A Heartfelt Italian Villa Wedding Full of Summer Florals & Vintage Charm

A celebration where vivid florals, baby pink drapery, and long summer evenings created a world of connection

London and Sophia’s wedding unfolded like a sun-warmed dream, where thoughtful design and effortless beauty shaped a weekend that felt both elevated and deeply personal. Guided by the creative direction of our members LaLindi, the celebration blended soft, romantic details with a lively, modern spirit. Every space was transformed with intention – lush seasonal florals, bowls of summer fruit, handwritten menus, and candlelit tables that encouraged guests to settle in, connect, and savor the moment. Throughout the weekend, couple's friends and family gathered under the shade of towering trees, drifted through golden cocktail hours, and filled the dance floor until dawn. Film cameras clicked in every direction, capturing the laughter, the movement, and the fleeting in-between moments that defined the celebration. The atmosphere felt generous and immersive – a celebration shaped by artistry, community, and the couple’s shared vision for beauty and belonging.

A Heartfelt Italian Villa Wedding Full of Summer Florals & Vintage Charm

Our Love Story

^{The Day We Met}

Sophia and I “met” three times before we found each other. The first time, she was someone else’s date to a formal reception. The second time, she was student body president and I was a student organizer. The third time, Sophia was moving back to Austria, and on her last evening in D.C., I saw her across the room at a crowded bar. At the end of the night, she waited for me to put my coat on—and that’s when I knew we were going to get married.

^{The Proposal}

We were long-distance in the early days of our relationship, so when we had time together in the same place, it was special. On my first trip to visit Sophia in Austria, she took me to Schönbrunn, and we walked through the gardens. Seven years later, we visited the gardens again—this time on one of those impossibly hot August days when even in the shade the air was thick and still. Sophia proposed in a grove of trees with her grandmother’s ring. We celebrated with champagne at the Gloriette and were so happy that we walked all over the city—almost 13 miles—before ending up at Café Landtmann for dinner, just the two of us.

^{The Engagement Ring}

Sophia and I both come from close-knit families, and when we started talking about marriage, we knew we wanted our partnership to build on that foundation. Sophia told her parents that she was planning to propose, and they were kind enough to share a family ring with us—the same ring her grandmother wore during her 57-year marriage. We worked with a jeweler in San Francisco to have the stone from her grandmother’s ring reset in a classic gold band.

Our Wedding

^{The Vision}

Our families and our community mean everything to us—they have raised, nourished, challenged, and supported us individually and together throughout our relationship. Our wedding gave us the chance to honor our people and deepen connections across different chapters of our lives—all while throwing a really good party. We wanted to delight people and for them to leave knowing that we are counting on them as we move forward in our marriage.

^{Our Team of Vendors}

We are so grateful to the creative team and all of the amazing people who helped make the wedding day possible. Valentina and Elisa at LaLindi were helpful with sourcing and design throughout the planning process. Samantha, our photographer, and Lec, our videographer, are both artists with a keen eye—they documented almost everything on film and brought the best energy to the wedding day itself. Alexandra did a wonderful job with everyone’s hair and makeup. Giorgia was deeply creative and thoughtful with her design of the tables and florals. Alberto and the team at Class made delicious, classic Italian food—and even more importantly, they took care of our families at dinner. And finally, Gruppo Studio Musica Popolare played the best music set for the best dance floor I have ever experienced—they are the reason the party lasted until dawn.

^{The Location}

Sophia and I both grew up in families with mixed cultural heritage—I am Mexican American and she is Austrian American—so creating a celebration that honored where we come from and the people who shaped us felt essential. We were married at City Hall in New York, but we knew we wanted to bring everyone together for a full weekend where no one had to rush home. Because the matriarch of Sophia’s family is based in Austria, we wanted a place she could reach easily by train.

Villa Buonvisi in Lucca was perfect—it could host nearly all of our guests on-site and gave us space to simply be together. The team at Buonvisi—Ida, Michaela, and everyone at the villa—were wonderful, and their kindness and care turned every meal, every aperitivo, and even quiet mornings into something memorable. By the time we left, the staff felt like family, and we all cried saying goodbye.

^{The Ceremony}

The ceremony took place late Saturday afternoon in the shade of a giant chestnut tree. Sophia and I had written our own vows with help from our beloved friend Kokei Otosi, who also officiated, and other friends read a poem, A Blessing for the Journey. The commitment we were making to one another, witnessed by our families and community, was the heart of the entire weekend.

^{The Cocktail Hour}

After the ceremony, friends and family spilled out onto the lawn of Villa Buonvisi. There were Campari spritzes and champagne, aperitivi, and the light became hazy as the sun sank behind the hills. Bossa nova, French covers of ’60s hits, and Italian jazz played in the background.

^{The Reception}

Our guests were seated in a traditional Italian U-shape, with our families beside us at the head of the table. Our parents and sisters gave beautiful speeches, we ate delicious pasta, and drank wine we had picked out a few days earlier at a local grocery store. The table was set with handwritten menus, Ginori 1735 plates, and covered in a tumble of florals and summer fruits—with tiny details at almost every seat.

^{The Special Touches}

Sophia printed portraits of our late grandparents, and LaLindi and Giorgia incorporated the photographs into the table design. Talking about our grandparents with our family and friends made it feel like they were there with us at dinner.

Documenting the day on film was something Sophia and I were both excited about. In addition to working with Samantha, Lec surprised us by bringing both his 8mm and 16mm film cameras. Our guests had point-and-shoot cameras throughout the weekend and recorded messages for us on a camcorder. Capturing these different perspectives, particularly on film, was magic.

A Heartfelt Italian Villa Wedding Full of Summer Florals & Vintage Charm

^{Our Favorite Moment}

After the ceremony, once everybody was seated for dinner, Sophia and I entered the party across the lawn to the song How You Satisfy Me. It was amazing to see everyone together at one crowded table. In addition to the ceremony, we wanted everyone to relax and truly enjoy the time we had at Villa Buonvisi.

We hosted a poolside lunch Friday afternoon with focaccia sandwiches and limoncello spritzes. We followed the pool party with an informal welcome dinner—with speeches from friends who were there the night we met, who we have dinner with every Sunday, and who inspire our creative work.

Our Style

^{Our Wedding Looks}

London

Alejandra Oria is an amazing bridal designer based in Madrid. As I began looking at dresses, I kept coming back to her work. In my sister’s speech at the reception, she noted that I had been drawing my wedding dress since we were children. The sketches were always the same—off-the-shoulder sleeves, gathering at the waist, a soft A-line. Alejandra brought the vision to life in light cream silk dupioni. I wore a veil I made by hand, my grandmother’s ring, earrings from a small boutique in Paris, and paired the whole look with Stuart Weitzman heels.

Sophia

Sophia wanted a look that was both elegant and classic, so when it came time to select a suit maker, American-made J. Press was an easy choice. She wore a custom double-breasted tuxedo with silk grosgrain lapels and a matching bow tie. All of the accessories were vintage, including Balmain tuxedo shoes, mother-of-pearl tuxedo studs, her grandfather’s ring, and a gold Longines watch, which was my gift to her on our wedding day.

Our Advice

^{For the Planning Process}

First, plan a wedding that works for you—it is really important to know yourself and what type of celebration will work for you, your partner, and your guests. Trust your instincts and your vision; be true to yourself and what you want. Second, ask for support. Figure out how much you can do yourself and where extra hands will make a difference. Entrust loved ones with projects and create meaningful ways for them to participate. We had help from family and friends at almost every step—from the illustration of the villa grounds to assembling welcome bags to documenting the day itself—and those things were all the more meaningful because of the involvement of our loved ones.

^{For On The Day}

On the day itself, trust yourself, be present, and take unexpected events in stride. Keep your friends close, make time to step away for perspective, soak everything in, and have fun.