Villa Vignamaggio

We take a look around a special wedding venue in the picturesque Tuscan countryside

WHO REMEMBERS the sumptuous film Much Ado About Nothing with Emma Thompson and Kenneth Branagh and wished that they could find that amazing pink villa on the set of the movie? Well, now you can. The villa is the stunning rose-washed property Vignamaggio set in the Chianti hills outside Greve. Mona Lisa, daughter of Anton Maria Gherardini, and immortalised in Leonardo da Vinci’s painting, was born at Vignamaggio in 1479.

The Villa of Vignamaggio, surrounded by an elegant Italian garden in a stunningly beautiful corner of the Chianti area, offers a wonderful insight into country life during the Renaissance period. The main part of the villa dates back to the 14th century. The Gherardi family, who bought the villa from the Gherardini at the end of the 16th century, were responsible for its present appearance.

Subsequently, the estate was bought in 1925 by Contessa Elena Samminiatelli, whose family restored the Italian gardens and the villa. Since 1988, Gianni Nunziante, the new owner, has undertaken an extensive renovation of the buildings, the gardens, the vineyards and the wine cellars. Research carried out at the Datini archives in Prato has brought to light a number of documents relating to Vignamaggio. One of these, in particular, dated 26th October 1404, consists of a letter to Francesco Datini signed by Amido Gherardini, at that time the owner of the estate, which talks about ‘vino inbotato a Vignamag(i)o’ (literally ‘wine placed in barrels at Vignamaggio’). For this reason, in 2004 the estate celebrated six hundred years of winemaking.

There is a lot to do at the villa (as well as partying)...


WEDDING PARADISE

Vignamaggio is a magical place to celebrate any wedding. Indoors or outdoors, the maximum number of guests for a reception is 70. If you have 40 to 70 guests and want the perfect Tuscan wedding, then you really should consider this venue first. The villa and accommodation are laid out in two parts, which allow for a great degree of flexibility on the wedding day. Blessings can be held on the English lawn whilst aperitivi can be taken in the stunning Italian gardens, whilst the dinner can be held on the terrace overlooking the valley below.

With prices starting at 150 euros a night for the accommodation, the villa is extremely good value for money for wedding parties. Villa Vignamaggio hold options for several dates over the summer period for weddings of three to four nights (usually over weekends) and they should be able to confirm availability immediately. Wedding parties are asked to take the accommodation for a minimum of three nights and the Villa can also arrange overspill accommodation nearby for the remainder of the guests.

There is lots to do at the Villa (as well as partying) with two swimming pools, a tennis court, table tennis, a gym, a wellness centre with jacuzzi and turkish bath, massages, a children’s playground and mountain bikes. For those who simply want to relax and enjoy nature there is a wide choice of possibilities, starting from the labyrinth of hedges in the famous Italian garden. Other activities on offer are cooking classes, painting classes, wine tasting courses and guided trekking of the area.

The Villa organises catering for special events, including wedding feasts, cooked in the best Tuscan tradition from delicious antipasti to the exquisite wedding cake. ‘Shall I never see a bachelor of three-score again?’ asked Kenneth Branagh’s Benedick, and the answer is: ‘Probably not, with a venue like this!’

For more see www.vignamaggio.com and for wedding enquiries please contact Villa Vignamaggio’s exclusive agent: Love and Lord

www.loveandlord.com

Tel: +44 (0) 207 575 3092