When it comes to the real weddings we feature, on the blog, we don't tend to pick favourites. Each and every one is gorgeous, unique and inspiring in different ways.
But when it comes to Paula & Adam's romantic destination wedding in Puglia, Italy, I have to leave my bias at the door and say, I'm head over heels in love.
With the help of their planner, Sara Pietrelli of Chic Weddings in Italy, this couple created an intimate celebration that was beautifully styled from start to finish.
This morning, we shared their captivating wedding film by Marco Caputo, but now we have their stunning images by Cinzia Bruschini, in her signature, atmospheric style.
So, there's a few reasons why I've fallen so hard for this wedding.
One, Paula & Adam are a couple after my own heart. Their love story is an international one, Adam is British, Paula is Brazilian, as well as part-Japanese and European, and they met through a mutual friend and ended up as flatmates in NYC. Since then, they've traveled together far and wide.
Two, Puglia is a place at the top of my bucketlist, a region at ‘the heel' of Italy, with incredible food and unrivalled scenery (and we're planning to go there on honeymoon this summer!).
And third, this wedding is gorgeous. Like, incredibly gorgeous. From our stylish bride and groom and their chic bridal party, to the quirky escort cards and the stunning tablescape, every last detail of this wedding is just so well thought out and beautifully executed.
Okay, I'll stop waxing on now, and let you guys gush, swoon, and pin for yourselves!
Wedding Day Snapshot
The Proposal Story
The proposal was by lake Annecy in France.
Love Actually is one of my favorite movies and Adam had been learning Portuguese for nearly a year so the proposal was in Portuguese and had a flare of Colin Firth’s (I can’t remember his character’s name) proposing to Aurelia, the Portuguese girl.
The Colour Palette
A white Puglian wedding!
The wedding party was in white/off-white/light neutrals; the venue was all white; the flowers were white/blush/green.
The Venue
We chose the venue before it had opened for business, which was a bit of a gamble. We loved its simple elegance and the fact that it was secluded, in a world of its own.
What sealed the deal was that we were familiar with the other properties owned by the Melpignano family so we knew what to expect.
The Dresses
My dress was a two-piece by Watters, my bridesmaids picked their own dresses according to the color scheme (white/off-white).
The Ceremony
The friend who introduced us conducted the ceremony, two of our friends picked and read passages in English and two others read the equivalent translation in Portuguese.
The Photography & Videography
We like that Cinzia has a strong point of view and steers clear from traditional, borderline sterile, photos. Her pictures are artistic and aesthetically stunning, everything we could have wished for.
Marco is likewise amazing. He was able to capture the feelings behind every moment without overdoing it, an approach that suited us to a tee. His images were absolutely stunning.
We couldn’t be happier with the results from both Cinzia and Marco.
Advice for Other Couples
I looked at Pinterest and bought a few magazines for inspiration but ultimately working with a good wedding planner really did help.
But regardless, it’s still a lot of work, a lot of decisions to be made, so the best advice is to be organized. When you’re organized you feel more in control and less stressed.
In my view the whole planning process is supposed to be enjoyable so plan ahead and don’t worry about it, it will be beautiful not matter what.
The Refreshments
We served caipirinhas of various fruits but no proper signature cocktail.
It was a four course sit down dinner and the wedding cake was traditional from Puglia.
We also “bem-casados”, a Brazilian sweet meant to bring good fortune to newlyweds.
The Decor & Details
My mother hand-painted silk scarves for the women using the color scheme of our invitations and we perfumed them with our wedding signature scent.
As it was a destination wedding, we also printed canvas bags with the wedding signature and filled them with a few items to welcome our guests.
Adam is a big fan of riddles and charades so he created one for our guests and we included them in the bag as well.
All the other touches were suggested by our superstar wedding planner Sara.
Our Favourite Details
1) More than I would have expected, we had a hand in all the details so they truly reflected ‘us’. Even though in his speech Adam attributed the vision and execution to me, the truth is he was involved every step of the way and that truly meant the world to me.
In many ways, his commitment to making it the best day of our lives (on the day, he pulled me aside several times to make sure we took it all in together) made it the best day of my life.
2) Having our friends and close family come in a few days before the wedding for a couple of other events was also great. By the wedding they all knew each other, which made it for a special atmosphere
3) Our very long table. We all sat on the same table. It was symbolic for us and the beautiful pictures were added bonuses.
The Music
I don’t remember everything but know that I walked down the aisle to Bach Cello Suite #1.
Our first dance was “No Diggity”, the Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox.
The Honeymoon
Most of our guests left Italy the day after the wedding but we didn’t leave to our “mini moon” in Santorini until the following day.
I’m glad we took the extra day just to relax and pack without rushing.
We waited a few months to go on the real honeymoon and that was nice – gave us something to look forward to after the wedding rush had passed.
Didn't we tell you it was special? I just adore how bathed in light it all is. How amazing is that single long table too? Those silver fans are so chic, and what an intimate space for the ceremony as well.
As you can see, I'm still in full swoon!
And once again, thanks so much to Cinzia Bruschini, Marco Caputo Films, and of course, Paula & Adam for sharing their stunning destination wedding with us.
P.S. Don't forget to watch Paula and Adam's romantic wedding film.
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