Giselle & David at Ristonchi
This gorgeously simple wedding celebration at Castello di Ristonchi in Tuscany, Italy is exactly the kind of dreamy Italian wedding couples are craving. The ancient castle turned bed and breakfast eco resort sits high on a Tuscan hill surrounded by a forest and olive groves. The couple, Giselle and David chose the natural and rustic atmosphere of Ristonchi for their Italian reception saying, "The minute we saw pictures of Castello di Ristonchi, we knew we had found that magical place for our Italian wedding reception celebration!"
The couple lives in San Francisco but decided to have a small beach ceremony in Hawaii then three amazing receptions in three cities and two countries, it was "Giselle & David, The Reception Tour!" since they both love to travel and their families and friends are spread out around the world it just made sense.
With a location near Florence the couple and their family were able to take some amazing tours in search of fine art and architectural masterpieces then come back to the extraordinary tranquil countryside around the castle as well as the cuisine and wine.
Instead of a stuffy, formal dinner the couple chose Ristonchi's "Make Your Own Pizza Night" with local ingredients and wine. "We wanted to have a casual, interactive dinner party, and something that was also 100% Italian and utilized the unique features of the 1000-year-old castle. Stefanie helped us host a wonderful "Make-Your-Own-Pizza" dinner party where everyone got to create their own masterpieces and bake them in the castle's wood-fire oven built right into the castle's stone walls." Giselle said.
To further embrace the distinct characteristics of the medieval Tuscan castle, Giselle and David forewent over-the-top decor in favor of a rustic and natural feel, which they accomplished with an abundance of olive branches, natural fabrics and organic olive oil bottle table favors tied with an olive branch for each guest. Ristonchi provided simple olive branch table runners with ivory muslin and lace while the cloth napkins were tied with rosemary and lavender as well as an olive branch crown for the bride which made the reception feel carefree yet elegant. Giselle wore a modern, sexy lace gown - even made a heart-shaped pizza in it - and David opted for a crisp white shirt with rolled sleeves for a modern and laid-back feel.
What did the couple think? "It was simple, yet incredibly elegant and fairytale-like! From the gorgeous pictures everyone took around the castle property, to the cocktail hour with Aperol Spritz, Prosecco and bruschetta, to the incredibly fun pizza-making dinner complete with a large table set up in the dining room that felt like a feast for medieval royalty, our experience at Castello di Ristonchi was absolutely amazing and one that our family and friends still talk about and we will all cherish it for ever!"
The couple’s main goal was to spend some quality time together somewhere they could all stay with amazing views, food & wine. The couple, who both work in the fitness industry know a little something about accomplishing goals - and this instance was no different as an amazing time was had by all!
Thank you Giselle and David, for choosing to celebrate your love at Castello di Ristonchi!