The wedding party took place at Convento di Giaccherino, an ancient monastery in the Tuscan countryside near Pistoia.
Ruggeri said many of the roughly 200 guests had already left, and those who remained were mostly young friends of the couple.
The administrator of the monastery, which has been placed under administrative seizure by the police, could not be reached for comment.
Nestled in the countryside northwest of Florence, construction of the Abbey of Giaccherino began in the early 15th century and was financed by Gabrielo Panciatichi, a wealthy banker from Pistoia who was a usurer.
According to the monastery’s website, “In his old age he sought to earn a place in heaven through donations and charity.”
It originally contained a small church, a dining hall, two cloisters, a kitchen, and an infirmary. Franciscan friars lived there in isolation.
Over the next centuries, it was expanded with the addition of new halls, rooms, and libraries.
Fifteen years ago, renovations began to transform it into a venue for private events such as weddings, other gatherings, and corporate meetings. It only opened a few years ago.
As news of the incident began to spread, relatives and friends of the guests rushed to the monastery to check if their loved ones were among the injured.
They were forced to wind their way down the path leading to the monastery as Italian authorities closed the road to allow ambulances and transport the injured to nearby hospitals.