This is my first time photographing a St.Regis wedding in Florence. I know many of the other popular wedding venues in Florence but until now have never had the opportunity to photograph a wedding at the St.Regis.
I know the location very well as I have been to the St.Regis a few times for other reasons and it’s not my first time photographing wedding at La Chiesa di Ognissanti. This is one of the more popular churches in Florence. It has a quieter location and the church is lovely. For a St.Regis wedding, the church is also very conveniently located as you can walk from the hotel to church in about 30 seconds!
St.Regis wedding – Preparations
The entire day is going to take place at the St.Regis apart from the wedding at the church. Both the bride and groom are getting ready in the St.Regis and this makes it easy for everyone as they wander from room to room in the hotel helping each other out.
The groom and his 2 best men are getting ready on the second floor and once they are ready I take a few photos of them as they head over to the church to make sure that everything is in order.
The bride is on the fourth floor in a river view room. With her hair and makeup done her sisters and mother help her get ready. She receives a card from her fiance and a lovely gift of a Cartier bracelet. She struggles to contain the tears as she reads his passionate words. Her sisters and mother are very emotional too but somehow they all hold it together!
St.Regis wedding in Florence, ceremony at the Church di Ognissanti
Across the square the church awaits. It takes but a moment to get there and that makes things quite stress free. The processional is joyful, once all the bridesmaids have entered it’s time for the bride. The ceremony lasts about an hour but it all goes by very quickly. At the end of the wedding mass, we quickly take some family photos as we have a tight schedule to follow. Being early spring the sun still sets early and we don’t have a great deal of time to take photos around Florence before it is dark.
Our plan is to take a car to Pontevecchio and take some photos there. With such a short amount of time, it’s good that we have a goal to strive for. It doesn’t take long to get some lovely photos and as the light starts to dim we head back to the St.Regis to join the guests for dinner.
The reception and party at the St.Regis
Two Imperial tables have been set in the ballroom, the dinner starts and as food and wine flow, everyone enjoys the evening. There are 2 short, very entertaining speeches, and then cake cutting and the party. A memorable wedding with some of the nicest people I have met. My favorite part of this St.Regis wedding in Florence is no doubt the couple photos, I like their emotions and how they seem so effortless together.
If you like the idea of a wedding in Florence have a look at this unbelievable villa just 20 minutes from the city center.
Italian and destination wedding photographer Jules Bower photographs weddings in Italy, Europe, and worldwide. British but fluent in Italian, his strong artistic vision and vast experience in the wedding industry make him unique. His wife is a top wedding planner in Tuscany.
