Some events are a challenge, sometimes due to the large number of participants and sometimes because of the expectations of the wedding party.
One of the largest and most demanding events was at Villa Le Corti, in S. Casciano, a small town nestled in the countryside outside of Florence. The Renaissance-era villa, dating from the early seventeenth century, is owned by a well-known aristocratic family.
In an amusing moment of the evening, some young kids, around 16-17 years old, captivated by the sounds and lights that were visible from the city, tried to crash what they thought was a party, saying they were friends of the princess. But what they didn’t count on was that not only was it a wedding! The bride was Indian and the groom was Argentinian; many adults in attendance wore traditional, colorful, elegant saris. They didn’t exactly fit in!
Returning to the event itself, it required constant attention to detail, particularly in the coordination of the various transfers of guests, who in most cases stayed in hotels in Florence. The ceremony was held in the beautiful Italian garden, shaded by the tall pines that protect guests from the summer heat. Attending an Indian ceremony – or rather a symbolic version of it (a Hindu wedding lasts several days!) – was interesting and very charming, with lavish displays of fruit and brightly colored flowers and petals.
The dinner was served by Galateo in the stunning courtyard, decorated with floral arrangements in green and orange, while during the festivities we were treated to classical quartet during the dinner service, and later on, dance music by the excellent DJ furnished by the Alma Project.
Fortunately everything went well, and our greatest satisfaction was receiving compliments from the guests, including that of a very nice lady who, in her own words, was “allergic to marriage“:
“I hate weddings, but this is really nice! Bravo!”
