Villa La Fornace · Montisi · Crete Senesi
Margo & Mason
Montalcino wedding photographer
An intimate wedding in the Crete Senesi, near Montalcino
Margo is French, Mason is Danish, and they chose Tuscany to get married: a small, intimate wedding with their families and a few close friends, in a country house in Montisi, a tiny village in the Crete Senesi, a short drive from Montalcino and Pienza.
Before the ceremony, on the stone-paved terrace in front of the villa, Margo combed Mason’s hair, one of those small, unplanned moments that say more than any posed photo. Then, in that same spot, they exchanged their vows, surrounded by their families.
The wedding
Best of Margo & Mason’s day
After the vows
During the aperitivo, with no real court available, everyone started a game of petanque on the gravel path in front of the house (luckily, no cars around), beers in hand. Then dinner with dishes from L’ombelico del mondo, a local trattoria, and the wines of the area. I also ended up acting as translator a couple of times, which made the day even more fun.
The venue
Villa La Fornace
Villa La Fornace is a country house for rent in Montisi, in the heart of the Crete Senesi, the area of clay hills south of Siena, between Montalcino, Pienza and Asciano. It’s perfect for an intimate wedding: the families stay together for a few days, and the ceremony and dinner happen at home, with nothing to organise but the people you love.
The Crete Senesi are one of my favourite parts of Tuscany. They appear all of a sudden while you’re driving, lost in thought: bare hills, cypresses, wheat fields and almost no buildings.
The silence and the light just before sunset make it one of the most beautiful places in the region for couple portraits. Not far away, the Abbey of Monte Oliveto Maggiore seems to float above the clay ridges, and it’s one of the views people stop to photograph the most. If you’re dreaming of Val d’Orcia instead, have a look at this wedding in Pienza.
The surroundings
Montalcino and the surroundings
Montalcino is a hilltop town known all over the world for Brunello, one of Italy’s great red wines. Its fourteenth-century fortress looks out over vineyards and woods, and wine bars and cellars line the narrow streets of the centre.
A few kilometres south stands the Abbey of Sant’Antimo, a Romanesque church alone in the countryside among olive trees and cypresses. Montisi itself is a tiny village in the Crete Senesi, today part of the municipality of Montalcino, close to San Giovanni d’Asso, famous for its white truffles.
From here Pienza and the Val d’Orcia are about half an hour away, and Siena is under an hour’s drive. It’s a perfect base for families who want to spend a few days together between wineries, villages and long dinners.
Good to know
Planning an intimate wedding near Montalcino?
Where
Montisi is in the Crete Senesi, about half an hour from Montalcino and Pienza, and under an hour from Siena.
Size
A private villa like La Fornace is ideal for a small wedding, with families staying together for a few days.
Ceremony
The terrace in front of the house is enough for a simple, personal ceremony. There is no need for a separate venue.
Dinner
For a small group, a local trattoria can bring dinner to the villa, as L’ombelico del mondo did for Margo and Mason.
Light
The bare hills of the Crete Senesi are at their best in the hour before sunset, perfect for portraits.
Wine
Montalcino and its Brunello cellars are close by, and the wines of the area go perfectly with a long dinner at the villa.
Kind words
“
Luca was amazing to work with. Very professional and friendly, blended right into the day and caught the vibe perfectly.
Margo & Mason · Villa La Fornace, Montisi
Check my availability
Getting married near Montalcino or elsewhere in Tuscany?
I photograph weddings all over Val d’Orcia and the Crete Senesi, from big villa celebrations to small family weddings like this one.
Here’s how I work as a Tuscany wedding photographer, or simply tell me about your day below.
