CJ + Rod’s destination wedding, which took place in Florence, Italy at a incredibly beautiful castle, Castello di Vincigliata, was one of my favorite weddings I’ve ever captured! Nestled in the hills of Tuscany, the castle provided a storied backdrop, perfect for this sweet couple to exchange their vows in front of their closest friends + family who traveled from all over the world to be there. CJ, Rod and I spent the months leading up to their destination wedding planning out all the logistics and details, mapping out locations for portraits and their pre-wedding photo session, and perfecting the timeline so the day would go off without a hitch. Of course, sometimes mother nature has her own ideas and it ended up raining on their wedding day. These two remained calm and kept focus on the bigger picture: they were marrying their best friend! Their family and friends are truly some of the most genuine, kind-hearted and all-around amazing people I’ve ever met. All dressed up in their wedding guest attire, they banned together, trying to sweep the rain out of the castle’s terraces for the wedding ceremony and reception. You’ll see images of this moment none of us will ever forget in the post! Luckily, we succeeded in clearing out the ceremony location and the sun peeked out for a few minutes, allowing CJ + Rod to exchange vows outdoors on the castle’s stunning terrace overlooking all of Tuscany. The reception required a tent so the catering team would be able to proceed with their service. It was not what the couple and I had spent months discussing and envisioning in our heads, but it turned out so beautifully nevertheless, and truly their go-with-the-flow and happy, grateful attitudes toward it all was incredible to see.
CJ was a stunning bride, wearing a timeless wedding dress by Enzoani. Her classic look for hair and makeup was a perfect match. Rod’s family owns Michael Alan Jewelers in Orange County, California, which is wear CJ’s beautiful engagement ring, wedding band and necklace were from. Definitely check them out if you are looking for wedding or engagement rings in LA or Orange County! Local florist, FlowersLiving designed CJ’s lush lavender, green and white bouquet and an incredible floral infinity arch as the ceremony backdrop. We were definitely glad to have been able to include it despite the rain and last minute changes!
Thank you so much to this lovely duo, who I am now lucky to call my friends, for inviting me to capture your destination wedding in Florence! I’m excited that CJ has offered to write a guest post for me soon about how to plan a destination wedding in Italy! Stay tuned for that. Congrats CJ + Rod!!
Photography: Greg Ross // Planning + Design: W Tuscany Events // Floral Design: Flowers Living // Second Photographer: Daniel & Valentina // Wedding Dress: Enzoani // Jewelry: Michael Alan Jewelers // Getting Ready Location: St. Regis Florence // Film Lab: Goodman Film Lab // Film Stock: Kodak
