Soft, feminine, coquette-core, dreamy.
Tell us a little about yourselves, what you do, what you love…
We met in dental school. We were in the same class, but never truly connected until our third year during a dental mission trip to the Dominican Republic. I was drawn to his sense of humour and the overall feeling of ease and comfort I had while being around him.
How/where/when did you meet – and what were your first impressions?
Proposal Story – After we graduated from dental school together, we matched to the same general practice residency at The Ohio State University! During our residency, David was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, for which he was treated with chemotherapy and radiation. After the conclusion of both our residency and his cancer treatment, we decided to take a trip to the South of France and Northern Italy to celebrate David’s remission! During that trip, David proposed at the iconic Villa Del Balbiano in Lake Como. After that, we took a boat ride through Lake Como and stopped at a lakeside restaurant for celebratory champagne and lunch.
Tell us about the vision you had for the mood and style of your wedding. (theme, key styling elements, florals, colour palettes, etc.).
Soft, feminine, coquette-core, dreamy. Aesthetic choice was heavily floral, coquette/regency inspired garden party with the dreamy mountains of the Amalfi coast as the backdrop.
What styling and visual elements worked best for you? (could be things, the florals, particular hire products or your marquee, etc., something the stylist created or simply just the scenic beauty of your location or the existing design of your venue).
Ceremony: Blush, lavender, salmon, white florals including peonies, English roses, delphinium, and astilbe. The ceremony aisle was lined with floral arrangements leading up to the main ground arrangement instead of a flower arch. We opted for a ground arrangement in order to supplement instead of blocking the view of the Amalfi coast mountains and water.
Reception: green toile tablecloths, floral arrangements, abundant candles, classic baroque style table setting with medallion chairs. We added falling greenery to the pergola ceiling along with elegant crystal chandeliers.
What did you enjoy most about the planning process, and do you have any tips for couples starting their wedding planning journey?
We decided to continue our Italian stay and spent some time in Sorrento, Capri, Chianti, Tuscany, Florence, and Rome.
Tell us about your vendors. Were there any standout suppliers you would like to make special mention of?
Emma Quinn doesn’t just take stunning photos, but she captures the feeling of every moment. She is an absolute joy to be around, especially during photo sessions. Her calm nature is infectious and helps us relax and let go of the uptight vibes that are normal when getting our pictures taken. She is so supportive and mindful of the bride living in the moment and just all around having the best day ever. You know you have a great photographer when the guests repeatedly tell me how amazing and cool she is!
Tell us about your main outfits, what was unique, and is there a story?
David surprised me with an inscription on the inside of his tuxedo jacket, a phrase in Arabic, which he has been learning so he can better communicate with my family.
Days Before
What were one or two elements that were most important to you both that you were happy to spend a little more on? (food, photography, florals, the venue, your outfits?).
Malafronte Fiori is a brilliant florist and designer. Just looking at his Instagram shows that his designs are unique, tasteful, extravagant, and elegant.
Was there a favourite moment (or two) that you will treasure always?
I walked down the aisle to a live string quartet rendition of “Golden Hour”, and we danced to the original song for our first dance.
BRIDE Petra, @petraboot GROOM David, @davidsusko LOCATION Villa Eva Ravello, @villaevaravello PHOTOGRAPHER Emma Quinn, @helloimemmaquinn VIDEOGRAPHER Guerin Films, @the_guerin_films PLANNER Giritaly, @giritaly FLORIST Mala Fronte Fiori, @malafrontefiori ENTERTAINMENT Ceremony Music – Amalfi Coast Wedding Music Service, @amalficoastweddingmusicservice; DJ – DJ JANA, @usernamewiththatusername CATERING Villa Eva Ravello, @villaevaravello BRIDE’S DRESS Vera Wang, @verawanggang BRIDE’S SHOES Loeffler Randall, @loefflerrandall HAIR & MAKEUP Jol and Varriale Makeup via Beauty Livery, @beautylivery; Annalisa Espositore, @annalisa.espositorebridal
