Tuscany is the place most couples picture when they think of an Italian wedding: cypress lined drives, stone farmhouses, long tables under the vines. It is also where venues sell their weddings in the most different ways, which makes comparing them harder than it should be.
Where to look
Chianti, between Florence and Siena, is the heart of it: wine estates, castles and restored hamlets set among vineyards, mostly within an hour of Florence. The hills just outside Florence put you closer to the city and its airport.
The Val d'Orcia, south of Siena, is quieter and more open, with the rolling landscape you see on postcards. Lucca and the Versilia coast suit couples who want the sea within reach, and the Maremma in the south west is wilder and less visited.
How Tuscan venues sell weddings
Many private villas and restored hamlets are booked as exclusive use for a set number of nights, often with a two or three night minimum on summer weekends. Wine estates and castles more often hire by the day, with no rooms or only a few.
Catering is usually not in the venue price. Some venues cook themselves, many give you a list of approved caterers, and a few let you bring anyone. Larger weddings can also bring a compulsory marquee or extra staff once the guest count passes what the indoor rooms can hold.
That is why two venues with similar headline prices can end up far apart once your guests, nights and dinner are added. La Venuta works out that full bottom line for your exact wedding.
Ceremonies
A legal civil ceremony in Italy has to take place in a town hall or a place the local council has approved, so only some venues can host one. Many couples marry legally at home and hold a symbolic ceremony at the venue, which can happen anywhere on the grounds. Catholic weddings take place in a church.
Questions worth asking every venue
What time does amplified music have to stop, and can the party move indoors after that? How many guests can sleep on site? Where does dinner happen if it rains? Is there a minimum stay in your month, and what does an extra night cost?