Rika + Riccardo by Christina Spiliotopoulou - Together Journal

We were inspired by classic Italian heritage and aesthetics but with a fresh and contemporary twist.

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

Hi there! We’re Rika and Riccardo. We know what you’re thinking—did we choose each other just because of our names? We promise it’s just a coincidence… or maybe it was the Universe being a bit cheeky! I’m Greek, and Riccardo is Italian, so we’re pretty lucky that bad olive oil is never an issue in our home. I studied Journalism & Communica=ons in Thessaloniki, Greece and later moved to Amsterdam for my Master’s. That’s where I met Riccardo, who, after studying Economics in Florence and Milan, had started working in Amsterdam, too. But more on how we met later!

A little about me: I’m chronically online thanks to my job—I started my own social media management agency after moving to Italy with Riccardo. I’m your go-to person for brunch recommendations, travel itineraries, and banana bread recipes. My life wouldn’t be complete without my two best friends and bridesmaids; they’re truly my ride-or-dies. At a party, you’ll find me dancing and/or petting the host’s cat.

As for Riccardo: He’s the sweetest, most generous man I’ve ever met. When he’s not working hard, he’s playing even harder (on the tennis court). But according to him, his favourite place on earth is right at home, on the couch with our cats, watching my ridiculous shows he won’t admit to enjoying. His green flag? He loves to make a mean carbonara—with guanciale, of course.

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

We met 8 years ago in the most new-old-fashioned way possible: on Tinder. Our first date was at Glou Glou, a cozy little wine bar in the De Pijp neighbourhood in Amsterdam. I thought he looked super cute and very Italian. Riccardo told me later that he thought, “Oh no, she’s taller than me!” when he first saw me. (I have been wearing VERY high heel boots to assert dominance).

He won me over when he casually dropped a comment about a political situation happening back in Greece at the time. I thought this man came PREPARED!

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

Honestly, it wasn’t one big moment — it was a collection of little things that added up over time. Before I met Riccardo, I wasn’t the biggest fan of the idea of marriage, but with him, year after year, it just felt more natural. It became just another fun adventure to share together.

What really made me sure he was the one is how he made me feel. He doesn’t just make me feel loved; he makes me feel liked. He makes me feel beautiful, funny, and smart — all the things you want to feel when you’re with someone who truly sees you for who you are. There’s no greater happiness than being fully yourself and still feeling like the most loved person in the world.

As for Riccardo, he says he knew since our first date — always the romantic!

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

We got married at a stunning medieval Borgo in Umbria, so we knew the mood and style had to harmonize with the beauty of the location and the incredible scenery. Being a young couple, we wanted to steer clear of anything heavy, overdone, or overly extravagant. Instead, we were inspired by classic Italian heritage and aesthetics but with a fresh and contemporary twist.

Our wedding colours were green, white, and blue. We chose long wooden tables decorated with garlands of greenery and a mix of white flowers, delicate candles, and gorgeous porcellana inglese dishes for that pop of blue. It was all about keeping it elegant yet relaxed, with every detail complementing the natural charm of the Borgo.

But above all, the most important thing for us was the vibe. We wanted our wedding to be FUN, intimate, full of good energy and great company — the kind of day where everyone could just enjoy themselves and celebrate love!

What styling and visual elements worked best for you?

Honestly, we were so lucky to have an incredible team of vendors and a wedding planner & his team who brought everything together beautifully, But if I had to pick one standout element, it would maybe have to be our wedding favours.

Our stylist had the smart idea of using the favours as a creative alternative to a seating chart, and we absolutely loved it. I wasn’t a big fan of the traditional tableau, so this felt fresh and personal. Each guest received a small bottle of olive oil sourced from the region, beautifully personalized with their name and a special message.

Some bottles had my recipe for olive oil cake, others had Riccardo’s recipe for aglio e olio, and a few shared fun
facts about the oil itself. We feel that it added an extra layer of intimacy to the day!

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

We’re foodies through and through, so naturally, our favourite part of the planning process was the food and cake tasting — and the cocktail tasting was a blast, too! But beyond that, we really enjoyed the opportunity to make the wedding feel more like us by planning small, intimate details. For example, we created three signature cocktails based on and named after our cats and ourselves: Bacon, Ricoca, and R & R!

As for our tips, if you’re planning an international wedding and your budget allows, having a good wedding planner can be a lifesaver. Ours was amazing and helped us navigate everything, from vendor coordination to all the nitty-gritty details, without losing our minds.

But the most important tip is the one my maid of honour gave me: If things ever get overwhelming — whether it’s a tough decision, a disagreement, or just the stress of planning — remember that you’re a team, and this is all about love.

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

Where do I even begin? I had a vision of a simple, minimal dress with elegant details and a dramatic veil — sounds straightforward, right? Wrong! After many trips to bridal bouquets across Tuscany, I just couldn’t find the one. So, custom-made it was.

I was incredibly lucky because a friend connected me with her friend, the head seamstress for a luxury fashion brand. She was beyond talented, and while the process of creating a dress from scratch requires a big dose of “trust the process” energy, I completely let go and trusted her. One thing I loved about working with her was that she wasn’t afraid to share her opinions — and I really appreciated that! The final result was everything I dreamed of and more.

As for Riccardo, he already knew where he wanted to tailor his suit since he was, oh, about 12 years old, I think. The “story” is that he decided to bring ten of his closest friends to his first fitting. Those poor sales assistants…

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

We wanted our guests to feel happy, pampered, and have the best time, so we focused on food, drinks, and entertainment. We hope that thoughtful touches like a cigar bar, bathroom baskets, wooden fans, etc, helped make the day extra special.

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

I had just one special request for the DJ: to dedicate YMCA to my bridesmaids as a little tease since they truly hate that song. The DJ, bless his enthusiasm, played it without the dedication — and while it wasn’t exactly on our “do not play” list, it definitely would’ve been if we had one! At the moment, I was a bit bummed, but I let it go. Then, just five minutes later, the DJ played it AGAIN — this time with the dedication. So, YMCA made it onto our wedding playlist twice…you gotta laugh about it!