Villa Corsini, Tuscany, Italy
Luxury wedding design
As luxury international wedding designers, we’ve been curating intimate weddings and events in Italy for the better part of a decade – but we know that every job stands apart. For every celebration, we look for a place that is unique, that plays in YOUR story, that reminds you of your journey, that invokes emotion and feels like it was made for you. Because at the end of the day, that’s what it’s all about, right?
Last fall, our team traveled to Tuscany to create at a dream venue, a place with 700-plus years of culture in the making. Located in the rolling hills of Chianti on the outskirts of Florence, Villa Corsini is a mecca for Italian history and art. Surrounded by the unparalleled Florentine countryside, Villa Corsini lives in two worlds: its exterior is an invitation to bask in some of Italy’s oldest vineyards and olive groves. Its interior brings you into a place once inhabited by the Medici and Corsini families; the halls are adorned with Baroque frescos that have been witness to lavish banquets and dinner parties for centuries.
When designing for this venue, we knew we wanted to curate a sleek, sophisticated and modern feel while honoring the traditional elements of the space. Throughout both the ceremony and reception designs, we leaned into garden and Tuscan-inspired moments mixed with sleek lines and modern touches.
For our ceremony design at Villa Corsini, we pulled inspiration from the garden of Meridione, highlighting the soft daisy white colors of the garden and incorporating the ancient terra cotta statues and craftsmanship. Wrought iron chairs formed simple rows in the southern Italian garden, creating an intimate and understated aisle that perfectly framed the rolling hills of Tuscany. At the altar, blush, chartreuse and neutral floral clusters cascaded from the stone steps to the garden floor, evoking modern romance in this historic Italian setting.
For the reception, we chose to design a dinner party in the Galleria del Pandolta Sacchi – one of the most impressive, and one-of-a-kind rooms in all of Tuscany. Surrounded by arched windows and baroque frescos, we set our table to offer a picturesque view of the Chianti countryside.
Every detail – from the texture of our linens to the tablescape draping to the fine tablescape glassware – was inspired by the fine art in the space. Inspired by the layered textures of the surrounding oil paintings, we brought in a thick, artfully folded fern velvet tablecloth. For the place settings, we created a five-layer setting reminiscent of the classic Tuscan style place settings paired with vintage silver flatware and crystal glassware. Tuscan-inspired moments permeated the tablescape design, with vintage compotes filled with fresh fruit often depicted in Italian renaissance oil paintings. Yet we balanced the traditional elements with luxe, modern floral arrangements that layered hydrangeas, lisianthus and garden blooms. And back in the garden, we hosted an aperol spritz bar to bring in modern delights – just one unique and interactive experience to delight guests for a reception in Italy.
We felt every texture, detail and nuance of this day to create a design worked in harmony with the rich history of Villa Corsini. And that’s why you hire Mae&Co - because you deserve an experience where no detail goes overlooked.
Photo: Kristin piteoDesign, styling and planning: Mae&Co CreativeFlorals: Noble Floral CoVENUE: Villa CorsiniRentals: Preludio Divisione Noleggiodessert: SugarcupsPaper goods and signage: Evergreen InkDRESS: Eva Lendel