Photo by Jack Henry Photo
A welcome dinner sets the tone for everything that follows. It is the first time guests gather, the first glass raised, the first glimpse of the celebration to come. For a week-long autumn wedding celebration at Villa Cetinale in Tuscany, planned by Oana Events and photographed by Jack Henry Photo, we designed the welcome dinner in deep, confident red: an elegant play of chic yet vintage lace, candlelight and arrangements of every kind of red flower, supported by red apples and refined décor. Those arrangements became the highlight of the evening.
The Vision: Autumn in Deep Red
Autumn in Tuscany has its own richness. The light turns golden, the gardens deepen in colour and the harvest is everywhere. We wanted the welcome dinner to capture that abundance, but with a sense of polish and drama fitting for the start of a wedding celebration.
Red was the answer. Not one red, but many: crimson, scarlet, burgundy and the near-black tones of the darkest blooms, layered together so the table felt warm and alive rather than flat. Against the pale stone of Villa Cetinale and its dark cypresses and hedges, that palette glowed. And because this was a welcome dinner rather than the wedding itself, we could be a little bolder, more playful and more personal, giving the couple and their guests something unexpected from the very first evening of the week.
A Long Table Beneath the Double Staircase
Photo by Jack Henry Photo
Photo by Jack Henry Photo
Photo by Jack Henry Photo
Villa Cetinale's double stone staircase is one of its most striking features, and we placed the dinner right at its feet. A single long table stretched across the terrace, so that every guest sat together, as one family, from the very first night. Wooden cross-back chairs kept the look relaxed and Tuscan, while the staircase rose behind like a theatre set.
Along the length of the table, tall red taper candles stood in rhythm with low floral arrangements, keeping sightlines open so conversation could travel freely from one end to the other. The repetition creates a sense of ceremony, and in the photographs the table seems to run on forever, drawing the eye straight up to the villa.
Chic Yet Vintage: Lace on the Table
Photo by Jack Henry Photo
Photo by Jack Henry Photo
The tablecloths were the quiet foundation of the whole design. Instead of plain linen, we dressed the table in lace: chic, but with an unmistakably vintage soul. Lace brings texture and softness, and it catches the light beautifully as the sun goes down and the candles take over.
We paired it with cut-crystal glassware, which sparkles against the lace and picks up the red of the flowers and candles. Together they create that elegant tension we love: romantic and a little nostalgic, yet entirely modern and refined.
Arrangements of Every Red: The Highlight of the Evening
Photo by Jack Henry Photo
Photo by Jack Henry Photo
The arrangements were the heart of the evening. We gathered all sorts of red flowers and let their different personalities play off each other. Pincushion protea brought a spiky, sculptural texture; glossy red anthurium added bold, graphic shapes; gloriosa lilies curled upward like flames; and deep red dahlias and dark foliage gave the arrangements weight and depth.
Photo by Jack Henry Photo
The arrangements stayed low and loose, with a few stems rising tall and airy above the table so the designs felt gathered rather than stiff. Red apples appeared throughout the setting, adding that sense of harvest abundance that belongs to autumn in Tuscany. It is a detail guests love to discover up close, and one that makes a table feel generous.
Vintage Details and Elegant Décor
Photo by Jack Henry Photo
To complete the vintage story, we added elegant décor moments around the table. One of our favourites: a classical bust crowned with burgundy hydrangea, resting on a stack of antique books, with red apples and trailing amaranthus at its side. It brings a touch of wit and an old-world, collected feel, as if the table had been dressed with treasures found inside the villa.
Garden Games and Red Apples
Photo by Jack Henry Photo
Away from the table, we carried the same story into the gardens. Wicker hampers, antique books, draped lace and wooden crates filled with red apples set the scene for a round of Italian wedding games, so guests could wander, play and linger before sitting down to dinner.
Photo by Jack Henry Photo
Simple, seasonal and a little nostalgic, these vignettes tied the whole welcome dinner together: the same lace, the same reds, the same sense of an autumn harvest in Tuscany.
From Above
Photo by Jack Henry Photo
Seen from above, the composition holds: the long table, the rhythm of low centrepieces and taper candles, the chairs lined up on either side. Good design is about structure as much as colour.
Tips for Planning a Welcome Dinner in Tuscany
- Treat the welcome dinner as its own story. It doesn't need to match the wedding day. A bolder palette, like deep red, gives guests something memorable from the first night.
- Let the architecture set the stage. Villa Cetinale's staircase makes a natural backdrop. Position your table to frame it.
- Choose one long table. It brings everyone together and photographs beautifully.
- Play with linens. A vintage lace tablecloth adds texture and character that plain linen can't.
- Mix flower shapes within one colour. Protea, anthurium, gloriosa and dahlias in shades of red create depth without losing cohesion.
- Bring in the harvest. Red apples tucked among the décor feel seasonal and generous, especially in autumn.
- Check what's in season. Our Bloom Calendar shows which flowers are at their best each month in Italy.
You can see more of our work in our gallery, and learn how we approach florals and full event design on our services page.
Credits
- Venue: Villa Cetinale, Tuscany
- Planner: Oana Events
- Photographer: Jack Henry Photo
- Florals and décor: Lake Como Florist
Planning a welcome dinner or wedding weekend in Tuscany, on Lake Como, or anywhere in Italy, Switzerland or Europe? We would love to hear about your plans. Get in touch with us, and let's start designing your celebration together.
