The shoot was set at the ultra elegant Villa Grabau so we decided to go for a vintage chic theme. We shot just before winter started to set in, so we used some really ethereal florals like the silver dollar plant, broom bloom, and orchids, opting to bring some color and texture into our picture by sourcing this great, shimmery teal fabric for our tablecloth. Great big bursts of cool teal color contrasted with the chic tones of white, gold and taupe. The delicate Yolan Cris lace dresses looked stunning set against the tromp l'oeil hall of curtains backdrop of the Villa Grabau.

Many thanks go out to the amazing team that worked on this shoot, including....@Studio Fotografico Righi, @Villa Grabau, @Verdissimo Fiori di Gabriele Barsotti, @Hair and Beauty di Antonella Bernicchi, @lebontà, @lesposedimori, @yolancris, @armani

Many of my brides ask me for ideas for informal ice breaker events they can do in the days leading up to the wedding. When I suggest a pizza party, some look a little lost. The initial idea conjures images of a kids birthday party rather than a bespoke, wedding related event for adults. My feeling is that, if you invest a little time in the décor and the entertainment, then the pizza party can take on a totally new and fresh look, becoming both stylish and fun for everyone involved.

Here are a few tips for organizing a pizza party that everyone will remember….

1) Rent a villa that has its own pizza oven

Tuscany is choc full of beautiful villas with large, wood pizza ovens. If your villa does not have a pizza oven, don’t worry. Many good companies will bring their own portable oven to your event. But if you can, splurge on a villa with a pizza oven. It will look really great in your photos. Best of all, you can use the oven for the other days of your stay to make such wonderful Tuscan delights as roast pig with figs and pears. Add a platter full of potatoes to that and you have a feast.

2) Get a good “Pizzaiolo”

This is really key. The Pizzaiolo is the pizza man. A good one will make the pizza before your guests eyes and even teach them how to make it. This is a really theatrical process and totally worth involving your guests.

3) Book some top shelf local entertainment

I will often go with a local band that plays traditional Italian music for this type of event. Adding a few traditional dancers that can teach your guests such classic Italian group dances as the “Tarantella” and the “Pizzica” can also really add to the fun atmosphere.

4) Lawn games

Don’t hesitate to plan some fun lawn games. People love participating in nostalgic games like twister, 3 legged race, pinata, and giant Jenga. Use your imagination. When I plan lawn games, I try to search my childhood for the ones that made me the happiest as well as ask others about their favorite games. You’d be surprised how many different cultures have a lawn game tradition. Mixing those traditions up keeps it interesting. In one event, I typically do lawn games that come from at least 3 different countries, so that I keep everyone guessing about what is coming next.

5) Décor

Just because its a pizza party, does not mean tables should go undecorated. You do not need to spend a fortune to decorate your table but you should indeed make the effort, as it will go a long way to contributing to the ambiance on the day. I try to style these parties using easily available materials like aromatic herbs, fresh tomatoes, tea light candles in jam jars, red pepper plants, etc…..It does not need to be OTT to be pretty, fresh and original.

If you'd like to see an example of a pizza party, have a look at this video of a pizza party I did in Lucca. People were just arriving from their flight to Italy and this party was just the ticket to help them get in the party mood.

The experience for me was touching and memorable. It was beautiful to see all of the people I loved, and who loved me, meet and begin to appreciate all of the fantastic people that made up my husband’s family and friends. To witness these two groups unite in their support of our new adventure as husband and wife was truly moving. Beyond this, what I really appreciated, was the ability to take our time, and have everyone get to know each other over a period of several days, in a relaxed and fun setting. When, I thought, would there be in my lifetime, another occasion of this scale, where all the people we both loved, were united and enjoying each other’s company. I felt truly blessed for those beautiful days and I look back on them with great affection.

Fast forward to today. I’m a destination wedding planner in Tuscany in a rather similar situation. Two families, two sets of friends, many of whom will be meeting each other for the first time. Many of these guests will be curious about the other family. Many would love the chance to spark a conversation. It’s my job to provide them with the right circumstances so that getting to know each other is not awkward and fraught with formality, but rather, easy, fun, and filled with good will and mutual appreciation.

Here is where the idea of a communal grape harvest and wine tasting really hit me. I have a small house in the Tuscan country side where I maintain a few grape vines and an olive grove. I’ve always loved getting out into the country with friends, getting my hands dirty, and then finishing with a big meal and lots of wine after a fun day outdoors in nature. Wouldn’t it be a blast, I thought, if this could be somehow recreated for an entire wedding party? So I rang up a few select organic wineries in the area and asked who was harvesting and when. Most have several varieties of grapes, so the harvest occurs over the span of several weeks in late August and throughout most of September. Much of this depends on the weather, phases of the moon, etc….but in the end, I found the right winery, the right time and the right group, and the results are these lovely photos you see here.

We started late in the day, when the sun was lower and less intense, took a tractor into the grape vines, strapped grape baskets to our backs and began picking. The squeals of laughter, big smiles and lovely chatter I heard that day were priceless. People really were breaking the ice in this shared experience.

When our baskets were full, the owner of the vineyard took us on a tour of his cellars and described in great detail the entire vinification process, making sure to point out how every stage was unique and required great care. He was charming and very knowledgeable. No question was too silly or too nerdy for him. His passion for the wine, the land and its history really came through and we found ourselves happy and lucky to be learning so much from this charming Italian gentleman farmer.

After harvesting and sorting the grapes, we kicked back under the shady grape arbor with long views of the vineyard, and enjoyed chilled white wines with farm fresh vegetables dipped in extra virgin olive oil made at the vineyard. Selfie moments abounded as people switched tables, mingling and drinking as the sun went down. Plates of steaming pasta were served with rich, full bodied reds. The owner described to us each bottle and what it paired well with. We finished off our meal with big dollops of pastry cream on aromatic Lucchese raisin and anise bread, all washed down with an amber colored aged dessert wine. It was perfection.

Since that day, I’ve done several wine harvests/ice breakers for families coming together from all over the world. The interesting thing is that no matter where you are from, everyone loves a day in the sun, good food, good wine, and a yummy Italian meal.

Best of all, there is a place so special, so magical, I can promise you that your girlfriends will be talking about it for days to come. Located on a secluded beach on the Tuscan coast about a 40 minute drive from Lucca, Da Nicola's a cocktail bar slash restaurant, feels like Ibiza brought to Tuscany. The entire beach is lit with torches and low citronella filled candle pots. There is a charming section in the center with bamboo mats and soft cushions for picnic style relaxing as well as more secluded areas with white linen covered arbors and cozy couches for private parties. The cocktail and wine list is superb, the music fun, and the fish fry is to die for. If you'd like to have a memorable hen night in Tuscany, write to me about this location for more information.

If you would like to visit Montecarlo to view one of their many picture post-card venues, please write to me for more information about future open house days.

Happy Venue Hunting!