Tell us a little about yourselves!
We live in Brooklyn, New York, with our golden-doodle muppet of a dog Douglas. Simon is an engineer for Apple, originally from Perth, Australia, and Monet, from California, works in wardrobe styling. We met in the summer of 2021 and quickly bonded over our shared tastes in music and our obsession with chairs.
Why did you decide to get married where you did?
After dating for a few months we took a spontaneous trip to Italy, where we fell deeply in love and decided to move in together. It just made sense to make the ultimate commitment to each other in a place that already felt special to us. Although we both moved to New York for the chaotic and never-ending energy, getting out of the city and discovering a shared love of nature has been a really important aspect of our relationship, so we wanted to find a place in the country-side. We didn’t want our day to create a ton of waste, so finding a villa at Borgo Pignano that was already so beautiful and green was perfect for us.
How many guests did you have?
Just us!
What was your budget?
We had a budget in mind of $20,000 including our honeymoon, but ended up spending around $30,000.
Tell us about your outfits.
I’m a less is more kind of girl — keeping it minimal but chic was the goal. I also didn’t want to spend thousands of dollars on something I’d wear once. We both knew we wanted to invest in pieces we’d be able to use in our wardrobe. Shoes have always been important to me — living in New York, they really become your vehicle — so I started from the ground up. When I found my Maison Margiela Tabi ballerinas I was excited I had ‘something blue’ (and without heels!). I liked the idea of feeling like a ballerina dancing around the countryside so I searched for a drop waist dress. Originally I found a short Khaite dress — I liked how it wasn’t too formal, but it didn’t give me that feeling I was looking for. I ended up wearing that for my engagement party at home instead. On my hunt for the perfect dress I came across the most beautiful photo of a woman twirling in a long linen dress. After discovering the designer my8i2 and loving their aesthetic, I knew I had found the one. Once it arrived, I tried it on and instantly got that feeling I was hoping for. It sounds so cheesy but it really is true: when you know you know. Both in partners and in wedding dresses! My dress is very minimal so I wanted to pair it with some sculptural earrings. I found handmade baroque pearl earrings made by a sister duo in NYC in collaboration with Brooklyn-based sculptor Simone Bodmer-Turner.
I love any kind of accessory that’s going to hold my hair back. Having a headband veil felt fun and functional, especially as I wanted to do my own hair and makeup — which was definitely a learning experience. I watched endless makeup tutorials for weeks. Usually I just throw on tinted moisturizer but I was excited to try a bit more, because if not on my wedding day, then when? My mom and I went to Chanel and picked out some beautiful neutral eye shadow palettes, berry blush, and lip stain. Getting ready with what we picked out together felt like she was there. My bouquet that I found the night before matched my lip stain perfectly! I loved how everything came together. Simon and I wanted to match our fabrics. He searched for a linen suit for what seemed like ages. I remember it being difficult to find something that didn’t feel too traditional or plain, until he came across this collarless, raw edge linen jacket from Zegna. It just fit him so well and gave me a new appreciation for mens suiting.
To top it off we’re both into collecting glasses so getting married was a good excuse to add a new pair. Mine are from a collab with Oliver Peoples x KHAITE, and Simon’s are from Masunaga.
What was the most important aspect for you, in terms of planning your wedding?
We have the most fun hosting dinner parties for the people we love so creating the ultimate dinner party for just the two of us surrounded by nature and beauty was our main focus. Setting tables and arranging flowers is incredibly therapeutic for me, and being able to do that on our wedding day brought me a lot of joy. We also wanted to feel like our family was involved so our moms wrote us really special letters that our celebrant integrated into the ceremony. Some of our family even came to meet us in Greece towards the end of our honeymoon! We had a lot of fun celebrating together without all the pressure of a big wedding.
Were there any elements that were important for you to incorporate?
We wanted to create an intimate atmosphere that felt like our own little dream world. For us that meant surrounding ourselves in nature, feeling our best in beautiful fabrics, indulging in delicious food and wine, all while creating as little waste as possible.
Any tips for couples getting married?
Think about your priorities when planning and make your own rules. Ours were intimacy and traveling. Eloping allowed us a bigger honeymoon budget and more time to ourselves, and that made sense for us.
Don’t let the idea of perfection stress you out — ultimately it’s about the two of you celebrating your love.
Are there any vendors that you would like to tell us a little more about?
A special shout-out to the private chefs (Arianna and Friends) who worked all day and into the night; the most talented women who made the best meal of our lives. They even made us leftovers that we enjoyed by the pool the next day. Also Valeria Pitarresi our photographer: we’re both so awkward when it comes to posing for photos but she did an amazing job capturing us and our surroundings. She has a gift for making everything look and feel romantic and dreamy. She’s such a pleasure to be around as well.
Photographer : Valeria Pitarresi @valeriapitarresiphotography | Ceremony Location : Borgo Pignano, Tuscany @borgopignano | Reception Location : Borgo Pignano Villa - Casa di Lago @borgopignano | Celebrant : Tuscan Pledges @tuscanpledges | Styling : by the Bride | Planner : Simona Cappitelli Ferri @simona_cappitelli_ferri_ | Flora : by the Bride | Makeup : by the Bride | Catering + Beverages : Arianna and Friends @ariannaandfriends | Monet's Dress : my8i2 @my8i2 | Simon's Suit : Zegna @zegnaofficial | Engagement + Wedding Rings : Custom WWAKE @wwake | Monet's Shoes : Maison Margiela @maisonmargiela | Simon's Shoes : Gucci | Monet's Sunglasses : Oliver Peoples x KHAITE @oliverpeoples | Simon's Glasses: Masunaga @masunaga_since_1905_official | Simon's Watch : Junghans @junghansgermany | Earrings : Simone Bodmer-Turner