That night in Tuscany

On May 14th I Woke up in panic only to realise the alarm had not rung yet!

Today has  finally arrived. Since we have received an invitation in the mail a couple of weeks ago we could not help but wonder who is going to be there, what it’s going to be like, what is the concept behind this gathering.. It was indeed the first event of that sort organised in Italy by the exceptional team of our absolute favourite wedding related publication: THE LANE.

Day started as usual with coffee and emails but right after, instead of my usual walk with dogs or mid morning yoga session I proceeded with checking, for a hundredth time, the tiny 40x50x25 cm small cabin luggage that Ryanair allows  to carry on for free. 

-Do I need three pairs of heels for one evening? Probably not but I want to have a choice…nude bra, black bra and those seamless knickers..where have they ended up?

My considerations were abruptly interrupted by a knock on the door… It’s Emily.

-Hurry up! We have a flight to catch! 

Oh dear! Already.. Where did the time go.. Zipped the bag, got in the car, dropped it off at the car park, passport control and now we can breathe..we are in the plane… An Airplane full of Italians as you could expect travelling from Catania to Pisa.. We feel like we are the only non regular passengers on this flight.

Once we arrived in Pisa it got hectic again. Car awaits in the rental company, only a few minutes on transfer way,  twenty minutes of bureaucracy and finally.. We are on the way. Siena, we are coming to you. As we got on a fast road, driving in the direction of our hotel and Castello di Celsa, the venue for the Night Of Revelry, we looked at each other a bit disappointed. The views outside were far from romantic or idyllic tuscan hills. The landscape just outside of Pisa was quite ordinary I must say.. 

To our great amazement, it only took a few more minutes for a real Tuscan magic to reveal itself! We started looking around completely dazzled at beautiful green hills with mediaeval castles scattered on the horizon, picturesque plots of land covered with poppy flowers and some kind of grains. Hues of green, yellow and gold dominated the panorama as we were approaching the city of Siena. The clocks were showing almost 4pm as we entered the reception with our tiny bags. To Emily’s amusement and mine impatience the receptionist was very chatty. We booked a hotel that was the closest to the pick up point for transfers arranged by The Lane but still, the time is running out and we still need to change..! After stealing a full length mirror from the hallway, as there was no mirror in the room, and trying the optional outfits we managed to fit in a hand luggage we finally got ready and left. The sun disappeared somewhere behind the clouds and it started to rain as we walked in our high heels on cobbled, uneven streets. 

We entered the bus with curiosity, excitement and very high vibes! We knew this would be a night to remember. As we sat down a  black haired beauty smiled at us, 

-hi! I’m Giada. 

We started talking and we had that immediate connection. We knew Giada will be ‘our date’ for tonight. Me and Emily have this habit of talking to and including people in our tribe. If we get good vibes from you, you become one of us immediately. First we form deep connections, even friendships and only then in the most natural and inspiring way the projects and collaborations are born. 

Just a minute later another stunning lady walked in the bus. Dressed in all white, impeccable style, on her phone closing some deals.. She must be a planner, we thought. Soon we learned that our assumption was correct as we all started chatting as soon as the bus left the car park. 

The ride was only a half an hour but with every minute the rain was getting heavier and heavier..the thunder was louder and the sky was almost completely covered by grey clouds. As we approached the castle we all looked at our lovely, open toe sandals with horror..there was a lot of mud waiting outdoors. With three out of four passengers being planners we started to direct the driver as to where NOT to stop and to our relief we saw some people coming with umbrellas.. It’s for us! We are safe 😉 First challenge of the day- getting to the venue, done. Now we can all enjoy ourselves. 

As we entered Castello di Celsa we felt accomplished. We felt good. We felt that we were exactly where we wanted to be. We were welcomed with a glass of prosecco and by the most hospitable, friendly and welcoming The Lane team,  who made each and every guest feel special. 

At first we were gathered in the terrace overlooking the Tuscan hills and in my opinion, the rain and fog only added charm and mystery to this spectacular location. The room was full of charismatic people, perfectly dressed, with an edgy vibe of creators, almost magicians. We noticed photographers with cameras hanging around their necks, some influencers, a few planners and many talented artists, suppliers of all kinds. Every detail was very The Lane style. Even the weather cooperated creating this super mysterious aura. A medieval castle in the middle of the woods covered in fog,elegant men,  ladies in gowns, flickering flame of long white candles placed against a stone wall..A true night of revelry. 

We enjoyed the evening very much. So far everything was perfect. Karissa and the girls from her team put a lot of effort into making everybody feel at home. After a while, the rain stopped and we were asked to move to a different part of the castle. At this point I wanted to throw away my shoes and just walk barefoot in the mud, however I managed to tiptoe to the main entrance to the courtyard of Celsa Castle and oh my Lord! The view was totally worth the suffering. Gardens covered by misty fog, making us feel like in the final of the Twilight movie. Immerse, dramatic curtains hung over the entrance. Wavy buffet tables covered by excessive fabrics placed in the most elegant yet striking manner. Prosecco tower with flutes dislocated all over something that looked like fabric covered piano.. The area was full of sculptures, long candle sets set against stone walls, a phenomenally designed place. So very much The Lane. Extraordinary, stunning in its simplicity.

I cannot ignore the food aspect when describing an event. We are in Italy after all. The land of exquisite cuisine and the most delicious wine. Even in this department Karissa and her team went that extra mile, or five. The consumable part of the event was as good as everything so far. Even here, attention to details so typical to our peers was at its very best. The buffet looked like a contemporary sculpture. It was too pretty to be touched. Everything was placed perfectly. Not one cracker or asparagus was random. Every single item on that table was so carefully studied. We all just stood there taking pictures for the first few minutes.. When someone eventually broke a spell and we started eating, I had the pleasure to try the softest cheese, Tuscan charcuterie, freshly baked bread.It was delicious! As much as all wine and drinks served throughout the night. Absolutely stunning!

My great desire to speak to everyone there was compromised by my inability to walk. At this point every step was painful. Nonetheless we have met some great individuals! With a room so packed with creative minds the conversations just spared. Everyone was so happy to be there. We felt very special to be granted an invitation and definitely to be part of The Lane Family. Karissa gave a heartwarming speech about creating this beautiful reality together and about how she wanted to reward us, wedding pros, and make us feel looked after. Just like we do it all the time for our couples. I think it’s safe to say, in the name of Dazzled Events but also every other person who was a part of this special evening, you did it girl!

You made us feel very special, our work even more meaningful and much appreciated.

Thank you Karissa, Millie, Gabry and  Bridget for making this magic happen!

As we walked, or crippled in my case, back to the bus we knew, we will all meet again soon.