guests later remarked that it was the best, or most fun, wedding they’d ever attended.

Moments Together

Right before the celebration began, Brynn and John and their guests gathered for a set of portraits together, another one of the day’s easy, happy moments. Anna Ascari of Hakuna Matata Weddings took the portraits, catching everyone at their happiest.

Reception

The reception was held at sunset, with dinner catered by I Vecchi Amici. The three-course meal opened with eggplant ravioli in a creamy cheese sauce, followed by pappardelle with Chianina beef ragù, and closed with a perfectly cooked filet of beef alongside potato au gratin. Guests were impressed, and loved every course.

Along with the meal came a tradition tied to John’s grandmother, who loved to play jokes, and one of her favorites was clipping a clothespin to the back of someone’s shirt when they weren’t looking, so they’d find it later. She passed away years ago, but the family carries on her memory. For the wedding, Brynn and John had clothespins made with a custom engraving of their names and wedding date, then handed them out to every guest to use throughout the reception.

Into The Night

The cake, also from I Vecchi Amici, was a layered Chantilly cake with berries that guests couldn’t stop talking about. The same team also supplied the open bar and a gelato cart.

The party was the most memorable part of the wedding, and dinner had its own unexpected moment: a baby owl visited during the meal, thrilling the animal lovers in the group.

The night carried on from there with a champagne tower and dancing straight through until the end.

Advice from the couple:

• Give yourself plenty of time to plan everything! Don’t rush it! If you have the ability to have an event the night before, do it! That way your actual wedding day is not consumed with talking to all the guests and you can relax and enjoy your wedding day! Carve out time during the wedding day to make sure you can enjoy the food you paid for.