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Positano Spring Engagement Session

With National Proposal Day coming up tomorrow, we’re getting in the spirit with some sweet stories, starting with this darling duo. If their proposal – at the bottom of the Grand Canyon – is any indication, they’re bound for endless adventures together, kicking off with this epic Positano engagement shoot. Kay English captured not only their love but the beauty of this area and we just can’t get enough.

From the Bride… Jason and I met our freshman year of college at Seton Hall University. He was a computer graphics major, and I was a journalism student. We lived in the same dorm and quickly became friends. But it wasn’t until halfway through our junior year that we realized there was a spark between us. We went on our first date in Central Park, and have been together ever since! We both love to travel and have been to Italy, Iceland and all over the Caribbean together. We love immersing ourselves in the beauty and history of new places.

After dating for over five years, Jason was finally ready to pop the question during a trip to the Grand Canyon. Though I’d always imagined we’d get engaged while on vacation, I hadn’t realized Jason had already bought a ring. So when our plane took off I was totally unaware that he had secretly stashed the most gorgeous ring in his backpack. Once we arrived at the Bright Angel trailhead, our backpacks loaded and cameras in hand, we started hiking down to the bottom of the canyon. By late afternoon, we unpacked and soaked in the gorgeous campsite near the river. The next day, we rested up at the bottom in the warm, sunny weather. All afternoon, Jason had been asking if we could take a walk together. I was exhausted, but finally agreed. He took me down to Boat Beach, a sandy shore along the Colorado River. There, he dropped to one knee and asked me to marry him! I was so excited and surprised that I burst into tears. The next day, we had a grueling hike back to the top of the canyon before we could finally celebrate with a nice dinner (and cell phone reception to tell our family and friends the good news!).

It wasn’t long after we got engaged that we decided to get married in Italy. Since we both love to travel, we knew we wanted to invite our loved ones on a trip to somewhere beautiful – full of history, amazing food and stunning vistas. We’d been to Italy before, but never to Positano. Yet as soon as I saw photos of the beachy town built into the cliffside on the Amalfi Coast, I knew it was the perfect place for us. We never got to visit Positano in person before the wedding, but when we arrived it was just as incredible as we hoped it’d be. The weather was especially warm, the water was crystal clear and everyone we met was so friendly. The night before our wedding, we hosted a welcome dinner for our 30 friends and family as a way of saying “thank you” for flying across the world to be with us.

Before an evening spent dining on the best Italian pizza and wine, we walked through the town and onto the beach for a destination engagement shoot. We visited the church where we’d be getting married the next day, strolled along the beach and walked through the small cobblestone streets lined with gelaterias and cute little shops. Just as the sun began to set, we sat down for dinner with everyone as we looked out over the Tyrrhenian Sea and sparkling cliffside of Positano. It was a night filled with so much love and laughter – a special memory we’ll always treasure!

Photography: Kay English Photography | Planner: The Amalfi Experience | Planner: The Amalfi Experience

Ravello Engagement Session at Hotel Caruso

I love weddings, I do. But engagement sessions are my jam. Strip down all the details and give me that raw love paired with gorgeous backdrops and I’m one happy lady. Case in point? These utterly beautiful captures from Alicia Swedenborg set amongst the breathtaking scenery at Ravello’s Belmond Hotel Caruso. Dreamy, I tell you, just dreamy.

From Alicia SwedenborgSarah & Jerome had a destination wedding in Ravello, Amalfi Coast, Italy planned by the extraordinary wedding planner Brenda at Italia Celebrations. She’s an american wedding planner who lives in Italy so she knows the language and culture of both the countries! I also specialize in destination weddings, and have been to this area several times before. They flew me in to photograph both their wedding and rehearsal dinner. I also did an engagement session with them at the Caruso Hotel, the venue of the wedding. It’s views are just breathtaking overlooking the Amalfi Coast and a picture perfect infinity pool. My assistant Melissa and I had the best time photographing Sarah & Jerome in the gorgeous sunset light and it’s also a perfect opportunity for the couple to get relaxed infront of the camera before the big day (and get used to me getting way to excited when we nail an awesome photo together!)

Photography: Alicia Swedenborg | Wedding Planner: Brenda Babcock Celebrations | Dress: Herve Leger | Shoes: Louboutin | Wedding Venue: Belmond Hotel Caruso Amalfi Coast | Photography Assistant: Melissa Schollaert Photography

Intimate and Charming Wedding in Tuscany

You know those weddings that are so romantic you’ll remember them for years to come? Well, this Tuscany fete from Greg Finck Photography is certainly one of them. Opting to wed amongst grapevines, this Irish duo paired up with Italy Weddings and Inspired By Love to plan one irresistibly elegant affair. Sweet and intimate, guests dined al fresco toasting to love and it’s all right here!

From Greg Finck Ciara and Mark are an Irish couple from Belfast, Ireland, and had chosen sunny Tuscany for their wedding. When you’re used to grey sky and pouring rain, it’s hard not to totally fall for Tuscany, that fabulous part of Italy calling for bathing sun, easy lifestyle and awesome food and wine.

At the very first contact, Ciara and Mark explained me that they wanted a very intimate wedding, with just forty guests, to focus on the essential, and enjoy their loved ones. They had chosen a magnificent historical Villa – Villa Piaggia – in the heart of Tuscany, to tie the knot. This venue is ideally located, surrounded by square miles of Chianti vineyards and breath-taking landscapes. All of their forty guests had met there for 4 days of celebration, and spend time together.

The d-day has been perfectly planned and designed by Ben Singleton, from Italy Weddings, an American who has been based in Tuscany for years, organizing weddings there. A simple table enhanced by a giant flower garland and fairy lights created a very charming and warm atmosphere. Floral design made of pastel peonies was everywhere, from the Bride’s bouquet to the church decoration.

To keep on that pastel theme, we decided to do the couple session in the middle of olive trees, surrounded by tall grass and a magnificent sun. The couple and their guests then enjoyed a typical Italian meal made of handmade pasta with figs, beef with brunello sauce and rosemary roast potatoes. This beautiful summer day ended with the cutting of a giant millefoglie wedding cake.

Photography: Greg Finck Photography | Event Planning And Design: italyweddings | Wedding Dress: Anna Campbell | Jewelry: Tiffany & Co. | Photography - Assistance: Inspired By Love | Villa: Villa Piaggia

Romantic Lake Como Bridal Session

Having made the trek all the way from Hong Kong for their pre-wedding bridal session, these two love birds were meant for Lake Como and for the magic of Greg Finck and his lovely lens. Scenic mountains and the quaint villages of Bellagio and Varena served as the beautiful backdrop for every breathtaking capture, which pair beautifully with the moments in motion from Naz Films.

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Greg Finck PhotographySylvester and Rachel had travelled all the way from Hong-Kong to do their engagement session on breath-taking Lake Como. I remember the first email when they enquire and asked me suggestions fif they should choose Paris, the Alps, or Lake Como for their engagement. I answered without a doubt, as Lake Como is such a wonderful location. Surrounded by mountains the Lake stretches as far as the eye can see. On its shores, the beautiful villages of Bellagio and Varena are the key touristic attractions. There are marvelous places and you need to take a boat to get there. Everything is preserved, and beauty is everywhere.

As it was a beautiful and sunny summer day, we decided to start shooting very early, meaning 6am. We had the most amazing sunrise on the lake and started to shoot with the first rays of sun backlighting the couple. We had a walk in Varena, and then took a boat trip on the Lake to reach the fabulous Villa Balbianello. This amazing venue held the movies James Bond’s Casino Royale, Ocean’s 13, and Star Wars.

This was undoubtedly a memorable day for our lovers. My friend Naz, from Naz Films, realized a great 8mm movie which translates, along with the photographs, the beauty of that day.

Photography: Greg Finck Photography | Videography: Naz Films | Bride's Shoes: Christian Louboutin | Private Villa: Villa Balbianello

Ischia Waterfront Engagement Session

Upon poring over these stunning images from Ashlee Taylor, this stylish duo’s anticipation, excitement and pure love was immediately apparent. Ear-to-ear grins, sweet forehead kisses and gorgeous views filled the moments leading up to their rehearsal dinner—and if you ask me? A pre-wedding day engagement sesh should be the next new thing, because it doesn’t get any better than this.

From Ashlee TaylorOur effortlessly stylish couple walked through the streets in Natalie in her Jimmy Choo‘s and Mark effortlessly in head to toe J.Crew and greater locals as they sauntered to their rehearsal dinner at the beautiful Coco Mare restaurant where they joined their family and friends.

Its always special to spend time with a couple just before their wedding day you can feel their anticipation and tremendous love they have between them about their up coming nuptials. I think in this instance the feeling was heightened since so much work had gone into planning their destination wedding and it was all their plans had pulled off so beautifully.

Natalie and Mark wanted me not just to focus on them during the shoot but also the natural beauty and rich culture of this special island. Capturing street life, people talking and the social buzz of the locals.

Photography: Ashlee Taylor | Grooms Attire: J.Crew | Venue: Ischia | Bride Dress: Miu Miu | Bride Shoes: Jimmy Choo

Romantic Tuscany Wedding in Val d’Orcia

Can you even imagine hosting a wedding in Tuscany? It simply doesn’t get more romantic, and this beautiful soiree captured by Amy Turner and planned to perfection by Super Tuscan Wedding Planners paints that picture perfectly. Because when you pair those stunning sights with a madly in love couple, it simply doesn’t get better. See more here


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From Super Tuscan Wedding PlannersA nice smile on her face and the eyes that get lost over the Tuscan rolling hills. This is our bright bride Ashleigh staring at an amazing panorama outside a beautiful rustic villa before her dreamy weding day. Matthew, her handsome husband is instead already waiting for her at the altar in the midst of the most stunning valley of Tuscany, the world heritage Val d’Orcia. This is just the beginning of a wonderful wedding day for our bride and groom Ashleigh and Matthew!!

Photography: Amy Turner Photography | Event Designer: Super Tuscan Wedding Planners | Wedding Planner: Super Tuscan Wedding Planners | Wedding Dress: Casey Jeanne | Bridesmaids Dresses: Zara | Catering: Preludio | Celebrant: TUSCANPLEDGES | Wedding Venue: Villa Rombolino | Bridal shoes: House Of Harlow | Equipments and marquee rental: Preludio Noleggi | Groom Suit: Thom Sweeney | Hair Dresser: Fratini | Wedding Rings: Keith White Rings

Venice Boudoir + Anniversary Shoot

Nearly a year ago, we fell in love with this beautiful couple and their California soiree full of rustic elegance. And today, we get to fall in love all over again with their sexy, yet sweet and oh-so-elegantly captured images from Matthew Ree of their first year anniversary sesh in Venice. I’m not even married yet and I’m already planning our year one festivities—one peek at these snaps and you’ll see why.

From the Mrs…We decided to celebrate our first wedding anniversary with a trip to Italy—a country that neither one of us had ever been to but always wanted to visit. We planned on starting out in Rome, then taking the train north to Florence, and ending up in Venice. While planning our trip, I browsed online through various photo galleries—first of sites to visit, and then somehow ended up perusing SMP’s engagement and styled shoots in Italy. We decided that having pictures as a souvenir/keepsake would be such a wonderful anniversary gift to ourselves. On our last trip abroad, there weren’t very many photos of us, as I held the camera most of the time and snapped away. This time, I was determined to have photos to share and to keep as memories. And so, my search for a photographer began. I went through each and every single one of SMP’s features in Italy and SMP’s Little Black Book, researched each photographer, and contacted many of them. It was like wedding planning all over again! At the end of this crazy search, Matthew Ree seemed to be the best fit for us—I loved his photography, and his personality (over our email exchanges) really attracted me. We started discussing outfits, settings, style, and what I envisioned for the perfect shoot. I was psyched that I’d get to wear my Tadashi dress; I didn’t get a chance to wear it on my wedding day, since I loved my actual wedding gown so much and kept it on all night. See it here! The next task was to select whether to shoot in Florence or Venice, which was a difficult decision as we had never been to either place. We ended up choosing Venice, since we thought that the scenery would be so unique.

It was raining from the moment we got off the train in Venice, so much so that San Marco Square (and many other places) were flooded for part of the morning, with mostly grey skies, when the rain would temporarily stop. This put a bit of a damper on our plan for taking pictures. Our photographer, Matthew, was so nice and flexible; we started out with a boudoir shoot on the first day—which was actually lots of fun!—and broke out the second day with more “formal” pictures in the morning, and casual ones in the afternoon. One of the silliest parts of the day was when we were taking photos in San Marco Square, all dressed up. There were so many random people (tourists) who came closer up and started taking pictures of us and congratulated us! They probably thought that we had just gotten married!

Florence and Venice are two of the most romantic cities I’ve ever visited. The architecture is truly mesmerizing and out of this world! There are so many different places, lovely bridges to cross, and tiny streets to get lost in. Each turn revealed another beautiful building façade with new window shapes or soft colors, all against the bluish green canal. It looked like a made up movie set, or like it came straight out of a painting. Unfortunately, with shortened daylight time and weather constraints, we couldn’t possibly capture all of Venice’s beauty. However, we are so happy with how the pictures turned out. The color palette and backdrop are simply gorgeous. And I bet that no one can tell that we were actually shivering in the freezing December cold!! Our only regret is that we didn’t have Matthew follow us along throughout Italy to document all of our fun moments in Rome and Florence! One of my favorite pictures is the one of us on one of those little bridges, with the picturesque and serene reflection over the water. This really was a magical experience that was dreamily and beautifully captured through Matthew’s lens.

Photography: MATTHEW REE PHOTOGRAPHY | Dress: Tadashi Shoji | Shoes: Louboutin | Lace Top: Forever 21 | Lingeries: Victoria's Secret | Lingeries: Frederick's Of Hollywood | Mens Shoes: Hugo Boss | Skirt: Express

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Elegant Tuscany Wedding at Castello Di Santa Maria Novella

Just uttering the words “wedding in Tuscany” makes my heart flutter. I mean, can you imagine a more romantic place to say I do? Well, the images below from Milos Dokmanovic FunkyBird Photography prove that Tuscany does indeed set the scene for a jaw-droppingly gorgeous soiree. With beautiful design by Trouwen In Toscane and stunning florals from FunkyBird Wedding Design, this gallery is pure destination wedding perfection.



From the Bride and Groom…Several months have passed, but we are still thinking about it every day, seriously! It was such a beautiful day, we just can’t stop talking about it. Especially now we’ve received the photo’s and made the album, we get a lot of oohs and ahs. The photo’s are, beside the rings, the only tangible memory that remains after such a special day and boy are they beautiful. Such an eye for detail and the Tuscan sun really shines it’s magic light. We are so happy with the results!

We want to thank you so much for all you’ve done to make sure this was the best day of our lives. We had an instant positive feeling with Trouwen in Toscane right from the moment we visited the locations and were sure that this was going to be the best day ever, just like we dreamed. There were sò many emails with some impossible requests from our part, but you still managed to arrange it all!

Your creativity, professionalism and relaxed attitude were key to everything, we could never have accomplished this by ourselves. As far as we are concerned, you are the perfect team.

From Trouwen In ToscaneOn a sunny day Willeke and Rutger came to Tuscany to find a venue and church for their wedding. I remember taking them to one of my favourite wedding locations, a romantic chapel surrounded by vineyards. Exactly as one would expect when coming to Tuscany. Upon arrival Willeke and Rutger looked at each other and knew right there and then that it was the perfect place for them.

From where we were standing I pointed to the castle where we would go right after. Standing on a hilltop this castle is everything a couple might want, and after we visited it together they absolutely agreed! They wanted both the civil and religious ceremony and right next to the castle stands a romanesque church built in 1000 a.d. Perfect!

It didn’t take long for them to decide and very soon after their visit we received the Save the Date and started planning their Tuscan wedding weekend with lots of personalised details such as the Alfa Romeo Spider 1600 with their wedding date on the license plate. The wedding date was also sewn into the suit of the groom and of course we hàd to play around with sparklers at night to make sure none of the guests would forget 20-06-2014.

From FunkyBird Wedding DesignFor the church decoration we decided to go with lots of peach coloured avalanche roses and babies breath. The bouquet was a mix of peach, grey and white and looked beautiful together with the brides delicate but stunning lace wedding dress. Of course we did not forget the little flower girls and made wreaths of babies breath for them and little flower baskets to carry as they walked down the aisle.

On the dinner table we decided to add some DIY elements and sprayed tin cans and prosecco bottles in gold and copper tones. All of this filled with Sweet pea, peach coloured stock flowers, hypericum berries and white lisianthus. Instead of going with the usual white candles we preferred grey ones and peach paper lanterns were hanging down from the balcony.

We really enjoyed working with Willeke and Rutger and FunkyBird Photography captured the whole day perfectly. The delicate colours and beautiful surroundings shine through on all the images.

Photography: FunkyBird Photography | Event Planning: Trouwen In Toscane | Flowers: FunkyBird | Wedding Dress: Cymbeline Paris | Cake: Sugar And Spice Firenze | Hair And Make Up: Friend Of The Bride | Venue: Castello Di Santa Maria Novella | Chapel: Cappella Di San Michele Archangelo

Elegant Outdoor Lake Como Wedding

I’d give just about anything to abandon this brutal winter and whisk away to the shores of Lake Como, but this gallery from Marcus Bell of Studio Impressions Photography is probably the next best thing. He beautifully told the story of this destination “I do,” and if this image doesn’t instantly give you the Italian travel bug, I don’t know what will.

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From The Bride… We met as starry-eyed finance graduates in our first “real job”. It didn’t take long before we were spending every spare moment as friends, and then evolved to something more. When we’re together, we’re always laughing with (and at) each other. We’re each other’s rock and partners in crime in every sense and we back each other up. We’ve changed a lot since when we first met, and whilst some changes were hard, we feel stronger for having evolved together and supporting each other through it.

When Jehan and I got engaged, we wanted a venue that had dramatic views, nature, water and somewhere our well-traveled friends and family had not been before. Jehan suggested Lake Como as he knew it’d been a dream of mine to go, and when we saw the first Google image of Villa Balbianello our jaws literally dropped and we knew we had found our place! With a destination wedding in mind, we had our hearts set on planning a week long amazing vacation with all of our nearest and dearest.

Living in New York and being away from our friends and family in Sydney, we were determined to maximize our time with our guests and make sure everyone felt spoilt!

Waiting for our guests in their rooms were handmade welcome bags with a personalized welcome note, local goodies and an events list detailing the fun to come for the week – Welcome Drinks at the Grand Hotel Tremezzo’s glam lakeside pool bar, separate on-the-lake bucks and hens, rehearsal dinner at a restaurant nestled high up on the hills complete with panoramic views, and a day-after pool party pizza brunch to aid in recovery. We also slipped in a custom designed map of Lake Como, a cheat sheet of must visit restaurants and activities, as well as a directory so guests could easily connect with one another.

Following the outdoor ceremony under the vine covered loggia, an acoustic guitar duo serenaded the guests as they enjoyed a selection of cocktails accompanied by Italian and modern canapés.

The overall aesthetic of our wedding day was modern chic with pops of glam. Lush Italian branches and small pared back arrangements of white flowers and candles gave the reception dinner an intimate feel and a luxurious touch without taking away from the already beautiful venue and surrounding landscape. We DYIed the save the dates, wedding invitations, the menus/ ceremony coasters, guest book forms, escort cards, after party lights, L&J marquee lights, buon appetito greenery letters and the welcome bags.

Guests were ready to party as they got off the boat at Grand Hotel Tremezzo where we had transformed a cave wine bar into our secret speakeasy-themed after-party. Rachel and the team from the Lake Como Wedding Planner did a great job in transforming the space with all the lighting elements we had DIYed and brought with us, including the L & J marquee letters we’d made to set the scene. The party ready guests, amazing cocktails and DJ did the rest!

Our favourite moments from the week would have to be the personalised vows we read to each other at the ceremony, the photo shoot on a Lucia boat (an ingenious idea by Marcus, our photographer!!), and our first dance, which we had secretly choreographed and practiced for weeks and never thought we could pull off!! But surprisingly, like so many other parts of the week, surrounded by our nearest and dearest, it felt natural and completely fun!

We are real DIYers at heart and our wedding was a true labour of love. We had the best time scheming on how to execute a particularly tricky idea or when beavering away together on our projects. We still feel giddy and extremely lucky to have executed our wedding in such spectacular fashion. From the bottom of our hearts, we want to thank our beloved family and friends who created the unique energy of the week, and our amazing vendors who made it all possible. In particular, the ladies at the Lake Como Wedding Planner and Marcus Bell our photographer who helped create and document our adventure with his breathtaking images to remind ourselves every day that it wasn’t all a dream!

We can clearly see all the depth and emotions captured from the day and we felt like it accurately captured who we are as a couple by the unique and innovative talents of Marcus Bell – the Lucia boat photos are inspired, and we feel so incredibly blessed with all the timeless mementos we now have of the wedding week, including the incredible day after photos!

A few words of advice: embrace the planning, and try to have fun with it! If you approach it as a chore, chances are it will feel like a chore and where’s the joy in that? Try to add your own twist to things, even with some DIY projects and personal touches to reflect both your styles. Remember what the day is meant to be about! The union of the two individuals as a couple. When making decisions during planning, whilst other opinions can be sought and taken into account, respect each other’s desires above all.

Photography: Studio Impressions Photography | Wedding Planner: The Lake Como Wedding Planner | Wedding Dress: Vera Wang | Ceremony Venue: Villa Balbianello | Reception Venue: Villa Balbianello | Shoes: Chanel | Bridesmaids' Dresses: BHLDN | Hair: Carolyn Oneill | Groom's Attire: Tom Ford | Jewelery: Chanel

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Intimate and Romantic Wedding in Tuscany

What happens when two smitten Aussies tie the knot in the Italian countryside? One word: magic. Especially since Elysium Productions was behind the lens, every moment captured below is what wedded dreams are made of. A sweetly ethereal soiree filled with darling details tucked around every corner, it’s no wonder we’re in love with every single second captured below!

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From Elysium Productions… We had an incredible time filming Nikola & Guy’s romantic destination wedding in Tuscany. They traveled all the way from Australia with a small group of close family & friends for this moment. The rain literally stopped moments before the couple left for their ceremony, and the guests enjoyed one of the most spectacular landscapes in the world – complete with a gorgeous Tuscan sunset.

From the beautiful Bride… It was our love of Italy that laid the foundation for us to consider a destination wedding, and it was our viewing of the magical Casale Celli in Tuscany that cemented our decision. Ultimately, we wanted a location that we could share with our closest family and friends for a week of wedding celebrations.

Based in Australia, we trusted in the expertise of Ben Singleton of Italy Weddings to help make our dreams a reality. We were clear on what we wanted to achieve – an intimate and elegant Tuscan ceremony followed by a romantic candle lit reception under the stars.

The medieval courtyard of the San Gimignano Town Hall was a magnificent backdrop for our civil ceremony. Returning to our villa in a vintage car, we basked in a glorious Tuscan sunset with our guests as we enjoyed drinks and canapés around the pool, before making our way to the terrace to enjoy a traditional Italian feast, serenaded by a local Jazz band. Adding our own personal touches to the reception made it extra special – monogrammed linen bonbonniere favors, a Polaroid camera with our guest book for our loved ones to capture and share their own special moments, wedding photos of our parents and a cigar lounge for the end of the evening.

Our wedding was perfect in every way… an unforgettable event in our lives captured beautifully by the amazing teams at JoAnne Dunn Photographers and Elysium Productions.

Photography: Joanne Dunn Photographers | Cinematographer: Elysium Productions | Wedding Planner: italyweddings | Wedding Venue: Casale Celli | Vintage Wedding Car: Drive In Style | Bridal Gown: Pronovias | Bridal Shoes: Salvatore Ferragamo | Groom Tuxedo: Tom Ford

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These Featured Designers are members of our Look Book.
For membership information, click here
Rustic Tuscan Wedding Film

From the groom’s sweet tears as his bride walked down the aisle to her bouquet of pink peonies, I got swept away with this film by Matteo Castelluccia pretty quickly. This Tuscan summer celebration fulfills all of our destination wedding needs (epic sights, removal from reality, breathtaking romance) and between the film and Jules Bower’s pics, I won’t be forgetting about this one anytime soon.

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From Matteo Castelluccia… Shanna and Daniel, a lovely couple from London, chose as the frame of their love, a small village on the Tuscan Hills called Monticchiello. It’s situated very close to the beautiful renaissance town of Pienza, in the heart of Val d’Orcia. On their wedding day, during the morning, the weather was not as it was expected to be and it seemed to be a gloomy one, but the fortune was around the corner and the sun showed himself up in the sky and turned the day into a miracle. The ceremony was held in the church of Santi Leonardo and Cristoforo, in the center of Monticchiello, after that, the couple traveled by their typical car – an Alfa Romeo Spider – and reached their wedding venue.

The weather was nice in the evening and the venue was a typical Tuscan Villa, Terre di Nano, a wine country house. The combination of a happy couple, friends, good food, good wine and good music created great harmony and a right atmosphere.

The chosen wedding theme was “rustic romance.” The main colours were blush pink, sage green and soft ivory. The young couple did not request anything perfect but only simplicity with a touch of rustic. They wanted the flowers to look natural and blooming, to go with their goal they chose peonies and roses.

They held a nice dinner under the olive trees, with wooden tables, lace runners, lots of candles and mismatched silver vases. The olive trees were embellished with twinkling lights and other cute details to create an intimate style.

They wanted the whole thing to feel like an intimate family meal under the stars and their wish came true.

Photography: Jules Bower | Videographer: Matteo Castelluccia Videomaker | Wedding Planner: Olive in Love | Florist: Jardin Divers | Wedding Dress: Suzanne Neville | Catering: Preludio | Venue: Terre Di Nano | Bridal Accessories: Jenny Packham | Bridesmaids’ Apparel & Accessorie: Ghost | Groom’s Apparel & Accessories: Suitsupply | Invitation Designer: Heather Strianese | Live Music: Alma Project

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Whimisical Destination Wedding in Venice Italy

Today just so happens to be National Wear Red day, and we decided to celebrate in the most stylish of fashions. I’m talking a red, Vera Wang bridal gown gracing your computer screen thanks to these stunning images from Lindsay Madden. Oh, and the wedding planned by Chic Weddings In Italy is equally as amazing. It’s wonderfully whimsical, set in the glorious Venice, and complete with masquerade masks. – and it’s all just as amazing as it sounds.

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From Lindsay Madden PhotographyI’m so excited to share with you a beautiful & unique destination wedding held in Venice, Italy this past September. The couple {Jacquetta & Elliot} are from California and hosted 25 of their nearest and dearest in Venice. It was lavish, different and most importantly, filled with so much love. A lot of people worked hard at making their wedding vision a success so seeing this on SMP’s main page would be incredible.

From Eva of Chic Weddings in ItalyWhen I first talked with Jacquetta and Elliot about their wedding, they told me that they wanted to get married in Venice but that they had never actually been. I loved that they selected a location filled with so much history, romance and beauty and I was eager to show them why Venice is one of the best places to hold a wedding. And after our first meeting together in Venice, Jacquetta and Elliot knew that they made the right decision!

From the very beginning of Jacquetta’s planning she had a firm vision as to how she wanted her day to unfold. She knew she wouldn’t be wearing a traditional white wedding gown and that her color pallet wouldn’t be pastel. Instead she opted for a color pallet made up of marsala, black, grey and gold. It was important to Jacquetta to incorporate the richness of Venice into her wedding day and style. She opted to wear a gorgeous burgundy Vera Wang wedding dress and paired her dress with feathered Manolo Blahnik heels.

The ceremony took place at the famous Hotel Cipriani and guests were greeted by two masquerade ushers who distributed wedding programs. Jacquetta & Elliot’s friend officiated the ceremony and the two of them exchanged their own heartfelt vows. After the ceremony, guests were given custom made Venetian masks. They were very detailed and each mask fit the personality of the person wearing it. Guests mingled and enjoyed champagne with the newlyweds and awaited their transport to the Hotel Metropole to continue their evening. When everyone arrived in St. Mark’s Square, Lindsay Madden was able to whisk the couple away for some breathtaking portraits, while I escorted everyone to the cocktail hour.

The Hotel Metropole overlooks the lagoon. It is eccentric & warm. It was the perfect spot to continue this amazing affair. The reception room was made up of one long table and filled with lots and lots of candles. The black candles on the table complimented the rich, red flowers. Guests enjoyed a 10 course dinner and an amazing selection of desserts. After dinner, guests continued dancing well into the evening.

It was an honor to work with Jacquetta and Elliot as well as all the other vendors who helped make their day a success. Venice weddings are truly special and I love how Jacquetta and Elliot made their day their own.

Photography: Lindsay Madden Photography | Event Planning & Design: Chic Weddings in Italy | Flowers: Tea Rose Milano | Wedding Dress: Vera Wang | Invitations: Wedding Paper Divas | Ceremony Venue: Belmond Hotel Cipriani Venice | Reception Venue: Hotel Metropole | Wedding Shoes: Manolo Blahnik | Hair And Make Up: Giulia Cresci | Groom's Attire: John Varvatos | Venetian Masks: Ca' Del Sol | Video: Reel Love Films

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Rustic Foodie-Inspired Wedding in Italy

With the perfect amount of elegance yet a wonderfully casual vibe, this Italian soiree has the best of everything. Each stunning image from Lisa O’Dwyer captures a couple completely in love on a day that couldn’t be more charming if it tried. See every gorgeous moment here.



From Lisa O’DwyerCatherine and Eoin are from Ireland, but wanted to have a destination wedding in Italy. Italy is close enough to Ireland so that most of their family and family could enjoy the wedding and then have a bit of a holiday too. When they discovered Borgo di Tragliata outside of Rome, they knew it would be perfect!

From The Bride… Eoin and I had been together for nine years when he proposed on a wild and windy June afternoon on the beautiful Bull Island, in Co. Dublin, Ireland! I moved to Luxembourg soon afterwards so it fell to Eoin to start the venue hunt and he researched lots of beautiful venues in Ireland. But the more we thought about it, the more we realised that we wanted to go somewhere where we could spend a few days with our guests who were travelling from all over the world and just relax and enjoy the celebrations. We had previously spent three weeks in Italy and had an amazing time so during October 2013, we flew to Pisa one weekend and Rome the next weekend to check out some venues. When we arrived at the Borgo di Tragliata, just outside of Rome City, we instantly knew we had found our wedding venue……it was an old Etruscan village that has been renovated into an organic, rustic farm with lots of onsite accommodation for our guests. When we met our wedding co-ordinator Cristina, it just reinforced our decision and we booked our three day wedding celebration that night!

To make our celebrations even more special, we were able to get married in the Church in Rome City, St. Isidore’s, where two of Eoin’s uncles had studied during their training as Franciscan priests many years ago and we were delighted when one of these uncles, Fr. Tom Russell O.F.M., agreed to marry us. Our next priority was booking the photographer. I had seen Lisa O’ Dwyer’s work before and I loved that she used film photography so even though I researched almost 40 photographers, we knew that Lisa would be the perfect choice for us and we were thrilled that she could shoot our wedding!

Our wedding ended up as a bit of a global affair as I was based in Luxembourg, Eoin was in Dublin and our wedding party came from Dublin, Boston, Sydney, Auckland, London and Chiang Mai in Thailand, so there were lots of skyping and sending of pictures and ideas on a daily basis!

Eoin and I travelled to Italy a few days before our wedding to relax and prepare and during this time we met up with Lisa for our engagement shoot in Rome. We are not really ‘camera people’ but it was great fun and Lisa was fantastic at making us feel relaxed in front of the camera and giving gentle direction. It really helped us to relax on our wedding day and we didn’t notice Lisa at all.

Our wedding celebrations were more than we could have hoped for. We wanted to have a relaxed, fun and informal wedding celebration and were delighted that 90 of our closest friends and family could travel to Rome to help us celebrate! The weather was perfect and the sun shone brightly each day. The day before our wedding, our guests all arrived at the Borgo to a light lunch and some bubbly. Later on that evening, Eoin and I hosted a welcome BBQ, with lots of delicious Italian food and wine.

Our ceremony was very personal, led by Fr. Tom and Fr. Michael MacCraith, the curate of St. Isidore’s. My sister-in-law sang at the wedding and Eoin’s brother played the Irish low whistle (similar to the tin whistle), supported by an Italian duo on the cello and flute. The four of them only had an hour to rehearse before the ceremony but they played and sang beautifully.

Instead of having a guest book, we did an old Irish tradition of the ‘warming of the rings’. This is where each of the guests say a blessing or a wish over the wedding bands before they are blessed as part of the ceremony. I love that we get to carry their good wishes and blessings with us every day. We had chosen to have an unplugged ceremony where we had kindly asked our guests to not take any pictures during the ceremony and I have wonderful memories of walking up to aisle on the arm of my baby brother (sadly, my father passed away several years ago), surrounded by happy smiling faces. Afterwards, we had a short drinks reception in the beautiful cloisters of the Church before we returned to the Borgo for our wedding reception. We really embraced the idea of a traditional Italian wedding reception and we had a delicious drinks and canapé reception that lasted for a couple of hours. Just before dinner, both my Mum and Eoin’s father said a short toast and then Eoin and I cut the Italian wedding cake….it was the biggest cake we had even seen! Once I tossed my bouquet, it was time to sit down to a wonderful italian feast. After dinner, we had a dessert table outdoors and then it was time for us and our guests to set our Chinese lanterns into the sky. This was great fun and we have wonderful pictures of our guests setting them alight and floating them into the moonlit sky.

After this, it was time for the band to start….they were fantastic and everybody was up dancing ’til the wee hours. They were very interactive with the people on the dance floor and they really put on a show! We were having such a great time that we didn’t want the day to end so after the band finished, we set up our own music and continued the party until the sun came up!

The next day was very low key and most of the guests relaxed in their rooms or at the pool. That evening, Eoin and I hosted a farewell meal which included a pig on a spit and a traditional Irish wedding cake that my very good friend had made and brought all the way from Ireland! After dinner, we had the wonderful Mikey Martin play in the bar…he was fantastic and everybody seemed to get a second wind. My Mum even sang, which was a surprise bonus! Again, we didn’t want the day to end so after Mikey finished, Eoin’s brother Mark got out his tin whistle and we had a good old Irish sing song, which was the perfect way to end a magical three days.

Photography: Lisa O'Dwyer Photography | Event Planning: Linda McAllorum | Flowers: Hale Koa phineas Estate | Wedding Dress: De Stafford Couture | Makeup Artist: Janita Helova | Venue: Borgo Di Tragliata | Church Ceremony: San Isidoro, Via Degli Artisti, Rome | Hair Jewelery: Jules Bridal Jewellery & Hair Adornments

Destination Florence Castle Wedding

Now that we’ve feasted our eyes on not one but two amazing Jen Huang weddings from Cape Cod to Singapore, we’re rounding out our world tour of pretty in a little place called Florence. It’s what happens when an Irish couple opts for a destination wedding, and brings Fly Away BrideHouse Of Hannah, and of course Jen and her camera lens along for the ride. And just when you think it can’t get any better, let me direct you to the gorgeous full gallery.

From The Bride, Giselle… John and I got acquainted on a night out in our home town of Ennis, Ireland. It was a fresh autumn night in Ireland and he strolled up and introduced himself. It was getting late so after we had made introductions and had a quick chat I headed home for bed. After I left, John asked a mutual friend to ask me if he could have my phone number and I agreed! A few days past and eventually, 4 days later he texted me and asked me out for dinner.

Two years later, and after I had finished university, we decided we wanted to take some time out to travel so we departed Ireland for Australia. One year of travelling turned into two, and we both loved Australia so much we decided to stay a little longer. Fast forward 3 and half years to my birthday, we flew up to the beautiful Whitsundays Islands on the Great Barrier Reef. There, while walking back to our beach bungalow, after a stunning sunset, John got down on one knee and proposed. He carried out 6 months of research & planning to surprise me with the perfect ring!

Living in Australia and with friends and family located all over the world a destination wedding seemed the best option. After living in the beautiful stone village of Casole d’Elsa in Tuscany with my parents for 9 months when I was a child, I always dreamed of getting married in a little rustic chapel, followed by an outdoor dinner in romantic courtyard set in the Tuscan countryside. When searching the internet for our venue I had a good idea where and what I was looking for and when I came across Castello di Vincigliata and saw that courtyard I knew I had found our perfect venue! The 13th century castle located in the hilltops of Fiesole with breath taking views of Florence has their own winery which allowed us to serve truly authentic wines at our reception. Both being big foodies having good wine and food was a must and from the number of comments we received from guests about the incredible cocktail reception, dinner and “best wedding cake ever” our cater definitely delivered on this!

Planning a wedding in Italy from Australia was never going to be easy and I definitely couldn’t have done it without my fabulous wedding planners, Lindsay and Amy from House of Hannah and Fly Away Bride. As a bride you tend to get wrapped up in all the little details that no one else will notice, I had to have white chiavari chairs, lilac napkins, peonies and gold cutlery! Without Lindsay putting together an inspiration board with my colour scheme I would have been lost, it kept me focused on what would suit my wedding. There are so many beautiful wedding ideas out there it is easy to get side tracked trying to incorporate all of it and creating a monstrosity!

I loved every moment of our special day. From getting ready with my bridesmaids, to walking down the aisle surrounded by 80 of our closest family and friends, and arriving at the castle and seeing everything we had planned for the last year fall into place. However, there was something magical when it got dark, sitting down for dinner in the gorgeous castle courtyard, surrounded by hundreds of candles & sharing the most delicious food with such great company, it was truly amazing.

Photography: Jen Huang Photography | Videographer: Celtic Video | Event Planning: Fly Away Bride | Florist: House Of Hannah | Wedding Dress: Vera Wang | Wedding Cake: Leonardo Catering | Invitations: Nikita Bazalo | Reception Venue: Castello Di Vincigliata | Brides Shoes: Louboutin | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Zimmermann | Catering: Leonardo Catering | Calligraphy: House Of Hannah | DJ: Alma Project | Grooms Attire: Michael Barrie | Groomsmen's Attire: Michael Barrie | Brides Rings: Henri Daussi | Car & Bus Hire: Alterini Bus | Chapel: Parrocchia Di San Martino A Mensola | Decor Rentals: House Of Hannah And Leonardo Catering | Hair & Make Up: Giulia Cresci | Wedding Stylist: House Of Hannah

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Elegant Tuscany Castle Wedding

Romance and Italy go hand-in-hand, and this castle affair captured by Alessio Quartaroli & Marta Puglia? Well, it’s Tuscany at its’ finest. Rich with old-world charm and gorgeous style for days, it’s an elegant, effortless kind of beauty that draws you in like no other. From the Castello Di Vincigliata cocktail hour to playful Roberto Maestrucci blooms, all together Rossana Sapori planned one irresistible evening here.

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Luxury Venue
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Romantic

From Marta Puglia of Alessio Quartaroli & Marta Puglia Sanja & Steffan chose Tuscany as the place to celebrate their marriage with close friends and family. No place has been so perfect as Castello Di Vincigliata just few minutes from Florence. The perfect wedding venue for its garden, the cloisters, and the famous courtyard. With such amazing surroundings, the Bride and Groom aimed for a simple, beautiful designed wedding that let the setting speak for itself.

The flowers were fruit of an unconventional teaming up. The ceremony marquis and the crystal chandeliers were picked up from the famous designer Gianni Berni from Tuscany Flowers, while the floral décor came from Roberto il Fiorista. The ceremony took place overlooking the garden and Sanja walked down the aisle in her beautiful dress and with her romantic peonies bouquet, she looked radiant. After the ceremony, guests mingle in the Italian garden treated with the yummy antipasti from Preludio caterering. The traditional wedding dinner was served in the courtyard of the castle where romantic vintage chandeliers recreated an incredibly glam atmosphere.

To complement the day the palette of lavender, blush and peach was well represented by a ruffled wedding cake from Melanie Secciani. All that we love in this wedding is thanks to the attentive eyes of Alessio and Marta from A+Q studio. Every single moment is perfectly captured. The Italian touch was from Rossana Sapori, the wedding planner from WeddingsInitaly.it. So beautiful!

Photography: Studio A+Q | Wedding Planner: The Knot In Italy | Wedding Dress: Pronovias | Cake: TUSCAN WEDDING CAKES | Bride's Shoes: Kate Spade | Bridesmaids' Dresses: J.Crew | Catering: Preludio | Hair & Makeup: Mej Staff | Wedding Venue: Castello Di Vincigliata | Ceremony Flower Design & Lighting: Tuscany Flowers | Getting Ready Venue: Villa Olmi | Music: Alma Project | Photography - Assistance: Infraordinario | Reception Flowers: Roberto Fiori

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These Featured Designers are members of our Look Book.
For membership information, click here
Romantic Amalfi Coast Elopement Inspiration

As time goes on, I’m drawn to neutrals more and more. And so I’ve hit the inspiration jackpot with this shoot, full of gorgeous grays, golds and tans, with the perfect touch of blush. Alicia Swedenborg and Melissa Schollaert captured the romance of the Amalfi Coast with this elopement inspired shoot and it has me not only pinning every single photo but also adding a new destination to my honeymoon wish list.

From Melissa Schollaert… Sea breezes, cobblestone streets, a flowing dress, a couple in love and a getaway on a vespa! Our sweet Italian couple strolled through the tiny streets of this quaint town in the hills above the sea, holding hands, whispering sweet words in each other’s ears and smiling all the way. We created several different looks with gowns from Chaviano Couture as well as gorgeous headpieces and veils from Jannie Baltzer.

The Amalfi Coast is known for its fresh lemons, so we picked up some limoncello from a local artisan who makes the liquor from scratch from his lemons. For favors, it is a tradition in Italy to send your guests off with jordan almonds – five of them to be exact. Each of the almonds signify five wishes for the bride and groom: health, wealth, happiness, fertility, and longevity. We created little bags for each guest which read “Oggi Sposi” (Just Married!) in gold to match the almonds.

The couple raced off on their vespa into the sunset and on to their private dinner overlooking the beautiful hills of the coastline which faded off into the sea. Amore!

Photography: Alicia Swedenborg | Photography: Melissa Schollaert Photography | Makeup: Zoe Graham | Calligraphy: Written Word Calligraphy | Accessories & Veils: Jannie Baltzer | Gowns: Chaviano Couture | Hairstylist: Tonino

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Elegantly Festive Tuscan Wedding Inspiration

What’s red and green, filled to the brim with Italian charm and simply gorgeous all over? Well, this slice of pretty from Maria LambJade Rose, and Weddings In Tuscany of course! It has me feeling oh-so-festive during this merriest of weeks, from the whimsically calligraphed invites by Graceline to the perfectly wild blooms by Fiorista Fiordaliso, be prepared to be charmed, enchanted and completely mesmerized with this beauty.

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From the vendor team…Inspired by the natural beauty of Tuscany, Italy, Maria of Anthem Photography and Jade Rose of Lady Evelyn collaborated with local Italian vendors to showcase all that Italy has to offer. Homegrown florals, local fruits and cheeses, a custom lace gown, manicured garden and an Italian couple madly in love, the perfect recipe for beautiful images. Maria’s photos capture the emotion that is Italy, classic and romantic.

Photography: Maria Lamb | Videography: Laki Karavias | Event Design: Jade Rose | Event Design: Anthem Photography | Event Planning: Weddings in Tuscany by Chiara Sernesi | Floral Design: Fiorista Fiordaliso | Wedding Dress: Lady Evelyn | Cake: Salvia E Ramerino | Ceremony Venue: Giardino Garzoni | Catering: Weddings in Tuscany by Chiara Sernesi | Stationery + Calligraphy: Graceline Art | Grooms Attire: Gabriella Sposa | MUAH: Valerie Cecchini | Rentals: Ristorante Villa Garzoni | Veils + Headpieces: Lady Evelyn | Wardrobe Styling: Jade Rose

Engagement Session in the Streets of Ravello, Italy

You know what’s better than one proposal? Well, TWO of course! And that’s just what these two handsome sweeties did for each other, which completely melts my heart. So, it’s no surprise that they went engagementing in style (seriously good style, no less) in the streets of gorgeous Ravello, with the talented Alicia Swedenborg following closely behind. Take a stroll through the gallery, it’s a stunner!

From Alicia SwedenborgFrank and Tom met in San Francisco and started dating in 2003. They love to travel and always wanted to visit the Amalfi coast in Italy. After 10 years together last summer, Tom thought it was time to tie the knot. Tom proposed to Frank at the finish line of a triathlon and Frank surprised Tom and proposed to him when we traveled to Positano. It was on that trip that they traveled to Ravello and fell in love with the old streets and the amazing panorama view of the sea. They made a promise to return the following summer and that’s when New York based wedding photographer Alicia Swedenborg captured their love around the streets of Ravello and at the hotel Palazzo Avino. Tom & Frank wore Boss, Ferragamo, Teds shoes and Marc by Marc shirt.

Photography: Alicia Swedenborg | Groom's Attire: Salvatore Ferragamo | Groom's Attire: Marc Jacobs | Hotel: Palazzo Avino

Tuscany Engagement Session in the Chianti Vineyards

There’s no doubt that when our dear friend Greg Finck steps being the lens, magical things happen. And lucky us? We get to be witness to all the pretty through his seriously gorgeous imagery, including this perfectly lit, soaked in love engagement session in the heart of Chianti. It’s intimate and basic, but in the best kind of way and we can’t get enough.

From Greg Finck PhotographyCiara and Mark are an Irish couple from Belfast, Ireland, and had chosen sunny Tuscany for their wedding. When you’re used to grey sky and pouring rain, it’s hard not to totally fall for Tuscany, that fabulous part of Italy calling for bathing sun, easy lifestyle and awesome food and wine.

We realized Ciara & Mark’s engagement shoot just a few days before the actual wedding. Just like their wedding day, Ciara & Mark wanted a casual and intimate engagement. Nothing fancy, but just the focus on the basics: light, landscape, and obviously their love. There is a harder task as a photographer than to shoot in Tuscany. Beauty and awesome light are everywhere. So we just wandering around the Villa this lovely couple was staying, walking in the middle of Chianti vineyards, finding a meadow surrounded by cypress trees reminding us of the Gladiator movie, resting under the shade of an olive tree. This beautiful session ended with the perfect sunset, calling for Ciara & Mark to get ready for their d-day.

Photography: Greg Finck Photography | Private Villa: Villa Piaggia

Rustic Summer Tuscan Wedding

I came upon this Tuscan wedding right in the midst of my fiance and I pondering honeymoon locations, and well, I think Italy just jumped up the list a few notches. With stunning views like these, how can you go wrong? This celebration, captured by Melissa Fuller, is what destination weddings are made of and I’ll be mentally escaping to this gallery for the rest of today, for research purposes of course.

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The Ceremony
I stood atop a rolling hill in the middle of the Tuscan countryside, the sounds of a crowd of people clapping and singing huddled around a long table complemented by the low hanging afternoon sun.  At the end of the table was Robin, the wild haired Italian groom, waiting for his bride and the mother of his son Lev, to round the corner of his father’s farmhouse, parse the crowd, and sit down on the opposite end to sign their Ketuba and make a commitment to one another in front of family and friends.  It was so stunning and perfectly intimate that I wanted to pinch myself.

The couple brought with them their Rabbi Noa Kushner from SF who they met with many times leading up to the wedding to make it personal and meaningful.  By the day of the wedding they knew her very well and she knew them.  The two never rehearsed the ceremony  because they didn’t want it to seem rehearsed.  The beauty in the organic nature in which it all just  sort of happened was well worth it. – Melissa Fuller, photographer

Immediately after the ceremony, Robin and I intentionally took 10 minutes together to contemplate what just happened. After we returned to the group, things got “messy” with traditional Jewish circle dancing, and Klezmer music. It was festive! It was fun and silly! Chairs!  We had a silly dance (which actually we never danced at the wedding, we recorded it afterwards because Robin couldn’t bear being in the spotlight for another second!- Keren Bigio, bride

The Chuppa
The  creative mind of the groom Robin, who works in San Francisco as a designer, was epitomized by the Chuppa that he designed and built from scratch.  He made eight paper models and one quarter scale model with real materials!  The result was a fantastic geometric roof that Robin spent the wedding morning setting up alongside his best friends. – Melissa

Our siblings held the poles of the Chuppa. The Chuppa actually symbolizes our future home (it’s open on all four sides to invite everyone in). Our siblings held the poles of the Chuppa to symbolize helping us “hold” our home. – Keren

An Artists Hand
Robin hand painted and designed all of the signs (parking, bathroom, etc) as well as all of the collateral (menu, invites, seating assignment cards, etc.).  My favorite detail was a little box that guests could use to deposit cards, notes and drawings, complete with an illustration of Keren and their son Lev painted on the top. – Melissa

Overall, a very “DIY” wedding – there was no “wedding planner”, We made it happen ourselves! Tony and Alicia, Robin’s father and stepmother, definitely worked super hard to execute the our vision (quite perfectly!) – Keren

Welcome Dinner
What better venue than the rooftop of an old Roman apartment overlooking the colosseum to bring in a warm welcome for your guests?!  A few days before the wedding, Robin’s mother hosted a fabulous rooftop party that went into the night allowing international guests to explore Rome before heading up the coast to the countryside for the big day.  It was a true coming together of their worlds! Friends from 11 (!) different countries! Mainly, Europe, Israel, the US and Canada were in attendance. – Melissa

I loved how everyone became friends after Friday night and hung out together the whole weekend! It made the wedding day that much more intimate. I also loved that people took daytrips together on Saturday before the wedding (and also after the wedding), and made dinner plans, etc.- Keren

What to Wear
Robin’s mom, Martina, found my dress when she was visiting SF! It was actually the first (and only) dress I tried on.  It was found in a tiny store on Valencia (2 blocks from my house!) called Laku. The owner of the store, an amazing Japanese seamstress, found the vintage dress and kept it in the store as a design piece on a mannequin. It wasn’t even for sale. Robin’s mom saw it and fell in love. We went back to the store together and convinced the owner of the store to let us buy it! She did A TON of work on it to fix it up – and custom fit it.  Robin’s Suit was custom tailored by by Taylor Stitch.  We wanted to tone of the wedding to be casual, intimate, and mostly just comfortable. We told people to dress “countryside chic” – which totally confused people ;) – Keren

Other Details
Keren’s good friend Amir played guitar for them at the ceremony.  Guests and even me, the photographer, were asked to refrain from taking images and just be in the moment after the two came down the aisle.  It made the ceremony one of the most special ones I have seen.

Dinner was served long into the night in a true Italian fashion.  Their baby Lev, woke up just in time to steal the show and make an appearance!  Long family style tables were set up with some of the most delicious plates of traditional pastas, salamis, and seafood passed around from guest to guest.  Also, let’s just say the wine was just as good :)  Yum!  The food was catered by a local restaurant (literally a block from the house in Tuscany) Le Mandorlaie. – Melissa

Photography: Melissa Gayle | Venue: Private Farm