Madeleine + Jorge by Alix Dubois

Everything centred around timeless elegance with a relaxed Tuscan feel.

Tell us a little about yourselves, what you do, what you love…  

Maddy is a researcher in women’s health with a focus on mental health before, during, and after pregnancy, and Jorge works in the mining and metals industry. Maddy grew up in Australia, while Jorge’s childhood spanned Venezuela, followed by Saudi Arabia and Texas before eventually bringing him to Australia. We met salsa dancing in Australia, and a few years later packed up our lives and moved to London, where we’ve built our home together over the past six years. You’ll usually find us planning our next trip, searching for London’s best coffee shop, trying a new restaurant, or finding an excuse to get outdoors. We’ve always shared a love of adventure, but what we treasure most are the quieter moments we’ve built into everyday life. Morning coffees at home, long walks through Kensington Gardens, dance parties in the kitchen and making each other laugh have become the rituals that make London feel like home.

How/where/when did you meet – and what were your first impressions? 

We met in Australia dancing Salsa, something that has continued to be a big part of our lives.

I still remember Jorge’s smile and his infectious energy. He had this warmth that made everyone around him feel comfortable! Jorge’s first impression of me was probably that I was incredibly determined (or stubborn, depending on who you ask). I had absolutely no patience for not mastering dance moves immediately, while he somehow remained endlessly calm, encouraging me even when I was frustrated with myself.

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).   

With guests travelling from Australia, Venezuela, France, Dubai and across the UK, we knew from the very beginning that we wanted our wedding to be more than just one day; we wanted it to be an excuse for everyone we love to make a holiday of it. Travel has always been a huge part of our relationship, and Italy has long been one of our favourite places. We love everything about it: the incredible food, scenery, and slower pace of life. Tuscany felt like the perfect place to bring together the people who mean the most to us while sharing somewhere we both love. 

When we found Villa Cicolina, we knew immediately it was the venue we wanted to have our wedding at. It has so much beauty already, so our vision was always to enhance what was already there rather than transform it. Everything centred around timeless elegance with a relaxed Tuscan feel. We wanted guests to feel like they had been invited to an intimate dinner party at an Italian villa rather than a formal wedding.

The florals were intentionally soft and romantic, featuring white and baby pink blooms and layers of greenery that complemented the surrounding olive trees and cypress-lined entrance.

One of our favourite details was keeping the ceremony simple. With the Tuscan countryside, infinity pool, and 200-year-old olive trees as our backdrop, very little decoration was needed. The landscape became part of the design, and allowing the beauty of the venue to speak for itself made the entire day feel timeless.

What did you enjoy most about the planning process, and do you have any tips for couples starting their wedding planning journey?

We surprisingly didn’t find it challenging to plan a wedding in Tuscany from London. But we put this all down to our amazing Wedding Coordinator (Sara Sardelli). The whole planning process became something we genuinely enjoyed doing together. I went into the process wanting to enjoy it and make sure it didn’t feel like a chore. We made almost every decision together and loved thinking about how every guest would experience the weekend. Our biggest piece of advice is to make decisions based on what feels authentic to you as a couple, rather than what you think a wedding should look like.

Whenever we felt overwhelmed, we’d come back to one simple question: “Is this us?”. That question made almost every decision easier.
 

Tell us about your vendors. Were there any standout suppliers you would like to make special mention of?

We genuinely couldn’t have asked for a better team. 

Planning a destination wedding means placing an enormous amount of trust in people, and every single vendor exceeded our expectations. From the very beginning, our wedding coordinator, Sara, made the entire process feel seamless, and she felt more like a friend than a coordinator.

Our photographer and videographer captured the day so beautifully. Looking back through our photographs and films genuinely feels like reliving the day all over again.

Our celebrant deserves a very special mention. Olivia has been part of Maddy’s life since childhood, so having someone who knew us so personally made the ceremony incredibly meaningful. She went above and beyond in the months leading up to the wedding. The ceremony felt deeply personal, and so many of our guests commented afterwards that it was one of the most meaningful ceremonies they had attended.

The team at Villa Cicolina were exceptional, working tirelessly behind the scenes while making it all look effortless. Our string quartet created the most beautiful atmosphere during both the ceremony and cocktail hour. Finally, our florist and lighting team completely exceeded our expectations. Together they transformed the villa into something truly magical while still allowing the natural beauty of the Tuscan setting to remain the hero.
 

Tell us about your main outfits, what was unique, and is there a story? 

I had always imagined wearing something timeless rather than following trends. I wanted a dress that would still feel beautiful decades from now. Finding my dress happened a little unexpectedly. My sisters had travelled from Australia, and we decided to spend a few days together in Lisbon. As it was the only opportunity we had to look at dresses together before the wedding, we booked an appointment simply to get an idea of different styles, but the moment I tried on the dress, we all knew it was perfect, and I ended up buying it that same day.

That spontaneous decision meant Jorge and I made another trip back to Lisbon closer to the wedding for fittings and to collect the dress. But of course we didn’t mind at all as it gave us another excuse to return to one of our favourite cities and enjoy a special week together before the wedding. Jorge’s suit was equally timeless, a black tux, and he wore my dad’s cummerbund that he had worn at various special events decades prior.

Tell us about your wedding and engagement rings.  

Jorge proposed in London after what I thought was going to be an ordinary day together. We had spent the afternoon walking through Kensington Gardens, visited a restaurant from our ever-growing list of places to try, and finished the evening back at home. It turned out he had quietly planned every detail with the help of our family and friends. We then chose wedding bands on a trip back to Australia that were timeless and understated because we wanted them to feel like something we’d happily wear every day for the rest of our lives.

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?).  

To be honest, there wasn’t just one thing we chose to prioritise. From the very beginning, we wanted quality in everything we chose, from our venue and five-course menu to live string musicians, photography and all the details in between. Rather than focusing on one standout element, we wanted the entire experience to feel thoughtful, deliberate, and memorable.

That philosophy also shaped our guest list. We chose to have a smaller, more intimate wedding surrounded by the people we know will be part of our lives forever. Having fewer guests allowed us to create the kind of celebration we had always imagined, where everyone felt connected, and every detail reflected us as a couple.

Villa Cicolina, however, offered exactly the atmosphere we’d dreamed of and shaped the feeling of the entire weekend. We also placed considerable value on our photographer and videographer, knowing that the photographs and films would allow us to relive the day for years to come.

Was there a favourite moment (or two) that you will treasure always?  

It’s almost impossible to choose just one moment, but our ceremony will stay with us forever. It was everything we had hoped it would be, standing together beneath the olive trees, surrounded by all of our favourite people, listening to the string quartet, hearing the beautiful words our celebrant had so thoughtfully prepared, and finally sharing the vows we had written for one another. Reading our vows was undoubtedly the most emotional part of the day, but also the most special. Looking out and seeing our family and friends, who had travelled from so many different places to celebrate with us, all together in one place was something we’ll never forget.

Another unexpected highlight was breakfast that morning. Before everyone disappeared to get ready, we all had coffee and breakfast, chatting, laughing and soaking up the excitement of what was about to unfold. It was such a relaxed and joyful start to the day. We had also handwritten letters for everyone, sharing a favourite memory with them and accompanied this with a photo of that memory. It was so lovely sitting at dinner watching everyone open and read their individual letters.

What does being married mean to you, and are there any special rituals you have that you would like to share?   

Marriage doesn’t feel like the start of something completely new. Instead, it feels like a continuation of the partnership we’ve already spent almost a decade building.

For us, marriage is choosing one another every day, not only during life’s biggest milestones but also in the ordinary moments. Our favourite rituals are surprisingly simple. Every morning Jorge makes our coffee while playing music throughout the house; we sit and talk about our plans for the day, and it is something we both look forward to waking up to when we go to bed.