SAMANTHA + STUART by Federica Cavicchi

Tell us a little about yourselves, what you do, what you love, what is unique about you and your relationship:

We met by a water fountain at our university’s gym where we talked for a little while. Then we re-met at a dusty college bar a few weeks later and the rest is history!

The beautiful film above is by Thirty Five Studios

Tell us about your special day, was there a specific theme or style? Tell us a little about the setting, the styling and some of your favourite details:

We wanted our big day to be intimate and personal, as well as trying to keep the whole thing low-stress! We wanted to be able to enjoy every second of our wedding day, so we decided that we would pick a beautiful place, invite our closest friends and family, and not stress over little details. Our first trip together outside of the U.S. was to the Siena area of Italy and it has remained an incredibly special place for us since.

We were searching for a venue in the area and Samantha stumbled upon The Lazy Olive, which matched our big wish list items: natural beauty, a relaxed atmosphere, and an abundance of country charm. After meeting Daniela and Malcolm, we knew we had found the right place. Then working with Federica (Fede) was fantastic. We first met in May 2019 when we went to San Galgano for an engagement shoot – it was our first time ever having photos taken, and her professionalism and demeanour made us feel so comfortable.

For our wedding week, Fede came to our welcome dinner, where she was able to explore the villa, as well as meet family and friends in an unstructured way that made her feel like a guest and part of the fun (and she was!). She is highly professional and more importantly, she is truly an artist, who has a sixth sense for the best angles and light. She was a blast and was out there on the dance floor with the rest of the party.

Tell us about your main outfits:

Sam: I first fell in love with the idea of a cape instead of the traditional veil; When it came time to go dress shopping I already had made my decision to get the Anastasia Cape by Eddy K from BHLDN. When I tried on the Wtoo Opaline dress with the cape, I knew it was the only one for me, and the best part about it was that it had pockets! (Everyone at the ceremony was surprised when I pulled my vows out of my pocket!)

What were some of the most memorable/unique moments from the day?

Sam: Watching the sunset over the Tuscan hills while my brother played the guitar and my sister and he sang for our first dance song – an acoustic rendition of the Rolling Stones, “Beast of Burden”, closely followed by my Dad overusing “The Flasher” dance move later in the evening. If you don’t know what it is then look it up – actually on second thought, don’t!

Any advice for other couples planning to spend the rest of their lives together?

Make sure you plan to enjoy your own wedding! This sometimes means letting others make the decisions that aren’t incredibly important to you and trusting the professionals. Also, make decisions for you, and not for others – they’ll enjoy it no matter what.

Ceremony + Reception location: The Lazy Olive Villa | Photographer: Federica Cavicchi | Celebrant: Bride’s brother | Planner + Flora: Daniela of The Lazy Olive Villa | Hire web: bride’s sister | Catering + Beverages + Cake: The Lazy Olive Villa | Bride’s gown: Wtoo by Watters | Groom’s suit: Black Lapel + Shirt: Proper Cloth | Shoes: ShoePassion | Rings: Brilliant Earth (hers) Blue Nile (his) | Bride’s shoes: Loeffer Randall | Cape: Eddy K | Bridesmaid’s: Jenny Yoo