Under The Tuscan Sun: Three-Day Wedding at Casa Cornacchi
Photography by Phil Salisbury PhotographyWhen it comes to weddings, tradition often takes centre stage. But for this couple, creating their own traditions wasn’t just a choice, it was the heart of their celebration. Laura & Connor’s Italian wedding was a mix of romance, personality, and pure joy, all while paying homage to the people and memories that shaped their lives. The festivities spanned three days, kicking off with a pizza party in the villa’s courtyard where guests mingled over wood-fired pies. The celebration concluded with a poolside DJ and saxophonist, followed by an Italian BBQ that was pure party vibes!
Three-day Destination Wedding at Casa Cornacchi in Tuscany, Italy
We have so many favourite moments, but one that sticks in my head was that first moment walking down the stone steps to our welcome party and seeing all our favourite people all together, abroad, in this place we'd dreamed about for the past two years. It was so surreal and overwhelming and incredible all at the same time, and we felt so very grateful and lucky to be surrounded by so much love. I loved that we had a prosecco tower complete with cold sparklers in place of a cake cutting – it was so much fun and really kicked off the 'party' section of our wedding in style – plus we got some fab photos! The cold sparklers were a gift from my mum and were a way of bringing some of my dad's 'light' into that special moment and tying in with the lights on our memory tree.
Laura & Connor
Ways To Honour Lost Loved Ones At Weddings
For Laura, one of the most iconic wedding moments—the father walking his daughter down the aisle—was absent but still deeply felt. “As a bride-to-be who lost her dad suddenly aged 21, it could be difficult at times, and I struggled to find much representation online of brides who didn't have their father present, even though I know there are lots of us.” This inspired the couple to forge their own path when it came to creating their own traditions. “In making new traditions through all aspects of our wedding, not being able to have that key father/daughter moment felt a little less jarring, although, of course, I still missed him as strongly and profoundly as ever.” The result? A wedding that was uniquely theirs, filled with the couple’s love of partying, their love of Italy, their favourite music, foods, cocktails, and, of course, their favourite people.
To remember other loved ones who had passed away, Laura & Connor had a memory tree: an olive tree adorned with macramé feathers made by her mum. “We asked people to write the names of loved ones they'd lost on a tag, and we hung all the feathers on an olive tree, which we lit up at sunset.” This was a way to honour not just her father but all the loved ones absent from their guests’ lives as well. Even Laura’s dress had a deeper meaning. She found it on Easter weekend, the same holiday during which her father had passed. “It felt connected to him somehow,” she said.
"Make the most of the morning before your ceremony. It might not be the part that you put on your mood board, but it's such a gorgeous part of the day that goes by so fast. We were lucky in that one of our guests is a yoga teacher so she held a yoga class by the pool on the morning of our wedding and our other guests loved it. It was a great way for people to bond and get ready for the day ahead.
Always have a backup plan for the weather. Our planner strongly advised this and at first I was reluctant to consider anything other than the outdoor ceremony I'd dreamed of, but the reality is you can't wish the rain away! The weather in Italy in particular has been so up and down over the past couple of years. It thankfully didn't rain on our wedding day, but the morning of our welcome party there was a torrential downpour. Even though I was praying it would clear by the evening (and it did), it made it a lot less stressful knowing that we had a Plan B in place."
Laura & Connor
Three-Day Destination Wedding in Tuscany
With guests travelling to Tuscany to celebrate with them, Laura & Connor made sure the event wasn’t just beautiful but fun, too. Luckily, Tuscany itself provided the perfect setting. “The great thing about an Italian wedding is that you already have the most incredible canvas to work with – it doesn't get much better than being surrounded by lemon trees and cypress trees looking out over the rolling hills of Tuscany!” They leaned into earthy tones for their styling to complement the rustic villa. Florals were a nod to their engagement story, incorporating pops of orange and pink to give off an 'Italian sunset' vibe because Connor proposed on a rooftop at sunset in Rome. Cute!
They also embraced Italian staples, including a gelato cart with unlimited self-serve gelato, lots of Aperol Spritz, and wine made in Casa Cornacchi's vineyards. One of the standout elements came courtesy of the bride’s mum, who taught herself how to macrame after seeing a Pinterest photo early in the planning process. She spent the next two years creating 70 macrame chair covers, table runners, and a backdrop for the wedding arch. Now that’s a mum who understands the assignment.
From Memory Trees to DIY Macrame, Laura & Connor’s Wedding Was Full Of Personal Touches
I think there's a lot of pressure on wedding photos – we live in the age of Instagram and I couldn't move for TikToks about 'best wedding poses' and 'perfecting your soft smile.’ But trust me, the day goes by so quickly that you don't want to spend hours staging your photos, and you don't want to tone down your joy in favour of a 'soft smile.' Enjoy every second and trust your photographer to capture those moments that can't be staged – those are the ones that will warm your heart for years to come (even if not all of them will make it to the grid!)
Laura
From the macramé-covered chairs to the rolling Tuscan hills, from a prosecco tower lit with sparklers to an olive tree glowing with memories, this wedding wasn’t just a celebration of love but a heartfelt reflection of the couple, their families, and the joy they wanted to share with their guests. Want to try out your own Prosecco or champagne tower? Here are all the tips you need to know to create your own champagne tower. Laura & Connor had a reading performed during their wedding ceremony and it’s one of our ultimate faves. Everything I know about Love by Dolly Alderton is light-hearted but no less emotional.
