There's something about a castle that turns a wedding into a story. Thick walls, towers, a courtyard that has seen five centuries of parties. Italy has hundreds of them, from fortresses on the lakes to castles hidden in the Tuscan woods, and many now open their doors to couples dreaming of a castle wedding in Italy.

These are the castles we know best, and a few things we've learned about photographing weddings inside them.

Castello Odescalchi, Bracciano

Less than an hour from Rome, on the shore of Lake Bracciano, this is one of the most spectacular castles in Italy. Built by the Orsini family in the fifteenth century and owned by the Odescalchi family since the end of the seventeenth, it still feels like a home: armour, frescoes, family portraits. We've photographed more than one wedding here, including Roxana & Kyle's, which ended up in ELLE, and Beatrice & Evan's.

Castello di Celsa, Siena

A castle a short drive from Siena, with Italian gardens, woods all around and a circular chapel that looks like something out of a fairy tale. It's perfect for a whole weekend: we photographed and filmed Morgan & Ryan's wedding there, starting with a welcome dinner in the garden.

More castles in Tuscany

Tuscany is full of castles that now host weddings. Near Florence, Castello di Vincigliata sits on the hills of Fiesole with its battlements and cloister. West of Siena, Castello di Casole is a castle turned luxury hotel, and in the Maremma, Castello di Vicarello is a small, family-run castle with a very personal atmosphere. Each one is a world of its own.

Planning a castle wedding in Italy

• Check what you can use. Some castles are partly open to the public, so ask which rooms and hours are private on your day.
• Ask about accommodation. Some castles have rooms for the whole weekend, others are for the day only.
• Think about the stairs. Stone steps are beautiful in photographs and harder in heels. Plan for older guests.
• Castles are cool inside even in summer, which is a gift in July and August.
• Lighting changes everything at night. Candles, projections and warm lights turn a courtyard into a theater, so share the plan with your photographer and videographer early.

Photographing inside a castle

Castles are dark, and that's part of their charm. We don't flood them with light. We use the windows, the candles and the lamps, and we wait for the moments when someone stands in the right spot. At night, with projections or hundreds of candles, the walls become part of the party, and the photographs feel like stills from a film.

If a castle is on your list, have a look at our weddings in Rome and around Siena, or tell us which castle you're considering. Chances are we've been there.