U.S.-Based Wedding Planner Makes Dreams Come True With Destination Weddings in Tuscany

    WINTER PARK, FL, November 05, 2011 /24-7PressRelease/ -- In May of 2008, event planner and marketing guru Tara Fontana took her first trip to Tuscany. After 8 days of soaking up the art, culture, food, and wine, she knew this was a place that she would one day return.

In November 2009 she embarked on her second trip to give birth to a book; however she gave birth to a wedding business.

Tara Fontana, owner of Grapevine Events & Marketing, Inc., has years of experience in various areas of the luxury goods industry. As a former marketing executive for some of the world's most acclaimed luxury brands such as Calvin Klein, Escada, Laura Munder Fine Jewelry and Neiman Marcus, Tara has developed national and local marketing and public relations campaigns.

It was now time to take on a new challenge starting a business that brought her back to her roots. Tara's father and grandparents were born in Naples and the Italian culture was part of her blood. Visiting the country brought back happy childhood memories, the sing-songy language rang like music to her ears, along with the strong traditions, comforting food, and passionate people.

For two years she traveled back and forth to Tuscany for weeks at a time, selecting a team of talented artists to create a timeless Tuscan wedding customized to the bride and groom's personality, tastes, needs and desires. In September 2010 Weddings Under The Tuscan Sun was officially born.

Soon after she was approached by an Orlando couple who wanted to have their dream wedding in Tuscany. It was very important that they have their ceremony in a Catholic church to form their union before the eyes of God. This was not an easy task as the bride was Seventh Day Adventist and the groom was Roman Catholic.

After 7 months and 3 trips back and forth to Florence working with the Bishop in Orlando, the American Bishop at the Duomo, and appealing before the Diocese in Florence she heard those magic words she had been longing to hear "Confermato". This made her the first American wedding planner to obtain Santi Michele e Gaetano for a wedding, in addition to one with mixed faith.

The wedding took place on October 12, 2011 in of Florence's most majestic and only Baroque church from the 1600s, Chiesa dei Santi Michele e Gaetano, located on the Rodeo Drive of Florence, Via Tournaboni.

During the breathtaking ceremony, the first violinist, Andrea Pani, from the Florence Philharmonic, who also played under the famous conductor Zubin Mehta, accompanied an organist and singer from Milan playing Ave Maria as the bride entered the church.

After the ceremony the 80 guests were whisked away by 11 Mercedes minivans to the hills of Chianti for the reception at Villa La Giglioa.

It was once the stately home and church of San Piero in Mercato it is now a luxury resort and winery owned by Anna Piazzini. Through the combination of history, the Piazzini family produces first-class wines that appear in the acclaimed wine guide of Gambero Rosso.

Upon arrival the guests were greeted by the sommelier of the estate who escorted them to the Cantina / Wine Cellar for a brief tutorial on how wine is made and stored. He then continued to describe and let the guests sample each wine they would be having during the course of the evening.

Aperativos, wine, and bellinis were served outside and at dusk the guests moved inside the Villa for a four course traditional Tuscan dinner prepared by a chef who is famous amongst the nobility of Florence.

After dinner everyone moved outside to the terrace on the Villa for limocello, grappa, Prosecco, the cutting of the wedding cake and dancing the night way to live entertainment.

On the evening of October 11th, 2011, at the reception of Franco and Tiffany, the Piazzini family and Weddings Under The Tuscan Sun proved that history and tradition was the perfect combination for a magical wedding.

Contact: Tara Fontana
Owner, GrapeVine Public Relations, Inc.
Phone: 407-929-5078
Email: [email protected]
Web: http://www.grapevinepublicrelations.com

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