An Enchanting Garden Celebration in Italy

Photography by Maria Francesca Nitti for Sara & Filippo

Inspired by the symbolic nature of a circle, Sara and Filippo’s garden celebration revolved around the idea of a line that begins at the same point that it ends. A metaphor for wholeness and an infinite kind of love, a shape reflected in the rings they exchanged.

Unfolding on the ancient estate of Villa Buonaccorsi, this was a soiree imbued with sentiment and Italian charm. Renowned for its mythological sculptures and pristine gardens that emanate fantastical allure, a mood of bohemian elegance was styled.

The couple swapped vows at a ceremony set in a circular formation within the spacious courtyard. Complementing the garden’s luscious flora and whimsical statues, dusty blue and pale pink florals were arranged beside feathery plumes of pampas, creating a display of texture against the timeworn walls.

An enchanting reception then followed inside a tree-lined forest, where a sumptuous feast was shared on tables dressed in crisp, white linens.

Photography by Maria Francesca Nitti.

Our Story

Names / Sara & Filippo

Wedding Date / 19th September 2020

Guest Numbers / 130

Budget / $30,000 USD

How We Met

At work, we were two trainees in psychotherapy.

Our Engagement Story

Filippo organized a beautiful surprise. He took me to the Giardino degli Aranci, one of the most beautiful places in Rome, and asked me to marry him whilst singing our song with a professional choir.

Marriage To Us Means…

A promise to grow together.

The Details

Wedding Location

We fell in love with Villa Buonaccorsi in the Marche region because of its decadent charm. We immediately started dreaming about our wedding there. The location was perfect, and having so many large and beautiful spaces, we were able to have three different areas for our ceremony, reception, and party. We also needed space to respect the rules in force for COVID. The ceremony was held in one of the most beautiful and best-preserved 18th-century Italian style gardens in Italy. The aperitif was set up in the grass aisle alongside the Orangerie and the reception was in a peaceful setting in the autochthonous forest. The final party was in the internal courtyard of the villa, an intimate cloister with columns illuminated by warm LED lights in pink tones.

Preparation

My bridesmaids and I chose to get ready all together in a double room of the villa, with frescoed ceilings and antique furniture. My room had two large windows overlooking the entire garden with sloping terraces that continued on to the surrounding hills.

Overall Aesthetic / Style

The classic and decadent aesthetic of the villa was an important starting point and we created our color palette while considering the internal frescoes: dusty blue, ivory, white, and light rose. We made a mood board on Pinterest with an elegant and bohemian theme because I think it reflects our style as a couple, as well as the design we have chosen to furnish our little house in Rome. The other important distinctive sign for us was the figure of the “circle” as sharing and comparison, a line that begins at the same point where it ends. A ceremony organized in a wide circle left our hearts full of infinite emotion. The circle is also recalled in some details of the stationery and is the basis for the tableau marriage.

Ceremony Décor

The area set up for the rite is called the “faun zone”, which owes its name to the presence of a big statue of a faun facing the courtyard. We kept it simple and let the beautiful gardens speak for itself. The floral installations were placed on existing columns as a base, and we added pampas grass to mimic the entrance of the villa, which is full of them, and to have a more contemporary touch.

Reception Décor

We had our reception in the forest. The delicate light and the shape of the tables that ran between the green leaves were beautiful. It was such a suggestive atmosphere, and we were protected by the trees.

The centerpieces gave that delicate touch of color to the white tablecloths. Only our table was round, and it was mostly bare, covered with a natural linen runner.

Wedding Planner

Nadia of Loving Marche was our amazing wedding planner. I found her on Instagram and thought her style suited what we had in mind, and we really needed some support as we lived in another region. She really guided us in the difficult decision to postpone the marriage during lockdown. However, I believe her greatest ability was to instinctively understand our vision and taste and to adapt the entire wedding organization around them. She exceeded our expectations.

Photography

It was hard to choose the right photographer for us and our vision. By mutual agreement with Filippo, we decided that Maria Francesca Nitti’s photos were the most elegant, spontaneous, and artistic. The surprise, however, was getting to know her. We had breakfast together and it was nice to understand her way of working and how important it was for her to know us in order to best adapt her professionalism to us. During the wedding Maria Francesca and her collaborator were phenomenal! Discreet, professional yet deeply involved, they accompanied us on tiptoe throughout the day… and the photos really moved us.

Fashion Notes

Bride’s Dress

I wore a Silvia Fernandez dress and I loved it.

I immediately fell in love with my dress with its precious lace details and elegant classic style, but without losing that touch of contemporaneity in the softness of the fabric, and in the particular shape of the sleeves.

Bride’s Shoes

Throughout the day I changed my shoes three times. The first pair were sandals with a very high heel, the second pair were open décolleté shoes with a medium heel and were much more comfortable for lunch in the woods. The last ones were a pair of espadrilles.

Bridesmaids Dresses

To keep in line with our color palette, I chose a dusty blue tone from Rose Avenue collection for my bridesmaid dresses, each of them was slightly different to have more visual movement.

Wedding Rings

The engagement ring consists of a single diamond that I wore on my right hand during the day. Our wedding bands are in smooth gold, simple and classic.

Groomsmen Attire

The witnesses were in dark blue, they were free to choose their own brand, but all of them have conformed to the timeless style of classic simplicity.

Hair & Makeup

I wanted to feel comfortable without overlooking my natural style. A friend of mine who is a very good artist did my makeup, and together we chose warm and nude shades.

For my hair, I chose Osaca because she immediately understood the best hairstyle for me, a soft low bun that complemented the romantic style of the dress. I also wanted to add a fresh flower comb that matched the bouquet and Marika, the florist, fulfilled my desire to have a succulent in my hairstyle too.

Style Notes

Stationery & Invitations

We quickly sent our Save the Date via e-mail as soon as we knew we could get married, despite COVID and we did the same with the invitations. We took inspiration from our circle theme and followed our color palette of dusty blues and light pinks using watercolors.

Favors / Bonbonierre

We opted for place cards with confetti: a glass cylinder and five round almonds, a round label with names and dates, and a tiny chiffon ribbon of light pink silk.

Flowers & Bouquets

For the ceremony, we chose two compositions with pampas grass, magnolias, pink carnations, and light blue delphinium. For the table florals, we opted for decorations in glass cups that recalled the flowers from my bouquet: roses, anthurium, carnations, eryngium, scabiosa stellata, lunaria, and eucalyptus.

Cake

For the cutting of the cake, we moved to a terrace in the garden where we could enjoy the sunset. We wanted a simple, round cream tart covered with berries.

Food & Beverages

We opted for a traditional meat-based menu with a large buffet of appetizers in front of an ancient Orangerie, two first and two-second courses were served at the table in the forest area by Gran Catering. Tagliatelle, risotto and meat dishes typical of our Italian region, all accompanied by excellent wines from good local wineries.

Red wine, white wine, and prosecco. We had cocktails for party time.

Honeymoon

We decided to stay in Italy, Sicily was our warm destination!

Wedding Songs

We chose the songs that marked our first five years together, the highlights of our history. We wanted live music both for the ceremony and the reception (DJ only for the party) and were impressed by the very talented Acoustic Sunset Duo, composed of vocals/guitar and double-bass. Their repertoire is very vast and they know how to involve your guests at the right time, so we were in good hands.

Celebrant

The celebrant we chose was the person who brought us together, our tutor during the internship. Andrea was honored and exited to carry out this task.

Readings

We both wrote our vows separately and it was amazing to discover how similar and authentic they were. We have not promised each other eternal love but bet endless times on us and growth together.

Special Details

Sources of Inspiration

We found our wedding planner on Instagram and we were so inspired by the photos on his profile, it made our decision easy. We used Pinterest for some inspiration in the beginning, but we went with our gut and the advice of professionals who guided us along the way.

A Memorable Moment

The most moving moment was during the celebration when our friends and relatives read their thoughts dedicated to us.

If I Could Give Brides To Be One Piece Of Advice…

I believe our strength has been to make every decision together. We shared and discussed everything so that this day was deeply ours. I suggest you dedicate yourselves to this project together, each with your own resources and opinions.