There’s no word to describe the beauty of this Italian region, but one thing’s for sure.

It has captured the hearts of most of our couples. Going for a Tuscan elopement it's just such a great choice all because Tuscany is known for its less crowded, stress-free, and laid-back ambience. The climate in Tuscany is generally mild with differences depending on the geography of each area. The coast and valleys tend to have hotter summers than the hills or mountains although the coast benefits from breezes off the sea for cooler temperatures even in those warmer summer months.

Tuscan amazing countryside and its rolling hills and many other cities of art such as Florence, Siena, Pisa, Lucca are in fact just close by some great destinations for the perfect destination wedding. It is filled with historic small towns, delicious authentic food and local wine. You can decide to have a stop in Florence, to begin with, and plan the rest of your trip around this amazing region.

FLORENCE

Florence is an irresistible city to anyone who values historical architecture and fine arts. Walking down the streets of Florence is like walking through the halls of a big open-air museum. You will get lost in its romance and uttermost heavenly atmosphere. From its arts and architecture evolution, and exquisite culinary variants to the many boutique shipping opportunities.

Vibrant, exciting and lively, Florence is a renaissance centre. The city shines in a golden light and is home to some of the world’s greatest art creations. Stand on Ponte Vecchio (the old bridge) and watch the sunset over Firenze, just to begin with your one-of-a-kind adventure...

VAL D’ORCIA

This wonderful region in southern Tuscany stretches across the province of Siena to its north and reaches Grosseto to the west. The area is now protected as a natural and cultural park, and it has been recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO since 2004. This is definitely our favourite area ever where to shoot! Beautiful nature is the actual absolute protagonist in Val D’Orcia, with many different colours according to each season.

The impressive views of this land, which inspired so many Renaissance painters, is dotted with many little villages, castles, abbeys and hamlets, each telling a fascinating ancient history. Time here can still pass slowly and you can enjoy every second of it.  You can book your staying in Siena or San Quirico if you wish to have your experience here!

SAN QUIRICO  D’ORCIA & CRETE SENESI

A small village in the heart of Italy’s wine country, with quaint streets, ancient towers and tiny restaurants, this is the Italy of postcards. Located in the heart of Val d'Orcia, the landscape of San Quirico is simply unique. The grove of cypresses appearing in the middle of the rolling hills and the famous Romanesque chapel standing out in the countryside are two iconic symbols of Tuscany. Countless postcards, magazines, paintings and photographs portray a landscape that has also been recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Crete Senesi are mainly composed by nature. If you're imagining your marriage in a landscape of cypress streets along white dusty dirt roads, lone farmhouses and infinite shades of burnt amber cascading in the sunlight, this place is the one to be. And it’s a great place to choose if you are looking for some peaceful moments, leaving you with enough time to dedicate just to the two of you.

WHEN TO GET HERE

The best times to visit Tuscany are between late September and October and between April and May. During these months, you will find comfortable temperatures and fewer crowds at the major sights. The spring brings wildflowers to the fields while autumn brings beautiful foliage, grape, and olive harvests. Needless to say Autumn is spectacular and winter is moody, sometimes even dramatic. Taking the weather into consideration for which month would be best for your Tuscan wedding, we would say the best months to get married are April, May, June, September, and October.

These months put together the convenience of peak season with pleasant weather. July and August are the warmest summer months in Tuscany and could be just right for chilling out by the seaside or at your country estate by the pool. Our wee advice: during these months you should plan your wedding a little later during the day which is pretty awesome as the light will be so romantic!

ABOUT MARRIAGE LAWS & LEGALITIES

These laws and legalities only apply if you are thinking of your elopement to be your legal ceremony. And this is also one of the reasons why more and more couples are going for symbolic weddings. It gives them the freedom to get married wherever and however, they prefer to! Said that anyone can be married in Italy, as there's no legal residency requirement for a wedding but there are in fact some laws that we would like to share. You will need to prepare all necessary paperwork required for a civil or religious wedding in Italy. Make sure that you have the following documents at hand: passports, birth certificate an affidavit, nullaosta sworn before a consular office of your home country, and Atto Notorio signed by two witnesses. The easiest way is to contact your home country’s consulate in Italy - they will advise you on the specific steps you need to consider.

Civil ceremonies can occur in any location that's been approved by Italian authorities, indoors or outdoors. Many villas, castles, public gardens and town halls are approved for use. In smaller locations, a civil ceremony will be performed by the mayor or a town officer (an interpreter is required if neither person in your party speaks Italian, but they don't have to be an official translator) Our wee advice would be to consider also of having a small legal wedding at home and a symbolic one with all your beloved ones (or just the two of you!) in this wonderful place.

We do hope this guide has helped to answer a few questions on how to elope in Tuscany. We’d love to find out about your plans and if you’re searching for a wedding photographer to document your Italian elopement just send us a message!

And if you feel like having some extra inspiration, enjoy some of the latest elopements we've captured in this amazing corner on Earth: as Martine + Rio elopement | See their full story   &  Chiara + Nicola elopement | See their full story