Melanie + Alfredo by Evelina

Our vision was playful yet refined, chic but effortless.

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

We’re Melanie and Alfredo from Perth, Australia. We’re both big foodies but always gravitate toward our cultural roots — for Melanie, it’s Burmese and Asian flavours, and for Alfredo, Argentinian and Italian. Melanie works as a senior marketing manager, and Alfredo as a senior systems engineer.

While we’re both ambitious in our careers, we keep our downtime simple – slow mornings, good food, spontaneous adventures, beach days, and gym sessions to switch off from the hustle. As cliché as it sounds, we love to travel. It’s how we met and how we continue to learn about the world, through food, culture, people, and places. Travel has shaped who we are, how we see the world and how we find joy in shared experiences. Which is why a destination wedding was also a no-brainer for us.

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

We met while travelling in San Andrés, Colombia, on Valentine’s Day in 2018. Alfredo was living in Argentina, and I lived in Australia. It felt like a scene from a rom-com movie. We met in our hostel, went out dancing, and later walked home under a full moon with the ocean in the background and warm rain falling. That night we shared our first kiss, and somehow both knew it was the beginning of something special.

Our first impressions? Instant connection. He thought she was gorgeous and kind; she thought he was impossibly handsome (that accent didn’t hurt), but also grounded and genuine. Over the next few days, it was clear we shared the same values, especially around family. Six months later, I flew back to Argentina to meet Alfredo’s family and friends – that trip sealed the deal, and by the end of the year, Alfredo made the move to Australia, where we have made a life together.

Tell us about the vision you had for the mood and style of your wedding.

Puglia has long been a crossroads of cultures, welcoming people from all over the world – much like our guests, who travelled from different corners of the globe to celebrate with us. From the start, we wanted to create an experience that felt intentional and immersive, down to the smallest detail.

Known for its whitewashed towns and timeless charm, Puglia inspired a setting where the landscape did most of the talking. Masseria Amastuola was the first venue we found, and despite researching countless others, we kept coming back to it. We only saw it in person a few days before the wedding, and it completely took our breath away…photos don’t do it justice.

Our palette reflected the region: soft whites, different shades of greens, pale yellows, and deep tones of red, burgundy, and mulberry – a gentle tribute to the surrounding wine region and echoing the hue of ripe grapes.

Our vision was playful yet refined, chic but effortless. Inspired by Italian markets and produce, we incorporated pots overflowing with fresh fruit and vegetables for our ceremony. Our planner, Santa, even sourced green cauliflowers that perfectly complemented the green shades throughout the styling. We also wanted to use draped fabrics throughout the day, reminiscent of Italian fabrics and fashion.

For the aperitivo, we layered tones and textures, alternating green and off-white tablecloths, silver cups with fruit, ribbons tied around our cocktail tables, and light fabric draping above food stations to create a sense of warmth and movement. We included a photo area that felt natural to the space, and used the Masseria’s climbing vines as a backdrop for a lounge and armchair setup. Santa also hand-drew our welcome sign and signage in Spanish, English, and Italian – a nod to our shared cultures, and styled the seating chart with more fruits and vegetables for a playful edge.

Styling-wise, we knew early on that we wanted long tables so guests could feel like they were sharing a family dinner – we were in Italy after all! We sourced an off-white fabric for the table setting with a shine to it; the draped fabric caught the evening light beautifully, adding an understated elegance to the setting. We also sourced a green fabric which we used for napkins that Santa hand-tore to size, each one holding a menu I designed individually, personalised with guest names and customised with Italian greetings, and Spanish and English menu options depending on language preferences for our guests.

What styling and visual elements worked best for you?

Amastuola’s setting speaks for itself, from its manicured olive groves to the pool overlooking the Ionian Sea; every corner is spectacular. We knew with a venue like that, we didn’t need to overdo the styling.

We also wanted to highlight Puglia’s craftsmanship, so we collaborated with a local ceramic maker to create handmade espresso cups and saucers as our bomboniere, a subtle homage to Italy’s coffee culture. The saucers doubled as bread plates during dinner, featuring a burgundy glaze that tied in perfectly with our palette. Each one was engraved with our initials and wedding date in Roman numerals, and we later surprised guests by telling them their bread plate was part of a set to take home, which we placed in red bags ready for them to pick up straight after the dinner service ended.

To close the night, fireworks lit up the pool area during our cake cutting to Coldplay’s ‘A Sky Full of Stars’, an unforgettable way to not only visually surprise our guests but also kick off the party.

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

The thing we enjoyed most was working with our planner on all the small details. We could have wrapped up the wedding planning in record time, but instead spent the months meticulously planning small surprises for guests, adding personalised moments, and the music lists took the longest time to go through, from the ceremony right through to the party, each song we both had to like before it was eligible to go on the final playlists.

The 18-month planning process, however, was surprisingly stress-free, right until the final couple of weeks when the overthinking set in! But seeing it all come together on the day was magic. Our biggest tip? Trust the process, start early, and absolutely hire a planner if you can. Having someone to bring your vision to life, manage logistics, and coordinate vendors is invaluable. Plus, you get to make a friend along the way!

Tell us about your vendors. Were there any standouts?

It’s hard to choose because every single one was incredible.

Our planner, Sanata, as mentioned, deserves special recognition. Her creativity, attention to detail, and calm presence made all the difference. From market runs for fruit and vegetables to hand-drawing signage and styling over 30 metres of draped fabric, she poured her heart into every detail.

The team at Masseria Amastuola were equally amazing – kind, attentive, and genuinely warm throughout our 3-day stay. The food and wine were outstanding, but it was their hospitality that made it truly unforgettable.

The florals were incorporated throughout the event, from the ceremony pillars to the dinner tables and bouquets. Each arrangement reflected a variation on the overall theme and mood board, rather than presenting them identically – seeing everything on the day was better than we had ever envisioned it.

Our makeup artists were also exceptional – perfectly colour-matching everyone’s skin tone and making us all feel confident and radiant.

Our musicians brought the celebration to life. All About That Duo performed our ceremony and aperitivo songs perfectly, and later, DJ Danny Howen and Davide on the sax kept the dance floor going, even mixing in Cuarteto for the Argentinians.

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

For Alfredo, it was important for him to have Italian fabrics incorporated in his look, given his Italian heritage. He hand-selected Italian fabrics for his tuxedo and added subtle custom touches – a bow tie while the groomsmen wore ties, black buttons instead of white, and a patterned black pocket square instead of the traditional white one. Inside his jacket, he had our initials and wedding date embroidered, while his groomsmen had their own names stitched in, a thoughtful keepsake for each of them.

For me, I knew I wanted an Australian fashion label to wear for both my welcome dinner and wedding day. For the welcome dinner, I wore an Arcina Ori dress, which fit the white walls of the Masseria. For my ceremony dress, I snagged a booking at the Kyha Studios pop-up in Perth. It was an instant yes when I put it on! I bought my veil that same day and scored a free mini dress that became my party look. I wore silver Amina Muaddi heels with crystal bows; they added the perfect glimmer I wanted without overpowering the dress (though comfort wasn’t their strong suit). Midway through dinner, I switched to metallic lilac Jimmy Choos (which were meant for the party outfit, but I needed to slip into these sooner to avoid walking like a baby giraffe). And later, I changed my shoes again to my fluffy getting-ready slippers for the dance floor. No one really noticed the change, and my feet survived. I have no regrets about having multiple shoe options on the day/night; it meant I could wear the shoes I wanted for the overall look, but still be comfortable.

Tell us about your wedding and engagement rings.

Alfredo chose my engagement ring with care, knowing my hands are small and that an oval shape would suit my slim fingers best. I love timeless pieces and gold complements my skin tone – it couldn’t have been more perfect.

Our wedding bands were a last-minute success story, made by a local jeweller who crafted our custom gold rings in just two weeks before we flew to Italy. We’ll have them engraved back in Perth with our initials and wedding date in Roman numerals. Simple, practical, and matching – exactly how we wanted them.

What were one or two elements that were most important to you both that you were happy to spend a little more on?

Capturing the day was a top priority; everyone told us how fast it would go, so investing in exceptional photography and videography was a must – and they didn’t disappoint (from the sneak peeks we’ve seen so far).

And being food lovers, unforgettable dining was non-negotiable. Chef Luigi and the Amastuola team went above and beyond, even serving everyone a second round of pasta, just like a true Italian family dinner. The wines were so good that several guests came back the next day for a tasting.

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

The ceremony was deeply emotional. I thought a first look would calm our nerves, but as soon as I walked down the aisle, we both lost it.

We wrote our vows on the morning of the wedding – not ideal timing, and we don’t recommend doing this, but it made them raw and real. They weren’t rehearsed or polished; they were exactly how we felt in that moment on that day. Every word carried meaning, and it was the most present, heartfelt exchange to date that we were able to share not only with each other, but with the people we love and care about.