Photography: Jack Henry Photo

Alyssa and Ryan’s wedding was one of those “meant to be” moments. After discovering Villa Cetinale, then watching Millie Bobby Brown’s wedding add an extra level of popularity, they struggled to secure their dream venue. That was until a last-minute cancellation opened up the gates. The couple brought a house party energy from Tampa to Tuscany for a week-long stay among the cypress trees in the most effortless extension of their love-filled life together.

Love Story

“We first met in college and were dating other people at the time. A few years later, we reconnected through Instagram and made plans to see each other one weekend. After that first weekend, I knew I was going to date him haha! Fast forward a few months, and we had moved in together and gotten our golden retriever, Kona, together.”

The Engagement

“We got engaged in September 2020 while flying out to Breckenridge to visit Ryan’s parents on their RV trip. We traveled with Kona, my parents, and one of my brothers, so it was already a special trip.

The first morning, we hiked to Sapphire Point Overlook. As we were taking photos, Ryan turned to me and it suddenly hit me why my parents had so eagerly agreed to come. He said the sweetest things, got down on one knee, and both of our parents were there to witness it. No makeup, no photographer, just us in our hiking outfits, and it was perfect.

My dad had actually hiked up at 5:00am that morning to send Ryan photos of the spot so he knew exactly where to propose and what it would look like. Ryan didn’t tell either of our moms because he knew they would bring cameras and give it away LOL. Afterward, we went into town, popped a bottle of rosé, and celebrated.”

Why Italy?

“I went to school for event management and worked with a destination wedding planner in Florida for seven years, so I had seen so many beautiful weddings locally. When it came time to plan my own, I knew I wanted to be somewhere completely new to me. I’ve always loved the feeling of Italy. It’s romantic, effortless, and naturally stunning. I wanted a setting that was already beautiful on its own, where anything we added would enhance what was already there.”

Italian wedding venue, Villa Cetinale, Tuscany

The Venue

“The most important thing to me when choosing a venue was finding a place where everyone could stay together and where all of the events could unfold in one setting. I didn’t want to be at a hotel or to move between spaces throughout the day. I wanted something more intimate and immersive.

Having everyone in one place became the most memorable part of the entire week. Every morning began with breakfast together, we shared dinner together each night in the most beautiful dining space with food prepared by the incredible staff at Cetinale, stayed up way too late drinking wine in the living room, and even played capture the flag in the garden at midnight the night after the wedding. It felt effortless and so true to us. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and I feel so lucky we were able to begin our married life in such a special place.”

The Bridal Style

“For the welcome party, I wore the Chantal dress from Arcina Ori. I had brought multiple options and didn’t decide until the moment I was getting ready. My girlfriends helped me choose. I paired it with Jennifer Behr Karissa earrings and Danielle Frankel Coco heels, which added the perfect floral texture.”

On our wedding day, I got ready in the Third Form Visions Lace dress. I wore a strapless dress by Berta with lace detailing. When we first got engaged, I had originally bought the Sistine dress from Monique Lhuillier and a second dress from Berta for the reception. After such a long engagement, I felt like my style had changed and I wasn't set on wearing either of those dresses. I am so happy I decided to go with my gut and buy a new dress that felt more like me!

It felt timeless, romantic, and I never even ended up changing into my second dress because I felt so amazing in my first dress. I wore Jennifer Behr Kaide earrings, a tennis necklace gifted by my husband that morning, and my something borrowed was a tennis bracelet from one of my bridesmaids. My shoes were Amina Muaddi lace slingbacks, which were perfect for the garden setting.”

The Groom’s Style

“My husband, his groomsmen, and both of our dads had custom tuxedos made by our tailor. He wore Dior cuff links, shoes by Ferragamo, and his wedding gift was a Rose Gold Day Date. He also had a custom double-breasted ivory suit made for our welcome party and it was the perfect fit for the garden party vibe we had going! ”

Stand Out Moment

“The stand out moment of the day for me was standing at the top of the stairs of the villa, looking down the long line of cypress trees and seeing Ryan standing there waiting for me between the monuments in the garden. My dad walked me down the aisle and officiated our wedding which was so special for both of us. Everything felt so intentional and full of so much love.”

Finding Our Venue

“I had been searching for an estate that could host the majority of our guests, and I actually came across Villa Cetinale on TikTok. I reached out in March 2024, but they were fully booked through 2026. At that point, we had already been engaged for three and a half years, and waiting another two years felt like it might be pushing it. Even as I continued the search, I kept coming back to Cetinale.

A few months later, after Millie Bobby Brown got married there, I had a feeling availability would disappear quickly, so I decided to follow up one more time. By pure luck, they had a cancellation for October 2025. I immediately called my fiancé, asked if I could secure the date, and we booked it the next day.”

The Aesthetic

“I was going for refined, elevated, romantic and timeless elements that felt true to us. I've always gravitated towards clean silhouettes, soft colors, and pieces that feel elevated without being overly styled. I wanted everything to reflect that same sense of quiet luxury. Intentional, classic, and effortless. Trends come and go, so it was important to choose elements that felt authentic to us and would stand the test of time.”

Our Vendor Team

“Our planner, Oana, was incredible. She truly brought everything I had envisioned to life and made not just the wedding day, but the entire week feel seamless. I wasn’t the easiest bride because I was working so much and had limited time to meet, so she really took what I gave her and ran with it. Thankfully, I trusted her completely and she exceeded every expectation.”

“From there, we booked our photographer. I spoke with so many talented people, but I couldn’t have been happier to work with Jack. My biggest piece of advice is to choose a photographer, or really any vendor, whose work you genuinely love. It’s so much harder to try to explain your vision and expect someone to adapt their style to match it. I gave Jack very little direction because I trusted his creative eye completely, and I knew whatever he captured would be perfect because it was already aligned with his style.”

“So many details throughout the planning process fell into place simply through Oana and I chatting through our ideas and her bringing them to life! I knew how I wanted everything to look and feel, and she executed it so beautifully.

We were also able to visit Tuscany a few months before the wedding, which was incredibly helpful for tastings and final decisions. If you can visit your destination venue ahead of time, I highly recommend it.”

Personal Touches

“What made the day feel authentic to us was how unforced everything felt. We were really intentional about not overproducing anything, we wanted it to feel like a natural extension of how we already live and spend time together. Our home has always been the place where everyone gathers, so the wedding naturally felt like an extension of that.

Having everyone we love staying together for the week completely changed the energy. It felt less like a traditional wedding and more like this ongoing, slightly chaotic, very fun house party. Slow mornings, long dinners, way too much wine, and staying up way too late every night. There were also a few moments that grounded everything, like my dad walking me down the aisle and officiating the ceremony. It made something that could have felt formal feel very personal and real.

Even with the design, I wasn’t interested in following trends or over-layering details. I just chose what I loved and let the setting do the rest. In the end, it felt timeless and completely true to us.”

Best Money Spent

“Without a doubt, the venue. Renting Cetinale and the surrounding villas on the property for the entire week gave us the best experience far beyond just the wedding day. It allowed us to have the most unforgettable wedding week I could have ever dreamed of. Having all of the people you love and that you do life with in one place together was the best thing. Not to mention, Cetinale is really the most unique and beautiful wedding venue I have ever seen. Being there in person is even more incredible than it is in photos.”

Advice for Couples

“Prioritize the experience over just the day. Having our friends and family together for an extended time ended up being the most meaningful part of everything. And if you’re planning a destination wedding, those in-between moments will end up meaning more than anything you planned. Trust your instincts and don’t over-style it. If you love something, that’s enough.”