The bride looked like a princess for her Italian castle wedding
Filippo and Harriet met in Dubai back in 2015 when their work brought them together. Filippo is an accomplished architect and designer, and Harriet delivers technology for large-scale special events. Their first date is now a fond memory for them in a very noisy Japanese restaurant, barely being able to hear each other while comparing notes about a particular project they had both worked on.
Fast forward to 2018 on a particularly hot summer's day in Porto Venere, Filippo suggested that he and Harriet visit the beautiful terrace of San Pietro Church to get some air. With a 360 view of the Ligurian Sea, Filippo proposed with a ring designed with Diana Jewellery in Dubai. The central diamond, a gift from his late Grandfather (a European Cut Diamond) was paired with matching diamonds which he had sourced in Chicago. After delaying their wedding due to Covid, they were finally married in August of 2022 on a special date connected to Harriet's family.
Keep scrolling to see all of the photography by Julie Neiss Photography of their day at Castello di Celsa, featuring wedding planning by Fine Italian Wedding, florals by Stiatti Fiori, and decor and catering by Preludio Divisione Noleggio. You can check out all of the photos here, or by click the link at the bottom of this page!
If you're going to get married in a castle, the dress needs to be as royal as the setting
Peter Langner designed the bride's first dress - a full-length gown in embroidered tulle with Chantilly lace and long sleeves. The bride will tell you that when she first stepped into the dress at Browns Bridal, she really didn’t think it was her style, but the saying "the dress finds you" couldn’t have been more fitting. Her late grandmother had told always told her she would take Harriet to Milan to buy her wedding dress, so with this atelier being in Milan, it was meant to be! For her second dress of the event, the bride wore a Stella McCartney Renee dress.
In talking with her florist, the bride agreed that the ceremony dress needed a delicate bouquet. Florist Stiatti Fiori created a bridal bouquet that included Japanese anemone, sweet peas, bouvardia, and delicate spray roses to complement both the dress and the wedding's color palette. The bridesmaids also had the same composition in a smaller size, and the younger bridesmaids had an elegant flower crown.
The threat of bad weather doesn't mean all of your outdoor reception plans are ruined!
In Italian, they say, “Sposa bagnata, sposa fortunate,” which means, "Rain on your wedding day, brings good luck to the bride." And that's exactly what happened during their church ceremony at Santa Maria in Provenzano! As the priest blessed them at church, thunder crashed against the dome and the alter, the bride and groom looking at each other knowing they had no backup plan! After the ceremony ended, everyone raced back to the venue to try to arrange a Plan B. Miraculously, however, the rain cloud parted and out came the sun! A little later, as the bride threw the bouquet, the most incredible flash of lightning could be seen in the distance. The couple got married on the same wedding day as the bride's grandmother and grandfather, and to this day the bride will tell you that she thinks her grandmother had something to do with the weather that day.
Instead of focusing only on the altar, consider creating a lavish entrance to your ceremony
The Santa Maria church in Provenzano was simply breathtaking, with the white façade standing out against the backdrop of the Tuscan hills and typical Medieval buildings that surround it. The church is also a special one for the people of Siena, as the first Palio winner and the horse are blessed inside this church. The string trio and soprano provided by Music and Co. created the most wonderful sounds against the high dome of the church, particularly during the singing of "Ava Maria." Stiatti Fiori, an incredible team of floral designers, created the most beautiful floral compositions, from the depth of the arch outside the church to the delicate arrangements placed on the tables later at the reception to create a magical tablescape.
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Don't underestimate the power of an amazing wedding planner and photographer
The bride and groom found Marta from Fine Italian Wedding on Pinterest, and from the first day they spoke with her, her calmness and professional nature was a breath of fresh air. Filippo and Harriet flew from Dubai (with their moms!) to see Castello di Celsa, and Marta met them there with her 6-week-old beautiful baby - they all hit it off immediately. As covid unfolded and they had to move dates not once, not twice, but three times, Marta was consistently the calmest woman in the world, navigating through a number of cancellations and using her relationships with all of their key vendors.
Photographer Julie Neiss connected with Filippo and Harriet immediately because her personality was absolutely contagious. Her fun attitude brought out the very best in everyone, and her ability to capture the beauty was described by the bride as "simply incredible."
If your venue is this glamorous, make sure to use as many locations within it as possible
Castello di Celsa is a breathtaking venue steeped in history. Set against the rolling Tuscan landscape stretching from Siena to Monte Amiata, the venue is perched perfectly atop a hill. The grounds of the 13th century Castello di Celsa are magnificent, and every inch of the gardens is consistently perfectly manicured. The couple's point of contact, Maria, and her team were always on hand to help. The couple chose to use as much of the property as possible so that their guests could appreciate its beauty from every viewpoint.
Filippo and Harriet had always wanted an elegant wedding that would be both subtle and memorable for their guests. The couple chose the theme of the Palio for their set-up, which is one of the most famous attractions of Siena, and designed the tables in a horseshoe to honor this. Because the venue required all decor, catering, and other vendors to be brought in, they engaged Preludio Divisione Noleggio for their food and decor.
Guests often enjoy having the choice to indulge in the reception party or lounge in quieter spaces
The aperitivo took place in the beautiful Italian garden overlooking Siena before guests moved to dinner in the garden next to the chapel that was designed by Baldassare Peruzzi. The cake cutting took place in the courtyard, and with the help of some sparklers, the bride and groom cut into their stacked traditional MilleFoglie cake and revealed the desert table that stretched across the entire front wall of the castle. With the help of Watt Studio Firenze, the walls of the castle were lit up and everyone partied the night away in the courtyard. For the guests who wanted to continue chatting instead of dancing, there was a cigar bar and cognac station with soft seating in front of the courtyard.
Don't forget to consider lighting needs - and how they'll change - for each part of the day
Creating an intimate candle-lit dinner was the couple's goal, but they were concerned by how dark the area might get at night. Their own little lighting team was able to find a balance through the heights of the tall candelabras placed on the table and low-level LED and candles placed across the tables. Uplighting the walls of the chapel and the greenery of the venue next to dinner also helped create a magical and appropriately lit setting.
Tables, chairs, and table settings also came from Preludio. Stiatti Fiori placed delicate compositions of flowers across the tables and decorated the table footings with additional bouquets. Their wedding favors for the guests were small packets of seeds for a lemon or olive tree so that they would always remember the beautiful Italian garden of the couple's special day.
Instead of signature cocktails, consider a signature bar!
For their bar selection, the bride and groom selected a number of key wines and Franciacorta sparkling wines for the daytime and dinner. During the apertivo, they included Aperol Spritzes along with Ca'del Bosco Curvee Prestige. In the evening, they poured their favorite Antinori wine, and Tignanello was paired with dinner. Cognac and Brandy were available at the cigar bar, as well as an American Bar for the party.
The couple's DJ and friend, Tim Derry, flew from Dubai to help them celebrate. Tim had already helped make their engagement and Covid wedding experience special when they hosted a wedding zoom and danced the hour away thanks to his amazing playlist. On the day of the actual wedding, the party was in the courtyard of the venue and - thanks to Tim's DJ-ing skills - there wasn't a moment where most of the wedding party wasn’t on their feet!
- Wedding Planning: Fine Italian Wedding
- Venue: Castello di Celsa
- Decor and Catering: Preludio Divisione Noleggio
- Florals: Stiatti Fiori
- Stationery: Laura Mazzetti | The Wedding Letters
- Lighting: Watt Studio Firenze
- Photography: Julie Neiss Photography
- Videography: Miryana Slivenska
- DJ: Tim Derry Think Events
- Musicians: Music and Co.
- Groom's Suit: Armani
- Bride's Dress: Peter Langner
- Bride's Second Dress: Stella McCartney
- Make Up: Romina Pashollari
- Hair: Jessica Berullier