When the Design Director for Polo Ralph Lauren ties the knot, there’s a pretty good chance it’s going to be a wedding worth swooning. And with Infinite Love Wedding Coordinating working behind the scenes, this Tuscany destination affair delivers, BIG time. The fiercely talented Marisa Holmes captured each moment behind the lens, and it’s all tucked away in the gallery right here.
From the Bride… When Jesus and I began to plan what was to be the experience of a lifetime, we wanted our wedding to be an experience that everyone else would remember for years to come. We wanted to share in an intimate setting that would involve our closest friends and family. We wanted it to be a celebration of an all-encompassing love that was the beginning of our life together. The greatest adventure of our lives had to have the greatest stating point. We thought about our beloved California where we first met. We searched high and low from Northern wine country to Southern California’s stretch of sandy beaches, yet nothing felt like the old world charm we were hoping for.
As we thought about what our wedding day experience was going to be, the inspiration was simple; old world tradition meets ethereal romance. It was a true reflection of us, of our roots, and of what we wanted our future to consist of. We aspired to follow our traveling spirits, to reach further in order to find that old world charm in the rolling hillside of Italy’s Tuscany region. A rustic Castello nestled in the Chianti region of Tuscany was the place where our dream wedding came to be and Castello di Spaltenna was the perfect fit. We led our friends and family on a wondrous adventure, and a wedding getaway that would covert them into world traveler’s!
As a designer, my vocation has been in the translation of life’s beauty and art. For my own wedding, the greatest challenge was to mirror a celebration of love with the traditions of marital bliss. Our creative vision was only scattered thoughts when we first came to Infinite Love Wedding Coordinating & Consulting; Andrea Randolph completed our vision, brought it to life, and from it created a work of art. On the day of our wedding, our décor portrayed the pureness of whites, off whites, and creams. The Castello’s charming chapel was bathed in the warm glow of countless softly lit candles that filled the entire room. The ceremony began in the early evening with white petals down the aisle, and soft ribbons with white and off-white floral arrangements on the ends of each pew. We also personalized the ceremony with a musical memoir to my father, who passed away the previous year and we paid tribute to our Mexican heritage by including “las arras” (exchange of gold coins) and the “lasso” (the beaded rope) as part of the ceremony.
As the sun began to set, our wedding reception and cocktail hour was the picturesque scenery of an impressionistic painting. The colors blended to a surreal landscape and the wedding photographer of our dreams, Marisa Holmes, captured the fairytale. The cocktail hour was set on the rustic stone terrace overlooking the castle’s vineyard. While the reception was the romantic image of white table linens with soft tulle covered chairs accented with an olive branch on each chair setting, symbolizing peace and prosperity.
Soft white candlelit arrangements with white flowers personified our message of purity throughout the table setting. Each seat of our large feast table was personalized with a guest card. The dinner menu itself was a work of art and we collaborated with the Castello’s culinary chefs and our wedding planner to arrange a feast of rustic Italian traditional cuisine.
Our cake, our dance party with Italian DJ Pink Panther, and our Prosecco cheers with all of the Castello’s staff made the night unforgettable. We even had other guests of the Castello’s hotel join in the fun!
The wedding adventure consisted of so much more than just the wedding day though. It truly began with a rustic guest basket in every room that included Italian bread and wine, Italian maps, translation guidebooks, and a personalized welcoming itinerary for each guest. We also arranged several group excursions that we could share with our guests including Florence and Sienna day trips, personalized group tours, wine tasting, vineyard/cellar tours, and an exquisite culinary experience at Badia a Coltebuono, and Il Pievano restaurants.
The best reward has been the memories of our children, family, and friends that have long since retold the experience countless times from all different perspectives. They have relived the details of our wedding weekend over and over again. The countless, “thank you’s” we have received from our guests expressing their gratitude for allowing them to share in our lifetime experience has been priceless.
And with that, I think…goal achieved!
Photography: Marisa Holmes Photographer | Coordination: Andrea Randolph, Infinite Love Weddings | Floral Design: Stiatti Fiori | Wedding Dress: Monique Lhuillier | Wedding Dress: Monique Lhuillier | Cake: Melanie Seccaini | Bridesmaids Dresses: J.Crew | Catering: Castello Di Spaltenna | DJ: Pink Panther DJ | Grooms Attire: Ralph Lauren | Groomsmen Attire: Ralph Lauren | Officiant: Blessings from Italy | Bridal Party Hair + Makeup: Meagen Miller | Brides Earrings: Ralph Lauren | Flower Girl Dresses: US Angels | Veil: The White Dress | Wedding Shoes (featured): Badgley Mischka Bridal