I could live all day in the archives of the SMP Destination blog. You are with me on that on right? It's like traveling all over the world to witness the fairest weddings of them all, and this seaside soiree in the gorgeous Italy designed by SposiamoVi is one I would NEVER want to leave. Just sit me in one of those umbrella-covered ceremony chairs overlooking the ocean and I would blissfully stay forever and ever. I've added Levanto to my list of must visit places because of this gorgeous wedding, and you can guarantee I'll be day dreaming of this lovely place in the full gallery of images!
Italian Wedding by SposiamoVi
Click here for the FULL wedding
From Alice of SposiamoVi... In the first half of the 20th century an American couple, Martin and Osa Johnson—from Kansas—captured the public's imagination through their films and books of adventure in exotic, faraway lands. Martin and Osa Johnson were the inspiration for Kate and Andrew’s wedding celebrated on Saturday 16th July 2011 in the Cinque Terre on the Italian Riviera. Kate and Andrew, both from NY, met and fell in love immediately. A few weeks later Kate was flying from a country to another to follow Andrew during his business travels. Years before in one of his many world wide trips Andrew had accidentally stopped in Levanto, a town completely out of the touristic track. From that time the Cinque Terre have captured his heart, with their quaint and colourful atmosphere and relaxing slow flow of time. When they decided to marry, having a destination wedding in the Cinque Terre has been the natural choice.
We met in Levanto in March 2011. Few days after we were working with Andrew and Kate via email to create their amazing wedding. In just four months all the details for the wedding were in place! Andrew and Kate new what they wanted: their vision was to create a casual and informal get together, a family style reception and a touching ceremony performed by their friend Doron. All the decors and rentals were to reflect the rustic feeling of the place. The 100 guests, coming from all over the world, were hosted by the bride and groom in the hotels and villas in the Cinque Terre and surroundings; their generosity went well beyond, as a symbolic thanks to their wonderful lives, Andrew and Kate decided to give all their wedding gifts to charity. Minivans brought guests to the special ceremony setting: the tip of a panoramic hill above the town where a small chapel honouring the Madonna stands. Here they were welcomed by the stunning views and… some really tasty fresh lemonade! Kate wore her pretty bronze/gold beaded dress, enhancing her femininity and grace. At 5 pm her father awaited to conduct her to her beloved. The ceremony totally reflected Katee’s sweetness; she had taken care of the readings and completely tailored the script to their story. Simply touching!
Kate had secretly ordered a Kate Spade custom-made "I Married Adventure" jewel box that contained the wedding rings to surprise Andrew at the altar. Following the Italian tradition at the end of the ceremony, bride and groom were showered by their guests with rice and petals as a symbol of good luck. Small delicate cones were hung on the guests’ chairs with the Italian classic cheer “Evviva gli sposi!” (hooray for bride and groom!) They then jumped on an antique authentic Italian Fiat 500 that Andrew drove to the town for a great photo session with the talented Julian Kanz, brilliant photographer that has also shot a romantic engagement session for them in May. Their being world travellers was reflected in the type of reception that incorporated a mix of their favourite countries: Italy, Australia and Holland. The local restaurant owner, Luca, provided a great menu and matched Andrew’s favourite wines: Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, Amarone, Australian Shiraz, Australian & New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. The Dutch Grolsch beer perfectly accompanied the BBQ at the end of the evening, definitely a must for a BBQ and Grolsch aficionado like Andrew. The highlight of the cocktails was with no doubt the Italian old-fashioned truck, the famous Ape – Piaggio, offering fried local fresh fish made and served in the cosy garden overlooking the sea. Sydney-based jazz vocalist Glynis (GT Nash) and Dj Cameron brought warmth and energy to the party. Five long tables have been laid out on the terrace of the private estate like in the classical Italian town festivals including the strings of lights around. Natural and soft pastel flowers gently decorated the tables and together with lanterns and aromatic plants added the extra romantic touch. Favours were luggage tag place cards. The night ended with the classical Italian cake and the newlyweds’ first dance.
Photography: Julian Kanz Photography / Flowers, Event Design + Planning: SposiamoVi / Ceremony Location: Punta della Madonna, Cinque Terre / Reception Location: Private villa, Cinque Terre / Catering: Ristorante Perballe, Bonassola / Bridemaid's Dress: Nicole Miller / Music: Miss Prescott Presents / Equipment rental: Servizio DJ / Hair + Makeup: Malì Parrucchieri