[section title=”The Planning”]
[field title=”Wedding Colors”]
The colors for the wedding were white and blush pinks.
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[field title=”Design / Vibe / Vision”]
As the owner of Velvet Victoria Home a homeware brand I have a very Meditterraian ascetic. This was always going to come through in the vision for the wedding and one of the reasons why we fell in love with Italy in the first place. I love bespoke and attention to detail items/moments. I wanted to create a romantic traditional Italian wedding full of little surprises for the guests. I wanted there to be bespoke details wherever you looked so that the guests felt like they were experiencing something completely unique and special. I wanted it to feel authenticity Italian and also luxurious. Every detail was to be thought out and considered. From the moment you arrived you would be drinking and eating the best. Every glass of champagne was considered and every canape tested. The best that Italy had to offer to experience in the middle of Lake Como with family and friends. The experience was to be like a movie, seamlessly moving from scene to scene and each different from the last. The venue was perfect because it was not shared and was completely exclusive. It was also a beautiful blank canvas that you can make your own. We knew the first time we visited Villa Del Balbianello that this is where we would get married. The view, the height, the gardens and the size are all perfect for our vision.
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[field title=”Proposal Story”]
My husband Jack who I met when i was 18 at University proposed to me in Paris on my birthday the 4th October in 2017. We stayed in the Ritz which had just re-opened after years of renovations so there was a fabulous buzz around the hotel and flurry of famous faces dotting about. On the evening of the proposal a car was waiting outside of the hotel ready to take us to dinner. On our way out Lionel Richie was standing outside the hotel and Jack looked at him and said good evening Lionel and Lionel looked at us both and said have a lovely evening kids. It was a moment which I wouldn’t forget because of how the evening unfolded. Jack had booked Cafe Marly for dinner which is a small candle lit restaurant which sits in the arcades in the Louvre and looks directly over it. We sipped champagne and spoke about the old master pieces sitting only a few feet away and how art is everlasting. After dinner the blacked out mercedes pulled up along side the restaurant and Jack said hop in. Inside waiting for us were macarons from my favorite shop in Paris and a bottle of my favorite champagne. Jack looked at me giving nothing away and said i am taking you to see the Eiffel tower lights as we have never done it before and i know you will love it. We arrived at the Pont de Bir-Hakeim bridge, a local gem, no tourists at all which is so rare for Paris in the evening and the Eiffel tower felt so close that we could touch it. The car mounted the pavement and we hopped out. We stood at the edge of the bridge and awaited the lights. It was magical, we counted down and the Eiffel tower lit up like a huge twinkly Christmas tree, it showered us in light and we had a little dance on the bridge with jack whispering our favorite song in my ear. He said let me grab some champagne from the car “you keep looking at the lights.” Then i heard him say my name and i turned around and he was down on one knee. Everything after this was a complete blur, i was so happy and of course the answer was yes. Like out of a movie he picked me up and spun me around, at this moment i realized that someone was taking photos. Jack had arranged a french photographer to take discrete photos of the whole evening so we can remember it forever. Later after driving round Paris taking in the moonlight, drinking champagne and listening to french music he told me how relieved he was as he had been hiding my ring in his sock on the plane and in the hotel this whole time.
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[board_carousel title=”Getting Ready”]
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[board_carousel title=”Bridal Portraits”]
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[board_carousel title=”Flat Lays”]
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[section title=”The Fashion”]
[field title=”Wedding Gown”]
The gown was completely custom-made for me by a private Scottish dressmaker using Italian lace. I fell in love with the Vera Wang dress in the movie Bride Wars when i was a teenager and always knew that I wanted that style of dress. I did go to Vera Wang in London and I tried on that exact dress along with others and although it was a close call ultimately i didnt feel that it was right for the Italian setting of the wedding so i set out to create my Italian vision of the dress that I adored so much as a child. We kept the same style but made the whole dress from Italian lace. We also made the belt out of silk and created a larger central bow. The veil was a custom two tiered Royal length masterpiece. It was trimmed with the same lace as the dress and created the Italian feeling i was looking for. My headpiece was by Maria Elena. My shoes were Manolo Blahnik, hangisi white satin with light blue crystals. My husband has bought me a pair of Manolos every year on my birthday since we have been together so it was only fitting.
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[field title=”Bridesmaid Dresses”]These were custom-made blush silk dresses with white bows. [/field]
[field title=”Groomsman Attire”]
The groomsmen all wore Thomas Pink tuxedos. Being the British gentleman that they are Thomas Pink was an easy choice of outfitter.
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[board_carousel title=”Bridal Party”]
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[board_carousel title=”Ceremony”]
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[board_carousel title=”Cocktail Hour”]
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[section title=”The Details”]
[field title=”Food & Drink”]We wanted the food to be authenticity Italian and we also wanted our guests to be full throughout the day in true Italian style. On arrival guests were greeted by the groom with Rose Moet and italian canapes. These included buratta and sun dried tomatoes on a parmigiana crisp and mozzarella on a lemon leaf. The aperitivo after the ceremony was created with all the food we love from italy in mind. Fresh ham, cheese, olives, olive oil, bread, meats, pasta etc so that our guests could mingle and nibble at their leisure. The drinks menu for the aperitivo was a choice of our favorite italian cocktails, Aperol Spritz, Rose Moet and Hugo. Whilst they ate and mingled the hum of the string quartet played in the background creating such beautiful moments. For dinner we opted for local white and red italian wines with Dom Pergignon for the toasts. The food which followed included burrata stuffed tomato ravioli to start (which was so good our guests opted for steaming hot seconds), scallop risotto and truffle beef to follow. The cake for desert which was a special and whilst being cut received a royal operatic performance by three tenors singing our favorite italian songs. During an evening of dancing a gelato cart arrived along with italian treats such as cannolis and millefeuille. [/field]
[field title=”Florals & Decor”]I wanted the wedding ceremony to be traditional and completely white using high delphiniums, garden roses, sweet peas all in white. To let the view of the lake and the green of the location do the talking. The aperitif and dinner flowers were a mixture of the pink and white colours to romanticize the experience with pink candles. We also had floral garland hanging from the guests chairs at the ceremony and at the dinner table.[/field]
[field title=”Wedding Cake”]
Marchesi a famous Italian patisserie institution in Milan designed and created our eight tier wedding cake. It was filled with vanilla spounge, fresh strawberries and Chantilly cream. Hand painted on the outside with our wedding crest and designed over six months with me. Marchesi also created our wedding favors for our guests in the form of traditional Italian wedding sweets presented in a little pink box.
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[field title=”Readings, Ceremony Music, Reception Songs”][/field]
[field title=”Special Detail #1″]
Our wedding crest was created by Momental Designs in the USA and was used throughout the wedding. They painstakingly hand painted every stationary aspect of the wedding including invitations, service booklets, welcome sign, menus, drinks menus, name cards, dance floor, bar menu, table names, fans and the seating chart. Our napkins were hand embroidered in the UK, our dinner ribbons were hand embroidered with each of the guests initials in the UK, our candles were hand poured with our wedding rose scent in the UK by the same creators as Jo Malone. Our champagne was Rose Moet and Dom Perignon flown in from France and Macallan whisky from Scotland.
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[field title=”Special Detail #2″]The Groom:
The grooms wedding tuxedo was Tom Ford. His wedding jacket is made from ivory silk with the silk trim running down his trousers. Mother-of-pearl buttons on his wedding shirt and a black bow tie. His shoes were black velvet Manolo Blahnik wedding shoes to match mine.
Wedding bands:
Grooms- Tiffany and Co platinum band.
Brides- Family heirloom pink sapphire and diamond 1920’s band.
Engagement Ring:
5ct cushion cut diamond, set in platinum with a diamond encrusted band. Designed by the groom and created by our family jeweler.
Bride wedding jewelry:
3ct Sapphire and diamond ring and matching sapphire and diamond earrings. These were given to the bride before the wedding by the groom.
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[field title=”Special Detail #3″][/field]
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[board_carousel title=”Couple Portraits”]
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[board_carousel title=”Reception”]
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[board_carousel title=”Wedding Weekend Events”]
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[iframe http://player.vimeo.com/video/666241113 600 338]
Photography: Andrew Bayda | Cinematography: Marco Abbatangelo | Event Planning: Happy Moments Collector | Floral Design: Figli Dei Fiori | Invitations: Momental Designs | Reception Venue: Villa Del Balbianello | Groomsmen's Attire: Thomas Pink | Photography - Assistance: Nagornykh Nata | Rentals: Tableset | Welcome lunch venue: Villa La Cassinella