Villa di Maiano - September 21st 2023
Hi Martina,
I am so sorry I am just now responding to your email. I hope this email finds you well! I went on a cruise after the wedding up the Mediterranean Coast with friends while Katie and Tyler were in Greece on their honeymoon. It was so wonderful and such a treat! I had never been to any of the ports and it was so good just to explore different areas. It is hard to come back to "real life" now though, haha.
I am so appreciative of the hard work you did negotiating with the St.Regis!!! I was so relieved when they agreed to the refund because for sure Rachel felt terrible about it and so did Katie. The St Regis was truly the perfect hotel for the wedding party and the family- the service, food, drinks, everything was just impeccable and the location could not have been better for people wanting to sight see and walk on foot.
I am even more appreciative of the hard work you did on all of the wedding events. The Welcome Party at the Sesto was just stunning. I will never get over how bold and beautiful the flowers were. The food was great and the extra time you negotiated at the end for the open bar was very helpful. The photos guests have taken of the views and sent to us are just the best! It was the perfect start to a perfect trio of events.
The Rehearsal Dinner at Omero turned out to be so cozy and joyful and fun for everyone. The food, wine and service were great. They managed to serve all those people very efficiently and the family style made for a relaxed atmosphere which was appreciated. The cheesecake in particular was an amazing stand out- people could not stop talking about it. I had to give the woman seated next to me my piece because she loved it so much haha. Then at the end the little touch like the manager being willing to fix a box to go of food for someone who was ill was really appreciated. And the fact that they were able to fit everyone in one room was perfect, and I think with the speeches it would not have worked well any other way.
And the WEDDING WAS MAGICAL. Everyone said so. I am still getting notes and texts about the Villa di Maiano and what a special venue Katie chose and how perfect it was. Everyone said they could not believe the Limonaia was Plan B because you and Stiatti did such a beautiful job with the flowers, the arch, the candles and just creating the most special atmosphere for the ceremony. I am actually grateful that the Oaks garden was too muddy... because the Limonaia was where the ceremony was meant to be. Thank you for insisting that was the way to go!!
I am also so glad that we decided to "risk it for the biscuit" haha and have the cocktail outside on the terrace even with the possibility of the rain- because the views, the light, and the overall atmosphere made all the difference...Jazz around Italy was soooooo good...it was just exactly what Katie had had in mind. Thank you for being willing to think of creative ways to allow for Plan B if it did rain while still trying to keep the original plan in place. I loved the decoration of the terrace- I thought the furniture and lanterns looked beautiful and appreciated that in the end they did put some white flowers in the pots with the olive leaves! Details like that made a difference. Also loved that they managed to find some iris! I know it wasn't in season. The lion crowns were fantastic and the way the well was decorated was also so special and added a lot!! I thought the torches up the stairs worked out well, especially considering the cost savings.
The dinner in the Tapestry Room could not have been better either. Loved the vibe that Jazz Around Italy created. And all of the candelabra and the gorgeous white florals created just the right feeling. Elegant, but still very comfortable because of the natural feel of the greenery and also because of the chairs! Totally worth the extra money. I loved the color grey of the tablecloths with the chairs...did not clash with the tapestries on the wall, but rather made the whole room feel warm and not stark. Loved the unexpected extra touch of the individual flowers on the menus. :) The sweetheart table and fireplace was a standout...I think Katie and Tyler really loved that. And SALZA...omg the food was amazing...and the service could not have been better. Everything was hot, things were timed so well, the wine stewards kept the wine flowing...it was all so professional and elegant as far as service. Yes, they were very expensive but worth every penny and we would use them again if we had it to do over, and choose the exact same menu. We were very glad we went with the extra pasta course rather than the sorbet. The limoncello I think was a very fun touch.
The cake assembly was so much fun for Katie and Tyler and I think that was one of the standouts of the night. People raved about how good the cake was. The coordination of the music with the cake cutting and the timing of the fireworks was spectacular!!! The way that you managed to pull all of that was SUPER impressive. That could have gone wrong in so many ways.
The dance party in the Limonaia was a blast!! Everything was perfect with the timing of the first dance and Katie and Tyler's entrance. The DJ was talented, played all the requested music, and had a good feel for the crowd. We loved the disco balls and lighting. Salza's bartender also did a great job and was very patient! The coordination of the buses at the end worked great as well.
In closing Martina- you and Laura (and Alessandra in the beginning!) and your amazing team of vendors- (including the photographer and videographer who I know worked SO HARD till the very end) truly gave Katie the wedding of her dreams. She has told me she would not have changed one thing!!!!
It was truly crunch time at the very end and nI know we all felt the pressure, but you totally BROUGHT IT, and MADE IT HAPPEN in the best possible way. We are both so appreciative at the level of effort, the pride you had in your work, and the artistic way it all came together. Logistics alone could have messed everything up, but instead this was another area where you shined. Your organization made all the difference.
Martina, we will always be grateful to you and cannot express to you how happy we were with Katie's magical wedding in Florence at the Villa di Maiano! We can't wait to share all of the professional photography and videography with you when we receive it!!
All our very, very best,
Jennifer
