An Italian garden wedding with a dramatic amphitheatre setting: Oyin + BJ in Verona
Not many people can say their love story started with a little matchmaking from their grandmother, but Oyin can. Originally from Nigeria and now living in Austin, Texas, Oyin and BJ were introduced thanks to a well-timed exchange of phone numbers arranged by her grandmother, and after a Lake Como proposal and plenty of Italian adventures together, it only made sense to return to Italy to get married.
Choosing Villa Rizzardi in Verona as the backdrop, they made the most of the dramatic setting, with their ceremony taking place in the villa’s original Italian amphitheatre, followed by aperitivo in the formal gardens. The styling blended modern details with vintage influences, from Oyin’s Victorian-inspired bridal look to pink silk draping and a cascading pink bouquet. Add a few personal surprises, including the Ferrari getaway car and a candlelit dinner beneath the trees, and the result was an intimate, romantic celebration with plenty of drama without ever feeling overproduced.
LOVE STORY
We have my grandmother to thank for bringing us together, with a little subtle matchmaking. A few years ago, I had just graduated from college and was planning my first trip to Dallas. When I mentioned it to my grandmother, she casually suggested I get in touch with her best friend’s son. She sent me his number “just in case I needed anything,” and, without telling me, sent him mine too. We started talking, and we haven’t stopped since.
THE PROPOSAL
BJ and I first bonded over our shared love of travel and adventure, so when it came to the proposal, we both knew we wanted something unique and meaningful to us. Italy has always held a special place in our hearts, and on our trip there, we visited Lake Como for the first time. BJ told me he had planned a photoshoot and a boat tour of the lake, knowing how much I love taking photos. We got dressed up and drove to a stunning lakeside villa. When we arrived, he said he needed to speak with the photographer and asked me to meet him by the villa’s steps leading down to the water. As I made my way down, I heard a violin playing, spotted a “Will You Marry Me” sign, and walked into the most beautiful proposal, with Lake Como as our backdrop.
WHY ITALY
Choosing Italy felt completely natural to us. It’s where so much of our love story began, and it holds a special place in our hearts. Our trips there gave us some of our most cherished memories, and we fell in love with everything about Italian culture, from the food to the way of life.
THE VENUE
Verona, the city of love, felt like a reflection of who we are, and even before we visited, we knew it was where we wanted to celebrate our love story. Villa Rizzardi is one of the few villas in Italy that still has its original Italian-style amphitheatre and gardens, and the moment we saw it, we knew it was the perfect place for our wedding. It’s timeless and has stood the test of time, just as I know our love will, and I can’t imagine getting married anywhere else.
STAND OUT MOMENT
Our favourite moment was right after the ceremony. We had just said our vows and shared our first kiss, and as we walked back down the aisle, all our family and friends were cheering for us. The energy was amazing, and we felt so much love and support from everyone there. It’s a moment we’ll never forget.
THE LOOK
I had fun visiting bridal boutiques, but nothing felt quite right, so I started looking into having my dress custom made. That’s how I found Mazelle Bridal, a bridal studio based in Nigeria, and I fell in love with their style right away.
The best part of the process was getting to choose everything myself: the fabric, the lace and all the little details. We went back and forth on sketches until the gown was exactly what I wanted. We ended up with an ivory silk two-in-one gown inspired by the Victorian era. I loved the draping on the sides, and it felt like a dress that would never go out of style. I also loved that I got two different looks out of one dress. Wearing it felt like a fairytale. The designer was amazing to work with. She really listened, and I trusted her to bring my vision to life, which she did.
To finish the look, I wore silk Jimmy Choo pumps and freshwater pearl jewellery made by Renikeji Jewelry, a Nigerian artisan.
Mazelle Bridal also made my party dress, and for that one we wanted something fun and loud. It was a hand-beaded shell and pearl dress with a halter neck. My favourite thing about it was the sound the shells made every time I moved. There’s nothing else like it, and it was perfect for the party.
DREAM TEAM
This truly wouldn’t have been possible without our amazing planner, Enrico Quiani, and the Foor Events team. They are truly amazing and excellent at what they do. I was very nervous about planning a wedding thousands of miles away, and Enrico listened and assured me that my vision would be executed perfectly. They exceeded my expectations. My photographer, Giacomo Verspini, was wonderful. We had initially talked about documentary-style photos with some editorial photos, and I changed my mind at the last minute to have more of an editorial focus.
THE RECEPTION
The dinner reception was by far the most special part of the wedding. We had a candlelit dinner under the trees, and it honestly felt like we were eating in a magical forest. We worked with our creative director and florist to design the tablescape, which had a draped ivory silk tablecloth and an opening in the centre filled with textured flowers and bear grass. Everyone sat at one long banquet table, so it felt like an intimate family dinner. Our friends and family gave the sweetest, most thoughtful speeches, we played games, there was a fashion parade, and my favourite part was BJ and his friends serenading me. You could feel the energy in the air, and everyone had the best time.
SPECIAL TOUCHES
We also added a few special touches that meant a lot to us. We’re both huge F1 fans, and Ferrari is our favourite team, so I surprised BJ with a 1989 Ferrari F108 Mondial convertible as our getaway car. Since Ferrari is an Italian team, it just felt right. For our guests, we made custom hats, tote bags and sweatshirts with Italy and Verona on them, so that every time they wear or use them, they’ll think of us and their favourite memories from the wedding.
REFLECTIONS
The day goes by pretty fast, so we tried to interact with all our guests as much as we could to ensure they knew we were grateful and happy they were there. As a Type A bride, my goal was to ensure I didn’t stress about anything and just allowed the day to unfold as it would. It was the best decision I made. I simply prioritised having everyone we loved in one place, at the same time, and soaked it all in. It was truly spectacular, and we will carry those fond memories forever.
FOR FUTURE COUPLES
One of the best things we did was build a team of people we trusted, who understood our vision and could help make it happen. We talked through our priorities early on and focused on what actually mattered to us, instead of getting caught up in what a wedding is “supposed” to look like. We wanted the day to feel like us, and that became our guide for every decision.
A big part of what made it work was leaning on our friends and family. We’re lucky to have such talented people in our lives, so we asked for help, and everyone showed up for us. Planning a wedding can get overwhelming and even lonely at times, so it’s important to speak up and tell the people who love you what you need. Doing that took so much pressure off us, and it really felt like a team effort.
POST-WEDDING
The day after the wedding, once we’d said goodbye to all our guests, we escaped to Casa Newton, a small boutique hotel in the Tuscan countryside. We spent a few days there recovering from all the celebrating and just taking in how amazing the past few days had been. We swapped stories from the wedding and went through all the photos and videos together. We kept catching each other scrolling through pictures with the biggest smiles on our faces.
Having that time to slow down and soak it all in before going back to everyday life was the best way to ease back into things. We left feeling refreshed and ready to start our life as a married couple.
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