Aosta Valley, in Italian Valle d’Aosta, is a tiny semi-autonomous region located at the very North West Italy.
It is just by Piemonte and France and Switzerland, just consider that it is one of the few region where local people officially speak both Italian and French.

Aosta Valley is well known abroad for its mountain destinations!
Wonderful mountain landscapes and great ski slopes, a destination you cannot miss: just think about Mont Blanc, Chamonix, Courmayeur, Cervinia, La Thuille just to mention the most famous.
And we cannot forget about great traditional food you could taste here! Robust ingredients for a warm and traditional wedding dinner: Polenta, Fondue, Fontina cheese, delicious ham and very tasteful wines of the valley!

Our bride and groom choose Courmayeur for their wedding and we can show you here some details of the wedding we planned for them.

Little village of La Salle is part of Courmayeur compound and they decided for a civil ceremony here.
The town hall is housed in an ancient traditional Aosta Valley building.
Civil ceremonies here are held on the top floor, the room has a stunning wall-window overlooking mountains!

A wonderful 5 stars hotel is located just close by the town hall, just few steps really.
It could be the perfect venue to celebrate your wedding reception just like our bride and groom did.

A nice aperitif in the fireplace room and then dinner in the Sala dell Feste.
This room can host even big party of 150 guests and it has a great appeal with its mountain atmosphere and chatedeal-like windows.

The hotel has also other wonderful areas, such as the swimming pool terrace where you could have your aperitif in case of summer or spring wedding, amazing rooms for your staying, a smaller restaurant room for smaller and intimate events, and a relaxing SPA for beauty treatments and some relax after your wedding day.

For this wedding we studied with the bride an elegant and chic decoration.
Town hall was decorated with taffeta white fabrics and beautiful compositions of white tulips.
Tulips were also in lovely bridal bouquet and all other compositions.

For the reception room tall vases with tulips in top and some other floating were our centrepieces and a very stylish touch were the white branches decorated the column in the centre of the room.
Stationary was studied with the same little detail on menus, and names cards.

If you are thing about a romantic winter wedding, overlooking high Alps, Aosta Valley and this little corner of paradise could be a wonderful choice.
A winter wedding dress, some warm wool and winter flowers could add a special touch to your winter dream.

Have a look to wonderful photos Nathaniel Heart Visual by Estelle studio took and we are sure you will really get inspired!

A wonderful, sweet couple that will always stay in our hearts!

Lucienne and Mickey arrived from Ireland to celebrate their Italian wedding on Alps. We met them one year before the event and spent a year planning the event and knowing each other! A lovely experience that we would repeat if we could!

For their special day Lucienne and Mickey choose a wonderful Alp resort just facing Sestriere slopes! A stunning place with a stunning view!
Lucienne got ready in one of the best room of the resort while Mickey was not far in another hotel by the slopes.

The ceremony was planned for the first hours of the afternoon in local church in Sestriere.
Sestriere church a lovery liberty style church all made in local stones.
Lucienne arrived there with her wonderful mum!

The ceremony was really moved and accompanied by two great Irish singers who came with the group from Ireland.

After the ceremony it is time for pictures. Lucienne and Mickey wanted a lot of them! Some great and fun ones.
Nathaniel Heart Visual by Estelle studio took great shots you can see in this post! Simply beautiful!

A lot of pictures in the snow for our bride and groom. Have a look to the great scenarios they choose for a intimate walk!

And for their great love for dogs they also took the chance to have a little ride on a sleigh with husky dogs! An original photo shooting for sure!!!

Then back to the hotel for some warm temperatures!
A lovely aperitif and some group photos wanted for the bride and groom and finger tips marks on Lucienne and Mikey wedding tree as guest book. What a cute idea!

Lucienne theme color was pink with a little touch of white and green as you can see from the pictures and she wanted very loose and casual centerpieces for the long tables of the reception.
A little touch or spring color for a winter wedding!

Lucienne and Mickey and their guests tastes a wonderful Piemonte Alps traditional meal with local red wines and a warm winter atmosphere of the restaurant of the resort…. just in in snow…. overlooking the mountains.

Irish musicians started to play right after the dinner at the moment of the wedding cake cut.
Lucienne and Mickey was a great original and fun cake! Have a look at it. A winter themed wedding with a fun cake topper…. bride groom and with ski, snowboard and their dog!

Dances and open bar went on up to late at night and we can really say we had a lot of fun too.
A winter wedding could be different, original and fun….maybe less formal than an elegant wedding in summer but for sure with a choice like this you will rock and dance your night away!

Thank you Lucienne and Mickey for such a great experience for us too!

We are back to a wonderful villa we already told you about for Ivan and Stefania’s wedding.
We can now say that this wonderful villa in Langhe is surely one of our top destination for a wedding in this area and offers all comforts you could ask for.

It is located in the heart of Langhe and owner Mrs Gabriella is the sweetest and kindest lady you could ever meet.
In this wonderful venue you could opt for a blessing in the garden as Jerri and Tom did or you could simply hire it for the reception as our Stefania and Ivan did.
But you could also decide to rent all the rooms of the venue and stay overnight here with your family and friends as Alina Elena and Marco did.
As the matter of fact the villa has 8 wonderful rooms. You can rent all of them for the week end or for a longer staying or just for the getting ready!

The rooms have all a great view on Langhe vines. Mrs. Gabriella will put at your disposal the amazing swimming pool, gym and sauna and a delicious breakfast!
A dream vacation in Langhe!

But let’s get back to Ivan and Stefania’s wedding!

Stefania got ready at her home. She wanted a blue themed wedding… something blue!
Such a nice idea to incorporate the famous something blue in her dress and details!
Have a look to Stefania’s dress and pretty flowered belt!

On the other hand for her floral decorations Stefania wanted all in ivory roses.

Stefania and Ivan opted for a romantic catholic ceremony in a small country church in Monticello d’Alba.
The style of the church with bricks and simple decors outside is the traditional Piemontese Baroque and has a perfect country feeling!

After the moving ceremony a huge storm of confetti welcomed newly weds out of the church!
Su fun!

And after that…. to the villa on a fun vintage Wolkswagen Beetle!

Villa is stunning as usual and a warm summer sun allowed a relaxing aperitif in the garden with bar open and a delicious chocolate fountain!
All was accompanied by a great band the same that rock the night for the dances after the reception!

Before the reception Ivan and Stefania had the chance to take some special shots just the two of them in the rooms of the villa. You have the occasion to see some here and appreciate the beauty of the villa indoor spaces!

Seated reception was held in the stunning room.
Round tables in the room with chandelier have always a great impact…

The sun is not set yet but it is time for the wedding cake… again… something blue!
But before this the traditional throwing of the bouquet from the steps of the villa!!

Stefania studied a stylish wedding cake to be served in the garden just by Villa scenic gazebo.
The cutting of the cake by the gazebo is a must, stunning view on the vines and relaxing atmosphere, nothing better for a special touch!

After dinner party with the band and fun dances up to late a night to close a wonderful day in Langhe.
Who could ask for anything more?

A very special thanks to Stefania Spadoni photographer who took these great shots of this magical day!

As many of you will probably know, Piemonte is famous for its wonderful and traditional food but most of all for their wines!
They could be two lovely elements to incorporate in your wedding. You and your guests could enjoy the real taste of an Italian reception having a wonderful meal in one of the best Piemonte restaurant.
In all the region we have 32 Michelin Stars restaurants and many Slow Food Presidia as we mentioned in older posts – Helen and Daniele’s wedding and Patricia and Richard’s wedding.
Do you remember about them?

Luca and Elena choose one of these restaurant for their wedding reception.
Maybe because Luca is a chef himself working in another wonderful restaurant of the area!
But let’s see all from the beginning.

Living in the area Elena decided to getting ready in her family home respecting the tradition.
Her family paper her helping the most important lady of the day to be wonderful for her wedding!

Luca waited for her at the church. They opted for a Catholic ceremony in the church of St. Cosma and Damiano in San Damiano d’Asti in Monferrato area.
A stunning big church in the heart of Monferrato countryside.
Elena was simply beautiful in her romantic laces dress wearing a long veil and a lovely white boauet.

For their wedding photos and reception they moved to little village of Pollenzo where Slow Food Presidia is, in Langhe.
They walked along the castle and the main square where another wonderful gothic style church is.

But the best part is still to come!
For their reception they opted for Ristorante da Guido.
It is located very close to Slow Food Presidia we showed for Helen and Daniele’s wedding but it a little more intimate venue.

Under a lovely wooden portico the glass door of the restaurant is.
A perfect blend of modern and traditional styles welcome bride and groom and their guests.
Modern furniture perfectly mixed with brick walls, ceiling and columns of a neo gothic building. Very styilish!

A real gourmand dinner was served everybody just loved the traditional dishes Elena and Luca chose for the reception. Simple courses of the tradition but with a touch of style. The main was accompained by best wines of the area, Dolcetto, Nebbiolo and Barbaresco.

For the after dinner Luca and Elena wanted a great band playing for them and their guests.
They opened the dances with a slow dance.
A sweet couple for a lovely intimate and delicious wedding in Langhe…. would you like to taste it too?

A very special thank to Spefania Spadoni Photographer a very talented photographer who shared with us these beautiful shots!

You can see here some of the wonderful pictures Photo27 Team took on the day.

Jennifer and Marc came from Switzerland to celebrate their romantic wedding in Piemonte.
A good choice if you think that Switzerland and Piemonte are very close by, just few hours driving.
All guests came here with a big bus and they had the occasion to spend lovely days in Torino and its surroundings.

On the day of the wedding all reached Jennifer and Marc who already stayed at the villa they chose for their wedding.

In this wonderful trailer video of the full event you will see every step of the day.
From the preparatives to the very end: the party at the swimming pool.

Just few minutes to enjoy a wonderful country event.
You will see the bride and groom getting ready, preparations for the reception and most of all the ceremony with lovely real butterflies – the them of the wedding – flying as symbol of eternal love.

Lovely music Are you the one by Matt Hires for a dreaming wedding video shot by Riccardo Lavezzo Studio.

We are sure you will love the country atmosphere we created for this event, rustic outdoor aperitif and dinner, country flowers and back boards decorations, special colour lighting at he villa and the dancing party at the swimming pool.

A perfect country mid summer dream!
Just have a look to this amazing video we are sure you will love it!

A very special thank to Riccardo Lavezzo Studio for the video shooting.

Last but not least, thank you for following us and we hope you will keep on following us for 2013!
A very happy new year and see you soon again!

A Country setting for a Big Italian – English Wedding

This month we go back to Pollenzo.
Do you remember this location? We were here in occasion of Patricia and Richard’s wedding some years ago.
Today we are back to tell you about Daniele and Helen’s wedding.

Piemonte Countryside and Slow Food

Let us tell you about the magic of this special place.
Little village of Pollenzo is located close to Alba and Bra.
This is just right where best wines of Piemonte countryside are produced. You surely know Barbera, Barolo, Nebbiolo wines.
Ancient Romans arrived here and placed a settlement.
In the following centuries this little village become a Savoy residence and lastly a Slow Food presidium.

Now the ancient building that used to be Fiance Agency for King Albert of Savoy, is a wonderful 4 stars hotel with slow food restaurant and the first Bank of Wine where best Italian and most precious bottles are preserved.

For the ones who do not know Slow Food, this is a non-profit worldwide foundation and network. It counts more than 100.000 members in 153 countries.
It was founded in 1989 to counter the rise of fast food and fast life and disappearance of local food traditions. They encourage people to get back to the pleasure of good food with a special commitment to their community and environment.
You can know more about this following this link www.slowfood.com

Pollenzo is a Slow Food presidia and this is also one of the reason because Helen and Daniele chose it for their country wedding reception.

A Catholic country ceremony… in Torino

Daniele and Helen are a wonderful couple. Daniele is Italian and Helen is British.
They both live and work in Torino.
They opted for a Catholic ceremony their parish church right in the city of Torino.
It is a wonderful neo-medieval style church almost in the center of the city. It was built back in 1887 and it has wonderful golden frescos and details inside.
Even if the church is located in the city, Helen really wanted a country floral decoration for the altar and for the pews, with white roses, chamomile flowers and moss. There was a light scent of chamomile in the church…. so country!

A Countryside reception to experience Piemonte cuisine

After the ceremony and some group photos the big group of about 130 guests moved to Pollenzo for the reception.

Once in Pollenzo Helen and Daniele took just a little time for themselves.
A little walk in the wonderful countryside of Pollenzo just facing their reception venue.

Their guests were enjoying a rich Piemonte style aperitif but we can say that the dinner was a real gourmand experience for all.
Home made vitel tonnee, zucchini flan with Piemonte Roccaverano cheese, traditional Ravioli del Plin (this is a must of Piemonte cuisine), risotto and Brasato all accompaigned by best Piemonte wines, Arneis, Nebbiolo and Moscato.

Another must for a Piemonte wedding is the wedding cake.
The look of the cake was English – as Helen wanted – but the taste was Italian, or better Piemontese!
Helen and Daniele opted for a Diabella cake. It is made with fondant chocolate and Piemonte hazelnuts. It is soft and creamy, simply delicious!

Country flowers for a country wedding

For her flowers Helen chose again a country feeling, ivy, English roses and berries. in a loose composition… but have a look to her bouquet. English roses could not miss for a British bride. Then some berries, blossoms and heather.
Simply beautiful. It was just the right bouquet for her!

Let’s party!

After the gourmand dinner the party started a swing band played for the big party.
Dances, fun and great time for a great couple.

Congratulations Helen and Daniele…. a wonderful couple we will never forget!

A big thank to Independent Pictures Team for their great shots.

Weddings summer season is now over but we still have a lot to tell you about our weddings in Piemonte countryside!
This period in Langhe and Monferrato areas is the one of the most important part of the year: grapes Picking and vinification of great wines and truffle season.
If you have the chance to come over Autumn in Langhe or Monferrato you could enjoy all this in lovely restaurants and wine resorts but you could also experience a stunning Autumn landscape full of colors and charm.

Benedikte and Raymond did not choose Autumn for their wedding in Piemonte countryside, but they choose for their big day one of the most beautiful wine resort of the area.
The wine resort we are talking about is set in the heart of Langhe. It is located just few minutes drive from Barolo, Barbaresco, Alba and Bra.
View over the vines hills is simply amazing and in late summer you could also find lovely fields of lavender to add a special scent to a special day.
A great scenario for a country wedding!

Benedikte and Raymond came from Norway for an lovely and intimate event in Piemonte countryside. They invited to their wedding only close friends and family and most of all many children! Their presence made the day even happier!
Have a look to the pretty flowers girls dressed in white just like the bride!
Aren’t they beautiful?

For their ceremony Benedikte and Raymond choose the deconsecrated church inside the resort. It is a lovely solution to plan a ceremony and reception to follow all in the same place!

Here they had a lovely and simple blessing conducted by their professional celebrant. The ceremony was simple but elegant and the bride was absolutely stunning!
For her bouquet she chose fresh white and pink hydrangeas. But have a look to her lovely hairdo! It was decorated with fresh flowers too. Again very simple but very elegant!

After a moving and emotional ceremony that involved all guests but most of all children, Benedikte and Raymond took some minutes for themselves to have a little walk in the wide park of the wine resort.
The park is just set in the nature and there are some lovely spot where you could really relax and contemplate the beauty of the countryside.
The wine resort has a wonderful SPA too that could be ideal for a relaxing longer staying or honeymoon!

After a little walk Beneditke and Raymond reached their guests back.
The aperitif was served on one of the main terraces of the resort a stunning view for a delicious moment! Wines served and dishes prepared were all locally prepared following the traditional receipts of Piemonte cuisine.
Something you really need to try!

The dinner was then served inside one of the restaurants rooms of the resort.
Benedikte and Raymond chose the ancient cellar with bricked-walls and and ancient vaults.
Many Piemonte resorts have this kind of areas, they were mainly built to preserve and keep wine safe.
It could be a perfect spot for a traditional and intimate wedding reception.

We loved Benedikte and Rayomond choice: simple, country but also elegant and charming. Food and atmosphere of Piemonte countryside added a little touch of traditional to the event that all guests coming from Norway were looking for.

We are sure that you could find the same here, we will be pleased to let you discover what Piemonte Countryside can offer just come and experience Langhe and Monferrato as Benedikte and Raymond did!

Castles in Piemonte

Piemonte region was the region where former Royal Italian family used to live so you can imagine how many castles dot the region.
In details Canavese area has many on its territory and they are almost all far from massive tourism.
We already introduced this area in our previous post talking about Jennifer and Marc’s country wedding.
All castles are located on top of hills overlooking a stunning hill view. A wild and undiscovered area that could be the perfect set for your destination wedding in Piemonte.

Discover Torino and Piemonte region

Charlotte and Luca choose for a very special castle not far from Torino and located in a small village overlooking Canavese hills.
Charlotte is coming from United States and Luca is Italian, his family is from Torino.
They both live in US and they chose to get married in Piemonte and let their guests discover the beauty of Piemonte region.

They all stayed in Torino in wonderful hotels located just in the heart of the city.
For their day before they opted for a casual pizza in the city. Guests had the chance to discover Torino and its secrets.

Wedding in the castle

On the day of the wedding all guests reached the castle in late afternoon for the ceremony in the ground of the castle.
The castle Charlotte and Luca chose is not only a wonderful reception venue but inside its walls it host a gourmand restaurant and a beautiful hotel.
Charlotte and her ladies got ready just in one of the best suites of the castle and at the right moment she came down from the antique stairs to reach the ceremony area.

Have a special look to Charlotte dress….very original and very chic. It is in a way modern but also very elegant and classic… the right choice for a wedding in a castle. We have to remember also floral decorations!
Luca’s mum and her friends were able to create a wonderful atmosphere for this wedding a very special gift Charlotte and Luca could not refuse!
Luca followed local tradition…. where bridal bouquet is given as last gift as fiance to the bride so she received it at the altar by Luca.
Charlotte was surprised but she really liked the surprise!

Ceremony and aperitif in the castle court

The romantic ceremony performed by Luca’s friend was held in one of the court of the castle. For the occasion we planned a white carpet and lovely chairs.
When Charlotte arrived she was like a vision in this context!

After the ceremony a long and rich aperitif was served in the main court of the castle. Have a look to the beauty of this venue isn’t it a dream?
While their guest were enjoying the aperitif Charlotte and Luca had the chance to take some lovely and fun pictures too. A castle like this could be the perfect set for some elegant wedding photos.

Reception and party in the castle

After a wonderful meal in the rooms of the castle group got back in the court for the cutting of the traditional Italian cake, some dances, drinks and a special surprise a sugared almond tasting.
Charlotte really wanted to let their American guests taste a touch of Italy with our sugared almonds. They are really traditional in our country at weddings and they also brings good luck. Instead of favors she wanted a selection of different flavors sugared almond and some candies too.
It was a real success!

A very special thank to Independent Pictures. They were able to capture wonderful moments and great shots for this lovely and romantic wedding in a Piemonte Castle!

This summer was a great one on Piemonte country side.
We opened the season with Alina Elena and Marco’s wedding in Langhe.
Today we would love to tell you about another country wedding in another area of Piemonte.
Jennifer and Marc came from Switzerland with their family and friends to celebrate a wonderful country wedding in a beautiful Cascina close to close to Torino.

On Northern area of Torino there is a wonderful country area that is far from massive tourism and still natural and relaxed.
There are wonderful mansions, violas and castles to discover that could host your country wedding. We will come back next month talking about another fairy tale wedding we planned in the area.

Jennifer and Marc’s host stayed all in Torino. This gave them the opportunity to discover a lovely and lively city. The couple hosted a lovely welcome aperitif to have the chance to say hi to everybody.

Getting ready in the countryside

On the day of the wedding Jennifer and Marc moved to the mansion they choose for their ceremony and reception to get ready.
This charming cascina has also some pretty room and a wide swimming pool that could be ideal for a relaxing staying in the countryside.

Outdoor ceremony in the nature

Jennifer’s family is jewish so she really wanted to add a touch of this tradition creating a lovely marquee for the ceremony. It was conducted in three languages German, English and Jewish.

This allowed all guests coming from different part of the world to fully understand each step of the ceremony.
For the ceremony Jennifer wanted a butterfly theme to symbolize natural feeling of a true love.
Side of the ceremony decorations made of colorful flowers and butterflies she added something different. She brought from Switzerland some little boxes in which there were real butterflies inside to be released a the moment of the exchange of the vows! It was really emotional!

Wedding photos in the countryside

After a moving ceremony the couple took the change to take some pictures in the nature in the boulevard leading to the villa and inside the villa itself.
Photo27 Team did surely a great job!
Jennifer and Marc loved this venue!

A rustic Aperitif

We planned the aperitif In the main courtyard  of the villa.
A long relaxing moment for all, to taste delicious traditional Piemonte cheeses, wines and finger food.
Some music in background an some candid photos.

A country Dinner under the stars

After the aperitif the dinner was served in the other courtyard of the mansion.
Decoration Jennifer choose was fully country!
Flowers were very loose an country feeling, we used black boards and chalk writings for the tables names and the table chart and instead of glass or ceramic vases for the flowers…cream tin carafes.
Jennifer bouquet and style fully matches this country style we created together.

Delicious dinner was served under the stars outdoor…. a wonderful warm country night!

Party by the pool

Wedding cake was cut by the swimming pool.
This area was specially lighten up with colored led lights to create  a real party atmosphere!
After the cutting of the cake, the party begun with lot of fun, some dives in the swimming pool and a lot of dances!
This was surely an unforgettable party, casual, easy, but also romantic, chic, stylish and really country  feeling as Jennifer wanted!

Thanks to Photo27 Team for the great shots and amazing work!!

Who said that a Country wedding should be planned only in a rustic venue such as an agriturismo or a b&b over the vines hills?
A Country wedding could be also chic and very elegant still keeping the same a lovely country atmosphere that you are looking for.

This is exactly what Alika and Alessandro did.
They choose for their wedding a magic venue. We will tell you its secrets in this post.

Alika and Alessandro wedding venue is located in the heart of Langhe in the little village of Cherasco.
Cherasco is a ancient and lovely pretty village.
It a little medieval corner in Langhe countryside. It is famous because here Napoleon Bonaparte signed a famous armistice in 1796.
For art lovers Cherasco is a must-seen destination. The village in spite of its small dimensions offer to visitor a wide choice of, baroque churches, palaces and monuments like Arco del Belvedere which is the real symbol of the village.
In Cherasco you will also find one of the most important antiques and vintage market in Italy. People are coming from all over Europe to buy antiques here!

Moreover we cannot forget that Cherasco is part of the eleven villages (Grinzane Cavour, Serralunga, Monforte d’Alba, Diano d’Alba, Barolo, Novello, La Morra, Verduno, Roddi and Castiglione Falletto) that make together the Land of Barolo Wine. Barolo vines surround the village and we are sure that here you could taste one of the best Italian wine.

Aiika and Alesandro choose this little corner of paradise to tie their knot and they choose to have Cherasco monuments among their “guests”.

For their ceremony they opted for the church of St Agostino.
A wonderful big church builted in 1672 with stunning frescos on the ceiling.
The church is located side of the Arco del Belvedere and also just close by Alika and Alessandro’s wedding reception venue!
Very convenient!!

Wedding reception venue Alika and Alessandro chose is a stunning hotel housed in a former Monastery.
It was founded in around 1600 by Somaschi Monks. It was recently restored to host a stunning hotel with a gourmand restaurant.

It is just here that Alika got ready with her family.
Once ready she crossed the stunning hall and then lovely garden of the hotel and reached the church of Sant Agostino.
Catholic ceremony was moving and really romantic.
Some pictures side of the Arco del Belvedere and then back to the hotel to enjoy a wonderful aperitif sipping the best Piemonte wines.

Dinner was served in one of the main room of the hotel.
Service was impeccable and the dinner was surely gourmand. Chef prepared delicious dishes respecting famous culinary tradition of Piemonte region.

For the after dinner party some music a lovely Italian bar and chats with friends.
An elegant couple for an elegant wedding in Piemonte Countryside… who said that country only means… rustic?

A very special thank to Simone Mottura from Blanco Y Negro in Torino.
He is the great author of this magic shots and surely a very good professional to work with.