Alba + Elias by Lisa Egli - Together Journal -

Throughout the years, we have learned to appreciate each other’s differences and get inspired by each other’s strengths.

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

About Alba: I am a creative soul who lives for the beautiful things in life. Whether it’s art, design or styling our home – I pour my whole heart into everything I do. As a perfectionist, I pay meticulous attention to the small details, ensuring that every aspect feels just right. My process can often take time due to perfectionism, but the result is always worth it. I have been working as an art director for a few years, and now I create content for the largest fashion – lifestyle- and beauty warehouse in Sweden.

About Elias: I love to embark on new adventures, whether it’s hiking a mountain or surfing ocean waves. I am a traveller at heart, having been on more than nine backpacking trips around the world before finding my love in Stockholm. Alongside my passion for adventure, I have a deep love for the written word. I volunteer as a speech coach for TEDx Stockholm, helping speakers refine their talks and communicate their ideas effectively. My experiences and interests have shaped me into someone who appreciates both the thrill of exploration and the power of storytelling.

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

We met at a house festival, a place filled with music, energy, and a sea of people. Elias won his ticket in a contest, while I received mine as a gift from my dad.

Elias’s Perspective: The first time I saw her, I had to pinch myself and ask a friend if the incredibly beautiful woman over there was as stunning as I imagined. My friend confirmed my revelation, and I gathered the courage to walk through the crowd towards Alba. Once there, I realized I hadn’t thought through what to say and awkwardly blurted out, “Hi, you are the most beautiful person I’ve seen”

Alba’s Perspective: I fell in love the first time I saw him. (I felt butterflies and the electricity in the air.) I thought he was way too beautiful to be kind with his ocean blue eyes, big curly hair with dark features, and basically a Greek god, but how wrong I was about him not being kind. He is the most beautiful person inside and out. After we exchanged a few words, my friend came and pulled me away because it was time to buy drinks. I kissed him on the cheek and started to walk away, but then realized I forgot to get his number, so I ran back. That was the best decision I’ve made in my life.

When did you first realise that this was someone you’d like to spend the rest of your life with?

Although we look back at when we met and think it was love at first sight, the realization that we want to spend our lives together has grown during our long history (8 years). We have been living together in different places, travelling, and working on our relationship through preventive couples therapy and different couple development courses. Throughout the years, we have learned to appreciate each other’s differences and get inspired by each other’s strengths.

Was there a proposal? Tell us a little about it…

Ever since I discovered that I have “my own city” in my favourite country – Alba in Italy- I’ve wanted to go there, as I am a truffle lover to my core. Elias’s mother rented the family a big pink villa in Cinque Terre in the summer of 2022. Elias, the adventurous one of us, looked up the distance and told me he had a plan. He had rented a Vespa, and driving would take about 2 hours. We imagined a romantic cinematic ride on the Vespa in the Italian mountains surrounded by vineyards and hills. One little miss was that the Google Maps directions were on the highway. There we sat on the little Vespa at 60 km/h, and big trucks were honking at us; we changed the direction to smaller roads, and after 5 hours, we were finally in Alba. We just made it to the restaurant Elias booked due to the Italian’s famous “siesta”, and when the desert came in, he told me how much I mean to him and how much he loves me; he went down on one knee and proposed. We both cried, and I said YES.

What was one element you were happy to splurge on?

We had a 5-day (!) wedding, and on the cocktail/mingle evening before the big day, we wanted to give our guests a goodie bag. The bag included:

The Isabel Post (a magazine I designed, writing about our story and a new era, tips on food and sights, and some gossip about the bachelor and bachelorette party)
A program sheet that one of my best friends, Agnes, and I designed together. The program included poetic stories, renaissance paintings mixed with modern-style images, a schedule for the days, and important information.
A love drink, “Limoncello a la Isabel,” to take to start the party.
The hangover kit to take the day after.
His and Her’s favorite snack.
Dried rose petals in small jewellery pouches
A white sun fan

Did anything happen on your wedding day that you laugh about in hindsight (even if it was stressful at the time)?

When the cake arrived, and all our guests gathered around, there was a long wait and palpable excitement in the air. As we prepared to cut the cake—a five-layered masterpiece—we hit something solid. It was the structure supporting the cake, but we didn’t realize that at the time. We kept cutting through each layer, encountering the same issue. At this point, someone shouted, “Damn, that’s a big piece of cake!” as they could only see the cake from a different angle. We started laughing so hard.

When we finally managed to cut a big piece, we realized we didn’t have any plates or spoons. Eventually, the plate problem was solved, but it was quite stressful at the moment, leaving Elias, our guests, and me feeling super confused. It’s something we can laugh about now.

Tell us about your main outfits, what was unique, is there a story? The history of the ceremony dress…

The visual concept for our wedding was “modern Renaissance.” I designed all the visual elements with one of my best friends, Agnes. We attended one of the best design schools together in Stockholm. The law of attraction was present and truly had a domino effect when I was in my creative flow. Our invitation is a remake of Sandro Botticelli’s “The Birth of Venus” – the most famous painting from the Renaissance era. We “switched” our faces with the two angels in the painting. Ever since creating that invitation, I knew where to look for inspiration for the rest of the visual elements. I decided to trust my gut feeling and embrace the journey, confident that everything would come together beautifully.

For the ceremony dress, I knew I wanted something classic but with a modern twist. The design of the dress is everything I could ever wish for – it feels so me. The subtle cream-white colour, the corset, the unique twist, and the elegance all combined to make me feel like I had stepped out of a Renaissance painting. I knew it was the perfect dress for marrying the love of my life, my Elias.

For Elias, we wanted to be in sync as one unit. He chose a cream-white suit that stood out elegantly among the other male guests, who wore various linen suits. Elias opted for a satin suit paired with a black bow tie and black deerskin loafers with a French binding apron, ensuring his look was both sophisticated and perfectly coordinated with mine.