Indian wedding elegance meets Tuscan charm

A mission wedding planner, LaToya Patel, successfully executed when her company, SW Events, was tasked with planning a destination wedding for the three-day Hindu and Sikh ceremony between Svena and Sukhjeevan that took place from June 4-6, with a dream venue in Tuscany of the utmost importance to the couple. Tuscany for Weddings, the dedicated division of Fondazione Destination Florence operating on behalf of Toscana Promozione Turistica, provided invaluable recommendations that supported the success of the event, with SW Events leading the planning and execution. But what made them decide on Tuscany for this important wedding?

“The bride studied for a semester in Florence, and it seems it stole her heart a little,”

LaToya tells us. Tuscany definitely fosters heartfelt connections, with its bucolic rolling hills and romance around every corner, making it an easy choice for couples.From her UK-based company, LaToya and her team crafted memorable days that were full of personality and tailored to the individual couple, thanks also to wonderful support and recommendations provided by Tuscany for Weddings.

The first moment of connection between LaToya and Tuscany for Weddings was at a B2B event in Vienna in 2019. It led to a recommendation to LaToya’s agency to participate in the BUY Tuscany event in Arezzo, which was then followed by a related post-tour Fam Trip in 2023, all the way up to the realization of the event in Tuscany. Each step helped build trust and personalized the guidance and support even further, all resulting in a smooth process when it came to the large-scale event.

“When we were searching for the venue, we reached out to Chiara of Tuscany for Weddings to ask if she had any recommendations for the size and scale of what we were looking to do. She sent a curated list of venues and key contacts for us, which was really helpful.”

Given the cultural and linguistic complications of hosting a wedding abroad, reassuring assistance is imperative for both the couple and the wedding planner.

“Chiara was incredible. When we were out with the couple for our final visit, she came and met with them, which was really lovely.”

It was the beautiful scenery and architecture at Villa Castelletti, northwest of Signa, that sold the couple. With the capacity for large events and confident hosts, the catering setup made the villa an incredibly guest-friendly venue, unique to Italian hospitality.

“You have a tasting space and a layout of all the different cutlery, crockery, glassware, and table linen, and you can walk around and move things. Physically being able to see everything together and create your table setting directly in front of you is an experience that you don’t get in every location.”

A three-day celebration to be split between four venues, the couple chose Tenuta di Artimino nestled in the Carmignano hills for three of their events, a property that “just sells itself,” LaToya recounts. Having stopped off for a pizza lunch at Circolo di Artimino between venue visits, LaToya and her clients fell in love with the uniquely Tuscan rusticity, and, of course, the food.

“The restaurant felt like a really great setting for one of their more informal pre-wedding events.”

Tuscany is an accessible region, with major stations and well-connected motorways.

“A number of guests hired cars, and there was an excellent overall ease of movement to get around in Tuscany. Also, proximity to other places that people wanted to visit worked out really well, because a lot of guests turned it into a holiday.”

LaToya’s efforts in pulling off memorable events have not gone unnoticed: she is the recent People’s Choice recipient from the Amour Awards.

A success on all accounts, this Indian-Tuscan celebration not only stands as a testament to LaToya Patel’s impeccable award-winning event planning but also to the lure of Tuscany as an accessible, friendly, and beautiful wedding location benefitted by the invaluable support system offered by Tuscany for Weddings that eased both the couple’s and the planner’s experience.

The event was organized with the involvement of:

Day 1
Event: Jago & Sangeet
Venue: Villa Castelletti

Day 2
Events: Haldi & Hindu Ceremony
Venues: Circolo Di Artimino Da Mario (for the Haldi) / Tenuta di Artimino (for the Hindu ceremony)

Day 3
Events: Anand Karaj ceremony and reception
Venues: Gurdwara Sangat Sabha (for the ceremony) / Tenuta Di Artimino (for the reception)

Suppliers:
Planners: SW Events
Photography: Gianni Aiazzi
Video: Gee Films
Florist: Flowers Living
Production: Namida Events
DJ: Deejay JSG
Bride’s hair & makeup: Giulia Makeup
Mehndi artists: Chromatika Henna
Indian catering: Haveli (for Days 2+3)
Italian caterer: Delizia Ricevimenti
Turban stylist: Turban Stylist