Gretchen + Alex’s intimate candlelit wedding in Orvieto
Photo: Cristiana Lolli
Gretchen + Alex chose to begin married life in the same country that his great-grandparents once lived, trading their everyday in Atlanta for an intimate celebration in the hilltop town of Orvieto. With just 30 of their closest people gathered between a picturesque palazzo, a romantic restaurant and a nearby countryside villa, they leaned into an old world palette of black, white and deep red roses, letting candlelight and characterful architecture do the rest.
Love Story
“We actually matched on a dating app way back, but I have to be honest, at this point I wasn’t quite sold on Alex yet! I was still dating other people, so I ended up letting that first match fade out. About six months later, we matched again on a totally different app and I figured I’d finally give him a real shot.
Getting that first date on the calendar was still a bit of a hurdle because it was right around the holidays and he was heading off to London for New Year's. He told me to reach back out when he got home if I still wanted to go out. I did exactly that, we finally made it happen, and I think we both knew on our first date that this was going to be something special.”
The Engagement
“Our first trip together when we started dating was to a mountain town we love: Cashiers, North Carolina. His dad and step-mom have a house there, and it’s the place where I really started to fall in love with him. Alex ended up surprising me right after Christmas celebrations in the mountains with an intimate proposal. Now, every time we go back, it reminds me of the day I said "yes" to the rest of our lives.”
Why Italy
“Alex’s grandmother is from Italy and never naturalized, which meant Alex and his brothers were actually able to become official Italian citizens. Because of that heritage, we thought it would be so meaningful to start our lives together in the same country where his great-grandparents started theirs.”
The Venue
“We knew we wanted something unique that didn’t look like every other typical Italian villa wedding. Our wedding was very intimate, just 30 of our closest family and friends, so we started looking for boutique hotels and stumbled across the beautiful Palazzo Petrvs in Orvieto. It matched our aesthetic perfectly, and the small-town feel was exactly what we wanted to get away from the tourists and have an authentic experience.”
The Reception
“To make sure our guests still got that classic countryside feel, we hosted our rehearsal dinner at a nearby villa, Locanda Palazzone, which had breathtaking views. We really felt like we got the best of both worlds.”
The Planning
“We had a very quick engagement! Alex’s brother and his fiancé had already set their date in Spain for 2026, so we knew we needed to get married either well before or well after them. Since we’re both in our 30s, we figured, why wait? We got engaged in late December 2024 and married in October 2025, so we had about 9–10 months to pull everything together.”
“Planning from the US for a venue and a city we had never even visited was definitely a challenge, but we knew from the start we were in great hands with our wedding planners. Given the short turnaround, we didn’t make the trek to see the venue or meet the team in person beforehand. I’ll be honest, it felt like a marathon of emails back and forth due to the time difference! I found myself stressing over every tiny detail, but in the grand scheme of things, the town and the venue were so stunning that none of that mattered once we actually arrived. It was all even better than we imagined.”
The Styling
“We wanted the day to truly represent us as a couple, so we leaned into a classic "Old World" vibe: blacks, whites, and deep red roses. The venue itself was decoration enough, so we kept the styling simple but timeless.”
The Dress
“It was about the 15th dress I tried on, but I knew immediately. It was the Loren dress by House of Renhue, which has a detachable skirt for two looks in one. I actually had quite a debacle with alterations; the floor sample I tried on was about eight sizes too large and pinned tightly, whereas the dress ordered in my size fit differently. My advice to brides: try to order as close to the sample size as possible, even if it’s tacked! It’s much easier to size a dress to the proportions you originally fell in love with than to try and recreate that magic on a different fit.”
Stand Out Moment
“For me, it was the speeches during dinner. We split the speeches between the rehearsal and the wedding, and everyone we asked to speak was incredible. Sitting there with our 30 favorite people in an old church filled with candles, listening to our people tell stories of our love, was so emotional. I think every single photo from dinner shows our guests crying; it was such a special, intimate moment I’ll replay in my mind forever.
Alex’s favorite moment was walking through the town of Orvieto for our couples' photos before the ceremony. The locals were out on their evening stroll and people were clapping, cheering, and calling out Italian congratulations. It felt like the whole town was celebrating with us!”
Stand Out Suppliers
“Our florist! We were blown away by the displays. We also made a last-minute choice to hire someone to light up the venue in red for the evening. Since it was a small space, it gave the venue a completely different look for the party compared to the ceremony. It had such an impact and we’re so glad we did it.”
Best Money Spent
“Our venue! Palazzo Petrvs is where half our guests stayed, where we got married, where we had our dinner, and where we hosted the after-party. Every single thing was incredible—the food, the craft cocktails, the five-course tasting menu with wine pairings, and the service. Our wedding wouldn’t have been what it was without that team and that special space.”
Looking Back Now
“I would definitely tell myself to sweat the small stuff less! During the planning phase, I was so hyper-fixated on every tiny detail, and once we actually arrived in Italy, I felt this huge wave of pressure. I was so nervous about whether everyone was having a good time since they had traveled so far to be there. But of course they were! They were in Italy, they were surrounded by beauty, and they were there because they love us.
Once I let go of that "hostess stress," I realized the other stuff didn't matter. With the Italian landscape as your backdrop and your most cherished family by your side, marrying your person is the only thing you truly feel. I wish I had settled into that "in the moment" feeling just a little bit sooner.”
VENDOR TEAM
Wedding Planner: Ksenia Masalovich at Weddit Agency | Wedding Venue: Palazzo Petrvs | Reception Venue: Coro Ristorante | Rehearsal Location: Locanda Palazzone | Photographer: Cristiana Lolli | Floral Design: Fiorigraphia | Content Creator: Tatiana @wed.love.it | Rentals: Preludio Divisione Noleggio
Categories
PLANNING | REAL WEDDING | SUPPLIER SPOTLIGHT | INSPIRATION | WANDERLUST
