Ceremony and Reception
Both the wedding ceremony and the reception will be held on Friday, April 18th, 2014 at the incredible Castello di Vincigliata in the hills above Florence. The ceremony will begin promptly at 5:30PM and the reception will end at 1:00AM. Parking will be available at the castle.
Castello di Vincigliata
Via di Vincigliata 21
50014 Fiesole, Province of Florence, Italy
Castello di Vincigliata
Via di Vincigliata 21
50014 Fiesole, Province of Florence, Italy
Castello di Vincigliata
The Castello di Vincigliata is the biggest reason we are having our wedding in Italy. We saw a photo of the courtyard and fell in love with it. Besides being a castle (as if that wasn't enough!) it also has one of the best views of Florence, and an enormous amount of romantic history in its own right.
The 13th-century castle is located on a hill north of Florence close to Fiesole, and is medieval in origin. It was once the ancient stronghold of the Visdomini family, important Florentine nobility since the 11th-century. After being passed from family to family, the castle was allowed to drift into decay until the mid-19th century when Sir John Temple-Leader was exploring the hills of Fiesole. The Englishman came upon the overgrown ruin of Castello di Vincigliata and fell in love with it. He decided to restore it to its former glory. Over 15 years, it was reconstructed in the neo-gothic style from the ground up. With the help of a young architect, Giuseppe Fancelli, it became a romantic vision of a feudal fortress. He also bought the surrounding land, more than seven hundred acres in the space of fifty years, began the delicate task of reclaiming it and restoring the houses and villas. People flocked from afar to visit his castle and admire the grounds, including Queen Victoria in 1893.
One of the most famous stories about Vincigliata is the legend of Bianca's ghost. (After all, a self-respecting castle must have a ghost!) Bianca was the daughter of Giovanni Usimbardi, and lived with her family in Florence. Simone del Manzecca, the son of a rival family, fell in love with Bianca, but Giovanni would not give his consent for Simone to marry her. Simone, being a wicked man at heart, flew into a vengeful state and attempted to assassinate Giovanni. He failed, but Giovanni had to retire to Vincigliata to recover from his wounds. While Bianca was helping her father recover, she had a chance meeting in the Vincigliata chapel with Uberto del Manzecca, the brother of Simone. Being a good man, completely different from his brother, Bianca fell in love with him and they became secret lovers. When Giovanni found them out, he forbade them to see each other, assuming Uberto to be like his evil brother. However, after Uberto saved Giovanni's life several times in battle, Giovanni felt he could not keep the lovers apart and gave his blessing for them to marry. On their wedding day, Bianca waited for Uberto in the Vincigliata tower, dressed in her wedding gown. She saw Uberto galloping towards her on his horse, but when he was almost to Vincigliata, Simone ambushed him and stabbed him in the heart while Bianca watched, horrified. Bianca died of her grief, and to this day her spirit wanders the castle (still in her wedding dress), protecting all those who truly love each other.
The 13th-century castle is located on a hill north of Florence close to Fiesole, and is medieval in origin. It was once the ancient stronghold of the Visdomini family, important Florentine nobility since the 11th-century. After being passed from family to family, the castle was allowed to drift into decay until the mid-19th century when Sir John Temple-Leader was exploring the hills of Fiesole. The Englishman came upon the overgrown ruin of Castello di Vincigliata and fell in love with it. He decided to restore it to its former glory. Over 15 years, it was reconstructed in the neo-gothic style from the ground up. With the help of a young architect, Giuseppe Fancelli, it became a romantic vision of a feudal fortress. He also bought the surrounding land, more than seven hundred acres in the space of fifty years, began the delicate task of reclaiming it and restoring the houses and villas. People flocked from afar to visit his castle and admire the grounds, including Queen Victoria in 1893.
One of the most famous stories about Vincigliata is the legend of Bianca's ghost. (After all, a self-respecting castle must have a ghost!) Bianca was the daughter of Giovanni Usimbardi, and lived with her family in Florence. Simone del Manzecca, the son of a rival family, fell in love with Bianca, but Giovanni would not give his consent for Simone to marry her. Simone, being a wicked man at heart, flew into a vengeful state and attempted to assassinate Giovanni. He failed, but Giovanni had to retire to Vincigliata to recover from his wounds. While Bianca was helping her father recover, she had a chance meeting in the Vincigliata chapel with Uberto del Manzecca, the brother of Simone. Being a good man, completely different from his brother, Bianca fell in love with him and they became secret lovers. When Giovanni found them out, he forbade them to see each other, assuming Uberto to be like his evil brother. However, after Uberto saved Giovanni's life several times in battle, Giovanni felt he could not keep the lovers apart and gave his blessing for them to marry. On their wedding day, Bianca waited for Uberto in the Vincigliata tower, dressed in her wedding gown. She saw Uberto galloping towards her on his horse, but when he was almost to Vincigliata, Simone ambushed him and stabbed him in the heart while Bianca watched, horrified. Bianca died of her grief, and to this day her spirit wanders the castle (still in her wedding dress), protecting all those who truly love each other.