After breakfast on Friday, beat the heat at our Nikki Beach Pool Party at the Borgo pool! Head down the Borgo stairs, grab an aperol spritz, and take in panoramic views of the Tuscan hills while recovering from the night before......
Just a friendly reminder that your passport must have at least six months vaidity beyond your planned date of departure for departure to Italy!
Please check the expiration date on your passport carefully because if your passport does not meet the requirements, you may be refused boarding by the airline at your point of origin or while transferring planes. You could also be denied entry when you arrive in Italy. For this reason, we recommend that your passport have at least six months’validity remaining.
Some other requirements, as posted on the State Department website:
- Passports must have at least two blank pages for entry stamps
- No Vaccinations needed
- No tourist visa needed if you're staying under 90 days
- Currency restriction for entry is capped at 10,000 Euros or the equivalent in another currency
Some Safety information:
Italy has a moderate rate of crime, especially for theft and economic crimes; violent crimes are rare. U.S. citizens should be aware of the following local circumstances:
- Tourists can be fined or detained for buying counterfit goods(usually fashion accessories).
- Travelers must purchase train, bus or metro tickets and validate them by punching them in validating machines prior to boarding (usually near the entrance of the train or metro or on the bus). Tickets may be purchased at tobacco stores or kiosks. Failure to follow this procedure may result in an on-the-spot fine by an inspector on the train, bus or metro. If the violator does not pay the fine on the spot, it will automatically double and be forwarded to the violator’s home address.
- Thieves impersonate police officers. If you are stopped by a plainclothes policeman, ask for a uniformed officer or insist on seeing an officer's identification card (documento). Do not hand over your wallet and immediately report the incident to the actual police at a police station or by dialing 112 from a local phone.
- Do not leave bags unattended. Most reported thefts occur at crowded tourist sites, at airports, car rental agencies, on public buses, metros and trains, and at the major railway stations. Never leave baggage alone in a car, including in a closed trunk. For more information on trains and security, please see the Italian railway police’s advice for travelers.
- Be alert to criminal schemes. Organized groups of thieves and pick-pockets operate at major tourist destinations, in train stations, bars, and cafes. Some travelers have reported incidents in which criminals used drugs to assault or rob them. Thieves on motor scooters regularly snatch purses or bags off pedestrians as they ride by. Resisting these thieves can be dangerous.
- Keep your car doors locked and windows rolled up at all times to avoid carjackings and thefts while you are waiting in traffic.
The U.S. Secret Service in Rome is assisting Italian law enforcement authorities in investigating an increase in the appearance of ATM skimming devices. Here are some helpful hints to protect against and identify skimming devices:
- Use ATMs located in well-lit public areas or secured inside a bank/business.
- Cover the keypad with one hand as you enter your PIN.
- Look for gaps, tampered appearance, or other irregularities between the metal faceplate of the ATM and the card reader.
- Avoid card readers that are not flush with the face of the ATM.
- Closely monitor your account statements for unauthorized transactions.
See the Department of State and the FBI pages for information on scams.
VICTIMS OF CRIME: U.S. citizen victims of sexual assault should seek medical attention at the nearest public hospital as soon as possible.
Report crimes to the local police by dialing 112 and contact the U.S. Embassy at (+39) 06-4674-1 or after-hours (+39) 06-4674-1.
- Local authorities are responsible for investigating and prosecuting crimes.
See our webpage on help for U.S. victims of crime overseas and U.S. victim’s compensation programs.
We can:
- Help you find appropriate medical care
- Assist you in reporting a crime to the police
- Contact relatives or friends with your written consent
- Explain the local criminal justice process in general terms
- Provide a list of local English-speaking attorneys
- Provide information on victim’s compensation and support in Italy
- Provide an emergency loan for repatriation to the United States and/or limited medical support in cases of destitution
- Help you find accommodation and arrange flights home
- Replace a stolen or lost passport
Domestic Violence: U.S. citizen victims of domestic violence may contact the Embassy for assistance.
For further information:
- Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive security messages and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
- Call us in Washington at 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the United States and Canada or 1-202-501-4444 from other countries from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).
- See the State Department's travel website for Worldwide Caution, Travel Warnings, and Travel Alerts.
- Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
- See traveling safely abroad for useful travel tips.
Friends, as many of you have begun to book travel to our venue, we thought it might be useful to have a forum for you to connect and arrange to share trains, taxis or cars. Please feel free to use this post as a starting point, by posting comments.
Attention all ladies in stilettos! The Indian wedding will take place predominately on grass. If you (like me) plan to wear stilettos, I highly recommend you purchase a pair of heel protectors, both to protect your shoes and to prevent sinking into the grass all night!
I recommend Solemates, Stiletto Stoppers or Gogostoppers, but there are TONS of brands available online, if you search "heel protectors."
Exciting news! The rooms are now available to be booked for our wedding! Please see the Accommodations page for more information on how to book!
Established more than one thousand years ago, our wedding venue has ancient and mysterious origins, now lost in the mists of time. Perhaps the Etruscans founded the settlement, but there is no concrete evidence to support this thesis. What is certain is that Il Borro was a lookout point on the Roman road Cassia, and that they built a fort there, presumably due to its strategic location.
Records show that the Mascagni family owned the castle until 1254, when Marchese Borro Borri, a Milanese nobleman, bought the property. He later became the Mayor of Arezzo. By 1512, the property had passed through his family to Girolamo del Borro, philosopher and scientist, and lover of oriental culture. But it was under the patronage of his son Alessandro, that the Il Borro we know today was established. Alessandro dal Borro, visionary and an important figure in Tuscan politics, is the true “father” of Il Borro.
The Il Borro family eventually sold the domain and were succeeded by some of the most famous and revered families in Europe: the Medici of Florence, Tornaquinci, the Torriani of Milan, the house of Waldemburg Hohenlohe, and since 1904, the Savoy dynasty. Finally in 1993, and having visited the property many times, Ferruccio Ferragamo bought Il Borro, determined to restore the estate to its former glory.
Today, Il Borro finally reaches the heigh of its power and glory, having been selected to be the sacred site of the union between Kristen and Gaurav.
Guest Peter Baldwin performing a traditional Indian ribbon dance during Sangeet. His performance next July is highly anticipated.
One of the traditions we wanted to include in our Indian wedding is known as "Sangeet," where friends and family of the couple choreograph and perform dances to different songs to celebrate the occasion.
Among the many pre-wedding events that occur prior to the Hindu, Punjabi, and Gujrati wedding ceremonies, the Sangeet is where the party begins. Traditionally celebrated in the Punjab regions of India, this ceremony has been adopted by many other regions as a form of celebration for the wedding to come. The event was formally known to comprise of only female attendees from both sides of the family, however modern times allow for men to join in on the fun too. Unlike religious ceremonies such as the Haldi or portions of the wedding ceremony, the Sangeet is solely conducted to relish in the happiness and joy surrounding the couple.
The word “Sangeet “ means music, but when it is used as a term to describe a celebratory event during an Indian wedding it translates to "Music Night" or "Musical party." This musical night is a celebration of the union of not only the couple but the bonding of both families. It is here that both sides bring down their barriers and mingle in a fun environment.
As of now, we are officially recruiting friends and family to volunteer to put together choreographed dances at the Indian wedding - please reach out to us if you'd like to volunteer!
What song should I pick?
Indian weddings mostly have Hindi/Punjabi songs. People not only use the latest songs but also prefer old Bollywood songs. Sometimes it also depends on themes. Some popular songs for this season are - ainvayi ainvayi (band baja baraat), chikni chameli (agneepath), saddi gali (tanu weds manu), Chammak challo (r.a one), subha hone na de (desi boys), oh la la (dirty picture). Other great options are: Gallan Goodiyaan, Girls like to Swing, Uptown Funk, and anything Michael Jackson.
Should I hire a choreographer?
We have heard that a new trend in Indian weddings is people hiring choreographers for their performances. This is absolutely not necessary! This event is casual and fun, and you should feel free to put together something simple as last minute as the day before. The important thing is that we get people out on the dance floor!
How do I choreograph the dance with friends who don't live in my city?
One idea is to find a video of a dance (or hire a choreographer to put one together) and circulate the video so that everyone can practice on their own. When you meet at the wedding you can put it all together!
When will I perform?
The dances will happen after dinner.
What do I wear?
You can go as crazy as you want, but it is absolutely fine to just wear what you're already wearing to the Indian wedding!
Vineyard
Il Borro, our esteemed venue, is more than just a beautifully restored medieval village...it also has a vineyard and makes all of its own wines! In fact, all of the wine at our wedding will be from the Il Borro wine cellar, made on the property from grapes from Il Borro's own vineyard.
Il Borro vines grow on the Valdarno hills at the foot of the Pratomagno Mountains, a perfect place for a vineyard. The unique pedoclimatic conditions infuse the wines. A great lake covered the entire valley during the Pliocene epoch leaving an enduring legacy in the chemical composition of the soil, a land ideal for making fine wine. Today, mild winters and a temperate climate allows Il Borro to make the best use of this legacy.
The bedrock is sandstone, above a base of a loam rich soil on a sandy clay matrix. A poor soil but ideal for the needs of the vine.
It was the combination of these rare and precious characteristics that provided the impetus for Ferruccio Ferragamo to initiate a winemaking revival at Il Borro in 1995. Careful analysis and study guided every decision, from the choice of grape to the clones and rootstocks. Nothing was left to chance.
Autochthon grape varieties, such as Sangiovese, and those of the “Tuscan tradition,” such as Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot grow side by side adapting perfectly to the variability of the soil. In all 45 hectares are under vine, 300 to 500 metres above sea level, divided between five varieties of grape to extract the very best wines from our precious terroir.
Cellar
Marked by the passing of the centuries and the events of history, surrounded by nature in this small corner of Tuscany, the cellar at Il Borro is the beating heart of the estate. The structure is of medieval origin, buried below ground level where it winds beneath the Villa Il Borro snaking through a history of winemaking.
Everything at Il Borro is aimed at encouraging the cycle of nature, transforming a simple fruit into wine. The grapes from each vineyard are carefully selected by hand and then de-stemmed, crushed and stored in steel or wooden vats for alcoholic fermentation.
There is no special recipe, just a lifetime’s experience of working with the ever-changing conditions of Il Borro raw materials. The maceration is managed to ensure the best expression in the bottle from the fruit of the vineyards and the terroir.
In the long process of maturing its wines, Il Borro uses French oak barrels paying particular attention to the forest of origin, so that elevation occurs under ideal conditions for a perfect enhancement of bouquet and taste. To give greater complexity to the wines, Il Borro blends the wine after a strict tasting and selection of individual barrels.
Before leaving the cellar, a wine must be ready to tell its story to the World and to make the transition into bottles, the perfect and final compliment to a unique process.
If you just can't wait until our wedding to try these delicious wines, you can also buy them online!
For those of you wondering what to wear to the Indian Wedding, fear not! We have you covered.
Ladies / महिलाओं
Women should feel free to wear any kind of Indian-inspired outfit, whether that be a sari, lengha, or simply a brightly colored outfit you already own! (Except please avoid red).
If you are buying a sari, we recommend that you get it pre-pleated! Saris can be a bit complicated to put on and getting your sari pleated ahead of time will make it much easier for you to get dressed for the wedding.
Men / पुरुषों
Men should aim to wear a light kurta pajama, a traditional dress of men in India. It features a loose fitting, collarless long shirt over pants in a complimentary or contrasting color.
Whatever you decide, we recommended wearing something light and easy. Nothing too heavy because there will be lots of dancing.
If you plan on wearing a western suit, pick something more colorful to be in tune with the wedding.
Where to Purchase
For those of your in New York area, one fun idea would be to take the subway out to Jackson Heights and shop for authentic clothing in Little India. Browse the shelves of Indian Sari Palace, Perfection Bridal and Bombay Bridal (where I got my wedding lengha) and come away with something truly unique. Don't forget to grab a dosa before you head home!
There are also a ton of amazing websites online that allow you to buy or rent glorious Indian dresses. Check out Utsav Fashion, Cbazaar, or Indian Sari House. Even Amazon has a surprisingly large selection of beautiful options.
As always, do not hesitate to reach out to Kristen or Gaurav for any and all questions about this or anything else!
We are pretty pumped to announce that we have secured the highly-coveted DJ ASAD to DJ our Indian and Western weddings! Next to one Ashley Bryant's custom monthly playlists, this is the best way we can think of to maximize your dance floor experience.
The past four years has seen Asad has fast become one of London’s most sought after DJs. His ability to expertly select and fuse a wide array of music genres together, along with his charm, passion and focus are impossible to ignore.
Asad began his career as resident DJ at renowned London nightclubs Pangaea and Amika where he was quickly recognized for his eclectic style, and the ability to read a crowd. This recognition opened doors to opportunities to play in numerous highly reputable venues in London and worldwide, these include, The Box (London / New York), The Arts Club (London), 79 (Paris), The Cuckoo Club (London), Voir (Zurich) Project (London / LA), Toyroom (London / Mykonos), Movida (London / Dubai), & Okku (Dubai). Residencies in these clubs immediately followed.
Asad now frequently travels the globe, recently playing in New York, Dubai, Zurich, Ibiza, Portofino, & Cannes to name but a few.
