Castello Di Buttrio, Italy | Hannah & Max
When you’re invited to photograph a wedding with panoramic views of the Dolomites from the 17th Century Castle, perched upon a hill in the Friuli-Venezia-Giulia region, it’s hard not to get excited! Read on to see why!
Italy Destination wedding photography
Castello di Buttrio wedding venue in the North Easterly region of Italy, close to the Slovenian border and a stone throw away from the breathtaking views of the Dolomites, Hannah & Max hosted their energy filled wedding in the Summer, I was delighted to document and be their their Castello Di Buttrio wedding photographer.
Having arrived a few days earlier, I got to socialise and dine out with many of their guests and family most nights, getting to know them much more ahead of the celebrations. Certainly an advantage as guests were then much more relaxed with me on the wedding where a camera is present. However, I added some pressure to myself in doing so, with much more familiar faces within the rows of the ceremony.
The couple couldn’t have booked a better day with regards to the weather. It was a beautiful hot and dry day. I arrived early to take in the atmosphere of the morning. The smells from the kitchen where food was being prepared, the sounds of the Italian countryside as birds sang and gentle breeze blew through the trees, with added sounds of the bridal party helping to prepare the final touches of the day close by. It really was a group effort, an Italian tradition of everyone playing a part.
Italy wedding celebrations
Their ceremony was held in the lower lawn on the grounds of the castle under the midday sun, it was very warm, adding to the nerves and excitement of the day for the wedding party, it was a beautiful ceremony with vows exchanged under the tree in front of their guests. The formal photos and reception shortly followed on the lawn where an almighty amount of fresh canapés were served including an area where a chef served seconds old mozzarella that was still warm – heavenly!
Of course, with these views we headed out to the northerly area of the venue towards the view of the Dolomites and within the vineyard of the venue. Arguably one of the most scenic views of the region. You can see these below within the slideshow. The bride and groom, although you wouldn’t tell, were very nervous in front of the camera; they put their full trust in me to capture them naturally while they took in the day and moments on their wedding day.
“Wow lewis, these are incredible! Thank you so much for all your hard work and for making a day that seemed like such a blur and a distant memory feel so alive through your pictures! Love them all.” – Hannah & Max
Wedding photographers at Castello Di Buttrio
The reception and speeches were held upstairs within the picturesque castle, low ceilings, stone walled and feeling that you were within the heart of the venue. It was clear to see the couple are well loved and strong friendships held highly by the kind and warm words expressed along with several amusing stories of both the bride and groom when they were much younger, no good wedding is without a little embarrassment within the speeches.
Of course, the evening was still a big part of the day, first dance being held outside in the court yard with the band, ‘Prisoners of Rock and Roll’ setting the mood with awesome vibes, ensuring almost everybody was dancing. However, not too long after, the wind picked up and a storm was quickly inbound. The heavens opened and everyone grabbed a piece of carefully placed music equipment and raced it indoors to safety where the band reset up and kept the atmosphere going – what an effort!
