A Styled Wedding at Borgo di Vignamaggio, proof that a wedding can be taylored on you
There’s a version of a Tuscany wedding you’ve seen a thousand times. Cypress trees, neutral linens, dusty rose, everything. Beautiful? Absolutely. But what if that’s not you? This Styled Wedding at Borgo di Vignamaggio was our answer to that question, a full creative experiment built around one simple idea: what happens when you bring genuine color, personality, and a serious sense of fun into one of the most storied estates in Chianti?
Here’s a detail about Borgo di Vignamaggio that stopped us in our tracks when we learned it: the land where this borgo stands once belonged to the da Verrazzano family. Their most famous son, Giovanni da Verrazzano, was the explorer who discovered the bay on which New York was later built. Yes, that Verrazzano. Sounds familiar? It’s the same name on the bridge connecting Staten Island and Brooklyn. If you’re an American couple looking for a place in Tuscany that has a genuine, documented connection to your country’s history, it genuinely doesn’t get more poetic than this. After decades of quiet neglect, the estate was brought back to life in the 21st century as Il Borgo di Vignamaggio – completely reimagined and restored into something that feels both historically rooted and entirely contemporary. The centerpiece is the winter greenhouse: that is, honestly, unlike anything else in Tuscany: iron-framed, light-flooded, lush with tropical plants, and somehow feeling both wildly eclectic and completely at home in the Florentine hills.
That greenhouse became our main stage. We filled it with wildly colorful floral arrangements, ranunculus, poppies, and anthurium in every shade that had no business being at a “traditional” wedding. The tablescape featured hand-painted plates, mismatched amber and pink glassware, candles in every height, and a tablecloth hand-drawn on-site by a local artist, one of those details that makes guests stop mid-conversation and actually look at what’s in front of them.
For the ceremony, we moved into something completely unexpected: the estate’s private theater, carved directly into the ancient wine cellar. Low vaulted brick ceilings, dramatic lighting, and the quiet weight of a space that has been holding something precious for centuries. If you’ve been wondering what the most incredible plan B in all of Tuscany looks like, this is it. Too hot? Too cold? Pouring rain? They’ve got you covered, and covered beautifully.
Outside, the stone courtyards and medieval walls gave us a completely different register, quieter, more intimate, perfect for portraits. The bride in her structured mini dress and veil, the champagne tower on the terrace with the Chianti hills rolling out behind it, heart-shaped sunglasses at golden hour. That contrast between the historic setting and the unapologetically joyful energy of the day is exactly what we were after.
This whole adventure happened alongside Olivia Sodi, my favorite wedding planner and partner in crime, who brought the creative vision to life with the kind of precision and personality that makes every single detail feel intentional. The florals, the table design, the overall mood – her fingerprints are all over this, in the best way. If you’re planning a wedding at Vignamaggio or anywhere in Tuscany and you’re tired of being told to keep it classic, let’s talk. Meanwhile enjoy the photos below, and if you like them drop a message at the end to let me know!
Love,
Fra
TAG/CREDITS
Design & Planning: Olivia Sodi @oliviasodi_wed – Location: Il Borgo di Vignamaggio @vignamaggio – Photo: Francesco Spighi @francescospighi – Rentals: Event Set @event_set – Table Setting: @tablesetrentals – Flowers: Puscina @puscinaflowers – Cake & Desserts: @pasticceriagualtieri – Dresses: Sogno di sposa @sognodisposafirenze – Make up: Ana Matanovic @makeupflorence – Hair style: Carla Petrini @weddinghair_petrinicarla – Jewels: Caterina Mariani @caterinamariani_
Thinking About a Wedding at Borgo di Vignamaggio?
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