Lisa and Lee’s wanted an intimate wedding, but the bride had never attended a small wedding and had a few reservations about it so she enlisted the expertise of Millie at Matthew Oliver Weddings and never looked back. Their big day was filled with beautiful surprises—including Il Salviatino, their Florentine Villa venue which they never even set eyes on prior to their wedding day! With complete trust in their planner, the couple celebrated on the meticulous historic grounds of the property with a garden ceremony and delightful courtyard reception. Fabulous garden floral arrangements are by Fluida Design with stationery by Meticulous Ink and menu by Papier. Lucky for us, Ben Yew Photography was on hand to capture the beautiful day in these stunning film images.
What made the wedding special and unique?
It was a mixture of so many things. We wanted a small intimate wedding but I had never been to a small wedding before – so I had some reservations of what it would be like. On the day it was perfect, utterly romantic, intimate & beautiful. This was due to a mixture of the venue, the setting and what our wedding planner, Millie, had put together, it was totally unique to us as a couple and captured the essence of our relationship. It couldn’t have been more perfect! What also made it unique was the fact we didn’t view the venue until our wedding day! I love surprises and I totally trusted Millie; everyone thought we were nuts, but it was the best decision I’ve ever made, other than marrying my husband!
Tell us about the gown and where/how you found it!
I found the gown at a shop called Tilly Mint in Fleet, Hampshire. It was the first gown I tried on and my Mum cried, I knew right then it was the one! I bought it that day without going to any other shops!
What were some touches added to make the wedding personal?
Photographs of our parents on their wedding days along with photographs of our Gran’s who had sadly passed away and couldn’t be with us – these were placed next to the wedding cake. Another personal touch included Lee’s cousin, Siobhan, who couldn’t be with us on the day, writing a personal letter to each of us and these were placed in our rooms for us to read as we were getting ready.
What was the most memorable part of the day?
This is so hard to answer as all of it was truly amazing! I would say the unexpected fireworks whilst we were sitting having our wedding breakfast whilst taking in the view of Florence. It was truly breathtaking and a magical moment.
Tell us how you met and became engaged.
Lee & I met on a dating website, we instantly clicked and arranged to meet for dinner later in the week. Lee was a true gentleman and ordered me a drink prior to my arrival and pulled out my chair so I could sit down upon greeting me. The date flew by as we chatted as if we had known each other forever. A year later Lee proposed to me in our back garden. He bought me a bouquet of roses, lit lots of candles & had a bottle of champagne waiting on ice. He told me to close my eyes after I came downstairs from my shower and led me outside. He then got down on one knee and asked me if I would do him the honor of marrying him. I immediately said yes without hesitation and a year later had the most wonderful wedding in Florence. It’s all been a dream come true and waiting to settle down with the right man in my mid-thirties was definitely the right decision.
Photographer: Ben Yew Photography // Wedding Planner: Matthew Oliver Weddings // Florists: Fluida Design // Stationery: Meticulous Ink // Venue : Il Salviatino // Menu: Papier // Name Cards: Printed.com // Videographer: Spatz Film // Music : Alma Project // Hair & Makeup: Beauty Infinity // Cake Maker: Sugarcups Greve // Equipment: Preludio Noleggi // Equipment Hire: JD Setup // Celebrant: Tuscan Pledges