Set against the rolling Tuscan hills, Jess and Bobby’s elegant Italian wedding unfolded at the breathtaking Relais La Corte Dei Papi in Cortona – a setting full of old-world charm, golden light and romance. With just 24 of their closest loved ones in attendance, their day was a true celebration of intimacy, beauty and heartfelt connection.
Jess wore a silk Peter Langner gown that felt timeless yet modern, its delicate soutache embroidery echoing the soft refinement of the venue. The couple entrusted Love My Dress recommended photographer Stefano Santucci to document their day – and his signature poetic, filmic style captured every glance, every emotion, with extraordinary sensitivity. This destination wedding is an exquisite example of effortless elegance, where every detail felt meaningful, and the Italian setting truly came into its own.
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Hiring a Planner
Aside from saying ‘yes’ to marrying my amazing husband, Bobby, one of the best decisions I made was partnering with Lindeman Events. Erin Lindeman and her team of professionals transformed my chaotic Pinterest board into the wedding of our dreams.
They recommended vendors who exceeded my expectations and made the planning process both stress-free and enjoyable.
Erin and her team stayed on-site during the wedding weekend, making sure everything ran smoothly each day. I have seen and heard brides complain about the stress of their weddings, and I felt like a guest at my own wedding weekend because the Lindeman Event team managed every event flawlessly – allowing me to enjoy myself!
For our rehearsal dinner night, I wore the Kaia dress by Ulla Johnson and Ferragamo Vara pumps by Ferragamo. The dress’ floral lace matched the gardens on the property, and the silk material felt perfect for an Italian evening. I loved the contrast between my rehearsal dinner dress and my wedding dress.
The Dress & Accessories
Peter Langner
I wore a beautiful, silk gown by Peter Langner, from L’élite Bridal Boutique in Boston, MA. Working with the team at L’élite was an extraordinary experience. They offered an incredible selection of dresses sourced from designers around the globe. When my Peter Langner gown arrived from Milan, the tailors at the L’élite atelier had remarkable attention to detail during my fittings. They crafted a stunning hidden bustle for my dress that was a work of art! I would highly recommend L’élite to any brides in the New England area!
Our venue was stunning, featuring lush gardens, views of the Tuscan hills, and exquisite event spaces. I wanted a dress that was not only comfortable and modern but also embodied an elegant and timeless look, complementing our beautiful backdrop.
My favorite thing about my dress was that it felt like an elevated version of me, rather than a costume that I was wearing, which was one of my fears while wedding dress shopping. I loved my dress’ classic silhouette, but I was particularly drawn to the silk soutache embroidery on the bodice. I was excited to wear my dress for the whole wedding day and night, so I decided to not get a second dress for the reception. My dress was not restrictive, and the skirt was fun to twirl on the dance floor!
We were going on our honeymoon after the wedding, so I did not want to bring excessive jewellery on the trip. I decided to wear my everyday jewellery because they are the most meaningful pieces to me, and I never take them off. My necklace is the Bean pendant by Elsa Peretti for Tiffany & Co. Bobby and I have a French Bulldog named Bean, and he got me this necklace so Bean is always with me. I also wore a white gold bracelet that Bobby gifted me earlier in our relationship. I borrowed my wedding earrings from my mother in law, and I wore my mother’s pearl earrings during our rehearsal dinner.
I wore Aeyde Aline Leather Mary-Jane pumps in the colour ‘creamy Nappa’. We had an outdoor ceremony where I had to walk across a pebble path and down an aisle of grass, so my main concerns were comfort and balance! These shoes are made from Italian leather and have a thick block heel, which made them perfect for the occasion.
Tania Nitsak was my hair and make-up artist, and she was amazing! Tania did my trial on our rehearsal dinner night, and I immediately felt comfortable with her. Her team did a great job with my bridesmaids and mother of the bride/groom. I strongly recommend working with her.
I wore Chloé Nomade on my wedding weekend. One of my bridesmaids gave me the perfume as a gift about a year ago, and I’ve grown really fond of it. I had a travel size version, so it was perfect for the international trip.
The only hair accessory that I wore was my veil! My hair was mostly down, with a few pieces clipped back to hold my veil. My veil was cathedral-length and from L’élite Atelier. During one of my fitting appointments, I was discussing veils with my tailor, and I was struggling to decide what style I preferred. I had pieces of four different veils on my head to compare design elements, when I realized I wanted something simple that complemented my dress but did not compete with it. My talented tailor created a custom veil that was Cathedral length, with a double silk soutache embroidery along the edge that matched my dress. I loved this veil so much; it completed my whole look. Despite the length of the train, I wore the veil during our cocktail hour because I did not want to take it off!
My two younger sisters were my maids of honour. They were also my “something blue” on my wedding day, and they both wore Jenny Yoo’s Drew dress in the colour Enchanted Floral Whisper Blue. My other three bridesmaids chose their own dresses in a sage green palette. They all looked so beautiful!
It is hard to choose a favourite part of the day because the whole day felt like an amazing dream! One of the best moments was our couple’s photo session with Stefano. After our first look, we went to take some couples photos, which allowed Bobby and I to pause and focus on each other. Stefano played our first dance song for us, and we danced in the ballroom in a private moment – one I will always remember! (Thank you, Stefano!)
The Ceremony
My parents walked me down the aisle together. I would not be here without their support, so I wanted both of them by my side.
I walked down the aisle to “Canon in D” by Johann Pachelbel. This has always been a special song to me, ever since I learned to play it on the piano. Bobby played this song on the viola when he was younger, so we were excited to use this song during the ceremony.
One of Bobby’s best men, Matt Casieri, officiated our ceremony. Having a close friend officiate our wedding was a special experience, and I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way!
We tailored our own vows for the ceremony, and we decided to both read the same vows. We worked together to customise vows that spoke to our love, relationship, and future together.
During our ceremony, we included a short reading about the lessons of love, loyalty, and companionship that we can learn from dogs. It was both fun and meaningful.
Photography
Our wedding planner shared different photographers with us, and Stefano Santucci stood out immediately. He took the time to connect with us and learn about our story before the wedding, and he cares deeply for his work. Stefano’s presence during our wedding weekend was calming and never disruptive.
Stefano’s film and documentary photography speaks for how talented he is, but he really goes above and beyond to make sure the couple is comfortable on their wedding day. We had a wonderful experience working with Stefano and could not be happier with the photos he captured of our day! We HIGHLY recommend him!
Bobby wore a bespoke suit that he purchased from a shop near our home, Custom Clothiers, and he chose an Italian fabric for the suit. His shoes were black leather Oxfords from Velasca. As a pre-wedding gift, I got Bobby a pair of Bean cuff links from the Elsa Peretti Bean collection at Tiffany & Co. Since our dog, Bean, could not be in Italy on our wedding day, Bobby wore his Bean cufflinks, and I wore my Bean necklace to feel his presence.
Being at such a beautiful venue in Tuscany, we did not need much additional decor because the property itself was so beautiful. Our dinners had wonderful tablescapes with florals and candles, which added to the celebration of the night!
Erin our planner recommended Stiatti Fiori for florals, and they created works of art using flowers! The florals contributed a different personality to each of our meals. We held our rehearsal dinner in the the venue’s refurbished wine cellar, and we wanted a vivid, colourful tablescape that felt autumnal.
On the wedding day, our colours were white and green, with pops of blue and pink, and hydrangeas along the wedding table. Our florists provided us with proposals of how the florals would look, but seeing the flowers in person blew me away!
We provided welcome bags in our guests’ rooms, which our wedding planners put together for us! The bags included sweet and salty Italian snacks, Aperol spritz, and a copy of Under the Tuscan Sun by Frances Mayes. We got married in Cortona, which is the town in Tuscany where Under the Tuscan Sun takes place, so I thought the book would be a fun read for our guests.
We worked with Momental Designs for all custom stationery. The team was incredible from start to finish. We highly recommend them for any custom stationary needs!
Since we were in Tuscany, we wanted to have a millefoglie as our wedding cake! After a four-course dinner, the Corte Dei Papi chef served our millefoglie, and it was was the perfect way to end the meal because it was lighter than a dense cake.
Our first dance song was ‘You & You Alone’, by Umphrey’s McGee. We chose this song because we love the band and have gone to concerts together, and this song has impactful lyrics about love and family and resonate with us.
Words of Wedded Wisdom
Some advice that I had to take myself was to stop worrying about every little thing and enjoy the moment! The amazing vendors that you work with are experts at their craft, and your job is to cherish your wedding day with your partner.
A few other tips that I found helpful were creating a joint email for all wedding-related communications; always wearing comfortable shoes; and bringing a crochet hook because it makes quick work of buttons.
Looking back, I would not have done anything differently. It was an amazing celebration with our loved ones, and if anything went wrong, I don’t even remember it by now!
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