Tell us a little about yourselves!
We met in a dance club in Copenhagen. Fede visited the city I'd called home for some years by then. I was immediately drawn in by his Italian charm, and worldly intellect. Personally, I immediately knew that there was something special about our encounter. (I even left my best friend a voice message the day after we met, telling her that I met the man I’m going to marry - and she read that voice message as part of her speech!) What followed were 4 months of a long distance relationship, until he decided to quit his job in Milan and move to Copenhagen. Leaving the warmth of the south for the chilly Copenhagen was a sacrifice, but one well worth it.
Why did you decide to get married where you did?
With Fede being originally from Milan, and me having lived in Italy for a while, we were both immediately drawn to the idea of having our wedding there. We settled for a place that had a slightly country look, which provided the perfect backdrop for our celebration. For us it was important that the vibe was not too ‘wedding-y’ but rather a down-to-earth, effortless Italian celebration. Think 'Call me by your name' meets 'Scandi-chic'.
The Cascina Ghisolfa, located close to Lake Como, has been the perfect location. Upon entering you are greeted with the most wonderful, ivory covered courtyard, and when the night settles you overlook the valley glittering with blinking lights. The owners did an exceptional job to preserve the old farmhouse which was originally built in the 1500th century. Bonus points were given to it as it was easily reached by plane for our international guest as well as by car for my family from Germany.
How many guests did you have?
We had roughly 85 guests and our day was captured by Nicoletta Subitoni.
Tell us about your outfits.
Julie : Finding a dress that didn’t have the classic wedding look and feel was quite a journey. Despite trying on multiple dresses, I never felt like myself. As soon as I saw the resort collection of the Australian brand St. Agni, I knew I had found what I was looking for - a minimal piece that fit into the Italian setting and could be worn for other occasions in the future. I ordered the style from Australia in the hopes that it fit. Quite a risky venture, but it paid off. I was so enamored that I also bought a Japanese inspired linen suit for our Town Hall wedding in Copenhagen from the brand. Both the necklace and earrings were worn by my mother at her wedding. It meant a lot to be wearing these meaningful pieces on our special day.
Fede : I have kept the philosophy of spezzatura at the forefront of my styling choices for the wedding. I chose a double breasted 6by2 suit inspired by the effortless style of Giovanni Agnelli. Because of the heat of the Italian weather during June, fabric choice was crucial. Choosing a brown wool-linen-silk blend fabric custom made by Lanificio Rogna was the best decision I could have made. A brown leather Velasca shoe complemented the suit. To keep the semi-formal look, only white poplin shirts were worn without a tie. I wore a vintage Enicar Seastar watch from 1978 as an accessory, one of my pride and joy watches.
What was the most important aspect for you, in terms of planning your wedding?
The most important aspect was to bring our families and friends together to create shared memories. It meant so much to have friends travel from across the world, from Bangkok, Paris, Mexico City and Copenhagen to share this moment with us. We also steered away from tradition and wanted to have a relaxed day without a strict schedule. Having our dear friend Anna officiate the wedding was also paramount. During the ceremony, she found the most meaningful words to marry us, which brought tears to everyone's eyes.
Were there any elements that were important for you to incorporate?
With a majority of my family only speaking German, Fede‘s family only speaking Italian and an international circle of friends, we were a bit concerned on how to best bridge any language barriers that might occur. We prepared translations of the speeches as hand-outs and seating arrangements that encouraged cross-cultural conversations. Our concerns quickly dissipated as everyone was able to communicate in one way or another - mostly with a lot of hand gestures involved. Natural wine and drinks did the rest!
Another important aspect was the choice of music that accompanied the night. During the ceremony we had the band Le Mine Vaganti play acoustic versions of our favorite Italian songs, which contributed to the low-key Italian vibe. We also wanted to be able to pack the dance floor with family and friends to celebrate our common love for music. Two of our friends DJ-ed and everyone kicked their shoes into the corner and danced the night away to Italian Disco. A true Italian midsummer night's dream.
Any tips for couples getting married, particularly during the pandemic?
Before you dive into the wedding world portrayed on Instagram or Pinterest, give yourself some time to think about what you deem most important to you as a couple. It’s so easy to get carried away by the ‘should do’s and must-haves’ that you might lose track of what’s important to the both of you.
Are there any vendors that you would like to tell us a little more about?
We’d like to highlight the support from our planner Melissa Venturi. She is a force to be reckoned with - quick thinker, smart and so kind and talented. Specifically, the day of the wedding was as smooth as it can be.
Photographer : Nicoletta Subitoni @nicolettasubitoni | Videographer : Federica Calzi @federica.calzi Ceremony + Reception Location : Cascina Ghisolfa @cascinaghisolfa | Celebrant : Anna, a close friend of the couple | Entertainment : Le Mine Vaganti | Planner : Melissa Venturi @labalenafortunata | Flora : Di Fiore in Fiore @difioreinfiore_bosisio | HMUA : Martina Perticarà @martinaperticara | Stationery : Created by Julie and Federico | Julie's Dress : St. Agni @stagnistudio | Bag : Aesther Ekme @aesther_ekme | Federico's Suit : Custom Suit Supply @suitsupply | Watch : Enicar @enicarswiss | Engagement Ring : Sarah Winther @sarahwintherjewellery | Wedding Rings : Holden @holdenrings | Julie's Shoes : &Other Stories @andotherstories | Federico's Shoes : Velasca @velascamilano | Julie's Jewellery : her Mothers