A Timelessly Romantic Wedding at Borgo San Felice

Set in the heart of a medieval village, Allison and Michael’s ceremony took place under a canopy of umbrella pines, surrounded by an intimate circular arrangement of bistro chairs and ivory blooms.

The reception lingered on the theme of effortless elegance, unfolding in a marquee amidst the sprawling vineyards. Installations of dripping fringe chandeliers hung above each table while vibrant spring blooms in coral, pink, and green harmonized with toile linens and crystal glassware, lending the evening an air of poetic playfulness. The crowning touch was a millefoglie wedding cake layered with fresh fruit—an homage to Italian tradition.

With every detail reflecting the transcendent beauty of Borgo San Felice, the wedding encapsulated an opulent yet unpretentious charm.

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Our Story

Names / Allison Chou & Michael Chan

Location / Borgo San Felice, Siena, Tuscany, Italy

Wedding Date / 27th April 2024

Guest Numbers / 123

Budget / Not disclosed

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How We Met

We first me in elementary school in northern Virginia, but it was too early for either of us to predict we’d one day marry. Our paths crossed again in high school, where we became fast friends, bonding over sports, a shared sense of humor, and similar backgrounds—I’m one of three girls, and he’s one of three boys, both coming from tight-knit Chinese-American families. Although my parents had a strict rule of no boyfriends before college, Michael asked me to homecoming freshman year, and we began a secret relationship that lasted throughout high school.

Eventually, our secret got out, but our relationship grew even as we diverged, sustained by weekend visits and FaceTimes while we attended universities six hours apart and worked finance jobs on opposite coasts. Finally, the stars aligned in 2021 when we both moved to NYC, where we now live on the Upper West Side, cooking elaborate recipes, hosting competitive game nights, and playing tennis.

Our Engagement Story

I was on Christmas holiday with my family in Prague when we turned a corner near the Charles Bridge and found Michael, who was supposed to be on a ski trip back in the States (even Find My Friends said his iPhone was in Pennsylvania). He proposed, I said yes, and we all celebrated together over the next week across Prague, Edinburgh, and Vienna.

What we love most about each other…

We’ve been together for 15 years, and no matter where we are or what we’re doing, we have so much fun together.

The Setting

Wedding Location

Both the ceremony and reception were held at Borgo San Felice, a medieval village dating back to the 8th century that has been repurposed into a hotel and winery. We held the ceremony in the piazza, or town square, in the middle of the property. The reception took place in a marquee installed on the property, overlooking the vineyards.

Aesthetic

Our overall aesthetic reflected the design and spirit of Borgo San Felice—elegant but not fussy, with a focus on the natural beauty around us during springtime in Tuscany.

Photography

The brilliant Stefano Santucci photographed our wedding. His photography is documentary-style, using a mix of film and film-like digital, and his portfolio speaks for itself—he has an unmatched artistic eye and a true gift for capturing emotional moments, both big and small.

Videography

Our videographer was Daniele Martiniello, a talented professional known for exceptional storytelling through film. With an eye for detail and a knack for capturing genuine emotions, Daniele ensured that every special moment of our wedding was beautifully documented.

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“We loved the idea that our union could be a tiny piece of the Borgo’s long and storied legacy, and that we would hopefully be able to return to this special place throughout our lives.”

Style Notes

Ceremony Décor

We hosted our ceremony in the piazza at Borgo San Felice, the property’s historic town square framed by towering umbrella pines. Seating was arranged in a circular pattern around a stage in the middle of the piazza, allowing each guest to enjoy an equally beautiful view. We kept the florals bright and fresh, with greens and whites lining each of the three aisles as well as the ceremony stage.

Reception Décor

Our reception was held in a marquee, and the fringe chandeliers were the star of the show—one floated above each table, while a massive version created a visual spectacle over the dance floor. The best part was that each fringe chandelier had an internal multicolor LED light that made the dance party feel like a disco. Our florals were bright and voluminous, reflecting the springtime bloom at Borgo San Felice. The corals, pinks, and greens complemented our neutral toile linens, green floral porcelain tableware, and crystal glassware.

Wedding Planner & Stylist

We worked with Marta Checcucci and Costanza Giaconi from Bianco Bouquet to plan the weekend. They have extensive experience working with American couples planning destination weddings, and at every decision point throughout the planning process, they presented us with thoughtful options that reflected our vision for the weekend.

Flowers

For the ceremony, our aisles were lined with classic whites and greens of varying heights and dimensions. Allison’s bridal bouquet was made up of burgundy calla lilies tied together with sage green velvet, while the bridal party bouquets and the groom’s party boutonnieres were made of white calla lilies tied with the same sage velvet.

Stationery

Our stationery was beautifully illustrated and designed by Herron Hutchins, whose artistic vision brought our wedding theme to life. Each piece reflected our style and personality.

Cake

We chose a stunning millefoglie, a traditional Italian pastry that features layers of delicate, flaky pastry filled with creamy custard. Topped with an array of fresh fruit, it added a vibrant burst of color and flavor to our celebration.

Food & Beverages

We enjoyed a delightful four-course sit-down dinner that began with an antipasto of Tuscan panzanella salad, featuring scallops and edible flowers. For the next course, we had mezze maniche accompanied by garden zucchini and Tuscan prawn carpaccio. The main course showcased sea bass served with a citrus béarnaise and smoked sweet potatoes. To conclude our meal, we savored a millefoglie topped with fresh fruit.

Fashion & Beauty Notes

Bride’s Dress & ShoesDress:

A stunning Oscar de la Renta ballgown from the Spring 2024 collection, adorned with exquisite rosette embroidery that added a romantic touch.

Shoes: Chic Loewe confetti toy pumps that perfectly complemented the dress.

Wedding Rings, Jewelry & Accessories

My engagement ring is a marquise diamond set in a platinum east-west half-bezel on a yellow gold band, and my wedding ring is a pavé eternity band. Michael’s wedding ring is a white gold band. Both of our bands have the same inner inscription: “we have fun.”

Hair & Makeup

Makeup artist Marcela Bantea and hairstylist Davide Cichello were an incredible team on our wedding day. Davide created a romantic half-up, half-down style that perfectly complemented my dress and veil. Marcela made me look and feel like my best self with a more formal version of my everyday makeup—bright, rosy skin paired with a heavily lined eye.

Groom’s Attire

The groom and groomsmen wore classic tuxedos, each accented with elegant white calla lily boutonnieres wrapped in sage velvet.

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The Details

Honeymoon

We honeymooned in Sicily, where a highlight was hiking Mount Etna—it felt like we were on another planet. Other highlights included Bam Bar in Taormina, where we had the first of many granitas with brioche, as well as all the fresh seafood at the street market in Ortigia.

Wedding Songs

The wedding ceremony featured a selection of songs that set the mood perfectly. The officiant, Michael, and the bridal party made their entrance to “What a Wonderful World,” followed by “Can’t Help Falling in Love with You.” I walked down the aisle with my parents to Etta James’s “At Last.” After the ceremony, we exited to the uplifting sounds of “Stand By Me” by Ben E. King. As the couple entered the dinner area, Diana Ross’s “It’s My House” played, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere. The father/daughter dance was set to “How Deep Is Your Love” by The Bee Gees, and we shared our first dance to the beautiful “Dear April” (Justice Remix) by Frank Ocean.

Entertainment

We had The Shakes live band perform, followed by the band’s DJ, who kept the energy high and the dance floor packed.

Celebrant

Our celebrant was Michael’s aunt, Freda Wang. We chose her for her warmth and personal connection to our family, which made the ceremony even more special.

Readings

We had three beautiful readings: “The Sun Has Burst the Sky” by Jenny Joseph, “The Song of Me and You” by Guan Daosheng, and “I Carry Your Heart With Me” by E.E. Cummings. Additionally, we wrote personal vows to each other.

Our Advice

A memorable moment…

We’d both spent a good chunk of the day putting the finishing touches on our personal vows, which is very on-brand for two procrastinators. Hearing each other’s words and promises for the first time was the most memorable moment of the weekend.

One thing I wish I knew before I started my wedding plans…

If we could do it all again, we would probably spend less time worrying about our guests—which is to say, we spent a lot of time fretting about them! In our experience, our guests were incredibly happy to celebrate with us and were much more self-sufficient than we had anticipated. They didn’t need any hand-holding when it came to planning their own Italian vacations!

If I could give other couples one piece of advice…

When in doubt, do what feels true to you and your relationship. We received some questions about having raw shrimp on our wedding night menu, but that’s what we love to eat, and all of our guests know that about us.

Sources of inspiration…

We drew much of our inspiration from our venue, Borgo San Felice. It was the first decision we made with our planners back in the summer of 2023, and we were instantly drawn to its rich history, dating back to the 8th century. We loved the idea that our union could be a tiny piece of the Borgo’s long and storied legacy, and that we would hopefully be able to return to this special place throughout our lives. From a design perspective, the BSF team has done a truly brilliant job of blending rustic and contemporary elements throughout the property, which we made sure to reflect in our wedding details.