VILLA MEDICEA DI LILLIANO
Villa Medicea di Lilliano Wedding, Florence: Cost, Photos & Venue Tips
DOCUMENTARY MODERN EDITORIAL | DIGITAL & FILM
Eva & Jon’s wedding at Villa Medicea di Lilliano
Villa Medicea di Lilliano is a Medici villa and wine estate in the hills about 20 minutes from Florence. Eva and Jon got married there at the end of June 2022 with around 25 guests, planned by Santa of Italian Boutique Weddings. Below: where the ceremony, dinner, and party happened, when the light is best, what a wedding here costs, and what I’d tell a couple before booking it.
The ceremony was on the rooftop terrace, with the Tuscan hills behind Eva and Jon. It’s the spot people picture when they say “a wedding in Tuscany”, and it doesn’t need any extra decor to look like that. Jon got ready off-site, and the first time they saw each other was at the ceremony.
Dinner was in the big garden in front of the villa, with the villa itself as the backdrop. That layout is a gift for drone shots: long table, garden, villa, all in one frame.
The party stayed outdoors on the lawn close to the villa. With 25 guests, there was no reason to move inside, and there aren’t many houses around, so music outside works as long as it isn’t too loud. Planning a bigger group or a later night? The Limonaia, the villa’s old lemon house, seats up to 150 and is also the rain plan.
The light at Lilliano
End of June near Florence is hot, and the sun sets around 9 p.m. My rule anywhere in Italy: the best light is in the last two to three hours before sunset, so here roughly 6 to 8 p.m. in summer. Eva and Jon’s ceremony was at 4 p.m., which in late June is still the hot part of the day. With a 4 o’clock ceremony, the golden light lands during dinner, so plan a short portrait break of 20 to 30 minutes around 7 or 8 p.m. Nobody misses you for half an hour, and those are the photos you’ll print.
The good news: this estate has plenty of trees and shaded corners, so even the hot part of the day isn’t wasted. The inner courtyard with its fountain is my favorite spot for modern, editorial portraits. A couple of minutes’ walk down from the villa there’s a second, much bigger fountain, which is the shot most people recognize from Lilliano.
How the day ran
Getting ready: Eva at the villa, Jon somewhere else nearby. They saw each other for the first time at the ceremony.
4:00 p.m. ceremony: on the rooftop terrace.
Portraits: the courtyard and the fountains, plus a red vintage convertible.
Dinner: in the garden in front of the villa.
Party: on the lawn by the villa, outdoors.
Eva and Jon did one thing I’d recommend to any couple here: they took a red vintage convertible out of the estate to the olive groves nearby, for photos on a classic Tuscan road with olive trees behind them. It takes up to an hour, so build it into the timeline rather than squeezing it in. If you’d rather not leave, the car works just as well on the estate.
The estate is compact and everything is walkable, which matters more than people think. After 350-odd weddings I can tell you the time you lose is never the photos themselves; it’s moving people from one place to the next. Leave gaps in the day anyway: a 4:00 ceremony is never over at 4:20.
A 4:00 CEREMONY
NEVER
ENDS AT 4:20
Can guests stay here?
Partly. The villa’s own residences sleep 32 guests, or up to 44 with sofa beds. The venue works with partner places about 15 minutes away for up to 92 more, and the area around has small hotels and Tuscan-style guest houses.
For a wedding of 25, like Eva and Jon’s, the whole group can stay on the estate. For 100 guests, plan shuttles.
How much does a Villa Medicea di Lilliano wedding cost?
The villa doesn’t publish wedding prices; you ask the events team for a quote. What the listings say:
- Venue: one 2026 photographer guide puts the main villa at around €12,500–15,000+ per night; one wedding directory lists venue hire at €30,000+. The gap usually comes down to season, how many nights, and which buildings you take.
- Food and drink: catering comes from outside the villa; industry estimates are around €180–200 per guest, including an open bar.
- Smaller options: the villa has its own Small Wedding package (up to 19 guests) and an Elopement package (up to 8), prices on request.
- On top: planner, flowers, music, photo and video, guest transport.
Confirm current prices with the venue. Listings disagree, and they change every season.
Do you need a wedding planner here?
Eva and Jon had Santa from Italian Boutique Weddings, who works mostly in Puglia and came to Tuscany for them. With outside caterers, music, flowers, and transport to coordinate, a planner makes the day much calmer.
Read my guide on whether you need a wedding planner in Tuscany, and my list of destination wedding planners in Tuscany.
Planning & Design – Italian Boutique Weddings, Location – Villa Medicea Di Lilliano wine wedding in Tuscany, Floral design – Luca Cozza, Music – Trio Landini & Less Jazz, Paper design and invitations – Karta Mysheva Calligraphy & Delicate lv, Make-up & hair – Giulia Cresci, Car – HPE Vintage car rental
What is the best part of planning a wedding in Tuscany?
Amazing selection of venues and very experienced vendors. Since the destination wedding industry has been around here for a long time, you have a great selection to choose from.
How does Tuscany compare with other regions of Italy for a wedding?
Each region in Italy is beautiful and special in its own way. Tuscany, with its beautiful warm colours, scenic landscape and historical villas, is a perfect fit for what many couples refer to as “the Italian wedding”. Here you can truly feel the classic Italian vibe that many international couples associate with their imagined wedding.
In my opinion, each region has its own style and type of couple, depending on the region’s atmosphere and feel.
SANTA | Italian Boutique Weddings
Let’s talk
.. about other things this time. Let’s talk about weddings in Tuscany and Italy in general for couples who are planning a destination wedding here – planning, culture, venues, etc. Wedding planner Santa (Italian Boutique Weddings) has answered several important questions about the process and about Italy. Let’s say – it is beautiful and exciting, but you have to know more than just read a lot of blog posts. My best advice to you is to book a flight and go to Italy for some research. You will get the right vibe and loads of information by visiting villas, venues or masserias (A masseria is a fortified farmhouse found on the estates in the Puglia region and typically built in the 16th century).
Planning a wedding in Tuscany? Here is my list of wedding planners in Tuscany, and a guide to when you need a planner and when the venue coordinator is enough.
Top 3 reasons to choose VILLA MEDICEA DI LILLIANO
- It has lots of character and when you are there, you feel like at home, the staff is so welcoming and kind;
- Its vicinity to Florence is a great plus, as your guests can explore the city easily;
- Lots of spaces, from a rooftop terrace to the amazing garden and also the inside space, which is always an important aspect to consider
Can I plan a wedding in Tuscany without a professional wedding planner?
I would say this depends on what kind of wedding you want, how complex it will be, how many guests you will have and also how much time you can invest from your side into research and vendor management before the wedding and also on the wedding day so that everything goes smoothly.
You need to be very attentive to all the details so that you don’t forget anything, as planning a wedding is not just about booking the venue and the main vendors, it’s so much more; the day is made up of many little elements that make it special.
The main question that a couple always wants to ask is about planning a wedding in Italy.
Everyone wants to know how much a wedding costs. And to answer this I always say that there is no one package price that fits all, it all depends on what the couple likes, what services they choose and how much they want to pay for it. You might want to recreate something you saw on Pinterest, but don’t really have a budget for that, so you always need to be realistic about what you would like to have and how much you want to spend for it.
But the good news is that you can have a beautiful wedding with different budgets, as long as your wishes and financial means are aligned. Also prioritizing is important, for example, choose a more beautiful venue that will cost a bit more, and then maybe save on the decorations, as the venue is beautiful, to begin with, and doesn’t need much to enhance it.
Top 3 reasons to consider Italy countryside villas or masseria’s over urban weddings?
When a couple chooses to get married in a villa in Tuscany or a masseria in Apulian countryside, they are often required to book the venue with all the rooms for a certain number of nights, which is perfect, since all international couples indeed want to have a wedding celebration over several days. Starting with a welcome dinner before the wedding and a pool party the day after. The venue becomes yours for the time and you can truly celebrate with your closest family and friends in the venue’s privacy.
Any practical recommendations on choosing the venue:
Among many others, you can consider: obviously the cost, but most importantly what is included in the price? Like does the venue have a big enough indoor space in case of bad weather, do they have string lights for the dinner, are there separate different areas for the ceremony, aperitivo, dinner and the party (since it’s nice to have sort of itinerary so that the guests don’t immediately see everything and there is an element of surprise. Also consider that maybe a more expensive venue actually has more to offer, in comparison to a more economical one that has no backup plan, no string lights etc, so these would be all extras that you need to hire.
Location of it in the proximity of the airports, towns to visit, and other accommodations for the guests, if this is important for you, and you want to make sure that it’s easy for the guests to manage their trips.
What if the venue has restrictions on the vendors – maybe they have any exclusivity with certain vendors or you are free to choose the vendors together with your planner!
And many other little things, for example, electrical power – will they have enough or you would need an extra generator for the band (for larger weddings obviously), any music cut of restrictions; if they have a lawn – can it be used for dinner, dancing etc; any restrictions for the vendor set up and tear down.
This for example is something that a wedding planner would come in useful, especially if maybe haven’t been to the area where you want to get married, or even won’t see the venue before booking it for your wedding, which is the case for most couples.
‘il grand finale’
Uhh.. what a read! Wasnt it? I can only add that Italy is not Norway. Not because of the weather, but the language. Unfortunately, they speak poorly and that is the part where the wedding planner is worth it. Have a look at this VILLA MEDICEA DI LILLIANO wine wedding in Tuscany .. and see you soon!
GETTING THERE
Where: Via Lilliano e Meoli 82, Grassina (Bagno a Ripoli), in the hills southeast of Florence. 📍 See it on Google Maps
From Florence: about 11 km and 20 minutes by car or taxi. Driving directions
Airports: Florence (FLR) is around half an hour away; Pisa (PSA) is about an hour and a half.
Florence: airport info · directions
Pisa: airport info · directions
Venue: medicivilla.com · Instagram @villamediceadililliano
Villa Medicea di Lilliano FAQ
How much does a wedding at Villa Medicea di Lilliano cost?
Prices are on request. Listings put the main villa at around €12,500–15,000+ per night, before catering, which is usually around €180–200 per guest with drinks.
How many guests can Villa Medicea di Lilliano hold?
Up to about 150 seated in the Limonaia and more outdoors in the garden. Eva and Jon had around 25 guests, and the villa works just as well small.
Can guests stay overnight at the villa?
Yes, up to 32 guests, or 44 with sofa beds. Partner places about 15 minutes away take up to 92 more.
Can you have a legal wedding at Villa Medicea di Lilliano?
Yes. The villa is licensed for civil weddings through the Commune of Bagno a Ripoli, and symbolic ceremonies are possible too.
What time should the ceremony be in summer?
Late afternoon. Eva and Jon’s was at 4 p.m.; in late June the sun sets around 9 p.m., so plan a short portrait break during dinner, around 7 or 8 p.m.
Can you party outside at Villa Medicea di Lilliano?
Yes. Eva and Jon’s party was on the lawn by the villa. Listings say outdoor music ends around 10:30 p.m. and indoor music in the Limonaia can go until 2 a.m., so check the current rules with the venue.
Is Villa Medicea di Lilliano the same as Villa Medici in Rome?
No. Villa Medicea di Lilliano is near Florence in Tuscany; Villa Medici is in Rome. Check the address when you search for venue reviews.
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Planning a wedding near Florence?
See my guide to wedding venues in Tuscany near Florence and how I work as a Tuscany wedding photographer. Tell me your date and your plans.
Liked this vineyard wedding?
Browse more real weddings, or see how I work as a Tuscany wedding photographer: villas, vineyards and long Chianti evenings. Comparing Tuscan venues? Emilie and Jake’s Giardino del Belvedere wedding is a woodsier, more countryside option about an hour from Florence. If Villa Medicea di Lilliano is on your shortlist, write to me and I’ll reply with dates and packages within a day.
See other latest work: Elegant forest lake wedding, Puglia wedding in South Italy, Girona, Spain wedding and all other real events by Miks Sels.
Hope to see you soon!
WORD!
