Many wedding couples opt for an intimate ceremony and modest reception. Small weddings in fact allow you to enjoy the time with family and close friends. If you are looking for a peaceful fascinating place with a beautiful view to say the most important “yes” of your life, then Tuscany, and in this case Siena, is the perfect choice. Siena, with its all pedestrian streets, will give you the feeling to be in a small cozy village, whilst you are in a big town with everything you need in walking distance. Siena and its surroundings offer fabulous landscapes thanks to its rolling hills, vineyards, cypress trees and olives fields. Everywhere you go, you will find yourself in a picture-perfect atmosphere. Even more, the food is lovely and the people are very welcoming.
Yes, Tuscany is really one of the most enchanting region to get married in Italy and here are some useful tips to help you organize your perfect small wedding in Siena.
1.Pick the date and the season
If you want to start planning your wedding, you can’t do much until you pick the date. The first thing you need to do to choose a wedding date is picking the season or the month, while considering if there are any specific dates that are important to you and your beloved, like the first time you met or kissed.
Different seasons can create a completely different atmosphere for your celebration, so before deciding on a date of a small destination wedding it’s important to think about how seasons look like in the selected country and how you want your most special day of your life to look and feel (e.g. Are you dreaming of an outdoor or indoor ceremony and reception?).
If you are looking for warm weather and long, sunny days, the best period to get married in Siena would be between May and September, when the beautiful weather of the Tuscan spring, summer and autumn months will make you enjoy your wedding to the fullest. Keep in mind that this months can be extremely busy for weddings in Tuscany, so make sure you get started with planning as early as possible. September to mid-October is also a great time to get married in Siena, as the weather is still very pleasant during the day and the wedding season starts to calm down a little bit. Temperatures are a little cooler in the night and in case of a late afternoon wedding with an outdoor ceremony, an indoor reception would be the best option. Winter is wedding low-season in Tuscany, but in this beautiful region this season can be as stunning as summer. The hot weather of the summer leaves space to much colder temperatures, that make unique indoor venues like medieval castles, luxury hotels and restaurants, the perfect locations for a winter wedding surrounded by a cosy, magical and romantic atmosphere.
Tuscany, and in this case Siena, offers infinite options to suit every taste and need. No matter which month you choose, Siena will be the perfect scenery for your special day.
2. Set your budget
The next step after choosing the wedding date is defining your budget. Most of the couples would rather omit this step and jump straight to the cutting of the cake, but the next and most important aspect when planning a wedding is setting a clear budget estimate.
You surely do not want to spend more than expected, so make sure you set a realistic wedding budget by preparing for example a priority list. If you and your fiancè have different opinions as to which wedding items are worth spending on, prepare with them a list of each other’s non-negotiables. The less unnecessary items, the bigger the percentage of your budget you will be able to allot to your top priorities.
Another important factor to consider when setting a budget is of course the number of guests in attendance, which will affect not only the choice of the venue, but also the quantity of food and beverage you will have to provide, which represents one of the major wedding expenses. Considering the expenditure “per-person” will help you create an estimate of the costs.
3. Aim for a Short Wedding Guest List
Guest count goes hand in hand with budget, so paring down your guest list is the best strategy to cut down on unwanted extra costs from the beginning.
Since your wedding has to do with celebrating your future, make sure to invite people that will play an important role in your future life together as a married couple. If you struggle to make a selection, try to write down all of the people you would love to invite dividing them in lists: the first list will include only very close family members, the second one your close friends and the third one everyone else. This method will help you visualize your guests in different “priority levels” and give you a better understanding of who you should choose to be part of your Big Day. At the end of the day this is your wedding and it is your decision who will attend it.
4. Choose the right venue depending on your needs
Siena and its countryside offer infinite possibilities when it comes to wedding venues, such as beautiful castles, villas and medieval hamlets, situated in a position of breathtaking beauty with a dramatic view on the hills and valleys.
We are here to help you find the location that best suits your needs and style, taking care of every small detail and guiding you through the whole process. In addition to the number of guests and your budget, there are in fact other aspects that need to be considered when choosing your perfect wedding venue, that you might not know about; some locations might indeed impose restrictions on decorations or even on music, for example if the location is situated close to an historical centre.
Moreover, we always strongly suggest scheduling a site visit to come and see the selected venue/venues in person before you make a choice, as it is allows you to talk about details, ask all your questions, clarify eventual doubts and have a better understanding of spaces.
We will provide our full support and give you our best advice to help you choose the right venue and create your dream wedding exactly the way you pictured it.
5. Have Your Legal Paperwork Done Well In Advance
In case of a destination wedding with religious or civil value there is a bit of marriage paperwork that the bride and the groom need to go through. Our advice is to inform yourself about which documents you will be asked to produce enough time in advance to avoid unpleasant surprises and be able to get everything done on time and without any hassle.
We of course offer our support and assistance with the requested wedding documentation depending on your nationality, making the whole bureaucratic process easier and quicker. We will be happy to help you save your time and avoid unnecessary stress.
