We committed to doing life as a team, supporting one another and being each other’s cheerleader.
Tell us a little about yourselves, what you do, what you love…
We met in Sydney, Australia, and after a year together, we decided to take the leap and move to NYC together. We quit our jobs, moved to NY and have since built a life here. Ryan runs his own business in NYC (which he started 6 months after moving), is a keen golf enthusiast and loves to be active and healthy. Emma is an innovation manager at a CPG Beverage business and is a keen foodie. We spend our time either walking and exploring NYC or eating/drinking our way around the town. We have recently bought a home in Connecticut and are building life out here pre-baby, due June 2026.
How/where/when did you meet – and what were your first impressions?
We met at a bar on a hot summer Friday afternoon in Sydney. We locked eyes from across the bar and instantly felt a strong connection. We started chatting, and a week later, we were on our first date. We both weren’t really looking for love at the time, but both felt a really strong draw to each other and couldn’t get enough of one another.
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).
Emma’s bouquet was truly a work of art and something we’d NEVER seen before. Leading up to the wedding, Valentina, our planner, was telling us about a garland vision she had, but didn’t have any images to share of what it looked like. I had to blindly trust that it would work and I would (hopefully) like it, which I was truly obsessed with. It was fun to wear vs hold, and we changed the positioning and wrap around my arm throughout the night, so it was a constantly changing accessory. My planner + the florist truly excelled. Everyone at the wedding would not stop talking about the bouquet. It was also so unique, but it didn’t take away from my dress at all.
What did you enjoy most about the planning process, and do you have any tips for couples starting their wedding planning journey?
I loved researching and looking at other couples’ weddings to pull inspiration. I would send pictures to my poor planner almost daily with cool ideas I had seen, so she really got a grasp of what I liked. I, however, put my trust in her to build from that and come to me with unique, trendy ideas that weren’t “done”. I felt like I had control over the design, yet I put my faith in her to come up with completely unique elements I wouldn’t have seen or thought of. Some I didn’t even see come together until I was walking down the aisle, but I loved everything. So, advice, trust your vendors, they are the experts.
Tell us about your vendors. Were there any standout suppliers you would like to make special mention of?
Honestly, every single vendor was a dream to work with, and my vision all came to life perfectly. But this all comes down to the meticulous planning and detailed design from my amazing planner, Valentina. We gave a lot of direction for what we did/didn’t like, but also gave her creative freedom to come to us with unique ideas. She nailed every element and blew us away. Some things at first we were unsure about, but I kept reminding myself to trust her, and I am so glad I did.
Tell us about your main outfits, what was unique, and is there a story?
Emma’s dress was the first one she ever tried on. She put it on, it fit like a glove, and it was an instant yes. This was the first element from the entire wedding to be locked in, and she is still obsessed with it. Timeless, classic and elegant. Emma and Ryan then worked together with P Johnson to custom-make his suit. It was a white silk dinner jacket with red stitching on the inside, with E + R and the wedding date. Every detail in the suit, down to the buttons, shirt fabric, etc., was all carefully chosen by us both, which was a really fun experience to do together.
Tell us about your wedding and engagement rings.
Emma always wanted an oval engagement ring, so Ryan took that, went to a jeweller in NYC, and custom-built the ring. Every small detail was carefully planned down to diamonds wrapping all around the band, the prongs and the basket. For the wedding band, Ryan had always loved an emerald shape (but went with oval for the engagement as he knew he couldn’t do wrong), so together they picked a bezel set east-to-west diamond band to match the oval ring. Ryan went with a plain gold band and had E + R with our wedding date engraved on the inside.
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?).
From day 1, we aligned and wanted to ensure that guests had the best experience, so we put a big focus on food and alcohol. We had been to many weddings where the wines were cheap and awful, and the food was all mass-produced with not a lot of flavour. A year prior to the wedding, we flew to Italy to see the venue and do a menu tasting. The wine was made from grapes on site (being in Tuscany, they were all amazing), and the food prepared by the onsite chef using local ingredients blew us away. We decided to add a few extra elements, such as the hand-carved prosciutto and custom 2m tiramisu cake, to make things theatrical and fun whilst still honouring the delicious, local ingredients. We had 5 different spritzes available for guests and over 7 wines to choose from. We also splurged on freshly shaved truffles for an entrée to give a true taste of Italy as a thanks for travelling so far. Everyone said it was the best wedding food they had ever eaten, and we were so glad.
Was there a favourite moment (or two) that you will treasure always?
Sitting at dinner, looking up and down the long table, it was so special seeing all of our family and friends from around the world engaged in conversation, laughs and having an amazing time. Everyone was so happy and present, it created such an amazing energy that we won’t ever forget. Being that it was a small, intimate wedding across 3 days, it meant everyone could get to know each other and make friends. By the end of the trip, friends had meshed and now catch up with each other (even without us). It was so special to have everyone come to Italy for us and have such a magical, fun time.
What does being married mean to you, and are there any special rituals you have that you would like to share?
Marriage to us is a partnership and commitment to life, both during the ups and downs. We committed to doing life as a team, supporting one another and being each other’s cheerleader.
LOCATION Terre di Nano, Montalcino, @agriturismo_terre_di_nano BRIDE Emma GROOM Ryan PHOTOGRAPHER Evia Zacharia, @eviazachariah CONTENT CREATION Content for Brides, @contentforbrides STYLIST & PLANNER La Lindi, @lalindi_events FLORIST Mary Poppies, @marypoppies; Apparita Floral Atelier, @apparita___atelier CELEBRANT Personal Friend ENTERTAINMENT Band – The Brothers in Law, @thebrothersinlaw_lovelymusic; DJ – Genesi Music Service, @genesi.musicservice HIRE Flower Sculpture from Gaia Pietrella, @gaiapietrella CATERING Terre di Nano, @agriturismo_terre_di_nano CAKE Kitchen Wishes, @kitchenwishes STATIONERY Tawo Studio, @tawostudio ENGAGEMENT RING Michael Gabriels, @michaelgabrielsny WEDDING BANDS Holden Rings, @holdenrings GROOM’S SUIT P. Johnson Tailors, @pjohnsonworld GROOM’S SHOES Prada, @prada GROOM’S ACCESSORIES Cufflinks – Cartier, @cartier GROOM’S FRAGRANCE Mohave Ghost BRIDE’S DRESS Vivienne Westwood, @viviennewestwood BRIDE’S SHOES Prada, @prada BRIDE’S ACCESSORIES Tennis Bracelet – Michael Gabriels, @michaelgabrielsny HAIR & MAKEUP Liza Samokhina, @liza_samokhina_ BRIDE’S FRAGRANCE Incenso – Santa Maria Novella, @santamarianovella1221 BRIDE’S SECOND OUTFIT Rosie Etienne Bridal, @rosieetiennebridal BRIDE’S SECOND SHOES Bottega Veneta, @newbottega BRIDESMAIDS DRESS By Nicola from Coco & Lola, @bynicola.thelabel GROOMSMEN SUIT Suitsupply, @suitsupply
