Enchanted Romance in an Italian Abbey

Photography by Benjamin Wheeler for Giulia & Andrea

Nestled in the picturesque countryside of central Italy, Giulia and Andrea’s wedding was an enchanting celebration of love, faith and family. A sacred ancient abbey imbued with powerful and sentimental meaning for the couple set the scene for the magic that was to ensue. Clouds of ethereal blooms and billowing white canopies were suspended from timeworn ceilings above infinite tables and styled with authentically rustic dried blooms and flickering candlelight. From the timeless beauty of the bride’s bespoke wedding gown to the extravagance of the reception, no expense was spared here, and The Lane’s Benjamin Wheeler was there to beautifully capture it all.

Our Story

Names / Giulia & Andrea

Wedding Date / 5th October 2019

Guest Numbers / 250

How We Met

We met on a ski slope in Cortina d’Ampezzo seven years ago.

Our Engagement Story

We love going to the mountains for walks. In May, Andrea organised a surprise day trip to go see a famous waterfall, but we actually got lost and never found it. So, he promptly found a path we could take and as soon as we reached the top of the mountain there was a breathtaking view and he suddenly went down on one knee and proposed. Obviously I was not able to talk and started crying so much that he thought my answer would be no.

Marriage to us means…

To reinforce our love in front of God.

The Details

Wedding Location

We got married in a very small, sacred place called Santuario di Fonte Colombo, which is an uncommon choice in Italy, but for us it was very important because Saint Francis of Assisi had spent part of his life there. Then we had our reception in an ancient abbey nearby called Abbazia di San Pastore in Greccio (Rieti), which is hidden amongst the hills and surrounded by the magical spirituality of the location.

Event Aesthetic & Inspiration

I tried to venerate the beauty of both locations, using the typical colors of nature during autumn with a touch of white.

Photography

As soon as I saw the pictures taken by Benjamin Wheeler, I fell in love and immediately thought his way of capturing moments was perfect for my wedding’s style. Warm colors and candid photos were the best combination for me.

Fashion Notes

Bride’s Dress

I always dreamed for my dress to be timeless, so that even in 20, 30 or 40 years I would still love it. It was a bespoke piece made by an Italian designer based in Rome called Gabriella Rio. The shapes of the dress were clean, linear and stood out, and respected my body shape.

Bride’s Shoes

I bought the shoes from a typical little workshop in Rome that specialized in custom bridal shoes.

Bridesmaid’s Dresses

I didn’t want the bridesmaids to be dressed all in the same way, but at the same time, I wanted them to have something in common. Together with an Italian designer, we decided that the bridesmaids would wear the same dress style, but in a different color. In particular, we chose different shades of warm color, cohesive with the colors of the decor.

Style Notes

Stationery

The wedding invitations, save the dates and any other stationery was made with the precious help of Arianna from Cimer typography who did such a great job. My husband and I didn’t want anything too complicated or particular and she satisfied all our requests.

Favors

We chose to give to our guests a little bottle of a very refined whiskey, which represents our everyday life. Every evening after dinner, Andrea loves drinking a glass of that particular whiskey.

Flowers, Bouquets & Styling

Tables: garden roses, lunaria, blushing bride, wax flowers, bunny tail and eucalyptus branches.

Church: garden roses, delphinium, blushing bride, wax flowers and lush greenery.

Suspended Installation: pampas, lunaria, bunny tail, ruscus, stypha and eucalyptus.

Bouquet: garden roses, wax flowers, matthiola, blushing bride and silver dollar eucalyptus.

Videography

We fell in love with Riccardo Fasoli’s videos immediately. When you watch them, it is as if you are living that moment for the second time! I love his work. His videos are wonderful and Riccardo manages to capture people’s soul.

Preparation

The day before the wedding I went to the abbey with all my bridesmaids to spend the night. They organised a special pyjama party for me (and after months of dieting, we all ate hamburgers and fries from McDonald’s). The day after we woke up and had breakfast all together, then the hair and makeup artists arrived so I got ready surrounded by the love of my family and the bridesmaids.

Wedding Planner

Viviana Tarantino from BiancoAntico. Our wedding planner really helped me organise everything. I had very clear and precise ideas about the reception and she succeeded perfectly in satisfying all my requests, putting what I always dreamed into reality.

Cake

The cake shape was very traditional, four layers of whipped cream and berries. It was the catering company Lincei, who created the cake. I have to thank them again. I received so much positive feedback about it.

Wedding Songs

Viviana Tarantino and I decided in order to make the moment even more magical, the music should be played live, and so it was. During my entrance in the sanctuary, a violin was being played. It was very touching.

Entertainment

Gabrielle Fruscella was our DJ during the cocktail party, dinner and after-party. All the guests got wild, as my husband and I desired. We wanted our wedding to be a happy day for everyone and we wanted to be surrounded by the smiles of our loved ones.

Food & Beverages

Lincei provided the catering and prepared such delicious foods, combining tradition and innovation.

Transport

We were very lucky, my best friend Nicole Ferranti from Le 500 Ferranti gave me the chance to use an ancient 500, which was a typical Italian car, especially in the ’60s. As soon as you get in the car, you breathe a magical atmosphere. This contributed to making our day even better.

Honeymoon

My husband and I have always been attracted to South Africa, so it was easy to decide where our honeymoon would be. We decided to combine an adventurous trip with a more relaxing one, so we added The Maldives to our journey. Without a doubt, I have to say being in touch with nature is really empowering. The safari was so exciting and was the best memory of the honeymoon, which I recommend to everyone.

Gift Registry

We chose to do the gift registry with a travel agency. My husband and I are convinced that travel and learning more about other cultures and nature is the most important thing.

Celebrant

Frate Martino, a Franciscan friar was our celebrant. During the ceremony, he made a really touching speech about love. We are so grateful to him.

Readings

During the ceremony our friends read the typical church readings, then the witness read the prayers of the faithful.

Special Details

Sources of Inspiration

Instagram, Pinterest and advice from my wedding planner.

A Memorable Moment

I will never forget when I arrived at the altar with my dad and seeing Andrea waiting there for me. It gave me an incredible energy, strength and sense of emotion which is impossible to translate into words.

If I could give other Brides-To-Be one Piece of Advice

Fight to get what you really want. It is okay to listen to advice from your loved ones, but never forget that you will remember this day for the rest of your life, so no regrets.