Riany and Joey came all the way from California to celebrate their wedding at Hotel De La Ville, Rome. I thought this would be the perfect venue for the intimate wedding reception of this lovely Filipino couple with 40 guests.
Before the ceremony, the couple was looking for a unique place for the first look, followed by private vows and my suggestion was for an incredible small terrace overlooking the Roman Forum. I couldn’t think of a better place for such a romantic and intimate moment.
The Catholic ceremony, incorporating some elements of the Filipino tradition, took place at S. Maria in Aracoeli, one of the most amazing churches in Rome, located at the top of a 124-step marble staircase. The terrace just outside the church offers a unique view over Rome and it’s perfect for unforgettable pictures. Don’t worry, there’s a trick if you want to avoid climbing all the steps, although going all the way up is certainly an experience you’d hardly forget!
After the ceremony and some group pictures, the newlyweds took some time for a private photoshoot, while shuttles drove the guests to Hotel De La Ville. Here, they were greeted into the courtyard, where the cocktail hour started with prosecco and canapés. A cello and guitar duo played and sang while a painter was available to draw live sketches of the guests.
The couple joined the celebration shortly after, arriving at Hotel De La Ville in a vintage convertible Beetle.
Dinner was served in the unique Ivy Room, a favourite of mine, with its white and green wallpaper, black and white tiles on the floor, and black chairs: always very elegant and versatile for various colour combinations. In this case, the bride chose a colourful, festive palette, and wanted to incorporate some lemons. That’s how I came up with the idea of a special seating chart made of a white wooden crate filled with lemons and limes, featuring a card with the guest list for each table. The rest of the stationery matched the concept, and we even incorporated the couple’s dog who couldn’t make it to the wedding.
After dinner, the pastry chef assembled the traditional Italian Millefeuille wedding cake live in front of the guests, with the newlyweds helping out with the fruit and powdered sugar.
Then, it was time for drinks in the elegant, colourful Julep bar and some dancing with the DJ. Although volume limits must be respected and music must turned off at 11.30 pm, there was still plenty of time for everyone to have fun, drink and dance.
What a sweet couple! And what a joy to see it all come together after so many months of planning.
Wedding planning: Dolce Vita Weddings
Wedding venue: Hotel De La Ville
Flowers: Ceccotti
Photos: Kurt Wedding Film
