Orthodox Russian wedding in Tuscany: Yuri and Yana

Orthodox Russian wedding in Tuscany: Yuri and Yana

The Orthodox wedding of Yuri and Yana is not just a wedding, it is a dream come true that lasted three full days with many spectacular events. This Russian couple contacted us because they wanted something truly exceptional, and I suggested one of the most stunning locations for a luxury wedding in Tuscany: the fabulous Castello di Vincigliata in the countryside near Florence.

Update: this venue is not available for the wedding seasons 2022 and 2023.

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wedding-firenze-0172On the morning of the wedding day, Yana and Yuri left the Castle on a red vintage MG car for a romantic photo session in the heart of Florence. As you can see the sky was not exactly bright blue, but the fascination of the renaissance city worked like a charm with its enchanted atmosphere. The ancient streets and buildings form the perfect background for the romance of this couple, you can really see how much they are smitten with each other.

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wedding-firenze-0062The religious ceremony was held in the early afternoon in the Russian Orthodox Church of the Nativity in Florence. The blue and gold decorations covering the walls and ceilings of this fascinating church were beautifully matched with delicate flower arrangements in pastel colors. Ivory and light pink roses, white and pale pink peonies were combined with white and light blue hydrangea, together with wallflowers and greenery.

wedding-firenze-0068wedding-firenze-0069wedding-firenze-0082wedding-firenze-0085wedding-firenze-0074wedding-firenze-0093After the religious ceremony, the party returned to the castle, where a symbolic ceremony was held on the terrace garden, under a gorgeous flower arch decorated in pale pink, white and pale blue with lots of greenery.

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Immediately after the ceremony 30 doves were released and filled the sky with their white wings. These amazing birds are trained to return home from distances of up to 500 miles. A dove release can be a truly outstanding moment for any wedding: it’s a really unique way to greet your guests at an outdoor wedding or when the couple exits the church or town hall.

wedding-in-tuscany-791Cocktails were served in the castle garden. We gave the guests beautifully handcrafted paper tags, where they could write their dedications and wishes to the bridal couple. We tied the tags to hundreds of white balloons and the bride and groom released them on the terrace, letting all the wishes fly high in the sky.

wedding-firenze-0156Shortly after the balloon release, dinner was served indoors. The tables were dressed in white linen and tall glass vases filled with white and light blue hydrangea, pale pink roses, white and light pink peonies, a delicate combination that created a sophisticated atmosphere.

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The wedding dinner started with a delicious salad with avocado, octopus and shrimps served in crunchy baskets.

The first course was full of Mediterranean aromas: homemade ravioli filled with burrata cheese and dried tomatoes, dressed with small tomatoes and basil pesto.

For the main course, we offered two choices, both characterized by the flavors of top quality wines: veal fillet with Sauternes sauce, or seabass fillet with champagne and lemon.

The dessert was a delicate vanilla flavored panna cotta with wild berries.

The wines served throughout the meal were all 1995 vintage Bordeaux wines of Grand Cru vineyards: Chateau Margaux, Chateau Mouton Rothschild, Chateau Latour, Chateau La Mission Haut Brion, Chateau Cos D’Estournel, Chateau d’Yquem. These are all vineyards in the Burgundy region of France that have the highest ratings in the world.

wedding-firenze-0161After a while, the lights went out and the magnificent wedding cake made its entrance: a soft, creamy melt-in-your-mouth sponge cake with chantilly cream and fresh strawberries, elegantly decorated with white icing.

wedding-firenze-0178wedding-firenze-0179After the cutting of the cake, the celebration continued in the veranda where Italian pop singer Pupo enlivened the party with his most beloved hits. He is very famous in Russia, so all the guests sang along and danced and everybody had a good time. A very funny ending for a memorable wedding day!

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On the following days, the bridal couple and their guests enjoyed Tuscany in many ways: they had wine tastings and cooking classes and in the evening more concerts and dramatic fireworks… but I will tell you more about this in the next blog post. Stay tuned!

You can enjoy the full gallery with the beautiful photos captured by photographer Gianni di Natale or discover more amazing venues on our website for a destination wedding in Tuscany or a fabulous wedding in Florence. Get in touch with our coordinators via our contact form to plan your wedding in Italy with us!

Laura

Image Credits: Gianni Di Natale ©.

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