Robyn + Matt’s relaxed wedding at Villa il Pozzo
Photo: The Curries - Shot by Holly
Planning a wedding in Italy without ever having been there together might seem like a bold choice, but for London-born Robyn and Long Island native Matt, it was an adventure they were excited to take on. Now based in Chicago, one side of the guest list was going to have to travel a fair distance either way – so they thought, why not make it a memorable trip for everyone? And what better destination than Italy?
Rather than chasing trends or trying to create something 'timeless', Robyn and Matt focused on what felt true to them. They fell in love with Villa il Pozzo and hosted a relaxed, authentic celebration that perfectly reflected who they are.
Video: Gaetano Di Giacomo
The Engagement
“Family is really big for both of us, so it was important that each of our parents could be part of the special day. I coordinated a secret rendezvous at a restaurant in NYC to surprise Robyn after I popped the question and she ‘hopefully’ said yes. Robyn’s parents flew in from London and mine drove into the city from their home on the eastern part of Long Island. I asked Robyn to marry me in Jefferson Market Garden in Greenwich Village as Robyn thought we were on our way to dinner. It took me a couple minutes to find the right spot in the garden as that part of my plan was loosely devised without having scouted prior. Once she said yes and some happy tears were shed, we were greeted by our parents to Robyn’s shock. More happy tears were shed followed by some bubbly, dinner, and an evening of celebration.”
Why Italy?
“Since one of us is from America and the other from England, long-distance travel was unavoidable for many of our loved ones. Instead of placing the burden on one (fairly large) group to travel a significant distance, we believed the fairest approach was for everyone to make some sort of journey. We mainly thought about going to Italy since we both love to travel and had never explored it together. It seemed like the perfect adventure for us! We also knew the beautiful weather and incredible food would make everyone happy. We hoped they would use the wedding as an opportunity to explore Italy further, and many did.”
The Venue
“Everything we chose for our wedding fit the brief of ‘is it us?’ If it didn’t feel like us, we didn’t do it. We loved that Villa il Pozzo was bursting with layers of history and texture. Visually, Il Pozzo gave us the wow factor, but it was also intimate enough to create that house party feel we were after. It has lots of different spaces which created opportunity for different experiences and feels throughout the wedding, from our welcome pizza party under the big tree at the front of the villa, which we filled with lights, to the aperitivo on the lawn. ”
Stand Out Moment
“The ceremony was very special. My brother and Matt’s sisters each gave a reading, and one of our close friends officiated. Since we had already legally married in Chicago, there was no pressure for anything formal; it was personal, funny, and fun. The ceremony space at Il Pozzo is truly incredible, with beautiful sweeping views, and our incredible florist Deborah Ferri created a grounded semicircle arch for us to stand in. It was colourful, whimsical, and had an organic feel, and elevated the space without detracting from the scenery.”
Stand Out Supplier
“Our incredible videographer, Gaetano Di Giacomo, was a dream to work with and captured our day beautifully and authentically. He had a knack for keeping us loose and feeling relaxed while directing us, which was key as we’d never been in front of the camera. He also captured the more candid moments between us without us even realising he was there. We now have two stunning films that we will treasure forever.”
The Budget
“We went over budget quite a bit but it was worth it, and we have no regrets! As we got into planning and the vision for our wedding became clearer, our priorities shifted. Whether it was a larger choice of cocktails at our bar, or a better caterer for the welcome party, we kept our guests’ (and our) experience front of mind. We drew the line in some areas that were less important to us.”
Planning Advice
“Don’t feel pressured to choose things that are super popular if they don’t feel like you – opinions from people online who weren’t at your wedding do not matter. There’s currently a trend of having to have a ‘timeless’ wedding but ultimately, weddings are time capsules and that’s what makes them beautiful. Choose things that you and your partner genuinely love.”
The LL Community
“While we had an excellent planner who guided us through the process, the La Lista group connected us with couples who had previously married at Villa il Pozzo, as well as others who were getting married the same summer as us. We’re all still in touch!”
VENDOR TEAM
Venue: Villa Il Pozzo | Planner: Unique Events In Tuscany | Videographer: Gaetano Di Giacomo | Photographer: The Curries | Catering: Calamai Ricevimenti | Flowers: Deborah Ferri| Makeup: Helena Jopling | Music: Double Sax DJ | Dress: Katherine Tash Belle Atelier The Work Room At Belle
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