We have an international affair to share with you on this Monday morning, LBBers. The lovely American bride met her handsome groom in Italy, and they came all the way back to Boulder, Colorado, to the bride’s childhood home, to wed. And can I just say, I love weddings at home. Maybe it’s the Franck Egglehoffer (any Father of the Bride fans?) in me, but there is just something so sweet and romantic about a wedding at home. Julie Afflerbaugh Photography is the talent behind the gorgeous images, and we’re loving every single detail she captured. Click here for even more!
Salvo and I met in Italy when I had moved there to study art after college. I was determined to learn Italian so I decided to find Italian roommates. Salvo had a mutual friend in common with one of my roommates and we met one evening when he came over for dinner. We dated for almost three years until I decided I wanted to move back to the U.S. Salvo wasn’t ready to leave so we broke it off. Though we kept in touch over the phone, we didn’t see each other for three more years, both of us trying to move on. Finally Salvo decided to quit his job and moved to the U.S. and a couple months later we decided it was meant to be.
Family is such an important part of both of our lives. The most important thing to both of us for the wedding was that we wanted our communities to merge. We wanted all the wonderful people that are a part of each or our lives to talk, laugh, dance and celebrate with one another. Salvo and I come from very different backgrounds. Salvo was born in Africa and his parents moved to Italy when he was two. I was born and raised in Colorado. We knew it would be a challenge to find ways to break down the language and culture barriers at the wedding but we were determined to find ways for everyone to get to know each other and step out of their comfort zones to interact.
Because so few of my family and friends speak Italian, we had everyone tie different color ribbons to their wrists which identified the languages they spoke. This way an American who spoke French and an Italian who spoke French could recognize that they could in fact communicate, or at least laugh trying.
Our guest book was a map where guests wrote in their name identifying where they were from. We spiced it up by including facts about each guest that they had to identify and attach near their name.
Another way we encouraged everyone to interact was by mixing up the seating. Over dinner every table had to come up with the most creative thing that they all had in common. A representative from the table came up to share and Salvo and I voted. It was an amazing and hilarious way to get everyone talking.
We got married in my mother’s beautiful garden at the house where I grew up in Colorado. Our ceremony was in the front garden and the guests wove there way through christmas lights into the back garden for the reception.
Several months before the wedding I saw a beautiful paper star lantern in a store and had a vision of hundreds of paper lanterns lighting up the sky as we danced into the night. I bought the lantern, took it home and took it apart to figure out how to make one myself. I taught my friends and family members how to make them and pretty soon we had almost 80 handmade star lanterns made by all our friends and family. Salvo is an electrical engineer so he designed an LED light that went inside the stars which could be turned on and off with a remote control. It was magical!
Flowers: Painted Primrose / Catering: Amelia and Savory Cuisines / Wedding Dress: Caroline Devillo / Groom’s Attire: Palzileri Italian Suit / Pie: Kim and Jake’s Cakes / Photography: Julie Afflerbaugh Photography