Tuscany Destination Wedding Photographer
There are some places that make you want to slow down a bit. Tuscany is very much one of them.
I’ve had the absolute pleasure of photographing weddings here and, unsurprisingly, it didn’t take much convincing for me to fall completely in love with the place. Rolling hills, tree-lined roads, old stone villas, vineyards disappearing into the distance and that ridiculous Tuscan light.
Then there’s the food. Obviously.
Long lunches that somehow become afternoon drinks. Fresh pasta, pecorino, bistecca, gelato, Chianti…
But weddings here are what really make me want to keep coming back. There’s something about a Tuscan wedding that naturally lends itself to the kind of photography I love. Less standing around smiling at the camera, more eating, drinking, laughing, wandering off into the vineyards, getting slightly emotional during the speeches and ending up barefoot on the dancefloor at some ungodly hour.
As a Tuscany destination wedding photographer, I get to photograph all of that as it actually happens. The big stuff, obviously, but also the weird little bits in between that you'll probably remember just as much.
And Tuscany is ridiculously good on film, too. The textures, the warm tones, the faded stone, the olive trees, the dusty roads and the late afternoon light all look bloody brilliant on 35mm.
Basically, I'm sold.
If I were planning a wedding in Tuscany...
These are the venues I'd be obsessing over.
So grab an espresso, pour yourself a glass of Chianti and prepare to become extremely distracted from whatever you were supposed to be doing, because here is my rundown of some of the best wedding venues in Tuscany.
Il Borgo di Vignamaggio wedding photographer
Website: Il Borgo di Vignamaggio
Halfway between Florence and Siena, surrounded by more than 400 hectares of vineyards, olive groves, woodland and countryside, Il Borgo di Vignamaggio is basically Tuscany turned up to eleven.
The 15th-century villa has been lovingly restored and somehow manages to feel both seriously grand and incredibly warm. There are frescoes, beautiful courtyards, a chapel, a glass greenhouse overlooking the valley, a pool with ridiculous views and a dedicated dancing room with its own bar.
A dancing room with its own bar.
I don't think I need to explain why this has made the list.
The whole place feels like it was designed for a destination wedding where everyone arrives, checks into their rooms and then collectively forgets what day of the week it is.
As an Il Borgo di Vignamaggio wedding photographer, I'd be very happy spending several days chasing people around those gardens with a couple of rolls of 35mm film in my pocket.
Villa La Selva wedding photographer
Website: Villa La Selva
Villa La Selva is one for the couples who want a proper destination wedding rather than simply a wedding day.
This former Medici country estate sits in the Val d'Ambra and has been in the same family for decades. There's accommodation for up to 50 guests, Italian gardens, vineyards, a wine bar, swimming pools and even a little historic chapel.
And then there's the Barriccaia & Wine Bar, surrounded by wine barrels and designed for cocktails and dancing. Alternatively, you can throw a pizza or pasta party down by the pool.
Pizza. Pasta. Pool.
I genuinely don't know how you improve on that.
The venue also offers wine tastings, cooking classes and horseback rides, so it's particularly good if you're imagining a full weekend with your favourite people rather than everyone flying in, getting married and flying straight home.
As a Villa La Selva wedding photographer, I'd be very tempted to convince you that the whole weekend needs documenting. Strictly for professional reasons, obviously.
Villa San Michele wedding photographer
Website: Villa San Michele
Hidden away in the Chianti countryside, Villa San Michele is surrounded by woodland, meadows and walking trails, making it feel wonderfully removed from the rest of the world.
There are outdoor ceremony spaces, a chapel, a courtyard for receptions and an indoor hall that can accommodate up to 140 guests. There's also room for around 50 guests to stay on site, which makes it another great option for a proper multi-day celebration.
The food is worth a mention too. The villa offers in-house catering based around traditional, local, seasonal dishes, with the option to bring in external caterers if you've got a very specific culinary masterplan.
It's the kind of place that would work beautifully for a relaxed wedding where the emphasis is on good food, good people and not doing anything just because "that's what you're supposed to do".
Which, coincidentally, is exactly my approach to wedding photography.
Villa Cozzano wedding photographer
Wesbite: Villa Cozzano
Villa Cozzano has been perched on a hill for almost 500 years, surrounded by the kind of countryside that makes you understand why Tuscany has been inspiring artists, writers and hopeless romantics for centuries.
It's a smaller, more intimate option, with just six suites, and the whole place has a very personal, family-run feel. There's a restaurant focused on traditional local food, plenty of outdoor space and a general sense of come in, have a drink, stay for dinner.
Their own philosophy is basically la dolce vita, which is a pretty strong wedding brief if you ask me.
It's particularly appealing if you want something intimate and relaxed rather than a huge production. The sort of wedding where everyone actually knows everyone, someone inevitably ends up in the pool and nobody is particularly bothered about sticking to the running order.
As a Villa Cozzano wedding photographer, I'd be bringing both the digital camera and a few rolls of 35mm.
Castello di Casole wedding photographer
Wesbite: Castello di Casole
If you're after castle in the Tuscan countryside rather than villa in the Tuscan countryside, Castello di Casole is the one.
It's a beautifully restored medieval castle sitting on a huge estate of vineyards, olive groves and woodland near Siena. There are terraces overlooking the hills, an ancient amphitheatre, the San Tommaso Chapel and plenty of options for outdoor dinners.
You can even hire the entire property for exclusive use, which is pretty much the destination wedding equivalent of saying, "Right, this weekend is ours. Everyone else can jog on."
There are 39 suites, two villas, multiple restaurants, a spa and an infinity pool, so your guests can basically disappear into their own little Tuscan universe for a few days.
As a Castello di Casole wedding photographer, I'd be very interested in that ancient amphitheatre, the cypress-lined approach and the sunset portraits on the terraces.
And by "portraits", I mean ten minutes of loosely wandering around while you two chat and forget I'm there.
Casa Newton wedding photographer
Wesbite: Casa Newton
Casa Newton is a bit of a wildcard, and I bloody love it for that.
Originally built in 1846 and sitting near Pienza in the Val d'Orcia, it's a rural residence with nine rooms and suites, panoramic garden suites and interiors that mix vintage furniture, contemporary design and a healthy amount of personality.
The views are spectacular, but it's the atmosphere that really sells it to me. There's a vegetable garden, local wine and olive oil tastings, bike rides, cheesemaker visits and cooking classes. The restaurant focuses on organic, locally sourced food, and there's a vintage-style bar for cocktails and aperitivo.
It's less traditional grand Italian wedding venue and more the coolest group holiday you've ever been to, except you're getting married halfway through it.
For couples who care as much about the experience of the weekend as the wedding itself, Casa Newton is a very interesting one.
And yes, a Casa Newton wedding photographer with a 35mm camera would be extremely happy here.
Villa Cetinale wedding photographer
Website: Villa Cetinale
And finally, Villa Cetinale.
This one is completely bonkers—in the best possible way.
A historic villa dating back to the 17th century, surrounded by a world-famous formal garden, woodland, sculptures, chapels and its own little hermitage. There's even a 17th-century chapel on the estate for intimate ceremonies.
The gardens alone are reason enough to put this on your list. There are formal hedges, statues, woodland paths and enough little corners to disappear into that I could probably spend three days photographing people here without running out of things to look at.
Villa Cetinale accommodates weddings of up to 100 guests, with additional properties on the estate allowing up to 48 people to stay across the various houses.
It's theatrical without feeling like a theme park, which is a difficult balance to pull off.
As a Villa Cetinale wedding photographer, I would absolutely be bringing the 35mm.
Planning a Wedding in Tuscany
Right, enough looking at pretty villas. Let's talk logistics.
Because Tuscany is enormous, and one of the easiest mistakes you can make when planning a destination wedding here is assuming that everything is "just an hour from Florence".
It absolutely might not be.
✈️ Getting to Tuscany
For international guests, the three big airports I'd be looking at are Florence, Pisa and Rome.
Florence Airport is the obvious choice for venues around Florence, Chianti and the northern/central part of Tuscany.
Pisa Airport is particularly useful if you're coming from the UK, with a huge range of international and low-cost connections. It's also well connected to the Tuscan road network.
Then there's Rome Fiumicino, which is further away but can be a great option if you're coming from the US or further afield and can get a better direct flight into Rome.
My advice? Don't automatically choose the closest airport. Look at flight times, direct routes and where your venue actually sits on the map. Tuscany is wonderfully scenic, but it doesn't always believe in straight lines.
🚗 Hire a car. Seriously.
Unless you're staying somewhere with a very organised transfer operation, I'd strongly recommend hiring a car.
And not just because it'll make getting to the wedding easier.
The roads through Tuscany are half the fun.
You'll wind your way through vineyards, tiny hilltop villages, olive groves and ridiculously photogenic stretches of countryside where you'll inevitably pull over every twenty minutes because someone has spotted "the perfect view".
Do it.
Put on a good playlist, stock up on snacks and get lost for a while.
That's the whole point.
🍝 And whatever you do, eat the local food
One of the best things about a destination wedding in Tuscany is that you have several days to eat your way around the region.
Things I would absolutely put on the list:
Pici – thick, hand-rolled Tuscan pasta, usually served with a rich sauce
Bistecca alla Fiorentina – enormous Florentine T-bone steak, ideally shared with a table full of people
Ribollita – hearty Tuscan bread and vegetable soup
Pappa al pomodoro – tomato, bread, olive oil and basil. Simple and ridiculously good
Pecorino Toscano – because cheese
Cantucci & Vin Santo – the classic sweet ending
Schiacciata – Tuscan flatbread, particularly good when stuffed with approximately everything
Gelato – because you're on holiday and calories don't count
And obviously:
Chianti Classico. Brunello di Montalcino. Vino Nobile di Montepulciano.
If you can't tell the difference between them after a few glasses, frankly, you're doing Tuscany correctly.
Why Tuscany is so good for documentary wedding photography
Tuscany is one of those places where the environment does half the storytelling for you.
The drive to the venue. Everyone arriving with suitcases. Aperitivo by the pool. Your dad getting slightly too enthusiastic with the wine. Your best mate crying during the speeches and pretending they're not. A spontaneous swim. Someone dancing before dinner has even been served. The couple disappearing into the olive groves for ten minutes just to breathe.
That's the stuff I'm interested in.
As a Documentary wedding photographer Italy I got completely hooked on this way of working, and bringing that same approach to Italy feels like a very natural fit.
I'm not interested in turning your wedding into a two-hour photoshoot.
I'm much more interested in giving you ten minutes together, letting you wander off somewhere beautiful, and then getting back to the party.
And Tuscany gives us a lot of somewhere beautiful.
Film, Super 8 & all the good analogue stuff
Tuscany is also a ridiculous playground for a 35mm film wedding photographer Italy.
The colours, textures and light are made for it. Warm stone, dusty roads, faded shutters, olive trees, vineyards, terracotta, golden sunsets and those slightly hazy summer evenings.
I'll shoot a mixture of digital and 35mm film, depending on what's happening in front of me. Film gives the photographs that little bit of texture and unpredictability, while digital lets me move quickly when things get wild.
And if you want to take it one step further, I also offer Super 8 wedding videography in Italy.
There's something particularly good about watching a Tuscan wedding back on Super 8. The movement, the grain, the sound of everyone laughing, the slightly imperfect focus—it feels like a memory rather than a wedding film.
Which is exactly what I'm after.
Final thoughts (and a little nudge)
If you're planning a wedding in Tuscany, you're already onto a winner.
You've got the food, the wine, the scenery, the villas, the weather, the ridiculously good light and enough pasta to feed an army.
Now you just need someone to document the whole thing without turning it into a giant photoshoot.
If you're looking for a Tuscany destination wedding photographer, Italy destination wedding photographer, 35mm film wedding photographer Italy, analogue wedding photographer Italy or Super 8 wedding videographer Italy, I'd bloody love to hear from you.
I work in a relaxed, documentary style, mixing digital photography with 35mm film and Super 8 to make something that actually feels like your wedding—not a collection of generic wedding photographs you've seen 400 times on Pinterest.
If you're planning a wedding in Tuscany and looking for a wedding photographer or videographer, fill out the form below and tell me all the juicy details.
The venue. The guest list. The food. The playlist. The slightly ridiculous idea you're not sure will work.
Send it all my way.
I'll bring the cameras.
You bring the Chianti.