« Wedding Moods

The bride and groom are surrounded by soft hues of greys and pinks interrupted by large depictions of historic events captured and retold by a painter from long ago. A violin plays sweet music that flows around the guests and medieval chairs. A chandelier lights up the room. With the exchanges of vows and promises of love the couple walk through the medieval building into the small quiet piazza. Other than guests, the only other spectators are two elderly men from the village sat down watching the buzz of guests congratulating the couple. When eye-contact is made the elderly men raise their wine glasses to the newly-weds and toast to their health. Other villagers look out and wave as the couple pass through the medieval-walled village. The cars weave through the countryside on simple roads lined with olive trees and vineyards broken up by the burst of fields creating a pattern of colour.

Before long the road breaks away into a track which snakes its way up to a small borgo resting on a hill. Passing through the wooden door the guests take their aperitifs looking out onto the surrounding landscape. A selection of cheeses and hams to tempt the appetite are served before sitting down to dinner under a gazebo. The main course brought before the guests and is cut in front of them. The famous Florentine steak. After full-bodied reds have washed down the last of the dinner, the couple lead their guests into the castle courtyard which is lined with Roman torches. Flames lap at the wind and cheers bounce back off the wall while the wedding cake is cut. The band strikes up its first song of the night and the couple take to the floor for their first dance as husband and wife. After the festivities, the guests congratulate the bride and groom and make their way back to their apartments which encircle the castle. The soft breeze carries the sound of crickets and the stars wink back at the couple. Gazing at each other they raise their glasses in their own private toast.

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Wedding in Siena

There is no better example than the Palio in Siena that can describe the atmosphere and history captured in one small city. As spectators gather, the chatter of many languages begins to fill the medieval Piazza del Campo which twice a year becomes a race track. Men cased in historical plate armour ready for a medieval battle march with flag throwers dressed in historical costume. As the procession passes round the track the carnival atmosphere is lively and gasps of ‘aaahhh’ fill the ‘arena’ as eyes fall on the manipulation of the flags as they stretch into the air and then fall to be dexterously caught by a prism of colour. Each ward of Siena is proudly represented by its colours worn by the flag throwers and spectators in the crowd. As they parade past, waves of cheers and shouts fill the arena. Just before the race starts the military police (carabinieri) charge round on horseback building the excitement, tension and creating a buzz as the crowd prepare for the race. When the competing horses, with jockey riding bareback, trot in they wait behind a rope - expectation fills the air. Suddenly, they burst out from the rope, dust rising up and meeting with the heat creating a speckled haze. The horses and jockeys shove and push racing to reach the finish line first. As the winning horse crosses the finish line the ward it represents runs down to lift the jockey and hug the horse in frenzied excitement and euphoria.

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Food fit for a wedding

The richness of the earth is a reflection of the richness of the Montepulciano wine, the ruby-crimson color and a rich cherry scented aroma create a rich full taste in the mouth. The intensity that the land produces is also reverberated in the food. Salame and prosciutto rich in strong flavours are balanced by simple saltless Tuscan bread. The strength and wealth of colour also influence the red brown brickwork of medieval buildings that line the twisting streets. All the roads and alleys appear to wind upwards looking for the peaceful and intricately detailed piazza. In the piazza, buildings stand to attention facing the centre, for the most part, the commanding medieval age has been captured in the architecture and has delicate hints of Renaissance dispersed sparingly. From the rooftop of the town hall the view is of terracotta rooftops tumbling down the hillside to make way for the Tuscan country side.

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A wedding scene

The explosive and influential centre of the Renaissance period left beautiful imprints scattered throughout the Tuscan countryside such as precious works of art, architecture and literature which were inspired by the surrounding Tuscan landscape.  The Tuscan hills are cloaked by a patchwork quilted terrain. Cross-stitches of olive trees, crocheted patterns of vines and back stitches of cypresses are broken-up by medieval towns which spill over the hill-tops. Castle towers and church steeples stretch upwards out of the winding streets. The roads snaking up to these villages carry the perfume of pine along the fresh air and are speckled with flowers of purple and blue hues. Walking upwards along these streets and occasionally glimpsing through the frames of the trees and stone arches, this Tuscan painting changes shape and perspective, each time creating a new focus and beauty to catch the beholder’s eye. As Autumn approaches and the crops are harvested shades of green make way for golden earth, from a distance they could almost be mistaken for sand dunes.

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Romantic words for your wedding

Literary greats such as Dante Alighieri influenced the choice of the Tuscan dialect becoming the official Italian language. It is not just the choice of words that adds beauty to this dialect but also the poetic and musical accent which wraps around the locals and their audience. The Tuscan intonation appears to dance, words forming musical notes and passing through scales and arpeggios. Colour, warmth and beauty in the tones are almost a musical accompaniment to the architecture and surrounding landscape.

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