A Two-Day Castle Wedding at Castello di Celsa, Tuscany
Some weddings you drive up to and you already know the film is going to be extraordinary. Castello di Celsa — a private medieval castle set above its own Renaissance garden in the hills near Siena — is one of them. When Stephanie and Domenic, travelling from the United States, chose it for a two-day celebration, they set the stage for one of my favourite Tuscan films.
As featured on Carats & Cake: the wedding day and the welcome party.
Day One — An Italian Welcome Party
A destination wedding is never really a single day, and Stephanie and Domenic’s began the evening before, with an Italian welcome party at the castle. It set the tone for everything that followed: elegant guests, warm Tuscan light, and the easy joy of friends and family gathered from across the world in one impossibly beautiful place.
The Setting — Castello di Celsa
Celsa has a way of making a celebration feel both grand and intimate. The castle itself, wrapped in autumn ivy, crowns a hill in the Montagnola Senese; below it, a geometric Renaissance garden of box hedges and stone urns steps down toward terraces that open onto the Val di Merse. For a couple who had travelled all the way from the States, it was exactly the kind of place that makes the journey worth it — private, historic, and unmistakably Tuscan.
The Wedding Day
The ceremony took place outdoors, on the panoramic terrace, the Tuscan hills stretching out behind the couple. In one of the details I keep coming back to, Stephanie and Domenic chose to exchange their private vows separately, in a quieter moment away from the crowd — an intimate counterpoint to the grandeur of the setting, and exactly the kind of emotion a film exists to hold.
Then the celebration opened up. As the couple kissed, the terrace erupted in confetti and pyrotechnics against the blue Tuscan sky. The open-air aperitivo that followed had the feeling of a private festival — performers with towering white feather fans framing the old stone gates, an aerialist turning slowly on her hoop against the castle wall, and guests spilling out across the gardens in the golden hour.
As the evening settled in, everyone moved into the light: dinner was served in a crystal glass marquee on the lawn, dressed with cascading floral chandeliers and candlelight, the castle glowing behind the glass. From the air, the whole estate looked like a lit jewel set into the dark Tuscan hills.
Why Castello di Celsa Works So Well on Film
Every corner of Celsa gives the camera something. The terrace and its valley view need no decoration. The hedge maze and iron gates make portraits that feel like cinema. The glass marquee turns dinner into a set piece. And because the castle stands alone on its hill, the aerial shots give the film its scale and its opening frame. It is, quite simply, one of the most filmable venues in Tuscany.
If you’re dreaming of a wedding here, you can see more on my dedicated Castello di Celsa wedding videographer page, or explore weddings across the region on my Tuscany wedding videographer page.
Planning a Wedding at Castello di Celsa?
I’d love to hear about your day. I reply personally to every message, usually within hours — and having filmed at Celsa, I can tell you exactly what to expect from the light, the gardens and the timing.
The Wedding Team
A two-day celebration like this comes together thanks to an extraordinary team of vendors:
- Planning & Design: Alessia B Weddings
- Photography: Barbarossa Studio
- Videography: Ivan Caiazza Films
- Florals: Flowers Living
- Catering (wedding): Guidi Lenci
- Catering (welcome party): Brindapino
- Cake: Sugar Cups Cake Design
- Hair & Make-up: Giulia Cresci
- Music (wedding): Tasten’ Sax
- Music (welcome party): Brothers in Law
- Entertainment: Joy Entertainment
- Games & entertainment (welcome): Italian Wedding Games
- Lighting & décor: Wedding Music & Lights
- Rentals: Preludio Divisione Noleggio · Pellicci & Meschi
- Bride’s gown: Monique Lhuillier
- Welcome-party dress: HELSI
- Shoes: Jimmy Choo
- Stationery: Papira Design · By Chloe Louise Art
- Content: Wedding Raw Memories