Inside: A Colourful & Chic Wedding In Rome

The Story So Far

Archie and I met six years ago through my sister Adriana. On a Friday night in early 2023, Archie casually mentioned that he’d booked a lunch spot outside of town, and that we’d need to leave early the next morning. I quickly realised something special was about to happen when the taxi that arrived the next morning took us to St Pancras, and we arrived a few hours later in Paris.

Archie found a spot in the Trocadero overlooking the Eiffel Tower and pulled out my dream ring: a trilogy, low-set gold band. I was so overwhelmed— even though my first reaction was to laugh, not cry! Once we returned from Paris, it was time to start planning our wedding in Rome.

The Venue

With my Italian background, a wedding in Rome seemed a great fit: it was the first trip Archie and I ever took together, it’s easy to get around, and we planned for the wedding to be a focal point for our guests, giving them a few days to explore and enjoy the city.

We held our wedding in a venue called Villa Aurelia. It appealed to us instantly with its link to the American Academy, the terraces overlooking Rome, and the wonderful outdoor dining space set against the facade of the Villa. I was so confident, we put the 50% deposit down without seeing it in person! We also hosted our Friday night pre-wedding drinks at the spectacular Hotel de la Ville.

The Fashion

I met with Emma Victoria Payne, and she instantly made me feel at ease. I had two dresses for the wedding day: a modern sleek ivory crepe satin dress with French shadow lace detailing, paired with a long single layered bespoke veil with matching scalloped French shadow lace appliqués along the edges. I kept it simple when it came to my jewellery, with Daphne diamond hoops and my wedding rings.

For the evening look, which I changed into for the dancing, I wore an ivory crepe satin dress with a halter neckline and bespoke beaded tulle overlay.

The Bridal Party

I gave my bridesmaids free reign when it came to their dresses— the only brief was pastel colours, and to feel happy and comfortable in their outfits! They were all absolutely stunning in a selection of dresses from, Markarian, De La Vali, Reformation, Anne Louise Boutique and Mango. As a thank-you, I gave each bridesmaid a small gift box of Jo Malone London perfume, a hand-written note, and a lip balm.

The Tablescape

The stationery was my favourite element in the whole wedding! From the invitations and table numbers to the fans and menus, I spent nearly six months designing each piece with the amazing Rosie Harbottle, a British artist living in Cornwall. I always had a vision to incorporate Villa Aurelia in every piece of the stationery, and Rosie made that a reality.

Food & Drink

A wedding in Rome means delicious Italian food, and after a tasting with our wonderful caterer Natalizi, we couldn’t decide between the delicious prawn and courgette risotto and cacio e pepe pasta for our Primi course— so we ended up having both! This was followed by veal as our Secondi, and a wonderful wedding cake and dessert buffet on the terraces overlooking the city.

Our drinks supplier Mercury provided guests with prosecco, palomas, and Aperol spritzes at the reception and an open bar for the party after dinner, featuring some playful signature cocktails including’ NegRomis’ and ‘Espresso Christinis’.

The Entertainment

We used the incredible ALR to book our entertainment throughout the day. We had the lead singer of BEAT sing me down the aisle to ‘Stand By Me’ by Florence and the Machine, followed by our first dance of ‘Love at First Sight’ by Kylie, and then live music and DJ in Sala Aurelia: the dance floor inside the Villa.

Beauty Regime & Wellness

Sophie, one of my best friends and bridesmaids, organised for the incredible Willis Galbraith to do my hair across the weekend as a wedding present. He basically gave me a face lift with my half up, half down hairstyle! Our friend—and Sophie’s sister— Georgia Habboo did my makeup, and we went for a natural bronzed look as I wanted to look like myself.

The Honeymoon

After our wedding in Rome, we travelled a couple of hours up the coast to the Hotel Pelliccano in Porto Ecole on the coast of Tuscany: a stunning hotel with the most incredible views, food and service.

Advice

Even though I was a very detail-oriented bride the planning process, my main advice is on the day is to not sweat the little things. Nothing is perfect, and the only thing that matters is that you’re enjoying your wedding. If your guests see you having a great time, they will naturally follow suit!

And my final advice: when choosing a venue abroad, make sure you have a good wet weather plan. It will save you a lot of stress!