Real Wedding: Camille & Adam

Tuscany's charm and infinite love

Camille and Adam's wedding in enchanting Montalcino, Tuscany was a fairytale come true. After spending an unforgettable three-day wedding weekend surrounded by their loved ones, the couple were able to truly submerge in Italian art, incredible history and authentic hospitality. The bride donned in a multitude of chic bridal looks, each equally striking in their sophistication and elegance, and a poetic match for the location. At the heart of it all was a 1,000-year-old Catholic Abbey, where their journey into wedded bliss unfolded into a celebration of beauty and love.

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

Adam and I met at Sunday School — though not the typical kind. It was actually a ridiculous Sunday brunch party. At the time, I was still in college and hosting my dad for parents’ weekend along with a couple of girlfriends and their parents. Adam’s group of friends combined with ours and he ended up sitting across the table from my dad and me. Instead of being deterred by my father's presence, Adam took the opportunity to leave the party with both my dad’s email address and my phone number. Currently, Adam and I both work in commercial real estate development. In my free time, I'm passionate about various forms of art such as painting, drawing, photography, and stone-sculpting. Adam, on the other hand, enjoys golfing and planning trips for the two of us. Together, we love exploring local restaurants, traveling, and doting over our ragdoll kitten, Parfait.

Can you share your engagement story?

One September evening, Adam surprised me with a note and a bottle of wine, revealing his plan for a spontaneous trip to Paris, calling it "the trip of a lifetime". Just three days later, we jetted off to Paris. (Thanks to Adam's thoughtful timing, I had just enough time to pack for the unexpected international trip and secure last-minute days off from work). The trip was filled with surprises, with Adam keeping the itinerary secret and only giving me hints about the attire to pack. Too exhilarated to be jet-lagged, we arrived at the Plaza Athénée, where we were ushered to an Eiffel Tower suite. I felt like I was in a movie while Adam unveiled our plans for the evening: a sunset dinner at Giraffe followed by floor seats to see Arcade Fire, one of our favorite bands. Despite a minor mishap of Adam leaving his wallet in the cab, it didn't dampen our concert experience. The next morning, as we awaited our ride in the hotel lobby, a valet returned Adam's lost wallet, feeling like a sign that everything was meant to be. Little did I know, our next surprise awaited us — a hot air balloon ride over Paris! Adam had arranged for a private ride, where he proposed above the clouds, presenting me with a ring he had secretly created. While we were still in the air, he informed me that upon landing we were headed to my bucket list destination: Claude Monet’s residence in Giverny. We kept our engagement to ourselves, relishing in the blissful moment.

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

In June, my husband Adam and I exchanged vows in the enchanting setting of Montalcino, Tuscany. Our intimate three-day affair took place at various venues across the historic town, culminating in our ceremony at a nearly 1,000-year-old Catholic Abbey just outside the city. This location held profound significance for me, symbolizing Italy's influence on my religious and artistic identity since childhood. Rather than imposing our choice of venue on our large extended family in the United States, we limited the guest list to our immediate family, wedding party, and resolute loved ones, resulting in an incredibly intimate affair that moved at a comfortable, ethereal pace, and surrounded us with genuine appreciation. Although we fulfilled our dream of an Italian church ceremony, it was equally important to honor our extensive support system back home. So, a month after our Italian wedding, we hosted a reception in California with nearly 300 friends and family at Shady Canyon Golf Club.

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

My wedding was largely inspired by my spiritual and artistic connection with Italy and the ‘exquisitely simple’ architecture of the ancient abbey we were married in. At the beginning of wedding planning, I had a synesthetic encounter while listening to the song "Plan and Elevation: V. The Beech Tree," where I envisioned exactly how the ceremony would look, sound, and feel. We ultimately played this song as my bridal processional and the feeling of seeing my vision play out in real life for my loved ones to share was indescribable. When it came to our California reception, we wanted our guests to feel as though we had conveniently brought our Italian experience to them. Drawing inspiration from Tuscany's charm, we transformed Shady Canyon's Mediterranean architecture and scenic hills into a refined garden party setting, incorporating elements that honored both Italy and Orange County. Other points of inspiration included LouLou Paris and my favorite Nancy Meyers movies. As we prepared to make our grand entrance for our first dance, we shared the premiere of our wedding video from Italy, inviting our guests to share in our joy as if they were right there with us in Tuscany a month prior.

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

Our Italian wedding took place 8 months after our engagement and our California reception was held a month after that. We planned the Italian portion ourselves, which was surprisingly manageable due to the low guest count. California, however, was a much larger event and I was thankful for the help of our four-month planner to guide us through the large-scale logistics.

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

I wore a custom wedding dress that was meticulously crafted by my lifelong family friend, Shelly Lathrum. The dress was inspired by the architecture of the ancient abbey as well as my bridal processional song, “Plan and Elevation: V. The Beech Tree”. Over six months, we refined the dress's construction based on my designs, incorporating double-sided Duchess silk to echo the abbey's arches, delicate Chantilly lace resembling musical notes, and an Italian silk tulle veil evoking ancient window light. The harmonious convergence of the dress, venue, and song on our wedding day was indescribable. Following the ceremony, we celebrated at a historic estate owned by my husband's favorite Italian wine producer, Conti Costanti. To infuse a more playful and relaxed tone, I entered the venue without my lace jacket. Shelly helped tailor a Danielle Frankel gown into a 'deconstructed' version of my ceremony gown, which I had originally only intended to wear in California. I couldn’t resist but to throw it on for our wedding cake-cutting moment in Italy toward the end of the night. At our rehearsal dinner, I wore a vintage ice blue and lace Dolce & Gabbana gown. This dress served as a special reminder of my bachelorette experience just a few days before, when my bridesmaids and I serendipitously attended a fashion show put on by Dolce & Gabbana in Portofino.

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

We saved our first dance for our California reception and danced to “Lamb’s Wool” by Foster the People. I will admit that we took a few dance lessons just to get our ballroom steps right.

Did you have any special performances or entertainment?

In Italy, we hired an amazing local entertainment duo who provided the perfect playful contrast to our formal ceremony. Picture 80’s music performed with thick Italian accents — it was absolutely incredible.

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

We had roughly 30 guests in Italy and nearly 300 in California. In both venues we were restricted with size and ended up using circular tables to fit everyone comfortably.

What was the most memorable moment from your wedding day?

It's difficult to choose just one standout moment; the entire day remains vivid in my memory. I made sure my husband didn't see my dress or hear the song that inspired it until I walked down the aisle. Witnessing his reaction to the song live, an expression of my love for him, paired with the dress I had designed specifically for that moment in that location, was truly special.

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

It was very important to me to document our wedding in Italy so that we could share it with our friends and family back in California afterward in a way that made our guests feel like they were there with us. Our photographer, Zonzo Studio and videographer, Paramanova Movies were everything we could have hoped for and more.

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

I love to keep up with fashion and wedding trends and remember being nervous that I would gravitate toward themes or designs that wouldn’t uphold over time as my tastes evolved. At one point, Irevisited my old Tumblr page from middle school, noting what still appealed to me after a decade. I find that a lot of timeless things in life are either elegantly simple, exquisitely crafted or, in many cases, both at once. Infusing authenticity and layered meanings that reflected both my husband's and my individuality, as well as our environment, helped me feel like I was achieving genuine timelessness.

Were there national/religious traditions at your wedding and how did you implement them?

We had a Catholic wedding ceremony, which was particularly meaningful in the ancient abbey. One of the most memorable moments occurred towards the end of our ceremony when our priest surprised us with a remarkable gift. He had obtained a special blessing from Pope Francis and presented it to us as a beautifully hand-calligraphed document issued by the Vatican. It was a deeply touching gesture that added an extra layer of significance to our marriage ceremony.