Cortona, Tuscany · September – October 2027

Emily & Alex

September 12 – October 24, 2027

Illustration of Emily and Alex

A six-week Tuscan holiday

We're getting married. To celebrate, we're inviting you to join us for a relaxing Tuscan holiday — a chance to spend real time together in one of our favourite places.


Instead of one big day, we're spending six weeks in Cortona, and inviting our friends and family to come and join us for up to one week each. There's no schedule and no agenda — just shared meals, pool time, pasta, wine, and being together.

Wine, food and music illustration

The six weeks

Your invitation will tell you which week you're part of. Each week is its own gathering — a small group of people we love, together in one place. Below you can see who's joining when.

Week 01

Family

Sept 12 – Sept 18, 2027

Gary Peck Maria Peck Zoe Peck Sam Hanchard Jennifer Buss Dan Dick Natalie Dick Ruth Maher Paul Maher Hank Trone Jen Trone Stacey Mergner Joanne Jeffers Paul Jeffers

Week 02

Charleston & College

Sept 19 – Sept 25, 2027

Taylor Golden Tyler Golden Chris Finan Sarah Moore Sammy Trone Jakob Cumins Kristen Ciurlik Natalie Dick Marisa Madsen James Madsen Natalia Skeba Michael Coughlin Kelly Gordon Nick Gordon Megan Foley Maura Mehallick Matt Mehallick

Week 03

Colorado

Sept 26 – Oct 2, 2027

Paul Kline Megan Kline Robert Greene Elizabeth Wilson Sam Bannister Dilara Bahceci Andrew Rogers Casey Warrener Laurel Lowke Rachel Cherny Kristen Lott Benham Baktiary Steph Ledezma Lauren Carrasquillo

Week 04

Just us

Oct 3 – Oct 9, 2027

Week 05

Deloitte

Oct 10 – Oct 16, 2027

Lewis Jackson Minh Bui Tristan Irvine Antje Willmot Trent Willmot Michael Swan Vidushee Deora Emma Goddard Ollie Jones Elicia Cantelo Blake Wellman Alex Thalis Lidiya Augustine Brendan Elton

Week 06

BaseUp & Marist

Oct 17 – Oct 23, 2027

Callum Paterson Liz Johns Fearghal Shannon Fran Goldman Declan Pigott Laura Delaney Jordan Bourello Mairead Bourello Jack Perkins Isabelle Martin Peter Carey Max Bucknell Laura Schmid Natalia Alves Craig Maxwell Elise Duchatel David Angelo

Getting there

Cortona is a hilltop town in the heart of Tuscany. The easiest way to reach us is via Rome, then by train north into the valley. We'll take care of the last stretch.

01

Fly into Rome

Fly into Rome Fiumicino International Airport (FCO). This is the most well-connected international hub for Tuscany-bound travellers.

02

Airport Line to Roma Termini

From the airport, take the Leonardo Express Airport Line direct to Roma Termini — Rome's main train station. The journey takes around 32 minutes and runs every 15–30 minutes.

03

Train to Cortona

From Roma Termini, board a northbound train. It's approximately 10 stops and 2 hours to Camucia–Cortona station. Book ahead on Trenitalia or Italo for the best fares.

04

We'll pick you up

Once you arrive at Camucia–Cortona station, we'll collect you and bring you to the house. Just let us know in advance and we'll be there to meet you.

For Aussie passport holders

Visiting from Australia

Italy is part of the Schengen Area. Australian passport holders can typically stay up to 90 days within any 180-day period without a visa. Please verify current requirements closer to your travel date.

For US passport holders

Visiting from the US

US passport holders can also enter Italy and the Schengen Area without a visa for short stays. Note that the EU's ETIAS travel authorisation system may apply by 2027 — we'll update this page with specifics.

Cortona & the house

Cortona is a quintessentially Tuscan town. It's set atop a hill, with sweeping views of the surrounding countryside. In Cortona, you'll find everything we need for our stay — groceries, restaurants, cafes, bars, and a handful of historic sites.


We've booked a large villa just outside Cortona — about 2km / 1.2 miles walk from town. That will be home base for our time in Tuscany. The house has 10 private bedrooms and 11 bathrooms. There's a pool, outdoor dining, a well-equipped kitchen, and wifi. At the house, we'll have 2 rental cars for guests to use.

  • Eat Scara e Beo — Vegan Restaurant
    Osteria del Teatro — Italian Restaurant
    La Bucaccia - Da Romano — Tuscan Restaurant
  • Drink Enotria — Wine Bar
    La Bottega del Vin Bono — Wine Bar
    Birrificio Cortonese — Gastropub
  • See Basilica of Santa Margherita — Hilltop Church
    Fortezza del Girifalco — Hilltop Castle
    Piazza della Repubblica — The Historic Square
  • Day trips Montepulciano Wine Region — 40 min drive
    Brunello Wine Region — 1 hour drive
    Lake Trasimeno — 30 min drive

Around Europe

We know many of you will use this as an opportunity to explore further afield. If you're planning a broader European itinerary, take some inspiration from our 2025 Balkans favourites:

Slovenia

  • Vipava Valley Wine Region
  • Brda Wine Region
  • Lake Bled

Croatia

  • Istria Wine Region
  • Korčula
  • Krka National Park

Montenegro

  • Shkodra Lake Wine Region
  • Perast

Bosnia

  • Jajce
  • Mostar
  • Neretva River Canyon
Wine and vinyl illustration

Let us know you're coming

Please respond by 31 March 2027

Door with flowering vines illustration

Wonderful — we can't wait to see you in Cortona. ♡

Frequently asked

Everything you need to know. If your question isn't here, reach out directly.

Are kids welcome?

Yes, they are. Many of the people important to us have young families, and we'd like to make a trip to Italy viable for as many people as possible. The house has basic equipment for kids — cot, crib, etc.

Please note: the pool is not fully fenced. And while each couple will have their own private room, all rooms are in a common house — we can't prevent noise during reasonable sleeping hours for children.

What's the weather going to be like?

We'll be in Tuscany during autumn/fall.

Late September: daytime averages of 25°c / 80°f, nights around 15°c / 60°f.
Early October: daytime averages of 20°c / 70°f, nights around 10°c / 50°f.

What should I wear?

Alex and Emily plan on mostly wearing linen. Don't forget swimmers. There is no formal part to the week — the most dressed up you'd need to prepare for is a nice dinner in town.

Who should I contact if I have questions?

Please contact Emily and/or Alex directly with anything you need.

Is there wifi at the house?

There is, but we aren't sure of the quality. Reviews from other guests have not raised it as an issue.

Is there a gifts registry?

No, there is not. Your presence is a present.

What will we be doing during the week?

First and foremost, relaxing — we're not planning any rigid itineraries. We have a beautiful house in walking distance to a charming country town. A typical week might include cooking pasta together at the house, a wine tour, dinner in town, swimming in the pool, a cooking class, long walks, and day trips to the lake.

How will we manage meals?

We're expecting to cook most meals together at the house. Each week we'll do groceries and prepare pasta, pizza, or salads for dinners. Cortona also has many restaurants we're excited to try — a great way to break up the cooking.

Is there anything I can bring?

Here are some essentials to remember:

Sunscreen, sunglasses, light layers for the evenings, swimmers, comfortable walking shoes, a smile and an appetite.

Can I drive in Italy?

If you can drive in your home country, you can drive in Italy. Just bring your regular driver's licence.

with heartfelt thanks and appreciation to Natalia Skeba for the illustrations