Eloping in Florence - Holly and Matthew
Eloping in Florence gives you a wedding day with a whole Italian adventure around it. There’s the city itself: Renaissance architecture, the dome above the rooftops, streets to wander and the Arno running through it all. Then there are the hills, where gardens and terraces look back across Florence and the Tuscan countryside.
You can spend your trip exploring the city and choose somewhere quieter for your vows. An intimate ceremony above Florence leaves room to hear each other, take in the view and enjoy the day together. The setting is extraordinary; the experience can still be simple and personal.
Holly and Matthew first came to The Elopement Collective torn between Paris and Tuscany. They wanted to elope in Europe and loved the way we brought a small team together around a couple. Florence became their choice, with just the two of them celebrating in the hills above the city.
Their setting was Villa San Michele, a former 15th-century monastery in Fiesole. Its stone loggia and terraced gardens look across Florence and the Arno Valley. It gave their day the history and beauty of the region, with their ceremony and portraits unfolding in one place.
Storms were gathering over Tuscany, so we brought the ceremony forward to find a dry window. Britt kept the team moving together and took the timing out of Holly and Matthew’s hands. They later called that change “the best call EVER”, and told us:
“The stress was taken out of it all and it felt like one big cohesive team working together to ensure we had the perfect day.”
Josh Withers drew on what he had seen in Florence earlier that day: the people in the city, their connections and what it means to come together. Those observations became part of a ceremony that felt tailored to Holly and Matthew. Eloping somewhere beautiful should leave you with words that matter as much as the view.
Shannon Hope looked after Holly’s glam, with white flowers by Le Francesche Flower Designers. Khara from House of Lucie photographed the day on digital and film. Holly and Matthew said she felt like an old friend, and their photographs carry that ease: laughter, playful portraits, wine, cake and the two of them enjoying being together. Josh also created their elopement film, shared below.
When the photographs arrived, their response was immediate:
“These are amazing. We are in love.”
That’s what we want eloping in Florence to feel like: a considered, personal celebration, with a team you can relax around and time to enjoy the place you’ve travelled to. Explore Florence, discover eloping in Tuscany, or tell us about your European plans.
