Real Wedding: Bethany & Olivier

Rome and elegance at its finest

Classic, romantic and luxurious — Bethany and Olivier's wedding was infused with Italian traditional aesthetics, sophistication and an ambience of love. A dream wedding in a gorgeous and amazing 17th century baroque Villa Aurelia was the epitome of elegance. Gathering guests, relatives and loved ones, from all over the world, it turned out to be a beautiful and memorable event, but also allowed positive emotions and sincerity to be the center of this celebration. Read more below and learn details about the organization of a luxurious Italian wedding that was beautifully captured by our talented member, wedding photographer Adrian Juric from La Moment Photography.

Tell us a little about yourselves. How did you meet? What do you do for a living? What are your hobbies?

Olivier and I met just before Christmas in 2016 in Melbourne. We were both working at the same global beauty company. Olivier was from Belgium and had just transferred to Australia eager for an adventure. He was tall, dark and handsome but the fact we were colleagues made me cautious at first. After a year of close friendship, it was undeniable that he was incredibly special and we took the plunge to start dating. Never looking back since. In 2019, we moved to Paris. I had the chance to transfer with work and Olivier seized the opportunity to create an online start up. We’ve spent the past 4 years traveling, working and building our life together. Olivier is creative, free spirited and always up for a party. He often DJs at our friend’s birthdays and weddings. I have a love of fashion, traveling and above all my family and friends.

Can you share your engagement story?

Olivier proposed one weekend when we were back in Belgium. It was a beautiful winter day with blue sky and sunshine. We were sitting by a canal eating Belgian waffles when he turned and pulled out a symbolic ring in a box. I was so surprised and then we both burst into tears. We had dinner with his mum and some close friends that evening. The following morning he had booked an appointment to pick out the real ring. It was so perfect!

Did you have any pre-wedding events, like a rehearsal dinner or bridal shower?

As everyone was flying in for the wedding, we had a welcome drink the night before at the W Hotel Rooftop. We had a relaxed DJ & served Aperol Spritz’s whilst we watched the sunset on Rome. It was such a fun way to kick things off. The day after the wedding we had a pool party at Casale Del Gallo where we were staying just outside Rome. We ended up with everyone dancing by the pool until sunset. It was the perfect ending.

Where was your wedding? Why did you choose this venue?

Our wedding was in Rome, Italy. At the beautiful 17th century baroque Villa Aurelia. Being from opposite sides of the world, finding the right destination was a challenge. We ultimately decided on Europe as it’s the place our romance really developed. Plus our friends and family in Australia were thankfully quite open to a European destination wedding after several years of Covid lockdown. Villa Aurelia was the first venue we visited. It was located in Trastevere, our favourite place in Rome and only 15 mins from the city centre. We instantly fell in love with it. Firstly, because its location made logistics as simple as it could be for our guests. Secondly, because it offered so many unique spaces that would give the whole day a great flow, from inside to outside.

What was the concept behind your wedding and how did you find your inspiration?

Our vision for the day was a classic, timeless and romantic summer evening. The villa had a beautiful baroque style, so we kept all the other touches very minimal. Pinterest really helped. I had specific pictures of each of the elements and we had amazing vendors who we totally trusted to bring it together. For the day itself, we wanted it to feel very personal. Due to the distance, It was the first (and sadly maybe only) time our friends and family would all be together. We wanted to share our love with everyone present and show how unbelievably touched we were by the kilometers everyone had flown. So we had a close friend officiate the ceremony, wrote our own vows and prioritised time for speeches. It was so very precious.

How long did it take to plan your wedding? Did you encounter any challenges during the planning process?

We started planning about 14 months out. I am super organised thanks to my work; so started by building us a timeline to space everything out. Olivier was a great decision pusher when I could have a tendency to overthink things so we made a perfect team! The biggest challenge was that living in Paris meant we had to squeeze lots of decisions into only 2 visits before the big day. Luckily as we chose a city we adore. That made the planning trips to Rome into some of our favourite memories.

How many guests did you have? And what was the seating arrangement at the wedding like?

We had just under 100 guests who all flew in to celebrate with us. For the dinner, we had three long tables lit with candles & it took place in a walled garden. It was a warm summer night & sitting around the table surrounded by everyone was just magical.

Tell us about your outfits. How many different styles have you tried?

I wore a stunning Vivienne Westwood gown that truly just felt like me. It was the perfect mix of classic and modern. It was quite the drama though as I actually had ordered a different dress. A few weeks before the day, I encountered issues with the alterations and I needed to find an alternative. The Vivienne gown arrived only two weeks before the big day. It felt like Cinderella’s slipper; it came straight out of the box and fitted like a glove without any alterations. It went perfectly with the veil and satin shoes I had already ordered. It was just meant to be! Olivier wore a classic Tuxedo from Fursac Paris. He paired it with moccasin style loafers & tailored the trousers to hit above the ankle giving it a modern twist. He truly looked like a prince charming meets James Bond. For the dance floor, I changed into a mini dress from Kyha Studios. It was also quite a classic style but with a big bow that trailed to the floor giving it a fun feeling.

What was your first dance song? Did you choreograph or improvise?

Our first dance wasn’t traditional at all. We choose ‘Freed by desire’ as we wanted our dance to get the party started. It was part choreographed but mostly improvised. There is a part right before the beat drops where we made everyone get low on the dance floor & then we all jumped up together when it finally dropped. We had so much fun and it was such a great memory from the night.

Did you have any wedding favours?

We wanted to ensure each guest knew how much it meant to us that they were there. So we wrote a note to each person and Olivier calligraphed their name in his signature graffiti style on the front as their place card. The process of writing them all and seeing everyone read them was really very special.

Did you have any special performances or entertainment?

The ceremony took place in the beautiful music room which had the most gorgeous grand piano. Initially I imagined the ceremony outside but upon seeing the piano, Olivier had a great vision to do the ceremony in this space. We had Antonio, a very talented pianist play ‘Bridge over troubled water’ by Simon and Garfunkel while I walked down the aisle. It was a very special song for my late father and I so it meant the world to have it playing as I walked in with mum.

What was the most memorable moment from your wedding day?

Aside from walking in and seeing all our guests together for the first time, we both agree the ceremony was the most special moment. We wrote personalised vows and creative Olivier even made his into rhyming lyrics — it totally took my breath away, it was so perfect. I also absolutely loved spending the day getting ready with my mum and bridal party at the Six Senses in Rome, an old palazzo transformed into a hotel. It was also very special.

Are there any vendors that you would like to tell us a little more about?

Each one of our vendors was incredible! A true stand out was Adrian from La Moment Photography. He was the first thing we booked after the venue and we are so grateful that we did. He totally captured our vision for the day and we will cherish our photos for a lifetime! We were also so impressed by Cristina at Nicolai who took care of the catering and served up the most delicious Italian feast. As well as Francesca and Paula from Nonsolorose who lovingly prepared all the flowers.

What advice would you give to couples who are currently planning their wedding?

Make the most of your guests being there, it goes by so quickly so cherish every second. Don’t sweat the small stuff, or even the big stuff (…like my wedding dress falling through 2 weeks out). It will always work out for the best in the end. Enjoy the process; the planning is all part of the experience so make every step from the venue visits to the menu tastings a good memory together.

What helped you cope with the anxiety before the wedding?

I focused on the fact that it’s just a party and it’s totally ok if things don’t go exactly to plan. No matter what it will be the most memorable day marrying your best friend!