The couple who would later become my grand-parents were married in Pienza's Duomo before the World War II. At that time my small town wasn't as famous as it is now and you would not have seen a single tourist. The day and the town were theirs for their private "festa", or celebration. Shopkeepers stood in their doorways to watch the bride pass by - how beautiful was her veil! Then a few photographs and it was time for lunch. The "reception" was a lunch for 20 guests (bride and groom included!) held on the threshing-floor of my great-grandparents farm. The menu included a variety of sliced cold meats, oven-cooked pasta and lamb, all accompanied by vegetables and fruit from their kitchen garden. It was very special celebration! Dancing and singing followed the feast, still on the threshing-floor - as it did on many a Saturday but this time everyone was dressed more elegantly.

When I was eight years old, convinced that I was ready for this experience, my father, the official photographer in San Quirico since 1969, started to bring me along to help out with his Sunday photograph sessions. At the beginning I was the "porter". While he was running after the newlyweds to immortalize them and their relatives on film, I would chase after him as quickly as my eight year-old legs could run while carrying our big black camera bag, full of lenses, batteries, flashbulbs, film and a tripod. The purpose of the game was to see who could arrive first at the restaurant in order to reserve our place with the black bag with a large yellow-and-red Kodak sticker. "Our place" was the corner of the last, long table, usually close to the exit, so that we could quickly get into position when the groom's friends inevitably called on us to capture the moment his tie was cut

Since then I have learned to carry the big black bag more easily and I became a photographer myself. At the same time I started becoming a "background wedding coordinator". I became the trusted friend of the bride, someone who was always close-by and the discreet assistant to the groom, relied on to remind him with a small gesture to button his jacket - always a better look in the photo with his new mother-in-law! While adjusting the bride's veil, I would quietly suggest to the bridesmaid that she adjust her make-up, explain to the groom to sit on the right of the bride at the altar, and wake up the driver, sleeping peacefully under the cypress trees, in time for him to get the car into position for the departure from the church.

I gradually became the "eyes" of the wedding, learning to observe every detail without losing the grand vision and always remembering to remind the groom to button his jacket!

This training remains with me and the importance of keeping track of details while never losing the sense of the whole event. Now I will perhaps suggest a particular shot but I let the photographers do their job and enjoy organizing all the essential details for the wedding couple, removing the stress of dealing with documents, transportation, catering, music and flowers and leaving them to enjoy their special day, perhaps with the reception on the threshing-floor - now of an agriturismo, which used to be a farm - with their family and friends who are there to celebrate their happiness.