Villa Castelletto · Sinalunga · Tuscany
Jasmine & Lauren
Villa Castelletto wedding photographer
A same-sex garden wedding in the Val di Chiana
Jasmine and Lauren flew from Australia to get married in Tuscany, at Villa Castelletto in Sinalunga, with a few of their closest friends and family. It was one of those weddings where you can feel how much everyone wanted to be there: a ceremony in the garden, a long dinner under the lights and a party that went on until late.
The day started slowly, with the getting ready inside the villa: last touches to hair and make-up, friends coming in and out, a lot of laughter to keep the nerves away. Then the two brides walked through the garden, among the olive trees, and saw each other for the first time that day.
The ceremony took place outdoors, in the shade of the park, with all the guests gathered around them. It was led by a close friend of the couple, but the most emotional moment came when one of the grandmothers, wearing traditional Chinese dress, stood up to speak. There wasn’t a dry eye in the garden.
The wedding
Best of Jasmine & Lauren’s day
After the vows
After the ceremony, the aperitivo moved onto the lawn, and while everyone was celebrating I took Jasmine and Lauren for a short walk around the villa for some portraits, about twenty minutes. Then dinner at a long table under the string lights, with speeches, toasts and plenty of emotion, before the party moved down to the villa’s cellar and turned into one of the most fun dance floors I’ve photographed.
A same-sex wedding in Tuscany
Many couples ask me whether Italy is a good place for a same-sex wedding. For me every wedding is simply about two people and the people who love them, and Jasmine and Lauren’s day is the best answer. If you’re planning yours, here’s more about my same-sex weddings in Italy.
The venue
Villa Castelletto
Villa Castelletto is an 18th-century estate in Sinalunga, between Siena and Val d’Orcia, in the Val di Chiana. It has an elegant villa, a large park, a pool and apartments that can host around 34 guests, which makes it perfect for an intimate wedding where everyone stays together for a few days.
What I love about this place is how many different settings it offers for a single day. The ceremony can take place in the secret garden, under a huge oak tree or in front of the old façade of the villa. The old lemon house is a perfect plan B if it rains. And every wedding here ends the same way: dancing in the villa’s cellar until late at night.
The surroundings
Sinalunga and the Val di Chiana
Sinalunga is a small town in the Val di Chiana, in the province of Siena, with its historic centre on top of a hill and a main square named after Garibaldi, who was arrested here in 1867. It’s an everyday kind of Tuscan town, quiet and far from the crowds.
From the villa, Montepulciano is about twenty-five minutes away, Pienza and Cortona around forty, and Siena under an hour’s drive. Lucignano, a tiny walled village with an unusual oval plan, is just a few minutes away.
The Val di Chiana is also the home of Chianina beef, the breed behind the famous bistecca. For guests arriving a few days early, it’s an easy base for wineries, hilltop towns and long dinners.
Good to know
Planning a wedding at Villa Castelletto?
Where
In Sinalunga, in the Val di Chiana, between Siena and the Val d’Orcia.
Size
Apartments for around 34 guests, so everyone can stay together for a few days.
Ceremony
The secret garden, under a huge oak tree or in front of the old façade of the villa.
Plan B
The old lemon house, if it rains.
Party
Dancing in the villa’s cellar until late at night.
Portraits
About twenty minutes around the villa during the aperitivo are enough for relaxed portraits.
Kind words
“
We had such a lovely time looking through the photos and remembering the evening. Thank you for capturing it all so perfectly. We are so grateful we found you and we LOVE the photos!
Lauren & Jasmine · Villa Castelletto, Sinalunga
Check my availability
Getting married at Villa Castelletto or elsewhere in Tuscany?
I’ve photographed several weddings at Villa Castelletto and many more around Siena and Val d’Orcia. Here’s how I work as a Tuscany wedding photographer, or simply tell me about your day below.
