Music has always been at the heart of Eva and James’ story, and their Tuscan ceremony was no exception. Il Grand Prato, once the backdrop for their party band, had them compelled to return as bride and groom for their own wedding. Cue a multi-day celebration of playful details, surprise performances and personal notes. The ultimate encore to a life they’ve built together.

Love Story

“We met in a coverband in The Netherlands, James already played piano in this band and Eva joined as a singer. We eventually started our own partyband The Big Swingers and play on lots of parties (weddings, festivals, corporate events) throughout Europe. So we actually met each other through music.”

The Engagement

“Our engagement was a pretty quirky moment. James tried to surprise Eva, his plan was to propose during dinner at a nice restaurant but Eva refused to go out that day. So whilst Eva was doing the ironing and she asked James for the fifth time "Why do we have to go out for dinner?" James went on his knee and proposed in front of the ironing board, luckily she said YES... haha!”

Why Italy?

“We love the food, the climate, the people and we find it the most beautiful country we've ever been to. ”

The Venue

“A few years ago we played with our band The Big Swingers for a wedding couple at this venue and we fell head over heals in love with Il Grande Prato. So we decided that when we got married, it would have to be here.

The hosts Giulia and Taisia are exceptionally good, the views are breathtaking, the atmosphere is totally chilled and the food is incredible. Also all of our guests could sleep there, which made a multiple day destination wedding much more efficient and relaxed. The day all of our guests arrived we had a welcome dinner at the restaurant Chiosco Ai Renai, which was within walking distance from the wedding venue. They made it so special for us, with outstanding Italian food, delicious drinks and an amazing panorama view.”

“These three days we were living in an Italian bubble with our closest friends and family, which was the most magical experience.”

The Dress

“On the first day Eva was wearing her mom's wedding dress (from 40 years ago) that was re-tailored into a unique playsuit made by Edwin Oudshoorn, who also made her wedding dress. Seeing her own dress again in this setting after more than 40 years, was very special and sentimental to Eva's mom.”

Stand Out Moment

“The ceremony with the Tuscan hills as a backdrop was by far the most special moment of the day. The beauty of a wedding abroad is that you can choose who leads your ceremony and we asked one of our best friends to be the celebrant which was so special and unforgettable. Eva sang a song together with their son, which James didn't know about. You can imagine that tissues really came in handy in this case, there was not a dry eye in the house. We were also blessed with perfect weather that day, so all the parts of our wedding felt totally perfect to us.”

Special Touches

“For our wedding day we chose to have a pizza & BBQ menu as our main course in the evening. That combination of a chic table setting with the fresh pizza's and great grilled food proved to be a perfect match, making it not too complicated. We also arranged a few surprises for our guests, including an Italian roaming band during the reception, James performing as Elvis Presley, Eva's friend Emmaly Brown smashing the party and naturally The Big Swingers had to perform too!

For our last night we arranged a huge outside movie screen to watch our favorite movies underneath the Tuscan skies, complete with fresh popcorn of course.”

The Style

“Our wedding style was a mix of modern elegance and laid-back fun. Natural tones, statement details and a warm atmosphere that felt completely us. Think editorial meets intimate dinner party: stylish, relaxed, personal and full of joy. A celebration that felt deeply personal rather than overly formal. As we already knew the location, we could easily match everything with Il Grande Prato. With lots of disco balls, super fun surprises and personal touches we made sure to stay true to our own vibe and style.”

Best money spent?

“We focused on four elements that mattered most to us: the location, the food, the photography, and of course, the entertainment. In that same order, we planned and booked each one, making sure to start early so we could secure the right suppliers.

The welcome dinner also turned out to be the perfect way to begin the wedding-bubble. It was the very first moment we saw everyone together in one place, and it gave all of our guests the chance to settle in, relax, and ease into the celebrations. From that point on, the wedding weekend truly began.”

“We skipped things we felt would be less memorable, such as excessive flowers or elaborate draping and decorations. Our venue was already so naturally beautiful that it didn't need much extra styling.”

“We also arranged for a truck to bring many custom-made pieces to the venue, which we had created in the months leading up to the wedding. These details added so much character, created a warm atmosphere and made the location feel even more special. It also meant we could simplify logistics by relying on fewer suppliers, which helped us save costs as well.”

Anything you’d change?

“The sleeping part! I knew I would be hyped up before the wedding day, but sleeping in a room with lots of noise and all the adrenaline racing through my body, became the reason that I had no sleep that night. I would make sure you create the best possible sleeping circumstances for the bride and groom, whether that's together or separate, that's the biggest lesson I've learned.”

“Also starting our ceremony later in the afternoon than planned, turned out to be the right decision. Originally it was planned for the early afternoon, but we followed the advice of our location owner to delay until the temperature had cooled off. We were happy that we followed her suggestion because it would have been uncomfortably warm if we'd have stuck to our schedule.”

Advice for Couples

“Choose a great venue and invest in professional suppliers, they truly make all the difference and help everything run seamlessly on the day.”

“When it comes to entertainment, don't forget to check whether your venue has any decibel or noise restrictions. If you're planning an unforgettable party, there will naturally be music and plenty of energy, so it's important to make sure the limits won't affect the atmosphere; especially if you're hoping to have live music.”

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Inside Eva + James’ Harmonious Multi-Day Wedding in Tuscany

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Inside Eva + James’ Harmonious Multi-Day Wedding in Tuscany

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