Hidden Gem: Italy Wedding Villa in the Picturesque Marche Hillside
January 14, 2025Megan and Lee’s summer wedding weekend at a classic Italian wedding villa was a joyous affair from start to finish.
Before the Wedding
I first spoke to Megan almost a year before her big day, and we clicked instantly: her relaxed energy combined with her good planning skills made me think she would be a great fit straight away for my style of photography. Before the trip to Italy from the UK we discussed aesthetics and logistics in detail, to make sure I was well prepared and their schedule for the day allowed for all the things they wanted captured, but also… for a glass or two of Prosecco in between!
Getting There
The Wedding took place at Relais Villa Giulia, a gorgeous wedding venue in the Marche region, close to Tuscany and Puglia. Surrounded by green hillside, vineyards with a view and the bright blue Adriatic Sea, the Villa is a true hidden gem eager to be discovered by international newlyweds.
After a short flight from London we landed into Ancona we took a transfer coach straight to a vineyard, in order to do a wine tasting before checking into our accommodation. The sun was shining bright, and yet the breeze from all the nature surrounding us allowed us to truly cool down.
The Rehearsal Dinner
The celebrations started on Friday night, with a casual pizza party on the villa’s picturesque outdoor terrace, where the ceremony would take place the following day. The guests enjoyed a relaxed evening together, eagerly talking about the wedding day surrounded by nature, with a full moon shining brightly above onto the cloudless summer sky.
Italy Wedding Villa - the Big Day
Saturday morning began slowly. One of my favourite aspects about Mediterranean wedding locations is that the day are so long that there is no truly need to rush. No need for a 7AM hair and make-up appointment, in order to be ready for an 11Pm ceremony. With ceremonies typically starting at 4PM, you can take your time and start the day the right way.
The morning found the guests at the pool, and the energy levels were high. The crowd was a mix of adults and kids, so I found myself capturing a lot of sweet interactions, but also quite a few belly flops!
Megan started getting ready first, and I followed her into the bridal suite to get all the detail shots before the day would start speeding up. The villa had beautiful interiors, and with each room decorated in an unique way, I was not short of cute corners to choose as backdrops.
While the bride was getting her hair done I ran out to capture Lee getting ready, walking in what turned out to be a brief July rainfall. Thankfully it ended at the exact right time before the ceremony, cooling the air down a little! Lee’s suite was connected to an old library with big, floor to ceiling windows, which gave me the best light for some of my favourite images of the day.
As the rain stopped the staff swiftly placed the chairs and the floral arch outside on the terrace, and the guests gathered, waiting for the bride and groom. Megan walked down the aisle with her father and her sweet son, and the ceremony started. As a photographer I am absolutely biased, but I do believe that you simply cannot beat an outdoor ceremony, when the temperature is just right, the breeze is going through your hair and the smell of flowers and trees surrounds you: it was beautiful.
After the ceremony we moved all the guests onto the old steps in front of the church on site for the confetti and group shots, and then we took the time to breathe and relax a little before going out for the couple shoot.
Dinner & Dancing
Dinner was served in the courtyard, at an Italian family style long table, adorned with flowers and long candles which created a cosy, intimate atmosphere. The table was covered by a lovely natural arch - a stunning setting for the images taken during the speeches.
Not long after dinner finished the guests took to the dance floor, having been given the start by Megan and Lee’s cake cutting and first dance, under a bright full moon on a pitch black sky. The dancing and good tunes carried on long into the night.
