March 10, 2022

A Wild and Intimate Elopement in Tuscany

elopement, Tuscany, Italy, inspiration

Wedding Celebration in the Mountains of Tuscany, Italy

the church in Isola Santa Tuscany on a bright spring day
flat lay on a rusty backdrop of wedding stationary by Olive and Millicent
a shell design carved into marble at Isola Santa
groom holds out a card with his vows handwritten and also the wedding rings

Who wouldn't dream of holding a romantic and intimate wedding with the only expectations being that of the two of you being together and immersing yourselves in nature and the experience. Far from the more well known wedding locations of Tuscany, in the heart of the Apuan Alps (or Apli Apuane in Italian), Bianco Rosa, wedding planners based in Lucca, planned the most incredible elopement with precisely this feel. This wedding was full of moments of serene calm surrounded by the lush green vegetation and ancient stone buildings of a tiny village, a hidden gem next to a lake with water so turquoise, and then moments of joy and excitement with music and dancing and even confetti canons! Even though it was just the two of them, this was a CELEBRATION! And I am so thankful to have been there to capture it all as their wedding photographer.

groom adjusts his bow tie
groom adjusts his suit stood in front of a lake in Tuscany
groom sits on the steps of an old stone building in rural Tuscany in a Linneo suit
the boutonniere is placed on the grooms Line wedding suit
detail of tie, boutonniere, and suit on groom in front of an old blue painted door

Preparations for an Intimate Wedding


It was just the two of them; no guests and not even that many passers-by to be honest! Within the sleepy little village chosen to hold the elopement, a tiny cottage in the centre was used for the bridal preparations. While the groom got ready downstairs dressing in a stylish suit by Linneo, the bride got ready upstairs. She chose a simple but elegant two piece by Abito Bianco and, because it was early spring and the air can have that wonderful crisp and fresh feeling to it still, she also had a cosy cardigan to complete the look. The gorgeous accessories which added a bit of sparkle were also from Abito Bianco. On hand for hair and make-up was Sada Make-up Artist, who created a soft, yet refined, romantic look perfect for an elopement.

bride looks out a window with only the window light illuminating her
bride stands looking out a window in a little cottage in Garfagnana
bride wraps a cardigan around her and looks out the window
wedding stationary reads you are my greatest adventure
lipstick is applied to the bride shortly before the wedding ceremony
personal wedding stationary for an elopement in Tuscany Italy
close up of earrings on a flower

Stationary for a Tuscan Elopement


What better way to announce your elopement than a set of beautiful stationary created by Olive and Millicent. They created an entire set which could be used on the day itself and also after to send to friends and family, the announcement depicting the location of their elopement in a gentle watercolour. The couple each had their own little vow booklet with their personal vows hand written inside.

groom holds a vow booklet up in front of an old blue painted wooden door
bride holds a vow booklet up in front of an old blue painted wooden door

A Picturesque Setting in Italy


It was a fine day in early spring, so the couple chose to say their wedding vows outside the old village church. Rebel Rebel had created a floral display to match the wild beauty of the location; iris, allium, aquilegia, mustard, sorrel, ferns, and locally foraged foliages created the perfect backdrop for an elopement in the wilderness of Tuscany. The symbolic ceremony was lead by Jo Bertolino from Tuscan Pledges. Gentle and calm, Jo instantly put the couple at ease with her presence, leading an intimate ceremony full of beautiful words, personal vows, and music.

purple aquligia as part of a floral display for a wedding in Tuscany
floral display outside the church of Isola Santa for an elopement
music is played on a ukulele while the groom waits for the ceremony to start outside the church of Isola Santa
Wedding photography showing figures in formal attire gathered outside a rustic stone wall with wooden door.
floral display with many wild flowers and foraged foliage outside a brown church door
floral display with purple alliums and aquilegia outside a church door in rural Tuscany
the bride approaches the groom outside the church in rural Tuscany
bride smiles at groom during their symbolic wedding ceremony
bride and groom exchange rings
wedding elopement outside an old church in rural Garfagnana Tuscany Italy
spring wedding bouquet
music played at a wedding by Brothers in Law band on a ukulele
A stone church exterior featuring arched architectural details and greenery framing a wooden doorway where a small ceremony takes place.
A couple embraces in front of a rustic stone church entrance with green foliage framing the wooden door.
A joyful wedding celebration moment outside a rustic stone building with a large wooden door.
A couple shares a romantic moment outside a rustic stone building while a musician plays guitar in the background.
A bride in a white dress and her companion in a beige suit stand at a stone building entrance with lush greenery.
A musician performs outdoors with a guitar against a rustic stone wall while others gather in the background.

Music and Emotion


The music brought life and joy to this occasion I have to say. The gorgeous melodies and upbeat sounds of The Brothers in Law filled the valley in this remote corner of Tuscany as the couple held their wedding. It even had the couple dancing after the ceremony which was the sweetest thing! Live music really made all the difference here.

A romantic couple in wedding attire poses playfully in front of a rustic brown door with climbing vines on stone walls.
Twirling figure in white dress and sweater stands before a brown wooden door framed by climbing vines and stone walls.
A couple dips in a romantic dance pose against a rustic stone wall with brown door and climbing vines.
A couple in wedding attire laughs together in front of a stone building on their special day.
A romantic couple standing in front of an old stone doorway, with vintage architecture and a rustic wooden door.
Elegant wedding scene with bride in white dress holding greenery bouquet against stone wall backdrop.
A happy couple laughs together while holding a rustic bouquet of greenery against a weathered stone wall background.
Couple wearing white stand together smiling while holding rustic floral bouquet against textured stone wall.
A romantic wedding photo showing a couple against a stone wall with the bride in a white dress and mohair shawl.

After the Wedding, Exploring the Apuan Alps National Park


After the wedding, we decided to explore the surrounding area as the village is situated inside a national park of Tuscany. Wild and rustic, you can feel the history in the buildings and the calm sleepy way time passes here. There was a path along the brilliantly coloured turquoise lake, dotted with yellow wild flowers, which we followed for some time getting lost in each moment we spent wandering. Untouched and unspoilt, surrounded by nature and off the beaten path, this was a truly magical time.

Black and white romantic close-up portrait of a tender kiss between a couple, with one person's curly hair visible.
A romantic black and white portrait of a couple embracing outdoors, with the figure holding flowers behind their back.
A romantic couple embraces by a turquoise lake, with the person in white holding greenery against a lush forest backdrop.
A bundle of fresh herbs and wildflowers is held against a linen garment beside a tranquil green lake.
A couple embraces beside a serene turquoise lake surrounded by lush green forest on a peaceful afternoon.
A romantic embrace by a stunning turquoise lake surrounded by lush green forest on a summer day.
A couple stands near a turquoise lake surrounded by lush green foliage during what appears to be a wedding ceremony.
Couple in wedding attire walks along a lush green path beside a turquoise lake on their special day.
Scenic turquoise lake surrounded by lush green forest and mountains in a peaceful wilderness landscape.

The Perfect Place for Wedding Portraits in the Wilderness of Tuscany


This is one of the first places I discovered when we moved to the Garfagnana in Tuscany, and so being able to photograph an elopement here had a very special place in my heart. My family has spent many a hot summer day finding the perfect place along this path to dip our toes into the freezing cold water. I still cannot get over the colour of the water each spring. The luminous and bright colour provided a unique backdrop for the wedding portraits and also filming of the couple by Due su Due.

A romantic wedding couple embraces by a turquoise lake surrounded by yellow wildflowers and lush greenery.
A romantic couple embraces outdoors against a turquoise background with yellow flowers and greenery.
Romantic couple in embrace against turquoise lake with green leaves framing the top of the scene.
A romantic embrace beside turquoise waters surrounded by yellow wildflowers and green foliage in a scenic natural setting.
Romantic wedding couple shares intimate moment against turquoise water backdrop with spring foliage overhead.
A romantic couple shares a tender moment holding hands against a turquoise lake with green foliage framing the scene.
A couple in wedding attire share an intimate moment against a turquoise lake background with green foliage.
A couple in wedding attire stands by a turquoise mountain lake surrounded by yellow wildflowers and green trees.
A couple in wedding attire walks along a turquoise alpine lake surrounded by lush greenery.
A happy couple in wedding attire walks along a winding path beside a turquoise alpine lake surrounded by lush greenery.
A wedding couple stands beside a turquoise lake in a forest setting with ethereal smoke effects around them.
A romantic couple in wedding attire pose by a tree near turquoise water with pink smoke creating a dreamy atmosphere.
A couple walking together along a lush green garden path on a peaceful afternoon.
A newlywed couple laughs while holding drinks by a beautiful turquoise lake surrounded by lush green forest.
A couple celebrates their wedding day by a turquoise lake, popping champagne in a lush green forest setting.
A joyful newlywed couple celebrates by a turquoise lake surrounded by lush greenery on their wedding day.
A couple shares an intimate moment beside a turquoise lake surrounded by lush greenery and trees.
A couple stands by a turquoise lake in a lush forest setting, playfully raising a glass in their hands in celebration.

How to celebrate an Elopement in Tuscany with Style


Just because it's an elopement doesn't mean you can't have those special moments as you would at a normal wedding. In fact, when it's an elopement, you can throw out the rule book and structure your day however you see fit and make those moments even more personal, and even more exciting. Toasts were made beside the lake, where the groom opened the bottle in style! And, even though it was just the two of them, who says you can't have confetti?! Diego Fuochi d'Artificio set up confetti canons which released streamers for a spectacular and fun finale to this elopement in Tuscany.

A couple celebrates their wedding day near a misty lake surrounded by lush green trees and smoke effects.
Couple embraces by turquoise lake surrounded by white streamers and mountain scenery on a cloudy day.
A couple in wedding attire embraces by a scenic turquoise lake surrounded by lush green forest in springtime.