Tvoi Event
A beautiful villa in Tuscany is almost always private property with its own rules, which come from neighbours, the municipality and the insurance. Clients used to restaurants and hotels are often surprised: music has to stop at a set hour, guest numbers cannot exceed a stated limit, and the caterer is sometimes chosen from the owner's list. There are no universal national rules here. A lot depends on the individual villa and the municipality, and every condition ends up in the contract. The best way to avoid surprises is to read the contract before paying a deposit and to put a few concrete questions to the owner. Below is what to check first.
Exclusive hire or not
The first thing to find out is whether you hire the whole villa or share the grounds with other guests. Exclusive hire means that nobody but your party is there during the celebration. It matters for privacy and freedom, but it is priced differently and usually specifies exact hours and days, including set-up and dismantling. Ask what is included: only the garden and the hall, or the bedrooms too; whether the owners have staff on site; whether you can arrive the day before to prepare; and how long you have to clear equipment the next day. Often these details, rather than the date itself, decide how calm the celebration will be.
Music and finishing time
Amplified music is limited by time almost everywhere, and the rules of the venue and the municipality both play a part. Some villas allow music late into the night, others ask for an earlier finish because of neighbours or the conditions of the property. These hours should be known before you choose the venue, not after the evening programme is written. Ask also whether you may bring your own sound system, whether there are limits on volume or speaker position, and whether music is allowed outdoors or only inside. If dancing until late matters, discuss an alternative: after the official end the party can continue in a quieter format indoors or move to another place.
SIAE and music rights
SIAE is the Italian society that protects authors' rights. Music at events often requires permission and payment of rights, especially with live performers or a DJ. Who handles the paperwork depends on the venue and on the supplier: sometimes the villa does it, sometimes the musicians or the organiser. Do not rely on verbal assurances. Ask directly whether a licence is needed for your event, who obtains it and who pays. Professional musicians usually know the procedure and can advise. What matters is that responsibility is written down rather than assumed, otherwise you may face a check during the event.
Guest limits and sleeping places
A villa has a maximum capacity, and it depends not only on the area but on permits, insurance and safety requirements. The number of guests at dinner, the number of people on the grounds during the day and the number of beds are three different figures, and the contract may treat them differently. Ask about each one. If some guests stay overnight, check how many beds there really are and how they are arranged: bedrooms, separate cottages, extra beds. Ask whether children, musicians, staff and vendors count towards the overall limit. It is often the vendors and the service team who push the number of people on the grounds above what you expected.
Deposit, damage and insurance
Owners often ask for a security deposit that is returned after the condition of the villa is checked. Find out the conditions and timing of the refund and how the inspection works: who signs the report and when. Ask what counts as damage: wine spilled on an old floor, candle wax, marks from equipment, harm to the garden. Ask whether liability insurance for the event is required and who arranges it. Learn the rules for vendors too: some villas have an approved caterer list and limits on open flame, candles, fireworks and drones. Fireworks usually need municipal authorisation, and they cannot be promised in advance without checking.
Vendors, catering and cleaning
Some villas work only with their own suppliers or require that the caterer you choose is approved. Others accept any vendor but charge separately for the use of the kitchen or ask for documents and insurance. Clarify this early: the choice of vendor affects the menu and the logistics of set-up. Also check the rules on cleaning, waste removal and the time allowed to dismantle equipment. Sometimes cleaning is included, sometimes it has to be arranged separately, and items left behind can lead to deductions. Whatever you hear verbally, ask to have it written into the contract or an annex, so that by the day of the event nothing is left unclear.
What to check in a villa contract
- Is the hire exclusive and which hours does it cover
- Until what hour amplified music is allowed
- Who arranges and pays for SIAE rights
- Limit on guests, people on site and beds
- Deposit amount, conditions and refund time
- Approved vendors and catering rules
- Limits on candles, fireworks and drones
- Set-up, dismantling and cleaning times
We read the contract with you
Tvoi Event compares the villa conditions with your script: music hours, limits, deposit and permits. Write to us through the request form or WhatsApp and we will prepare a written estimate.