Wedding In Lucca Idea

If you are a bride with a large wedding party, searching for the perfect rain-proof ceremony space to hold your wedding, write to me about this special venue.

If you're planning for a wedding next year and hoping to get this dramatic flower in your wedding photos, try planning a wedding for the third or fourth week in April. You should have a pretty good chance of finding them in bloom. Many of the historic villas in the area have giant wisteria that are 200 years old or more.

One well known villa that is worth booking for its wisteria is Villa Nicoletta. Located in the heart of Lucca's wine country, they have a giant pergola completely covered in Wisteria under which a legally binding civil ceremony can be performed. The sweet perfumed scent of the wisteria in bloom alone is enough to make your wedding one to remember.

For three consecutive weekends from March 14-15 to March 28-29 you can take a shuttle bus from the Centro Culturale Compitese that will bring you to these not so easy to reach villages. There, you will receive a map of the suggested routes to follow that allow you to view the most and best camellias. The villages are closed down to traffic for the event, so you can bring small children without having to worry about traffic. Also, the fact that there are no cars, makes the festival quite pleasant, as there is a kind of precious silence that you don't get to appreciate much theses days.

I don't know much about the flower, but what I've gleaned from previous visits is that there are many different varieties and the actual plant can be several hundred years old if well looked after. The villages of Santa Andrea di Compito and Pieve di Compito, because of the relative shade they receive throughout the year and their fairly damp (for Tuscany) climate, apparently proved to be the perfect place to grow camellias, and as a result, we now find some of the oldest camellia plants in Italy here. They are truly impressive flowers, and even though I've been covered in rain on several of my visits, I never fail to walk away from the festival feeling strangely uplifted.

So, If you are having a wedding in Lucca this month and are looking for something unique to do with your guests, I'd highly recommend checking out this unique festival. In addition to the flower gazing, the municipality of Capannori has arranged for tea ceremony demonstrations of both the Japanese and Chinese tea ceremony, as well as tea tastings of various Japanese, Chinese and European teas. You can taste freshly pressed olive oil at the local mill, participate in a wine tasting, view local crafts and art at small stands that line the route, and enjoy menus featuring local cuisine and products at the village restaurants. A full list of events for the entire festival can be found on: www.camelielucchesia.it or www.comune.capannori.lu.it

As of today, I could find zero information in English about this year's calendar of events, (although I found plenty from previous years) so I've done my best to translate the highlights for you here:

Saturday 14 March
10 am to 6 pm	Centro Culturale Compitese, Opening of Camellia Exhibition, market and gardens
10 am-6 pm	Villa Orsi, Japanese Tea Room sponsored by the Japan Tea Exporters Association
Sunday 15 March
10 am-6 pm	Centro Culturale Compitese, Opening of Camellia Exhibition, market and gardens
10 am-6 pm	Villa Orsi, Japanese Tea Room sponsored by the Japan Tea Exporters Association
11 am-6 pm	Old Olive Mill at Capo di Vico, the “Piazzetta del Gusto”, offers a host of local products, including the famous Lucchese Olive Oil, free to taste and enjoy.
3 pm	Centro Culturale Compitese, Puppet show based on local children's stories
4 pm	Centro Culturale Compitese, Quartet of Accordions playing a piece entitled, “Ance Libere”
Saturday, 21 March
10 am-6 pm	Centro Culturale Compitese, Opening of Camellia Exhibition, market and gardens
10 am-6 pm	Villa Orsi, all day free tasting of Japanese, Chinese and Indian teas as well as sale of rare and precious teas.
11:30 am	Villa Orsi, Presentation of Chinese Tea Ceremony (Gongfucha) (also held on the 22, 28th and 29th, same time).
1:30 pm	Antica Chiusa Borrini, Tea planting: a guided visit of the experimental cultivation of tea by G. Cattolica in S. Andrea di Compito
2:30 pm	Villa Orsi, Demonstration of Chinese calligraphy given by master Ip Wing-chigi
3:00 pm	Centro Culturale Compitese, Demonstration of the Sogetsu School of Ikebana sponsored by "Artikebana".
3:30 pm	Villa Orsi, Presentation of Chinese Tea Ceremony (Gongfucha)
4:30 pm	Villa Orsi, Afternoon tea: Two types of tea accompanied by delicious tea snacks that follow the classic British tradition of tea time ( a reservation and contribution of 4 euro is required to participate. Email: info@camelielucchesia.it
Sunday, 22 March
10 am-6 pm	Centro Culturale Compitese, Opening of Camellia Exhibition, market and gardens
10 am-6 pm	Villa Orsi, all day free tasting of Japanese, Chinese and Indian teas as well as sale of rare and precious teas.
10:30 am	Conference Room of Centro Culturale Compitiese, The long voyange of Tea. Presentation on the history of tea from its origins to the present day.
11:00 am	Centro Culturale Compitese, Demonstration of the Sogetsu School of Ikebana sponsored by "Artikebana".
11 am-4 pm	"In the Hamlet of the Camellias, a quest to discover local flavors": Tastings of local products brought to you by Slow Food Compitese and Gardens of Lucca. (Please Note, participation in this event requires the purchase of a voucher which is not included in the price of the entrance pass. Please inquire when purchasing your entrance ticket.)
11:30 am	Villa Orsi, Presentation/Demonstration of Chinese Tea Ceremony (Gongfucha)
1:30-3:30 pm	Centro Culturale Compitese, Creative workshop entitled "Regards from....." with support from the Associazione Culturale Manidoro
1:30 pm	Antica Chiusa Borrini, Tea planting: a guided visit of the experimental cultivation of tea by G. Cattolica in S. Andrea di Compito
2:00 pm	The Fantomatik Orchestra, Playing throughout the hamlet
2:30 pm	Villa Orsi, Demonstration of Chinese calligraphy given by master Ip Wing-chigi
3:30 pm	Villa Orsi, Presentation/Demonstration of Chinese Tea Ceremony (Gongfucha)
3:30 pm	Centro Culturale Compitese, Concert of a choir with instrumental accompaniment
4:30 pm	Villa Orsi, Afternoon tea: Two types of tea accompanied by delicious tea snacks that follow the classic British tradition of tea time ( a reservation and contribution of 4 euro is required to participate. Email: info@camelielucchesia.it)
Saturday, 28 March
10 am-6 pm	Centro Culturale Compitese, Opening of Camellia Exhibition, market and gardens
10 am-6 pm	Villa Orsi, all day free tasting of Japanese, Chinese and Indian teas as well as sale of rare and precious teas.
11:30 am	Villa Orsi, Presentation/Demonstration of Chinese Tea Ceremony (Gongfucha)
1:30 pm	Antica Chiusa Borrini, Tea planting: a guided visit of the experimental cultivation of tea by G. Cattolica in S. Andrea di Compito
2:00 pm	Conference Room of the Centro Culturale Compitese, Conference: A thousand colors of tea-presentation on the manufacture of tea and its various types.
3:30 pm	Villa Orsi, Presentation/Demonstration of Chinese Tea Ceremony (Gongfucha)
4:30 pm	Villa Orsi, Afternoon tea: Two types of tea accompanied by delicious tea snacks that follow the classic British tradition of tea time ( a reservation and contribution of 4 euro is required to participate. Email: info@camelielucchesia.it)
Sunday, 29 March
10 am-6 pm	Centro Culturale Compitese, Opening of Camellia Exhibition, market and gardens
10 am-6 pm	Villa Orsi, all day free tasting of Japanese, Chinese and Indian teas as well as sale of rare and precious teas.
10:30 am	Conference Room of Centro Culturale Compitiese, The long voyange of Tea. Presentation on the history of tea from its origins to the present day.
11 am-6 pm	Old Olive Mill at Capo di Vico, the “Piazzetta del Gusto”, offers a host of local products, including the famous Lucchese Olive Oil, free to taste and enjoy.
11:30 am	Villa Orsi, Presentation/Demonstration of Chinese Tea Ceremony (Gongfucha)
1:00 pm	Alberto Benicchi Jazz Quartet- Concert (location T.B.A.)
1:30 pm	Antica Chiusa Borrini, Tea planting: a guided visit of the experimental cultivation of tea by G. Cattolica in S. Andrea di Compito
2:30 pm	Conference Room of the Centro Culturale Compitese, Conference: A thousand colors of tea-presentation on the manufacture of tea and its various types.
3:00 pm	Centro Culturale Compitese, Children's Theatre Company puts on a play that includes three popular folk tales entitled, “Gosto e Mea,” “La gallina secca, and “Pochettino”.
3:30 pm	Villa Orsi, Presentation/Demonstration of Chinese Tea Ceremony (Gongfucha)
4:30 pm	Villa Orsi, Afternoon tea: Two types of tea accompanied by delicious tea snacks that follow the classic British tradition of tea time ( a reservation and contribution of 4 euro is required to participate. Email: info@camelielucchesia.it)

(Please Note, the program of events can be subject to last minute changes due to weather or organizational necessity).

There are a lot more events on offer, but these are the ones I thought might interest non-Italian speakers the most.

Getting there without a car

There are two free shuttles that depart from the Historic Center of Lucca at the Piazzale Verdi Bus Stop and go directly to the festival:
Morning Shuttle: 9:30 am departure from Piazzale Verdi with a 1 pm return departing from "Borgo delle Camelie".
Afternoon Shuttle: 2:30 pm departure from Piazzale Verdi with a 6 pm return departing from "Borgo delle Camelie".

If you don't have a car, but would like to visit the festival, you can arrange for a van or taxi to pick you up, drop you off at the shuttle and then fetch you at the end of the day by contacting Tau Touring( a local taxi and van rental company) www.tautouring.it/english.html Or call the owner's wife, Morena at : 328-58-17110 If you can't get your point across to her, just tell her that Gina "l'Americana di My Tuscan Wedding" sent you and she'll have an English speaker call you back and take down your information for you. If you are willing to meet the van at Piazzale Verdi, then the cost for round-trip transport should be €20.

Getting there with a car

Driving Directions to the ticket sales office and parking lot:

From the highway:
Take A11 (Firenze-Mare) exit at Capannori. Follow directions for Lucca and at the first round about exit for Pontedera and continue straight until you pass S. Leonardo in Treponzo. After this town, the Cultural Center will be on the left, in the town of Pieve di Compito. Park on the side of the road or in the large parking lot and enter the center to purchase your entry tickets and find a shuttle bus that will take you the rest of the way.

From Downtown Lucca:
Follow the SS12 bis in the direction of Pisa until you hit Pontetetto. From Pontetetto, enter on the left the "via di Sottomonte" heading in the direction of "Pontedera". Follow the via di Sottomonte until you reach, on the right the SS439 and exit onto this road following directions for Pontedera until you reach San Leonardo in Treponzo. After this town, the Cultural Center will be on the left, in the town of Pieve di Compito. Park on the side of the road or in the large parking lot and enter the center to purchase your entry tickets and find a shuttle bus that will take you the rest of the way.

There are two places where you can buy tickets and catch the shuttle to the towns if you have a car:

Saturday and Sundays
Pieve di Compito in front of the Mill Social Club of the Compitese. In Italian you'll want to say: "Frantoio Sociale del Compitese"
Sundays Only
San Leonardo in Treponzio, in front of the District 4 head office, in Italian you want to say, "davanti al alla sede della Circoscrizione"

On a side note, I've been to this festival several times now, and I have to say, there is something very Japanese about it. Firstly, the location, two small, green hilly villages almost always covered in a bit of mist at this time of year, reminds me of the small villages where I used to go plum tree viewing in February when I lived in Japan. But then there is the simple act of choosing to spend the day just strolling and admiring the flowers, which I find incredibly Japanese. For anyone who has ever visited Japan in April for the blossoming of the cherry blossoms, you'll know what I mean.

If you happen to be marrying in Lucca this March and you and your guests have an extra day free, I would highly recommend a visit to this most unusual festival that blends a Japanese esthetic with a very Italian approach to enjoying good food and company.

I've already organized a few excursions for 08 and 07 clients and what we did was have a van come to pick everyone up in the morning, they arrived at the springs around 10 am and were given a thick bathrobe, slippers, a towel, and a locker to stow their things away. They mostly soaked, swam and chatted in the morning, then had a lady's lunch together (all of the spas have adjoining restaurants and some have pool side service), and spent the afternoon getting various treatments from mani-pedis to facials and shiatsu. The day usually finishes at about 5 or 6 pm and by that time everyone is so chill that they practically melt into their seats on the ride home.

Some of the higher level service spas include: Bagni di Pisa (San Giuliano Terme, near Pisa, about 20 minutes drive from Lucca) and Grotta Giusti (Montsumano Terme, near Montecatini, about a 30- 40 minute drive from Lucca).

Probably less expensive, but also less impressive (I have not checked this one out yet so can't comment) would be the Centro Benessere of Terme Excelsior in Montecatini Terme. The pool is smaller but if you are looking for a good deal, I think this place is hard to beat: Montecatini Benessere (Montecatini Terme, about a 30 minute drive from Lucca).

Bagni di Lucca tends to have mixed reviews as there is only one smallish indoor pool, and a steam cave, but it is also a real bargain if you go during the week, so perhaps worth checking out. I have not been to this one myself either, so I'll post a new entry once I go: Terme di Bagni di Lucca (about a 30 minute drive from Lucca).

If you are a current client of My Tuscan Wedding, and this kind of package interests you, please let me know, as I get discounts at most of the larger establishments which I will then pass on to you.

I usually go to a local farmer in the Morianese, one of the most well known regions for olive oil here, and ask him to sell me a few liters. Then I buy special tiny glass olive oil bottles and decorate them with raffia that a friend of mine has a team of mentally disabled adults weave around the bottle. The proceeds then go to supporting their group home. It's a nice way to contribute to the local community.

Remember when buying your bottles to make sure that the bottle does not hold more than 100 ml of liquid so that your guests can safely bring it with them on the plane as hand luggage. Even if you don't have your own wedding planner, this gift is easy to make. Go to any farm, fattoria, in the Lucca area and get your olive oil. I really like the oil at Fattoria Bernardini Mansi, but it is a bit dear. Another good place is Colle Verde. Prices for good olive oil range widely. If you're buying from a well known farm expect to pay about 10 to 14 euro per litter. If you're buying from a local farmer that makes oil for his family use as a hobby, you can get them down to about 8 or 9 euro a liter if you are very lucky. Olive oil is harvested in November and December, so if your event is in June 2009, you want oil from November 2008. Don't touch anything stored in a clear glass bottle as the light ruins the olive oil. Make sure you buy your oil in a can.

If you can't make it out to a fattoria then the second best would be to go to a local macelleria like a butcher shop except the good ones are expanded to sell lots of fresh hot daily dishes and a variety of locally produced staples like olive oil and wine. Ask the butcher for a Lucca produced olive oil and see what he can propose. Avoid the gourmet specialty shops inside the city as they will charge you twice what the butcher is charging you and are probably getting their oil from the same farms. If the label on the olive oil has a local farm's name on it, chances are you're getting good oil at a reasonable price. Also, make sure you specify that you want oil to season (condire) your foods and not to cook with as cooking oil is a different grade alltogether, far less aromatic and flavorful. As you are giving your guests just a small amount, seasoning olive oil is a much better choice as a little will go a long way to adding pizzazz to their grilled veggies or fresh salads. You will find that the color is closer to green yellow than to green and that the oil will look a bit cloudy. That is a good sign.

For containers, try going to an agraria which is a local farming supplies market. There is one on the Borgo Gianotti, just outside Porta Santa Maria gate. Walk down the Gianotti headed towards Luna Park, go more than half way down the street and if you have your back to the walls, you'll see a store on your left with lots of wicker baskets outside it, go in there and wander around and you should be able to find some small olive oil bottles. For the raffia, as most people don't have time to hand weave, I would say just put a nice ribbon on the neck of the bottle to dress it up a bit. The tiny bottles' shapes are so pretty that they don't need much decoration. I've posted here pictures of my finished bottles so you can have an idea of what to aim for in terms of the final product.