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Wed Like a Celebrity: A-List Destination Wedding Venues

Who doesn’t like to drool over famous weddings in the tabloids? They’re great for inspiration but rarely practical if you don’t have celeb status yourself. But with some inside knowledge, you can have your dream wedding with star treatment at one of these spectacular wedding venues.
By Jill Fergus


Villa San Michele, Italy


When Emily Blunt and John Krasinski tied the knot in Italy, they chose Villa D'Este, a 16th-century estate on the shores of Lake Como (prewedding, they bunked at their pal George Clooney's nearby mansion). But even if you don't have Georgio on speed dial, Italy's beautiful countryside, delicious cuisine, robust vino and historic villa hotels make it a can't-miss wedding locale.

Villa San Michele, Fiesole
Although Villa San Michele, outside Florence, got its start as a 15th-century monastery, there's nothing austere about a wedding here. Couples can marry in a nearby church or alfresco in the formal gardens amid lemon and orange trees. Afterward, indulge in plenty of prosecco on the colonnaded loggia before retiring to the elegant Michelangelo suite, once the headquarters of Napoleon Bonaparte. The 46 rooms and suites at this Orient-Express property feature unique furnishings, en suite bathrooms and amazing views.

Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni, Bellagio
If your heart is set on Lake Como, consider the 95-room Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni, in the charming village of Bellagio. The inspiration for the luxe Bellagio casino in Vegas, this neoclassic lakefront villa has been the scene of many a wedding on the stone terrace, and you're sure to feel like a principessa in the gilded ballroom. Stellar service is assured (it's the only five-star hotel in Bellagio), as is an unforgettable meal: Chef Ettore Bocchia has earned a Michelin star with his interpretation of Italian cuisine via molecular gastronomy.

Villa Mangiacane, Florence
Tuscany's medieval villages and Renaissance churches have long inspired romantics. For a truly splurge-worthy wedding, there's 27-room Villa Mangiacane, a 15th-century estate outside Florence (a free round-trip shuttle runs to Florence from the villa). Say your I do's on the fresco-lined loggia with the Duomo as a backdrop, then toast each other with the estate's own Chianti (produced onsite, as is the olive oil — a great welcome gift). The hotel can arrange wine tours and tastings, day trips to Siena and San Gimignano, and even a hot-air balloon ride over the vineyards and olive groves.

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