Close your eyes and try to envision the most romantic spot for marrying the one you love. Now open your eyes and gaze upon all the beauty that Marianne Taylor Photography captured with this Florence affair. We’re pretty sure those two are one and the same. Italy is the stuff that wedding dreams are made of and romance is swirling around each and every detail from the courtyard strung with chandeliers to the escort card tree and all of the fabulous paper goods in between courtesy of betsywhite and Ever After Press. Speaking of pretty paper, we spy with our little eyes lovely drink stirrers from Miss Pickles Press and might we add, they look mighty fine poking out of those Italian cocktails. There is lots and lots of loveliness to le swoon over in the gallery so don’t forget to take a peek!
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From the Bride…About a year after James proposed, I got a phone call at work to tell me that my Dad had passed away, totally unexpectedly. It was the most horrible time that I have ever experienced and James was, and still is, unbelievably supportive. I don’t know what I would have done without him. It means more than I can say that James had asked my Dad’s permission before he asked me to marry him, and also that the last time I spoke to my Dad, he told me what a good man he thought James was.
James asked me to marry him the morning after the wedding of one of my best friends, at which I had been a bridesmaid. It had been something of a late night, so I was rather surprised when James ordered breakfast in bed…with prosecco. When he pulled out a beautiful engagement ring and asked me to marry him I was so shocked that I didn’t remember to actually accept until he prompted me by saying – “you haven’t actually said yes yet”! We saw my Mum, Dad, brother and Grandmother that day, as James had planned that he would propose when we were in the UK so that we could see our families (we lived in Dubai at the time), and I also picked up my first wedding magazines that day….but it wasn’t until I discovered SMP that the planning really began!
James and I looked at venues in Dubai, Spain, and the UK….until we decided that it had to be Italy, (James has Italian ancestry on his Mum’s side). We went over to Florence and met our amazing wedding planner, Rossana, and her husband Franco and decided on Castello di Vincigliata and I fell in love with the small church nearby. I had such fun planning all the elements of the wedding, (I was in a corporate job at the time and it was great to throw myself into a creative project….I loved it so much that I have now moved into Graphic Design as a career) and SMP was my go to website for all things beautiful and wedding related. I remember packing the night before we flew to Italy and that it was unbelievably stressful, as I had filled my suitcase with wedding related decorations and left no room for clothes. James thought I was crazy but had no idea of all the bigger items that I would have loved to have taken but had no room for….vintage typewriters, beautiful old hard-backed classic romance novels, scrabble tiles, etc.
It was such a perfect day and we are so grateful to everyone who travelled such a long way for us – our family and friends mean the world to us, and we hope they enjoyed the day and all the details…because really…what could be better than that? Special thanks to my ever patient, wonderful, beautiful Mum (who doesn’t need a microphone), my lovely brother and Granny, James’ parents, and my beautiful, supportive bridesmaids, for putting up with 18 months of wedding planning and to the amazing Rossana, and incredible Marianne – our wonderful planner and photographer.
Wedding Photography: Marianne Taylor Photography / Venue: Castello di Vincigliata / Programs, Menus, RSVP cards: betsywhite / Illustration for invitations Additional Paper Designs: Ever After Press / Wedding Planner: The Knot in Italy / Caterer + Wedding Cake: Preludio Catering / Make-Up: Azzura/ Hair: Toni & Guy Florence / Wedding Gown: La Sposa Detalle / Florist: Gianni, Tuscany Flowers / Band: Alberto / Ring Bearer Bowl: Palomas Nest / Drink Stirrers: Miss Pickles Press / Badges: Cox & Cox / Headdress: Jo Barnes / Paper Decorations: Etsy