Choosing a venue in Tuscany
Tuscany’s venues split into a few distinct categories — villas, hilltop castles, restored farmhouses, and single-wedding-a-day borghi — and each films differently depending on light, layout, and how far it sits from the nearest town. This list starts with the one property we’ve filmed at ourselves, then covers the region’s other most-recognized venues, based on what’s consistently named across wedding publications and by the planners we work alongside. For the practical side of planning — timing, cost, legal paperwork — see our Tuscany wedding videographer guide.
Jump to a venue: Villa Grabau · Villa La Foce · Castello di Casole · Castello di Celsa · Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco · Villa Gamberaia · Villa Cetinale · Borgo Santo Pietro
The venue we’ve filmed at
Villa Grabau, Lucca
We filmed Eoghan and Dominyka’s wedding along Villa Grabau’s garden avenue — see their film — a long, straight stretch framed by centuries-old trees that filters the afternoon sun into moving light on the ground rather than a flat wash. It’s the villa’s strongest visual feature, and we’ve learned to save our steadiest shots of the walk for when the couple actually moves through it during the day, rather than staging a separate pass earlier for coverage. The garden is large enough that guests naturally spread out across the lawn, the avenue, and the villa’s interior rooms over the course of the afternoon, which gives a documentary approach room to work quietly rather than having to gather everyone into a single frame.
Worth knowing: the estate also rents out L’Arancera di Villa Grabau, its former orangery, as a smaller standalone venue — a good option if the main villa’s guest minimums don’t fit your wedding.
Other well-regarded venues in the region
We haven’t filmed at the venues below ourselves, but they’re consistently named among Tuscany’s strongest by wedding publications and the planners we work alongside.
Villa La Foce, Val d’Orcia — Midway between Florence and Rome, surrounded by Renaissance and medieval sites within a UNESCO World Heritage landscape. Famous for its formal Italian garden and some of the most photographed rolling-hill views in the region — the classic postcard Tuscany backdrop, with more open light than the shaded avenues further north.
Castello di Casole, near Siena — A fortified castle estate run as a five-star retreat, suited to couples who want the region’s historic character without sacrificing polish and service. Generally hosts full wedding weekends rather than single-day celebrations.
Castello di Celsa, south of Siena — Renaissance gardens and ivy-clad stone walls give this castle a quieter, more overgrown atmosphere than Casole’s — closer to what a documentary approach tends to favor, since less of the setting feels arranged for effect.
Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco, Val d’Orcia — A secluded retreat set among vineyards, with genuine castle architecture and an intimate scale that suits couples who want privacy over a large guest list.
Villa Gamberaia, near Florence — One of Italy’s most studied Renaissance gardens; its water parterre has influenced landscape architects well beyond Tuscany. A formal, symmetrical setting that photographs with real precision.
Villa Cetinale, near Siena — Baroque architecture at its most theatrical, generally hosting between 60 and 120 guests. The approach avenue, flanked by statuary, is one of the more dramatic entrances among the region’s villas.
Borgo Santo Pietro, near Siena — A restored medieval hamlet built around a working garden and estate, hosting one wedding at a time. That exclusivity tends to give the whole day a quieter, more private atmosphere than a villa shared with other events.
Choosing between them
Tuscany’s biggest planning variable isn’t the venue itself but the distance between where you’re staying, where you’re marrying, and where your guests are based — venues here sit further apart than they do on the lakes, so travel time genuinely shapes the day. A castle estate built for a full weekend (Castello di Casole, Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco) suits a different kind of celebration than a single-wedding borgo like Borgo Santo Pietro. Send us your shortlist before booking and we’ll tell you honestly how the light and layout at each property tend to work on film.
Planning a Tuscany wedding? Get in touch and we’ll help you think through venue, timing, and what your film could look like.
Also comparing regions? See our lists of top Lake Como wedding venues and top Lake Garda wedding venues.
— Anton & Sabina
