The sun is shining, May is approaching (my all time favourite season) and everyone has a spring in their step contemplating the summer ahead. I for one am bouncing around between holiday destinations for my summer va-ca and after seeing today's real wedding I may have decided. Italy is a dream destination wedding location for many Irish brides and grooms so if you're thinking of jumping ship and having your wedding abroad who better to get inspiration from than two Italian lovebirds? Mery and Claudio's rustic Italian celebration is filled with amazing decor, props and styling, not to mention a feast fit for a king and glorious Italian sunshine. Their setting in San Venanzo, Italy is everything you might imagine from an Italian wedding with lush landscapes against a rustic castle venue. The gorgeous day was captured by Avorio Photo and we're thrilled to share them with you today...Festeggiamo!
So how did these two get together? Well a little online chatting started it all, but I'll let Mery fill you in... I met Claudio 6 years ago and our story began almost like a game. We met on My Space (not a romantic beginning, I know!) At that time, Claudio was living in London and I was living in Bologna, neither of us imagined our love story would have been so long and beautiful, but after some months of phone calls, messages and e-mails, we both knew that we were perfect for each other. One day he knocked on my door and we have been together ever since!
How cute was their get together? Sometimes when you know, you know. And Claudio knew from the start that Mery was the one, he just had to seal the deal...The day he asked me to be his wife was one of the most exciting days of my life. I remember we were enjoying an excellent bottle of white wine and my first thought was: ‘There we go, it’s the alcohol speaking, tomorrow he’ll already have changed his mind’. Luckily it wasn't the wine talking and Mery and Claudio shared the news with their family and friends a few days later!
Ok so one look and Mery and I knew today's wedding was going to be fab-u-lous! Mery's style is a combination of laid back cool, chic and feminine all at once! When she began planning her bridal look, Mery knew she wanted something unique. Her beautiful wedding dress from Le Spose di Giò has tradition elements with a modern peplum detail and square neckline, instead of a traditional veil, Mery choose a very cute oversized bow head band! I playful alternative to a birdcage veil or long veil.
It wouldn't be an Italian wedding without an epic church setting! While Claudio waited patiently at the church, Mery arrived in style in a VW beetle...When I arrived at the church in my white Beatle car I saw that my dream was coming true.
Woohoo it's official! Smiles all around for these lovebirds...
When it came to choosing their venue, Claudio's roots and Mery's childhood dream wedding came into play...Claudio was born in Umbria, one of the most beautiful and characteristic areas in Italy, a place that I always loved and dreamt of celebrating my wedding there, and so it was to be! We wanted an intimate ceremony surrounded only by our closest family and friends. Therefore, the choice was the Madonna of the Light Sanctuary, a small church hidden away in a small Medieval Borgo. For the reception venue, we choose the Civitella dei Conti Castle, a location in the heart of Umbria, a stunning location that left our guests overwhelmed to say the least!
Viviana, our Wedding Planner, looked after the whole setting in great detail, creating a fairy tale atmosphere with a touch of shabby chic without any excess: old furniture, ceramic pottery, lanterns and great Gypsophila clouds on each table (created by I fiori di Paola). I always loved stripes so when Viviana suggested to use it as the mood for the whole wedding I was enthusiastic! We chose grey and white as main colours, a very elegant and refined combination. Everything else started from there: the wedding stationery was beautifully designed by Susanna of Suze Studio, the sugar almonds favors and more elements exclusively created by Monica of Letrecivettefattoamano. The choice of flowers, colours and all details made everything even more romantic and extraordinary and everything was perfectly captured by our lovely photographer Veronica of Avorio Photo.
Furniture was a central element for their wedding reception, the pair used antique pieces as well as up-cycled finds that they painted. They choose to paint the tables, cupboards and dressers in grey and white, as they were the main wedding colors, which was carried though many elements throughout the day.
The pair were looking for an original and elegant atmosphere from the beginning and with the help of the experts they used their own skills for some personal DIYs...Using meters and meters of striped fabric, we handmade favors, pillows, tablecloths and a big wooden panel as the Photobooth setting. We incorporated boiseries pieces, old frames, beautiful wallpaper and ancient furniture into the setting to create the vibe we wanted.
With the stunning Italian landscape falling away behind them, the pair were able to take some beautiful wedding portraits, they were brimming with excitement the whole time, and that's exactly how it should be!
Love, love, love Mery's bouquet! The soft elegant mix of cream and white with a hint of green compliments her classic and cool style beautifully, a bouquet that could easily be replicated for your own wedding day.
I don't know how Mery and Claudio managed to get their guest away from their amazing drinks reception, I'm still swooning over the decor pieces, but a fabulous Italian style dinner awaited and a reception room with a twist...
Bringing the fabulous outdoors in was a huge element for the couple, with the help of their wedding planner they recreated a bright and airy space, complete with stand alone tree centre pieces, mixed blooms and fresh white table settings.
The pair carried a theme of white and grey throughout the day. From their wedding invitations, ceremony booklets through to the vases and seating areas they set up for the drinks reception. The grey and white theme continued with their place settings, table numbers and wedding favours. This palette allows the space to remain fresh and light against the colourful floral decor.
Mery's advice will come in handy for brides and grooms planning a destination wedding (how could you not be tempted after this beautiful celebration!)So listen up...My advice to brides and grooms planning their day is to follow their own style. If it is possible I would suggest hiring a wedding planner to help you to find the right vendors and organize the kind of wedding that you dream of. I also think it's so important to entertain and involve your guests in order to create a pleasant and relaxed atmosphere.
A huge congratulations to the lovely Mery and Claudio on their rustic Italian celebration. A big Thank You goes to Avorio Photo for sharing their work with us at One Fab Day! To see more of Avorio Photo's work pop over to www.avoriophoto.blogspot.it.
The Wedding Details
- Ceremony: Madonna of the Light Sanctuary, San Venanzo, Italy
- Reception: Civitella dei Conti Castle, San Venanzo, Italy
- Photography: Avorio Photo
- Wedding Dress: Le Spose di Giò
- Flowers: I Fiori di Paola
- Cake: Alfonso Muzzi
- Stationery: Suze Design
- Wedding Bands: Sally Moriconi
- Wedding Planning: Biancoantico
- Catering: Alfonso Muzzi
- Favors: Le Tre Civette Fatto A Mano
