Best Luxury Wedding Venues in Florence Italy

Florence. The capital city of the Tuscany region in Italy. The birthplace of the Renaissance and home to more than one million works of Renaissance art, among them Michelangelo’s David and Botticelli’s Birth of Venus. Equally important, it is also the home to delicious Chianti wines and sizzling Florentine steak. Florence inevitably fills all its visitors with creativity and imagination, and makes the perfect wedding destination for couples who live for history, art, and delicious food.

il Salviatino

Just a quick 15-minute drive from the Duomo, one can find the oasis that is il Salviatino. Stepping into il Salviatino is a little like stepping into the Uffizi (at least for me). There are original frescos on the ceiling, old tapestries covering the walls, and marble fireplaces sparkling in the living areas. Besides the villa, and its unparalleled view of Florence, il Salviatino also has an impressive Italian garden that is ideal for weddings. The stairway from the villa that leads into the garden makes the perfect wedding aisle for any bride.

Insider Tip: I love how flexible the hotel is when it comes to transforming its spaces when it comes to a full buy-out wedding. Many couples choose to build a marquee on the entrance side of the villa to hold the wedding reception. I strongly recommend this approach; it creates a different experience for wedding guests as they move along the wedding day. Start the wedding ceremony in the gardens, have guests roam around the gardens and the connected terraces for cocktail hour, move everyone to the marquee for the dinner reception, then return to the garden to dance the night away under the stars.

Belmond Villa San Michele

One can’t help but fall in love with Belmond Villa San Michele. Every corner of this place excludes romance; it is intoxicating in every way. Perched high on the cliffside of Florence, this former monastery dates back to the 15th century, and historians often attribute the villa’s façade and its tiered terraces to Michelangelo himself. Dinning at the La Loggia restaurant is something one must experience in this lifetime. When the pianist starts playing “Beauty and the Beast,” it is stuff Disney movies are made of. Sunsets from here are pure magic.

Insider Tip: While the gardens at Belmond Villa San Michele is certainly a draw for couples looking for the perfect wedding venue, don’t overlook the hotel entrance for the ceremony location. By having the wedding ceremony at the grand entrance, it allows the bride and groom to leverage the garden grounds for other purposes, such as the wedding reception, which lasts much longer than the ceremony. Separately, one can find the outstanding hotel pool on one of the upper-tier terraces, connected to a snack bar that serves tasty lunches and snacks throughout the day. This hidden spot is a great location to have the after-party.

Villa Cora

One might call me biased, since this is where I got married myself back in 2018, but I will always think of Villa Cora as the best wedding venue in the world. The property is located in a centuries-old park that overlooks the famous Boboli Gardens. Known for its Mirror Room that is inspired by the Palace of Versailles, this property has the optimal balance between outdoor gardens and indoor reception spaces. With its smaller size, Villa Cora is both luxurious yet intimate. The smaller size of the property also means top-notch customer service when it comes to you and your wedding guests, with everyone greeted like family and every detail attended to flawlessly. Again, I might be biased here, but I also think Villa Cora has the best hotel pool in the world. Of course, there will always be the cliff-side pool at il Pellicano or the pool at Le Sirenuse surrounded by lemon trees. Even then, the Villa Cora pool is pure elegance and delightfulness.

Insider Tip: In addition to the Mirror Room, Villa Cora also has an event space on the lower level of the villa that is fantastic for the after-party. Far away from other hotel guests, one could pump music and keep dancing until 2 am in the morning. In addition, the private area at the Pool Restaurant is fantastic for a rehearsal dinner or day-after brunch as part of an overall wedding weekend.

Courtesy of Four Seasons Florence, Florence Italy

Four Seasons Florence

When I think classic… I think of Four Seasons Florence. You can’t talk about wedding venues in Florence without bringing up this iconic property. Designed by the famous interior designer Pierre-Yves Rochon, who also designed the Four Seasons George V in Paris and the St. Regis in Rome, the hotel embodies the best of Italian Renaissance with just a whiff of Old Paris. People come to get married here all over the world for that epic stone gazebo in the Italian garden as seen in the photo above. Imagine adorning the gazebo columns with lots and lots of roses… who wouldn’t want to say I do here?

Insider Tip: The Four Seasons Florence is great for larger weddings in Florence. Its massive gardens can accommodate up to 400 guests in round tables for an outdoor reception. While most couples decide to have their wedding ceremony in the gardens, most take the dinner reception and after-party to the ballroom, which can accommodate up to 200 guests for a seated dinner. It is simply the best venue for large weddings in Florence.

Courtesy of Villa La Vedetta, Florence Italy

Villa La Vedetta

Make your way up to Piazza Michelangelo in Florence and you will find Villa La Vedetta on your way. Elevated from the rest of the city, you can expect extraordinary views from this property built in the 1800s. With only several rooms, this venue embodies a very private atmosphere that is great for weddings and events. My favorite thing about the venue is its Belvedere Terrace, as seen in the photo above. It is an extensive rectangular blank canvas that allows for so much imagination! It is truly an unbelievable location for the dinner reception, especially with some long imperial tables.

Insider Tip: Villa La Vedetta has a small English garden on the property, as seen in the first photo above. While this is the ideal place to have the wedding ceremony, it will require some creativity when it comes to seating. One possibility for seating is to have the guest chairs placed within the 4 squares of the English garden, creating a clear pathway for the bride to walk through the garden as the wedding aisle!