You guys, when we tell you we had to do a double-take and confirm that this wedding was a #realwedding and not a #styledshoot, we're not lying. Literally, everything was perfection from the scenic backdrop of Villa Regina Teodolinda on Lake Como to the fairytale gown, custom signage, and a boat getaway complete with drone footage. Keep reading to hear more about all of the symbolism and special details that made this timeless wedding so personal, and to see more of these gorgeous pics by Julia Kaptelova Photography.
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We took a trip to St Lucia as it was one of the places that we had always wanted to visit. One night we planned to have a sunset dinner at the Celestial Terrance. The hotel had arranged for a driver to take us over and after a few short minutes, we were told that we had arrived. I did find this slightly strange at the time as I was sure that the restaurant was further away but Ash insisted that we were in the right place. We got out of the car and started to walk towards the stairs when I noticed that they were lined with photographs of us and white rose petals leading the way to a private area in Hotel Chocolat with a panoramic view of the Piton mountains. When we got to the top, Ash got down on one knee and proposed to me. I was in complete shock, I forgot to say, “Yes!”
We share an appreciation for the world that we live in and a sense of adventure to discover new places so we always knew that we wanted a destination wedding set in the foreground of a natural landscape. Together with Blooming Eventi, we wanted the focus to be on the mirror-like surface of the water and the green, luscious landscapes that surrounded us so we decided to go for a neutral color palette that accentuated rather than overshadowed this. The florals were made up of white flowers, including roses, gypsophila, hydrangea, phalenopsis, and seasonal greenery. The white roses were inspired by my grandma as they are her favorite flower and remind me of my childhood. We wanted the floral arch to be asymmetrical to represent the journey of two sides moving towards a new life together. The decor for the tables was focused around the floral centerpieces together with candles to create ambient light and a warm setting. I am so thankful to Rattiflora who made my floral dreams come to life. We wanted to do something a little different with the signage so we went for custom linen signs for the entrance, bar, and seating plan from Smith and The Magpie.
I always described my vision for my wedding dress as “romantic” and I wanted it to embody my personality as well as the setting in which we were going to get married. I decided to go for a ballgown-style dress embroidered with organza flowers designed by Berta Bridal for the ceremony and reception. I also wanted something to change into to dance the night away so I went with a strapless midi dress designed by Alex Perry.
Ash decided to go with a classic tuxedo from Canali. He was lucky enough to have an expert tailor from Milan work on his tuxedo who advised him to go for a super 150 fabric to ensure that it was light and breathable together with peak lapels to add a statement. The whole team at Canali was extremely accommodating and it was a fantastic experience for him.
Throughout the wedding planning process, one of our closest friends continuously joked about being our officiant. We never took it seriously until we were sent options for officiants from our wedding planner and none of them seemed right, so we decided to ask our friend to officiate our wedding, and he happily accepted. It was so special to us to have him by our side, and it truly added a personal touch to our ceremony.
Throughout the wedding planning process, we fell in love with Italian cuisine and decided that we wanted to provide our guests with an authentic Italian experience. We had a traditional buffet with prosciutto, local cheeses, artisanal breads, and seasonal vegetables together with our signature cocktail drink, which was a negroni. This was followed by a three-course meal which included a ravioli filled with burrata, fresh tomatoes, and basil which is one of our favourite pasta dishes.
We always knew that we did not want a traditional tiered wedding cake so we decided to go for an Italian wedding cake called a “millefoglie” which is a cake made in a puff pastry with chantilly cream and decorated with wild berries and strawberries. It was absolutely delicious and a highlight of our wedding.