Gregory and Shailyn chose the magnificent Palazzo Madama in Turin for their intimate and glamorous August elopement, planned and coordinated by Eleonora of Peach Perfect Weddings and documented by married photographers Viviana and Andrea.
The palace’s historic architecture, museum galleries and extraordinary artworks gave them the regal Italian setting they had imagined, with all the romance and grandeur of a European oil painting. Neither had visited Italy before, and the chance to discover Turin together formed a beautiful part of the experience.
As a beautiful curvy bride, Shailyn wore a bespoke ivory satin wedding dress that she designed herself and commissioned New Orleans seamstress and film-industry tailor Aurora Knox to create. She paired it with a magnificent pearl and crystal-embellished veil, while Gregory wore a beautifully tailored ivory tuxedo and opted for an alternative to the traditional boutonnière with a head-turner of a lapel arrangement.
Best friends long before they became a couple, this lovely couple knew that a year spent planning a conventional wedding wasn’t for them. What they created instead was intimate, adventurous and exquisitely romantic, unfolding over several days in Turin rather than being confined to one ceremony.
I’ll leave Shailyn to tell you why eloping felt so right and what made the experience such an extraordinary gift to them both.
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The Venue & Location
We were inspired by a feeling more than a single reference—something ethereal and regal, layered with a touch of dark romance. We kept envisioning the two of us in an intimate setting that felt timeless and transportive, as if you had stepped into a European oil painting.
Our vision blended softness and drama: warm ivory tones against deeper, moodier textures, romantic lighting, and details that felt intentional and artful. We were drawn to the kind of romance you feel while traveling through historic cities, wandering through galleries, or dining somewhere that feels steeped in story and elegance.
More than anything, we wanted our wedding to reflect the kind of marriage we’re building—one filled with romance, culture, adventure, artistry, and abundance. Every choice, from the florals to the fashion, came from a desire to create an atmosphere that felt luxurious and intimate, refined and meaningful.
The Dress
Aurora Knox
My dress was by New Orleans based Aurora Knox, a talented seamstress and tailor who works frequently in the film industry. As a curvy bride, I didn’t want to sacrifice fit for style. I specially designed my dress with details, including an oversized bow. My dress was carefully brought to life by Aurora.
For our wedding day, we were both drawn to ivory – it felt timeless, romantic, and against our brown skin tones, it gave the most beautiful soft richness in photos and in person.
I wore an ivory fitted satin wedding dress that I designed from scratch. From the very beginning, I knew I wanted a statement detail that felt both elegant and playful. The gown featured a large, off-centre bow that reminded me of the bow around Toulouse in The Aristocats, a subtle nod to my love of whimsical, feminine touches.
Before I even finalised the dress design, I actually purchased my veil first and worked backward from there. I’ve always believed it’s the smallest, most intricate details that end up taking centre stage!
My veil was an ivory chapel-length masterpiece, fully embellished from top to bottom with a mix of different-sized pearls and Swarovski crystals. It was beautifully heavy, but absolutely worth it to see my vision come to life. The sparkle and texture added so much dimension and drama in the most refined way.
As a member of the first black Greek sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha, Sorority, Inc., the details of pearls have always been a prominent embellishment I love.
To complement the look, I wore pearl slingback pointed-toe heels by Betsey Johnson, which featured full pearl detailing. I had my gown altered just right so the shoes could peek through and truly shine.
My earrings were sterling silver pearl studs with a teardrop diamond accent—simple, elegant, and perfectly coordinated with the pearls and shimmer throughout my look.
My hair and makeup artist was Tiri Abril.
Gregory also wore ivory, which created such a stunning, cohesive moment for us. His suit was tailored to perfection, and we loved how the ivory tone complemented both of us so beautifully.
And he wore black patent leather Postino Venetian loafers, which added a sleek, classic finish.
We share two loving and personable English Bulldogs, Gertrude and Gambino. As our first children, we wanted them there with us in spirit, and they were incorporated through Gregory’s gold cufflinks.
The Ceremony
We walked together into our ceremony, which was officiated by Love Celebrant.
Gregory and I wrote our own vows together as we got ready for our elopement. This was my favorite part of the entire wedding day together. The silence in the room as we both worked separately trying to find the perfect words that meant more than the words we share every day.
The silence in the room of finding the perfect words almost felt more intimate than reading them. They were written purely from the heart and on the spot and our words reflected the excitement of what our tomorrow together would look like!
Both of our vows included memories in the kitchen and our plans to make more and the love we plan to cover over our unity, future children, and adventures together.
Our photographers,
Viviana and Andrea, were especially chosen by my wedding planner. Since we planned a wedding ceremony in a country we never visited we did not have a specific photographer in mind.
The best part about our photographers is that they were a married couple and their love and flow of working together translated beautifully in our own photos. They were able to capture a love story collectively from a perspective that was special.
How They Met
Gregory and I first met in high school in 2010, when mutual friends introduced us because they thought our shared sense of humour made us a perfect match. At the time, however, we became friends rather than anything more, and neither of us could have known where that friendship would eventually lead.
Life took us in different directions for several years, but our paths crossed again in 2017 and this time the connection between us felt immediate.
We quickly became close friends, bonding over our shared love of adventure, travel, good food and, above all, making each other laugh. We spent hours talking about the places we wanted to explore, the experiences we hoped to share and the kind of life we wanted to create.
In 2018, as our friendship deepened, we decided to take a chance and see whether there might be something more between us. Over the following six years, we travelled, tried new things and created so many wonderful memories together, building a life filled with love, laughter and a genuine joy in one another’s company.
A Reception For Two
Marriage represents such a pivotal shift in life, and we wanted to honour that with care and crafted detail. Instead of investing in tradition for tradition’s sake, we poured our hearts (and resources) into what mattered most: our unification. Every element was thoughtfully chosen to reflect the depth of what we were stepping into together.
Florals were by Frida’s. Gregory also wanted his florals to feel just as intentional as mine. Instead of a traditional boutonniere, we designed an all-ivory floral lapel arrangement that made a statement and complemented my bouquet perfectly. Our florals were entirely ivory as well, tying everything together in a soft, romantic palette that felt cohesive and true to us.
Words of Wedded Wisdom
Plan your wedding for yourself! Organising a wedding is a large time commitment and investment – make sure you walk away being the ones satisfied!
Beginning this next chapter, we found the importance in making it most memorable for ourselves, as this is a once-in-a-lifetime commitment.
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