Arriving at Il Rigo
1. What is the closest airport?
Florence is the closest, and also the smallest, airport, about 90km from Il Rigo. Pisa (Ryanair airport) and Rome are both about 140km from us.
2. What is the best way to reach Il Rigo?
By car. You will definitely need a car to stay in our area – otherwise it will be impossible for you to explore the towns and villages and the beautiful countryside around Il Rigo. We suggest you rent directly at the airport upon your arrival.
3. What are the closest villages?
San Quirico, Pienza and Bagno Vignoni are the closest villages, about 6km from Il Rigo. In 25 minutes you can reach Montalcino and Montepulciano. Siena and Arezzo are 1h by car.
Accomodation
4. How many guests can we invite?
Our farm has 17 rooms, divided between 2 buildings close to each other. We can easily accommodate 35-38 guests. For the wedding dinner and party we can host up to 50 guests.
5. What is the plan B in case of rain?
We have a big dining room where we can host dinner and a party and an intimate panoramic living room where we can move ceremony and aperitif in case of bad weather.
6. Do you have a swimming pool?
No, we don’t have one! We have always thought that a blue pool with a chemical filter did not fit our ecological and natural philosophy! We do have a natural pond, though, with frogs and water-lilies, where you can jump in to refresh yourself on the hot summer days. A few minutes away by car, you can reach the many natural hot springs of the region as well!
7. Are dogs allowed?
Il Rigo is home to several cats, chickens and our dog. Its perimeter is not fenced and the countryside is populated with wildlife.
For these reasons dogs are not allowed for the whole stay.
7.b can we visit if we have cat/dog allergy?
It depends on the severeness of your allergy. Even though our cats are not allowed indoors, traces of fur or dust might be find in the dining room and you may expect to get in contact with them in the outdoor areas.
8. Do you have baby cribs?
Yes, we have 2 baby cribs (suitable for children between 1 and 3 years) and 2 high chairs.
9. Do you have recommendations for extra accommodations?
Yes. The Val d’Orcia is a touristic area and there are plenty of different options for accommodating extra guests. We have selected and added a range of options to our “Bride’s Book”, a collection of suppliers to help you organize the perfect wedding at Il Rigo! We will share this collection with you once you book the venue. You must book the suppliers directly, as we do not have an official agreement with them, but we can recommend them genuinely for the quality of their service.
10. Do you have air conditioning in the rooms?
No, we do not. The house is very old and was not constructed like a hotel. However, there are portable fans in every room for the hottest summer nights. The Val d’Orcia is quite dry and windy, which usually makes for pleasant sleeping weather at night. The dry conditions prevent generally the presence of mosquitos, making possibile to sleep with open windows; however, Il Rigo is an organic farm! We do not use pesticides or herbicides on our 300 hectares of land and garden. If you find a little bug in your room, you’ll have the proof that we don’t spread poisons on our ground and air! We hope you’ll understand that!
11. Do you have hair-dryer in the rooms?
Yes, every room has a hair-dryer.
12. Do you have an iron?
On the wedding day we can set up an ironing board in one for the living rooms, so that you and your guests can have access to the iron. It’s not possible to use the iron in Poggio Bacoca or in the bedrooms, for safety reasons.
13. Is there a kitchen at our disposal during the stay?
No, there are no kitchen at the guests’ disposal. The living rooms are equipped to prepare tea and coffee, and there are fridges in Poggio Bacoca, for water and drinks. The reception area will be available for caffe services and drinks from 8.30 am to 12 pm, and from 3 pm to 7 pm.
14. Are there accessible rooms/bathrooms for guests with disabilities?
No, we do not have accessible rooms or bathrooms for guests with disabilities.
15. Is there a special room for getting ready?
Yes. On the 1st floor of the main house Casabianca, we have 2 cozy living rooms, ideal for getting ready. There is a nice living room in the annex of Poggio Bacoca as well, in case the bride and groom would like to get ready separately.
16. Is camping allowed on the grounds of Il Rigo?
No, Il Rigo has not a camping licence, and your guests cannot be accommodated in tend, caravan or camper. In case your guests are making holidays with camper/caravan, they are allowed to park it here, but they’re not allowed to sleep in it.
Organization and suppliers
17. Is it possible to hire a wedding planner?
No. In order to create a personal connection with those who choose to celebrate in our home, we decided not to work with wedding planners. I will support you during the organization, providing contacts, tips and useful information.
18. How many languages do you speak?
We speak Italian, English and German.
19. Is it possible to hire external catering?
No. Our kitchen will prepare all the meals during your stay, including welcome drinks, aperitifs, the wedding dinner and wedding cake, pizza night or BBQ!
20. Do you have recommendations for suppliers (musicians, photographers, taxi)?
We selected reliable suppliers for our “Wedding booklet”, a collection of contacts that we recommend to organize the perfect wedding at Il Rigo! We will share this collection with you once you book the venue, and then you must book the suppliers by yourself, as we do not have an official agreement with them, but we do recommend them genuinely for the quality of their service.
21. Can you take care of the flower decorations?
YES! In addition to our vegetable production, we dedicate a part of our garden to cut flowers. We grow organically unique annual flowers that we combine with wild herbs and foliage, creating flower arrangements that blend beautifully with the landscape, according to the season and surrounding nature. The flowers we grow are rarely sold in flower shops and will add a personal touch to your wedding! We can prepare bouquets, boutonnieres, and table centerpieces, and we can decorate the ceremony setting at Il Rigo. We can prepare simple arrangements for a town hall or the churches in San Quirico and Pienza as well.
22. Is it possible to celebrate a civil or religious wedding at your venue?
No. We have no chapel, and a civil wedding has to be celebrated in the town hall (or in the public gardens, which are found in San Quirico d’Orcia). We can celebrate symbolic ceremonies on our grounds.
23. What’s the best time of the year to get married in Tuscany?
We host weddings in the summer months only, from the middle of June until the end of August. That is the hottest period and the period with the lowest chance of rain, when we can take advantage of the great outdoor spaces of Il Rigo. The landscape can change regularly during the summer, as the crops in the fields change the color of the valley. June is green and full of wildflowers, while July has a characteristic yellow color of ripe wheat! In the middle of August, we start plowing the fields and the landscape turns brown, with earthy tones.
24. How are the temperatures in Tuscany during summertime?
Summer in Val d’Orcia is sunny and dry. The weather averages of NOAA are the following: June 28° C/ 14°C July 32° C/ 17°C August 32°C / 16°C
Food and dinner
25. Can you provide vegetarian/vegan/gluten–free alternatives for the wedding dinner?
Yes, we can provide alternatives in case of dietary restrictions or allergies.
26. Can we bring our own alcohol?
You are allowed to bring your own wine bottles (0,75l). A corkage fee will apply. You are not allowed to bring your own liqueurs or beer.
27. What kind of recipes do you serve?
Our cooking is traditional Tuscan cuisine, and we use local products, some of which we produce ourselves, like flour, olive oil, and some fruits and vegetables that we grow in our garden. Meat and cheese come from local producers and, when possible, are certified organic. At Il Rigo, the pasta, cakes and bread are all homemade.
28. Can you prepare the wedding cake?
Yes. In the many years of our hosting weddings, we have selected and perfected the recipes we offer for wedding cakes, which are not only good-tasting but good looking! We decorate them with edible flowers from the garden, offering a natural look to our cakes!
29. What is the opening time of the reception - restaurant?
Check-in: h 15.00 – 19.00
Check-out: h 8.30 - 11.00
Early check-in - late check out are not allowed under any circumstances.
Our reception makes the following opening time:
h 8.30 – 12.00
h 15.00 – 24.00
- On wedding day the reception is open all day.
- Team services are included until 12 pm.
- The party has to stop at 2 am.
30. Can you prepare special dinners such as pizza night or BBQ?
Yes. We can prepare sourdough pizza, lighting up our historic wood-fire oven, or prepare a Tuscan BBQ night.
31. Do you organize special activities in the days before the wedding?
We can organize wine tastings or help you book wine tours, cooking classes, day spas or sightseeing tours in vicinity.
Party
32. Is there a curfew on the wedding night?
Yes. The party has to stop at 2.00 am (an extra fee is due after 12pm).
33. Do you have a stereo to attach our own music player?
We have professional equipment that you can rent for 1 or 3 nights (loudspeakers, mixer and cables). You can bring your mp3 player and play your music!
34. Is there a dance floor?
No. Usually the party takes place in the courtyard, where we have gravel. However that does not stop our guests from having lots of fun dancing! We do recommend wearing flat shoes.
35. Can you recommend some nice spots for photo shooting?
This is the easiest request! Il Rigo’s backyard alone offers some stunning opportunities for great photos overlooking the iconic Tuscan hills and houses. In a few minutes by car, you can reach some of the most beloved locations for photo shoots, such as the Chapel of Vitaleta or the famous “Gladiator’s road” of Terrapille.
Surroundings
36. What activities do you recommend doing in the area?
The Val d’Orcia is a beautiful, small valley, rich in medieval villages, wineries, hot springs and stunning landscapes. A visit to Pienza, Montalcino and Bagno Vignoni is a must if you stay at Il Rigo. The village of Bagno Vignoni is also very popular for the natural hot springs.