Pixel art: Luca and Sofia, the same height, stand hand-in-hand on a path before Castello di Meleto at sunset, vineyards rolling around them.
CHAPTER I — THE INVITATION

Luca & Sofia

ARE GETTING MARRIED

Come celebrate with us in the heart of Tuscany.

On Wednesday, 23 September 2026, we're gathering friends and family from across the world at the Castello di Meleto, in Gaiole in Chianti — for a Tuscan day made of good food, very good wine, golden light, and the best company we could ask for.

There will be an afternoon ceremony. A sunset aperitivo over the vineyards. A candlelight dinner inside the castle. And, with any luck, dancing until the stars come out.

We can't wait to see you in Tuscany.

— Luca & Sofia
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Pixel art: Castello di Meleto on its hilltop, surrounded by rows of autumn vineyards, cypresses and stone farmhouses.
CHAPTER II — THE CASTLE AND ITS HILLS

The castle and its hills

Castello di Meleto has stood on this hilltop in Gaiole since the 11th century — first mentioned in writing in 1256, and remarkably unchanged from the outside ever since. Inside the medieval walls there's an 18th-century theater, vaulted cellars, a garden, and 160 hectares of organic vineyards rolling away in every direction. The estate makes its own Chianti Classico — which you will, of course, be drinking.

It sits at the heart of Chianti Classico, between Florence and Siena — the part of Tuscany the postcards are made of: rolling hills, cypresses, olive groves, stone farmhouses, medieval villages, a landscape that has barely changed in 500 years. In late September the vines are heavy with fruit, the light turns golden by late afternoon, and the air smells faintly of wild fennel and woodsmoke.

If you have any flexibility in your trip, please extend it. We've fallen for this corner of Italy, and we hope you will too.

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Pixel art: a very dim, chiaroscuro candlelit wedding dinner inside the Tuscan castle's great hall — the room mostly swallowed by deep shadow, only the candles on the long banquet table holding a warm pool of light. Luca and Sofia sit side by side at the centre of the table on identical wooden chairs, seen from behind in profile, toasting each other at exactly the same height while twelve international guests on the far side raise their glasses in unison.
CHAPTER III — THE DAY

The day

WhenWhat
AfternoonCeremony at the castle
SunsetAperitivo in the open air
EveningCandlelight dinner inside the castle
After dinnerDancing and celebration
OvernightSleeping at the castle

Exact timings will follow closer to the date. Expect a long, Italian-paced evening.

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Pixel art: cozy castle guest room with four-poster bed, terracotta floors, arched window opening onto vineyards.
CHAPTER IV — ACCOMMODATION

Accommodation

We've reserved rooms at Castello di Meleto for our guests for the night of the wedding.

If you'd like to enjoy the place a little longer with us, rooms are available for up to 3 nights:

  • Tuesday 22 September — arrive the day before; settle in, walk the grounds.
  • Wednesday 23 September — the wedding night (minimum stay).
  • Thursday 24 September — stay another day to enjoy the estate's vineyards, cellars, and unhurried Tuscan pace.

Two alternatives we'd suggest:

  • Spend the night before in Siena. About 40 minutes from the castle — a perfectly preserved medieval and Renaissance jewel: narrow stone streets, the shell-shaped Piazza del Campo, the striped Gothic Duomo, and Monte dei Paschi, the oldest bank in the world (founded 1472).
  • Enjoy more time in Tuscany after. For those staying longer, we'll share a short list of places we love — wineries, villages, restaurants, hidden corners — closer to the date.

A note on the rooms. Special rates have been negotiated with the castle so that staying is easy. No gift is needed — we'd kindly ask each guest to cover their own room, and that, with your presence, is everything.

The rate works out to roughly €100 per person per night, in rooms and apartments accommodating 2 to 6 guests. Final booking details will follow closer to the date.

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Pixel art: a vintage Fiat 500 drives along a cypress-lined Tuscan road climbing toward a distant castle, a small plane in the sky above.
CHAPTER V — HOW TO ARRIVE

How to arrive

A note before you book anything: please plan to arrive at least the day before. A Wednesday-afternoon ceremony is too tight to risk flying in on the morning of.

Airports

For guests coming from long-haul destinations (North America, Russia, Asia Pacific, Africa), we recommend flying into Rome Fiumicino (FCO) and renting a car — a beautiful three-hour drive north through the rolling Tuscan countryside, vineyards and cypresses the whole way to the castle.

For guests coming from Europe, we recommend flying into Florence (FLR), about 1 hour from the castle. Pisa is also available as an alternative.

From airport to castle — three options

  1. Rental car. Recommended if you'd like to explore Tuscany before or after the wedding.
  2. Shuttle service. We'll organize a shuttle from Florence to the castle (about 1 hour) on Tuesday 22 September, at reasonable rates. List of recommended drivers to follow.
  3. Carpool with another guest. Let us know and we'll happily match you with another guest who's driving in — a lovely way to meet someone new before you arrive.
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Pixel art: eight international wedding guests of varied ages and ethnicities standing on a gravel path in front of Tuscan vineyards and a distant castle, each in different cocktail attire — suits in charcoal, navy, forest green and sand linen; midi and knee-length dresses in emerald, burgundy, navy lace and blush — several women with shawls, wraps or cardigans for layering, all in elegant low or block-heel shoes.
CHAPTER VI — WEATHER & DRESS CODE

Weather & dress code

Late September in the Chianti hills is autumn, not summer. The temperature varies significantly across the day:

  • Afternoon ceremony: ~22–27°C / 72–80°F — warm, possibly hot in direct sun.
  • Sunset aperitivo: cools to ~18–22°C / 64–72°F.
  • Dinner: ~15–18°C / 59–64°F.
  • Late night: can drop to ~12°C / 54°F.

The ceremony is outdoors, on a hill in front of the castle. On a sunny day, the higher end is likely, and direct sun on an exposed hilltop can feel even warmer.

For the evening, the answer is layering, especially for women. A wrap, shawl, or light jacket turns the same outfit from afternoon-warm to evening-ready.

Dress code. Cocktail attire.

A note on shoes. The castle paths are gravel and the venue sits on a hilltop — comfortable, elegant footwear is strongly recommended (stilettos won't thank you).

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Pixel art: a wooden desk with a handwritten invitation, a wax-sealed envelope, a glass of Chianti, a feathered quill, lavender and a rotary phone.
CHAPTER VII — RSVP

RSVP — Confirmation

Please let us know whether you can join us by 10 June 2026.

Just reach out to us directly — by WhatsApp, email, or phone, whatever works for you.

When you do, please share:

The sooner the better — it helps us coordinate the shuttle, accommodation block, and seating.

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Pixel art: an international wedding gathering in front of the castle entrance — three small children of different ethnicities play tag at the centre, young couples watch with affection on either side, older guests chat in the background. Tucked into the crowd, a male-and-female Optimus-style android couple in cocktail attire stands quietly chatting, holding glasses of Chianti.
CHAPTER VIII — PLUS-ONES & CHILDREN

Plus-ones & children

Plus-ones. You are welcome to bring your partner — just let us know when you RSVP.

Children. Little ones are warmly welcomed.

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Pixel art: Sofia sits smiling at a small table in a sunlit Tuscan castle courtyard, with a notebook, water, espresso and a phone — ready to answer questions.
CHAPTER IX — FOR ANY QUESTIONS

For any questions

For anything practical — flights, accommodation, transport, anything we may have forgotten to mention — please ask us.

We'd rather answer questions now than have anyone arrive uncertain.

See you in Tuscany.
— Luca & Sofia
Pixel art still life: an open paper map of Tuscany on a wooden castle desk, marked only with 'Castello di Meleto' next to a red wax seal and 'Chianti' across the green-shaded region; a brass compass and ornate key resting on the map; a burgundy leather notebook with a Tuscan postcard tucked on top; a pewter candlestick and a small rosemary plant. An arched window behind the desk opens onto a sunset view of cypresses and vineyards.
CHAPTER X — TRAVEL & RESOURCES

Travel & resources

A few useful links to keep handy as you plan the trip.

The castle

Tuscany & Chianti

  • Visit Tuscany — the regional tourism site: ideas for wineries, villages and excursions.
  • Gaiole in Chianti — a quick read on the town the castle sits above.

Places to explore

  • Firenze (Florence) — the cradle of the Renaissance, about an hour north: the Duomo, the Uffizi, Ponte Vecchio.
  • Siena — about 40 minutes south, our recommendation for the night before: the shell-shaped Piazza del Campo and the striped Gothic Duomo.
  • Val d'Orcia — a UNESCO landscape an hour south: cypress-lined roads, golden hills, hot springs, the Tuscany of the postcards.
  • San Gimignano — a medieval skyline of stone towers in the hills west of here, an hour away.
  • Volterra — an ancient Etruscan hill town a little further west, alabaster-cut and quietly atmospheric.

We'll send through a curated shortlist of restaurants, wineries and walks closer to the date.

Pixel art: a vintage CRT television showing Luca and Sofia standing on the path before Castello di Meleto at sunset, framed like a 1990s adventure-game title screen.
BONUS LEVEL — A WEDDING QUEST

One more thing…

Before you arrive, a small test of your memory — written in the style of a 1990s point-and-click adventure game. Nine questions, four answers each, witty rebuttals for the wrong ones, and a candlelit dinner waiting at the end.

▶  PRESS START TO PLAY
★ A WEDDING QUEST · 9 LEVELS · CHIANTI EDITION ★