Marble, Linens, and Ceramics: A Tuscan Dream Reimagined in California

[section title=”The Planning”]
[field title=”Wedding Colors”]

Shades of pink, light blue, taupe, greenery

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[field title=”Design / Vibe / Vision”]

Nick and I met in Florence, Italy, while studying abroad during our junior year of college, so Italy has always held a special place in our hearts. We initially considered getting married there, but ultimately, California made the most sense for our families. Still, we knew we wanted to bring a Tuscan-inspired feel to our wedding, and when we discovered La Tarantella, it truly felt like Italy had been brought to us. Our reception design revolved around the venue’s breathtaking oak tree, with a custom round, marble-inspired bar serving as the focal point. Marble, along with linens and ceramics, were elements we weaved in throughout the day to evoke the essence of Tuscany. Linen was used for our bar menu at cocktail hour and the dinner menus at the reception, adding a soft touch. One of our favorite design elements was the blue hand-painted ceramic dinner plates, which felt like a nod to Italian craftsmanship. We paired the plates with ribbed wineglasses and scalloped chargers to match the playfulness of the design. In addition to the round reception bar, our cocktail bar and dance floor were also designed to replicate the beauty of marble, creating a cohesive look. Blending our wedding seamlessly with La Tarantella’s natural beauty was also a priority. To do so, we selected dark wood pews for the ceremony, as well as dark wood dining tables and chairs for the reception. The dark wood perfectly complemented the large oak trees on the property. The venue’s signature dusty-rose tone inspired the font color for our invites and menus, as well as the marble tones of the cocktail and reception bars, dance floor, and florals. Every choice was made to reflect the warmth and romance of Tuscany while embracing the stunning setting we fell in love with – even down to the name cards at the reception tables, which were Italian-inspired scrolls with dusty-rose calligraphy, and the table numbers, which were inspired by the plaster walls of Italian apartments.

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[field title=”Proposal Story”]

Nick proposed on a private beach at sunset in Kauai while we were there celebrating our fourth dating anniversary. It was such a special moment, and we loved having a few days on the island to soak it all in just the two of us before sharing the news.

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[board_carousel title=”Getting Ready”]

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[board_carousel title=”Bridal Portraits”]

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[board_carousel title=”Flat Lays”]

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[section title=”The Fashion”]
[field title=”Wedding Gown”]

For my dress shopping, my mom, sisters, and lifelong best friend joined me in L.A., making it such a special experience. We visited several boutiques, but I kept coming back to Monique Lhuillier’s designs. While I loved every dress I tried on, I didn’t find the one until my second visit. I ultimately chose the Kate gown by Monique Lhuillier—it felt so romantic, delicate, and timeless, which aligned beautifully with our venue. The Chantilly lace also reminded me of Paris, where Nick and I lived together for a month, adding an extra sentimental touch. I worked with Monique to customize the gown, adding a transparent bodice, satin-covered buttons, and a two-foot train. For the ceremony, I paired it with the Helena jacket and matching Kate veil, extending the veil by two feet so the lace details would be even more visible against my train. For the after-party, I changed into the Rosa Mini by Australian designer Christie Nicole. As a dancer, I knew I wanted a mini dress to move freely, and I loved that the Rosa Mini felt just as timeless as my wedding gown while offering something different—it featured intricate beading and appliqués instead of lace. My accessories were equally meaningful. I wore a gold and diamond pendant necklace from Nick’s grandmother, featuring delicate olive leaf details—so fitting for our Tuscan-inspired wedding. I borrowed my hair clip from my older sister, who wore it on her wedding day. I also wore my opal ring that belonged to my grandmother, a piece I wear daily, and had a locket my sister gifted me tied around my bouquet. I paired these with Jimmy Choo heels and carried a Bella Rosa clutch, which felt perfect since it was Italian-made and complemented my after-party dress beautifully.

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[field title=”Bridesmaid Dresses”]I fell in love with the softness of Reformation’s Frankie silk dress in Porcelain for my bridesmaids. I knew I wanted some variation in their looks, so I paired different styles from Shona Joy’s La Lune collection in powder blue. The soft blue of the Reformation dress became a key inspiration throughout our design, influencing the cocktail hour table linens, reception runner, bar menus at the Piaggio truck and coffee cart, and even the floral arrangements at the reception.[/field]
[field title=”Groomsman Attire”]

Nick wore a custom suit.

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[board_carousel title=”Wedding Party”]

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[board_carousel title=”Ceremony”]

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[board_carousel title=”Cocktail Hour”]

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[section title=”The Details”]
[field title=”Food & Drink”]

One of Nick’s only requests for our wedding was to serve blueberry steak. This dish was inspired by Acqua Al 2, a neighborhood restaurant he frequented during our study abroad in Florence. For drinks, we created three signature cocktails, each with a name that had personal significance. My cocktail was a replica of my go-to drink from Madison on Park, one of our favorite date night spots in San Diego. We renamed it La Ghibellina after the street where our Florence apartments were located—the very place where Nick and I first met. Nick’s cocktail was named The Ryman, after the historic music venue in Nashville where we had our first official date as a couple when we returned for our senior year of school. Our third cocktail, The Gigi, was a citrusy twist on my grandma’s favorite drink, a margarita, and was named in her honor. We also served beer and kombucha out of a Piaggio truck, which was another really fun nod to Florence! For dessert, we served fruit tarts and madeleine cookies as a nod to the month we spent together in Paris. Since Nick and I are both coffee fanatics, a coffee bar was a must. One of our favorite things to do together is enjoy a for-here mug of coffee at new cafés, so we wanted to bring that experience to our wedding. We served my favorite honey cinnamon latte, Nick’s go-to cortado, and affogatos for a sweet, espresso-filled treat. We carried our love for coffee into the after-party as well, serving espresso martinis to keep the energy high.

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[field title=”Florals & Decor”]I’ve always loved vintage and vintage-inspired pieces, so we incorporated that aesthetic into our wedding design. The chandeliers above the reception tables and the pendant lights hanging from the trees were both vintage-inspired. We also used weathered-looking vases to display the bar signs at the reception. The distressed, pewter flatware at the reception was also reminiscent of Ancient Italy. Together, these elements added a romantic, old-world charm, which tied in beautifully with our Tuscan theme.

For our ceremony, we knew from the start that we wanted to exchange vows in front of the vineyards, with the rolling hills as our backdrop—a setting that was very reminiscent of Italy. Our incredible florist, Max Gil, designed florals that complemented the natural beauty of the space, working with the existing oak branches that formed an organic arch.

My bou had peonies – my favorite flower – and other layered flowers, like garden roses, to help achieve the romantic aesthetic we were going for.
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[field title=”Wedding Cake”]

We knew we wanted a lemon olive oil cake for our wedding—something unique, aligned perfectly with our Italian vision, and, of course, delicious. With my gluten and dairy allergies, we were a bit nervous about finding the perfect cake. Thankfully, our planners discovered Bleum Malibu in L.A., a bakery that specializes in allergen-free, organic, and incredibly tasty cakes. It was exactly what we were hoping for!

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[field title=”Readings, Ceremony Music, Reception Songs”]

It was really important to us to have a ceremony that was centered around Christian faith, so we selected gospel songs that we regularly listen to at church, including the song I walked down the aisle to—Rescue by Lauren Daigle. For our first dance, we chose In Your Love by Tyler Childers. His music blends bluegrass, folk, and country, and we knew we wanted our first dance to this music genre to reflect the Nashville part of our story. We saw him perform this song live while we were planning the wedding, and we just knew it had to be our first dance. Since it was such a special moment for us, we decided to have it played acoustically, so we flew in two incredible country musicians from Nashville to perform it live. The FortNash musicians also performed at our welcome party, cocktail hour, and throughout the dinner portion of the reception. For our last song at the reception, we chose Our Song by Taylor Swift. Taylor’s music is something we play daily at home, so we knew it had to make an appearance at the wedding—it just felt so us. To end the night at the after-party, we played Closer by The Chainsmokers. Kind of a funny story—this was the number one song played on repeat at the bar we both went to during our freshman year of college in Nashville. We would go to the same small bar almost every week and somehow never met until 2 years later, halfway across the world. So, this song was a fun throwback for all our Vanderbilt friends at the wedding!

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[field title=”Special Detail #1″]

One of our favorite elements of the wedding was our escort card display, which was inspired by our weekly trips to the farmers market, where we do most of our grocery shopping. The display featured fresh, seasonal fruits, making it not only a beautiful and sentimental touch but also interactive for our guests.

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[field title=”Special Detail #2″]

From the beginning, we knew we wanted pew seating for the ceremony. Our first official date as a couple was at The Ryman, a historic music venue in Nashville, where we both went to school, and we sat in pews during the concert. And since pews are also reminiscent of church, it felt so fitting to carry that tradition into our ceremony.

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[field title=”Special Detail #3″]

We also wanted our welcome bags to be deeply personal and reflective of our story. Among other items, we included Vandy potato chips as a nod to our college, a fresh-baked croissant to remember our month in Paris, and chocolate from the Italian brand Venchi as a tribute to where we first met. Instead of traditional boutonnieres, Nick and his groomsmen wore lapel pins. Each pin was selected by Nick to represent something meaningful about his friendship with that particular groomsman. For his pin, Nick wore a fleur-de-lis as a nod to Italy, where our journey began.

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[board_carousel title=”Couple Portraits”]

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[board_carousel title=”Reception”]

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