whitney + eden

guest guide

A comprehensive manual to everything to know for our Tuscan wedding

a note from whitney + eden

We’re over the moon that you can join us on this very special trip to celebrate our love. Thank you for blessing us with the gift of your company – there is nothing we want more than to be married in the presence of our most close and cherished friends and family. Your love humbles and defines us, and we can’t ask for a more special gift.

Destination weddings are such a huge commitment for guests, so we want to make sure this week is for you as much as it is for us.

We hope that the four days we’ve planned under the Tuscan sun and stars will be filled with peace, connection, adventure and most importantly, love.

In this guide, you will find

event schedule

events schedule

Uno [ù·no]

11 June

17:00 - Check in at accommodations
From 5pm, we invite you to check into your accommodations, meet the friends you’ll be sharing a villa with over the week, unpack and get ready for the welcome party!

19:00 – Welcome party at Villa Spadaforte
Join us at Villa Spadaforte for an Italia-themed festa di benvenuto. Meet our families, reconnect with familiar faces, indulge in assorted pastas and sing along to “That’s Amore!”

Villa Spadaforte is located at Località Localita La Valle, Pietraviva, Bucine, Arezzo (Google Maps)

Dinner and drinks will be €45pp (prepaid).

Due [dù·e]

12 June

10:00 – Sightseeing in Siena
To unite everyone with adventure, we’ll spend day 2 exploring some of Tuscany’s delights – starting with a 2-hour walking tour in the charming medieval city of Siena. After the tour, we encourage you to continue exploring with new and old friends. Take time to grab something for lunch and enjoy a gelato.

14:00 – Winery tours
Next, we’ll split into groups to visit a couple of wineries to sample the region’s famous Chianti and Sangiovese.

The Siena and winery tours will be €75pp (prepaid).

17:30 – Break back at home

The perfect time to have a power nap or a refreshing plunge before getting dressed for dinner.

19:00 – “Rehearsal” dinner at Locanda Casariccio
There’s actually nothing here to rehearse, just an excuse to eat well, drink more and spend quality time with you.

Locanda Casariccio is located at Località Casariccio, 11 San Leolino, Bucine, Arezzo (Google Maps).

Dinner will be approximately €45pp (pre-booked, paid in person).

Tre [tré]

13 June

17:00 – Ceremony
Join us as we exchange vows beneath the alley of cypress trees at Villa Olimpia. Afterwards, we will toast with prosecco and have some time for formal group photos.

Villa Olimpia is located at Strada provinciale del Castagneto, Badia a Ruoti, Bucine, Arezzo (Google Maps)

18:15 – Aperitivo time
Saluti! Let’s kick off celebrations with some spritz, snacks and words from our families. Get those shots for social and get your official couple snaps with our photographers.

21:00 – Dinner reception
A tavola! We can't think of a better way to celebrate our love than with the dinner party of our dreams.

23:00 – Party time
Let’s get this party started! Hit up the gelato cart, try all 18 available cocktails at the open bar, hit the dancefloor, and belt those ABBA lyrics into the early hours of the morning!

Quattro [quàt·tro]

14 June

13:00 – Recovery party
Nothing cures a hangover better than kicking on with a pool day and unlimited pizza. Let’s return to Villa Spadaforte to debrief the highlights of the night before, share our best photos, and stay cool in the water.

Lunch will be €45pp (prepaid).

You are welcome to stay as long as you feel. There are no plans for the rest of the day but we can figure out what we’d like to do for dinner and the evening together.

Check out is at 10am the next morning, 15 June.

Accommodation

accommodation

As Bucine is a rural location with few hotels, we have pre-booked three villas within a short driving distance of the venue through Airbnb to ensure everyone has somewhere to stay with familiar friends and family. Each Villa accommodates 16+ guests, includes multiple bathrooms, kitchens and living areas, has unlimited parking and features a pool.

We encourage you to spend time getting to know each other at your villas. We have grouped our guests carefully by familiarity with others and shared interests to ensure you have the best weekend possible. As well as this, each villa will have a capitano [ca·pi·tà·no] in charge of organising, communicating and bringing the vibes – if you have questions or requests during the wedding week, make friends with your capitano!

The accommodation cost for every guest has been calculated and split evenly based on the days they have booked with us when RSVP’ing.

Villa Olimpia

Strada provinciale del Castagneto, Badia a Ruoti, Bucine, Arezzo (Google Maps)

This classic old Italian farmhouse will be where the wedding party will be staying and become the setting of the wedding day.

Il capitano dell'Olimpia: Sam Martin (the best man)

Villa Spadaforte

Localita La Valle, Pietraviva, Bucine, Arezzo (Google Maps)

This large renovated villa will be the location of the welcome party and pool party.

Il capitano di Spadaforte: Michael McAllister (officiant)

Villa Muricce

Via Massimo D'Azeglio 78 , Bucine, Arezzo (Google Maps)

This massive estate is made up of separate apartments and buildings.

Il capitano di Muricce: Nathan Dryland (father of the groom)

Transportation

transportation

Getting to rural locations in Italy can be challenging with infrequent public transport and costly car transfer bookings. With the accomodations a 20 min+ drive from the nearest stations, we highly recommend booking or sharing a car/van for the week. This will also allow you to visit local towns and pick up supplies, drinks and food for breakfasts and lunches when there are no planned activities. Additionally, this is perfect for those who prefer the option of leaving events earlier or arriving later. There is unlimited parking at the accommodations.

Complimentary buses

We want to maximise fun and safety during our wedding week so we’ve organised some complimentary buses to transport guests to and from the accommodations and the events. As these buses are costly and are in limited supply in the region, it is important to let us know if you will be using this service so we can ensure everyone is accounted for.

11 June

Welcome party at Villa Spadaforte

18:30 – bus departs from accommodations to venue

23:00 – bus departs from venue back to accomodations

12 June

Siena and winery tour

09:00 – bus departs from accommodations to Siena

13:20 – bus departs from Siena back to winery 1

15:00 – bus departs winery 1 to winery 2

16:30 – bus departs winery 2 back to accommodations

Rehearsal dinner at Locanda Casariccio
18:30 – bus departs from accommodations to restaurant
22:00 – bus departs from restaurant back to accommodations

13 June

Wedding at Villa Olimpia
16:30 – bus departs from accommodations to venue
01:00 – first bus departs from venue to accommodations
02:00 – second bus departs from venue to accommodations
03:00 – last bus departs from venue to accommodations

14 June

Recovery party at Villa Spadaforte
12:30 – bus departs from accommodations to venue
17:00 – bus departs from venue to accommodations

packing list

The fun begins! The following are optional things we think help make the most of your Tuscan adventure.

Outfits

We’ve intentionally left our dress code open as we can’t ask for anything more than your presence (whether that is in a tuxedo or t-shirt). As the bride and groom, we will be getting dressed up to suit the occasion. For those who want to embrace the experience of dressing fabulously for a Tuscan wedding, here’s an idea of the vibe:

Welcome party
It’s an Italian-themed festa! Think bold prints, linens, big colours and major drama. Channel your inner Sophia Loren, Monica Belucci and Monica Vitti (or at least Jennifer Coolidge).

Siena and winery tour
Prepare for a big day. Balance your IG-ready outfit with walking shoes, a tote bag for shopping, and a cover-up for cathedrals.

Rehearsal dinner
After a day of sun and wine, let’s wind down in something comfortable and elegant.

Wedding
It’s the garden party of your dreams! Embrace pastels, florals, silks, bows, buttons, ruffles, and lots of love!

Pool party
There’s probably nothing worse than a dress code when hungover. The only essentials for this day are swimmers and sunnies – big ones.

A note on weather: While the average June day in Tuscany can reach 30 degrees Celcius in the day, the evenings are expected to cool to 16 degrees. We encourage you to dress for warm weather and bring a jacket or cover for the night as all the events in the evenings are outdoors.

Packing list

Essentials

Maximise the moment

Passport with 6+ months validity remaining
International driver’s license
Euros in cash
Chargers and converters
Sunscreen, hats and sunnies
Refillable water bottle
Umbrella

Cameras (film, polaroid, digital – we want to see your pics!)
Swimsuits, floaties and towels
Bluetooth speakers
Games/cards

Favorite people

our favourite people

Our big day would not be possible without the love and support of our nearest and dearest. We can’t wait for you to meet them and learn how they have shaped us over our lives. They play an important part of our wedding week and will become some of the people you will speak to most.

Emma Tan – Maid of Honour

Emma has known Whitney since primary school and has played witness to just about every season of Whitney’s life. Emma is her closest confidant, decisive consultant and psycho/retail therapist because she knows Whitney best – neuroses, wardrobe and all.

During the wedding, Emma is our Chief of Communications, keeping everyone on schedule, messaging updates in the group WhatsApp and sending reminders.

Sam Martin – Best Man

Sam always played the Samwise Gamgee to Eden’s Frodo Baggins (by force, of course) since they were 6. An intuitive person might observe that Samwise has always, in fact, been the most important character in that journey – ever wise, patient and loyal. Sam is Eden’s oldest friend, obliging playmate and companion in the journey of life.

Sam is il capitano dell'Olimpia and the ringbearer (the lord of the rings, if you will).

Daisy Ding – Maid of Honour

Daisy met Whitney on the first day of high school and spent the next 7 years being attached by the hip (although, her hip is positioned significantly higher than Whitney’s). Daisy has lived in the US for the past 10 years and while it’s sad that each other’s bestie lives on opposing sides of the world, it’s an excuse for them to reunite in all corners of the earth.

During the wedding, Daisy is our Chief of Staff, making sure everything runs to plan.

Andrew Duan – Groomsman

Eden has known Andrew for almost half his life. When Whitney introduced her new boyfriend to her baby brother, he was just 12 and was the boy whom his sister had spent most time with. He has taught Whitney – to her reluctance as a child – patience, care, determination and how to cook for picky eaters. Eden owes him a lot.

Michael McAllister – Officiant

Michael and Eden connected through Bumble BFF but the official line is that they met in a coffee shop. Michael, Whitney and Eden have been trapped in a cycle of winning $70 pub vouchers at trivia with their team, the Fact Hunts. Michael joined Whitney and Eden on their last trip to Italy in 2022, and they haven’t been able to stop talking about it since, to the team’s chagrin.

Michael will be marrying Whitney and Eden by the power vested in him by Bar Cleveland. He is also il capitano di Spadaforte.

Phillipa Meikle – Emcee

Philly is a perfect reception host for two reasons. 1) She is gifted with words – speaking them, responding to them, and projecting them, and 2) she is gifted with being loved by and being in love with Michael. Who better to sing the song of love than these two adoring lovebirds?

Romina and Aurora – Wedding planners

Romina and Aurora are dreammakers. They work for the organisation managing both Villas Olimpia and Spadaforte and will be around to ensure all events hosted at these venues run smoothly. They can assist with questions about the two villas, the local region and help translate.

Guest and groups

guests + groups

Our wedding week will be full of familiar faces, friends and family and we hope you have a fabulous time getting to know each other. Below is the guest list grouped into where everyone will be staying. To communicate during the week, we’ll use WhatsApp groups – use these to chat between your housemates, check-in with each other and organise transport and food.