Imagine gathering your closest friends and family to celebrate your love with your partner in a secluded medieval Italian village with unending views of the lush, sunny countryside. The dream right? Well, that is precisely what our real wedding couple, Jacqui and Liam did with their dreamy destination wedding at in Italy. A merge of both Irish and Scottish style with burgundy floral accents, exquisite bridal style (hello pearl cape!), and a ceremony backdrop that will make you gasp are all awaiting in the stunning imagery by photographer Maison Pestea. We can assure you that if you're searching for a relaxed destination wedding, you will adore what we have in store! Check it out here...
Peek-a-boo, Jimmy Choo bridal shoe we see you!
The romantic tale of Jacqui and Liam has taken us to the heavenly country of Italy, but let's take a quick detour to London in 2013 to see how these two fell in love. Irish bride Jacqui fills us in, "I had been living in London for almost 5 years having studied at University here. After beginning a graduate job here in London, I was introduced to Liam who was just about to move from Edinburgh. He had come down to London a few hours earlier when we were introduced by a mutual friend in a bar that night. And the rest was history, we were together from then!".
As for the romantic proposal, they spent a weekend in Belgium, arriving in Bruges in the evening to explore the holiday markets. Walking beside a charming canal on their way to dinner, Liam paused and proposed with a costume ring and a gorgeous arrangement of flowers - shamrocks for Ireland and thistles for Scotland.
Liam and his groomsmen are dressed in three-piece fashionable kilts, giving further tribute to their Scottish heritage Emerald Tartan tones, paired with accessories such as a sporran and ghillie brogues elevates the style to a whole other level! Very dapper gentlemen, don't you agree?
We get to see even more intricate accessories for the stunning bride, Jacqui. A gorgeous pearl cape and a headpiece adorned with gilded gold leaves, to mention a few! She went for a smokey eye, glam makeup look that was flawlessly completed with loose Hollywood curls.
Describing the aesthetic, she said: "Halfpenny London was the main bridal supplier. We held a legal wedding in Mussenden temple in Ireland a few weeks before where I wore a bespoke Halfpenny suit. Our Italian wedding was very much a continuation of this aesthetic but with the more ethereal and romantic slant, bringing in the pearls and the cape made it feel magical yet modern."
The outdoor ceremony, which has taken our breaths away, took place on the idyllic grounds of Borgo di Tragliata. A boho moongate overflowing with burgundy flowers, softened by the texture of pampas grass and ivory flowing voile that floated smoothly in the spring breeze, served as the ceremony's breathtaking backdrop. Gold geo stands with floral arrangements paved the aisle.
Elements that made the day so special for the couple, came from the ceremony which was officiated by Liam's childhood friend Shaun making it so incredibly personal. "Also, my brother Michael and school friends Sally and Zara played the music for the ceremony filled with beautiful Irish music including The Voyage, Grace, and Love You Till The End," said Jacqui.
The couple who are currently living in London, flew over 125 of the nearest and dearest over to the Italian countryside, but we had to ask, what made them choose this venue? I mean who wouldn't want to tie the knot here, let's hear what they had to say: "We originally visited the venue in February 2019, booking our wedding for October 2020. We were taken aback by the friendliness of the team, the beautiful venue, and the range of services on offer," the bride says.
Jacqui adds, "Our wedding was canceled due to COVID-19 in late September of 2020, and at this time we considered going ahead with something closer to home but were both determined to stick with our dream of getting married at Borgo. We waited until April 2022, and we couldn't have been more happy. Cristina and the team were the most amazing hosts, their ability to cater to all requests and make us feel so special throughout was incredible. We were so happy that we followed our gut and waited for our perfect weekend in Rome - it was everything we could have wished for and well worth the wait."
When asked to sum up the Italian wedding day, they described the celebration as a non-stop party, filled with laughter, great music, and storytelling. A coming together of people from their lives in Ireland, Scotland, and London. "We could not have asked for a better weekend. The theme was very much chic and modern but had a traditional Scottish twist on the outfits. The vibe was relaxed and open - nothing too formal, this was super important to us!" they said.
Could we just take a second to emphasize Jacqui's phenomenal floral bouquet? In homage to their engagement night, thistle appears together with eucalyptus greenery, pastel-colored and crisp white roses, and a huge pink protea. The arrangement is tied together with a draping fabric ribbon, creating a more relaxed style to the theme.
Emerald and burgundy, two warm tones that go perfectly together, combine to create the most gorgeous colour scheme for Jacqui's bridesmaid party. The girls went with a mix-and-match look, with two of the bridesmaids looking incredibly stylish and fun in one-shoulder floral gowns!
Their wedding reception room was full of romantic, rustic decor with its draping Italian olive leaf greenery and twinkling lights. The same floral arrangements we fell in love with during the ceremony, make a second appearance on each table. A great way to repurpose your beautiful floral décor!
The important elements that were special to the newlyweds, were bringing together their friends and family in one place for a few days. They said: "Having both lived away from home for a long time, we wanted to take the opportunity to spend an extended period together with our friends and family. Music was also absolutely central for us, having live music every day was very important, with the opportunity for friends and family to get involved."
Before we conclude this wonderful day, the couple wishes to share some wedding advice with our One Fab Day readers. "Don't overthink it, take time to enjoy the run-up to the big day, the small things that seem so big and important before the day comes to fade away in the midst of your enjoyment." After the amazing wedding day came to an end, they continued their Italian stay and headed for honeymoon to the sensational Amalfi Coast and Sorrento. "It was incredible and nice to have a break close by to Rome straight after the wedding. We definitely needed some time to relax after the party at Borgo."
After a dazzling outfit change into a fringed skirt, Jacqui and Liam shared their first dance as husband and wife to 'For Lovers' by Peter Doherty.
A very special thank you to the wonderful couple, along with their talented photographer Maison Pestea for sharing the day with One Fab Day.
Are you tying the knot in Italy? Make sure to read this guide on Getting Married in Italy here!
