Basak + Göksu’s timeless wedding in northern Italy

real wedding

Sep 21

A summer in Turkey sparked it all—Basak and Göksu met on the coast, made London home, and when it came to the wedding, only Italy would do. With friends and family flying in from every corner of the world, it was always going to be a destination wedding no matter the destination. Italy just made sense: roots for him, memories for her, and the perfect place for a celebration that felt effortless, and very them.

Villa Subaglio, lush green garden wedding venue in Milan

The Engagement

“We got engaged in New York. I was on a work trip there in mid-October last year, and Goksu wanted to join me—so I thought, why not?! On a very sunny and warm Friday, he proposed in Dumbo, Brooklyn, with incredible views of Manhattan. I was expecting the proposal, as he was way too excited about that Friday, but what I didn’t expect was him flying our friends over from London to secretly film it and celebrate with us at Westlight, which has the best views of Manhattan at sunset.”

Why Italy?

“We wanted to choose a location that was convenient for all our friends and family. Since they’re spread across Europe, Turkey, and the UAE, anywhere was going to be a ‘destination wedding’. Goksu spent over 10 years in Italy studying and working, and has Italian friends he considers family, so his roots there were already strong. For me, I’ve always loved Italy, travelled there often, and spent a lot of time in Sicily in particular. So it felt natural that we would have an Italian wedding—one with a truly international guest list.”

The Venue

“When we decided on an Italian wedding, I quickly realised I had no idea where to start with venues! So, I turned to TikTok and watched over 100 videos on Italian destination weddings. Villa Subaglio caught my eye early on, and I instantly fell in love. We ended up booking it over FaceTime, without even visiting in person. Our priorities were clear: a convenient location with direct flights from across Europe, both indoor and outdoor spaces, versatility (Villa Subaglio delivered—we held the ceremony under the tree-lined road, aperitivo in the courtyard, and dinner in the main gardens), and, of course, great vibes. You wouldn’t expect rain in the middle of July in Italy, but it poured on our wedding day—so having that versatility turned out to be essential.”

Wedding ceremony at Villa Subaglio, white and green florals and calla lily bouquet, shot by Daina Hazel

The Style

“We wanted something beautiful, elegant, and timeless—but with a touch of me. Our theme was a ‘garden party’: fun, relaxed, and chic. I’m not big on accessories or dramatic gowns, so I chose a simple, elegant, and very comfortable dress that still looked dreamy.”

The Budget

“The biggest mistake was underestimating the costs. We were over budget by at least 30%. If I were to do it again, I would try to make a more informed decision about the budget by researching more.”

Best Money Spent

“Wedding coordinator: I did most of the planning myself, so I wasn’t sure until a month before the wedding that we actually needed one. I’m so glad we hired ours—he truly saved us, both before and on the day.”

Stand Out Moment

“The cake cutting: Just as we sliced into the cake with the villa’s beautiful views behind us, it suddenly started pouring with rain. One of our guests joked that it was as if we cut the cake and the skies at the same time.”

Italian Millefoglie wedding cake at wedding in Milan

Advice For Couples

“Book your vendors in person if you can. When we travelled to Milan to meet ours (after booking the venue), it made such a difference. Most of them didn’t speak English, so there was a language barrier. But once we visited, tasted at the venue, finalised the table settings and shared inspiration for the florals, I felt so much more at peace knowing they understood me.”

VENDOR TEAM

Basak + Göksu’s timeless wedding in northern Italy

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