Why We Love Weddings at Villa Medicea di Lilliano Near Florence
Villa Medicea di Lilliano destination wedding
Wedding photography
Tips
Why Villa Medicea di Lilliano Is One of Our Favourite Wedding Venues Near Florence
Some wedding venues are beautiful. Others have that little something extra that makes them a joy to photograph. For us, Villa Medicea di Lilliano, just outside Florence, is definitely one of those places.
We've photographed several American destination weddings here, in both summer and autumn, and every time we're reminded of how much we love this villa. The light, the architecture, the gardens and the easygoing atmosphere all come together in a way that feels very close to our photography style.
And although Florence is just around the corner, there's a wonderful sense of peace once you're inside the property. You can see Brunelleschi's famous dome from the ceremony area, while the gardens and cocktail spaces open onto the Tuscan countryside. It's the best of both worlds.
A Place Where Light and Architecture Work Together
As wedding photographers, we're always looking for interesting light. Not just beautiful sunsets, but the way sunlight enters a room, creates patterns on the walls, draws shapes across the floor or frames someone standing in just the right place.
Villa Medicea di Lilliano is full of these little surprises.
Its Renaissance architecture creates natural frames, lines and perspectives that we love incorporating into our photographs. The colours of the interiors, the frescoes, the textures of the old walls and the changing light give us endless opportunities to be creative.
And the beauty is that the villa works in different conditions. On a sunny summer evening, the warm light makes everything glow. On a cloudy day, the softer light brings out the colours, textures and details of the rooms, creating a completely different but equally beautiful atmosphere.
For our mix of documentary and editorial wedding photography, this is exactly the kind of place we love. We can create elegant, artistic portraits without needing elaborate setups, while the natural atmosphere of the villa gives us plenty of opportunities to capture spontaneous moments.
Our Favourite Wedding Photo Spots at Villa Medicea di Lilliano
The Frescoed Gallery: Our Absolute Favourite
If we had to choose just one place, it would be the frescoed gallery.
There's something incredible about this room, especially when the sun gets low and its light enters from the side, creating beautiful shapes and contrasts. The frescoes, colours and architecture give the photographs an almost cinematic feeling.
We love using this space for a few quiet portraits of the couple. Nothing too complicated or overly posed. Just beautiful light, a little direction when needed and a setting that does most of the work for us.
The Garden Architecture and Those Old Florence Vibes
At the far end of the garden, there's an architectural backdrop that feels like a little piece of old Florence.
Lamise, October wedding Bride
The proportions, the colours and the Renaissance details make it one of our favourite places for portraits. It has a timeless quality that works beautifully with our editorial approach, especially when we want photographs that feel elegant but still completely natural.
It's also a wonderful example of why we love photographing weddings in historic Tuscan villas: the architecture adds so much character without ever stealing the attention from the couple.
The Garden Dinner: When Everything Turns Magical
One of our favourite moments at Villa Medicea di Lilliano happens when the sun disappears and the garden lights begin to glow.
The dinner area takes on a completely different personality under the fairy lights. In September and October, when guests often sit down just after sunset, the sky is still changing colour while the tables slowly light up.
Sunset in the Garden
It's a beautiful atmosphere to photograph, with warm lights, colourful skies, people laughing and enjoying dinner, and the villa creating a wonderful backdrop.
These are the moments when we love stepping back and simply observing. There is so much beauty happening naturally that very little direction is needed.
Relaxed Cocktail Hours and Real Moments
Another thing we particularly enjoy about weddings at Villa Medicea di Lilliano is the atmosphere during cocktail hour.
The garden areas, with comfortable sofas and beautiful countryside views, encourage guests to relax, sit together, have a drink and enjoy the celebration.
And this is wonderful for our documentary photography.
People aren't constantly moving between crowded spaces or feeling like they need to be somewhere else. They settle in, chat, laugh and spend time with friends and family. We can move around discreetly, capturing genuine interactions, spontaneous portraits and all those little moments that make a wedding gallery feel alive.
For us, these photographs are just as important as the couple portraits. They're the ones that bring back the atmosphere of the day years later.
Why We Love Weddings with 70–80 Guests Here
All the weddings we've photographed at Villa Medicea di Lilliano so far have been American destination weddings, with groups of no more than around 70–80 guests.
And from our experience, this is a wonderful number for this venue.
There's enough energy to create a lively celebration, but the atmosphere still feels intimate and personal. Guests have space to enjoy the gardens, the cocktail hour feels relaxed and the dinner becomes a beautiful gathering rather than an enormous formal event.
Of course, the villa can host different types and sizes of weddings, but we particularly love the balance that a celebration of this size creates.
It's also ideal for our approach to photography: we can capture the energy of the group while still paying attention to individual people, connections and emotions.
A Few Tips for Planning Your Villa Medicea di Lilliano Wedding
Having worked here several times, there are a couple of things we'd suggest to couples planning a destination wedding near Florence.
Choose a wedding planner who knows the villa. Every historic venue has its own logistics, timings and little details. A planner familiar with Villa Medicea di Lilliano can help everything flow naturally, from the ceremony setup to the cocktail hour and dinner.
Plan transportation for your guests. The estate offers accommodation in nearby properties, which is a great advantage for destination weddings. However, even though these are within the estate, the route to the main wedding areas isn't particularly convenient on foot. We recommend arranging transfers or shuttles, especially for guests in formal clothes, during hot weather or after an evening of celebrations.
Leave a little room in your timeline for portraits. You don't need an hour-long photoshoot to get beautiful photographs here. We usually prefer a short, relaxed portrait session when the light is at its best, leaving you plenty of time to enjoy your guests.
And finally, don't overplan every minute. One of the nicest things about this villa is its relaxed atmosphere. Give yourselves and your guests the freedom to enjoy it.
Why Villa Medicea di Lilliano Feels So Right for Our Photography Style
At Rellini Art Studio, we love photographs that feel real, full of life and naturally beautiful. Our approach combines documentary storytelling with a touch of editorial elegance, always keeping the experience relaxed and enjoyable.
Villa Medicea di Lilliano gives us exactly what we need for both sides of our work.
The frescoed gallery, Renaissance architecture and beautiful natural light allow us to create timeless, magazine-inspired portraits. Meanwhile, the gardens, cocktail spaces and intimate atmosphere are perfect for capturing genuine emotions, laughter and spontaneous moments.
We don't want couples to spend their wedding day posing for photographs. We want them to enjoy it, surrounded by their favourite people, while we quietly capture the story.
Aerial view
And that's probably the biggest reason why we keep loving this place. Villa Medicea di Lilliano is elegant without feeling stiff, impressive without being overwhelming, and full of those little moments of beauty that make wedding photography so rewarding.
Planning your wedding here? Explore our Villa Medicea di Lilliano wedding photography and get in touch to tell us about your plans.
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