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This Italian Villa Selvatico Wedding Found the Perfect Balance Between Modern and Timeless

November 3, 2026 | justine

A bright green and white color palette, asymmetrical floral arrangements, and understated decor gave Camilla and Giuseppe’s Villa Selvatico wedding a modern look. Located in Italy’s Euganean Hills, the historic villa offered gardens, classic architecture, and panoramic views. The couple chose flowers, candles, and touches of green fruit for the tables, keeping the arrangements simple to showcase the setting.

The couple planned the entire wedding themselves, from selecting vendors to designing the stationery and preparing homemade favors with their families. Their plans for an outdoor celebration took an unexpected turn when rain arrived shortly after the ceremony. Fortunately, they had just enough time to exchange vows in the gardens before moving the festivities indoors.

What We Love About This Villa Selvatico Wedding

  • A bright green and white color palette with modern, asymmetrical floral arrangements
  • Custom green bridesmaid dresses and beige groomsmen suits with coordinating ties
  • Homemade olive oil and walnut liqueur favors, plus a ceramic ring dish made by Camilla
  • An outdoor ceremony that finished just before the rain started
  • A surprise choir performance by friends who had rehearsed for months

Featured Vendor:
Moon Stories

Modern Florals and Bright Green Accents at a Historic Italian Villa

Located in the Euganean Hills, Villa Selvatico had the romantic, pastoral character Camilla and Giuseppe were looking for. They loved the historic architecture and surrounding greenery but preferred a more contemporary approach to the decorations. White and a bright shade of green became their main colors, appearing in the flowers, table settings, and wedding party attire.

The flowers were a particular priority. After researching vendors on social media, requesting quotes, and reviewing recommendations from the venue, they hired florists who specialized in the style they liked. The arrangements featured asymmetrical designs, while candles and green fruit decorated the reception tables.

Their wedding attire followed a similarly simple, elegant approach. Camilla chose a voluminous satin gown with a structured, strapless bodice and a full skirt, paired with minimal hair and makeup. Giuseppe wore a dark green suit, while the bridesmaids wore custom-made dresses in a coordinating shade of green. The groomsmen wore beige suits with matching green ties.

The couple purchased their outfits from the same atelier. Although they kept their choices a secret from each other until the ceremony, the staff knew what both had selected and helped coordinate their looks.

The Rain Held Off Just Long Enough for Their Outdoor Ceremony

Camilla and Giuseppe had planned to spend their wedding day outdoors, taking advantage of the villa’s gardens and panoramic terrace. Unfortunately, the weather had other plans. They were particularly concerned about the rain, but they managed to hold their religious ceremony outside as originally planned. A friend delivered a speech about marriage and love, drawing from passages in the Bible.

The couple also decided against a first look, preferring to see each other for the first time at the altar. Looking back, they were especially happy with that decision. The rain started almost immediately after the ceremony. They managed to squeeze in a few photographs with family and friends, along with some portraits together, before heading inside.

Although the weather forced last-minute changes to nearly every part of the day, the venue staff handled the adjustments. The reception continued indoors, beginning with a buffet and a musical welcome.

A Hands-On Approach to Wedding Planning, Down to the Smallest Details

Camilla had dreamed of her wedding since childhood and has long been interested in the wedding industry. She even hopes to work in it someday. So when it came time to plan her own wedding, she and Giuseppe decided to organize everything without a wedding planner.

They researched and selected their vendors, coordinated the decorations, and handled the stationery. Drawing on her educational background, Camilla designed the invitations, menus, seating chart, and other printed materials.

They also prepared several items by hand. Camilla made a ceramic ring dish, while the couple and their families produced olive oil and walnut liqueur, which they packaged in small jars as wedding favors.

Having saved money during their relationship, they were able to set a comfortable budget for the wedding. They were willing to spend on the things they cared about while keeping the overall costs reasonable.

A Wedding-Eve Tradition Followed by a Last-Minute Change of Plans

Camilla and Giuseppe first met in November 2021 at a pizza dinner organized by a mutual friend. Giuseppe’s family had recently moved from Southern to Northern Italy, and the gathering was an opportunity for him and his sisters to meet new people after months of COVID restrictions.

Although they barely spoke that evening, Camilla noticed him immediately. She even remembers dreaming about their wedding that very night. They continued seeing each other through mutual friends and began dating soon afterward.

The night before their wedding, Giuseppe surprised Camilla with a serenade, following a Southern Italian custom in which the groom sings to his bride. The tradition isn’t common in Northern Italy, where they live, so the gathering brought plenty of laughter along with the music. Their closest friends and family joined them for the evening.

Friends and Family Had a Few Surprises Planned for the Reception

The reception at Villa Selvatico included several performances organized by the couple’s family and friends. Camilla’s father and one of her friends arranged live music for the evening. Another surprise came from a choir made up of their friends, who had secretly spent months rehearsing a song for the newlyweds.

Their videographer also edited a short trailer using footage captured earlier that day. Guests watched it at the beginning of the evening reception, before the party continued with a DJ set.

The couple had a difficult time choosing their favorite moment from the wedding. Despite the weather and the changes to their original plans, they particularly appreciated the effort their friends and family had put into the celebration.

What They Learned From Planning Their Wedding Without a Planner

After organizing their Villa Selvatico wedding themselves, they encourage other couples to enjoy the planning process and work together as much as possible. “Have fun, not just on your wedding day, but throughout the entire planning process,” they advise. “Work together with your partner; it will bring you even closer.”

They also recommend concentrating on what matters to you as a couple instead of worrying about everyone else’s opinions. The months spent researching vendors, preparing decorations, and making decisions together are memories they’ll carry into married life.

The Wedding Team:

Photography – Moon Stories
Venue – Villa Selvatico
Floral Design – Twins in Bloom
Catering – Food&Co
DJ – Dacj DJ
Makeup Artist + Hair Styling – Deborah & Giuliana of Bridal Makeup Service

 

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Inside an All-Inclusive Luxury Wedding Experience at Grand Velas Los Cabos

November 2, 2026 | justine

An Arabian Nights-inspired Sangeet with bronze and amber decor, a pink garden-party Haldi, and an ivory Sikh ceremony overlooking the Sea of Cortez were among the celebrations Jaskaren and Saman planned for their weeklong destination wedding at Grand Velas Los Cabos. The couple incorporated their Punjabi and Persian Bahá’í backgrounds into several events, with different designs, traditional ceremonies, and plenty of time for family and friends to enjoy the festivities.

Their story began more than a decade earlier at a library in Toronto, where Jaskaren was preparing for medical school and Saman was completing his Master’s degree. After spending an entire summer studying in the same corner without ever speaking, Jaskaren finally left him a handwritten note addressed to “The Guy in the White Shirt and White Hat.” He replied two weeks later. Their relationship eventually took them across three countries and four cities, including years of long-distance dating and demanding careers.

What We Love About This Grand Velas Los Cabos Wedding

  • A weeklong destination wedding featuring Punjabi and Persian Bahá’í traditions
  • An Arabian Nights-inspired Sangeet 
  • A colorful garden-party Haldi 
  • Two religious ceremonies, including an oceanfront Anand Karaj with English translations of the Four Laavaan
  • A custom pearl-embellished bridal lehenga, ivory chooda, and jewelry designed by the bride’s mother

A Week of Celebrations at Grand Velas Los Cabos

After years of living in different places and spending time away from family and friends, Jaskaren and Saman were excited about having everyone together for an entire week. They chose Grand Velas Los Cabos for its oceanfront location and the variety of spaces available for their celebrations, from smaller gatherings to traditional ceremonies and a larger reception.

The festivities began with an intimate welcome dinner overlooking the Sea of Cortez. With guests traveling from different places, the evening gave everyone a chance to catch up, meet new family members, and enjoy dinner together before the larger events began.

Hospitality was a major priority throughout the week. The couple prepared personalized coconuts and welcome gifts featuring local artisans. They also worked closely with their wedding planning team to coordinate the different events and make sure their guests could participate in both cultural traditions.

Arabian Nights-Inspired Sangeet With Candlelight and Dancing

For their Sangeet, the couple chose an Arabian Nights-inspired design with rich bronze and amber tones, and plenty of candlelight. Ornate arches framed the celebration, where traditional performances, music, and dancing kept guests entertained throughout the evening.

Jaskaren wore a custom Vibha Amitt ensemble with intricate embroidery that shimmered beneath the candlelight, while Saman chose a tailored jacket featuring mirror work and delicate thread embroidery.

Pink Garden-Party Haldi Overlooking the Ocean

The Haldi was a colorful outdoor celebration, with towering arrangements of hot pink and yellow flowers and vibrant lounge seating. The oceanfront setting was filled with guests wearing pinks, yellows, and other colorful traditional outfits.

For the occasion, Jaskaren chose a bright pink Papa Don’t Preach ensemble with heirloom jewelry and a statement maang tikka. Saman wore a silk Tasva jacket over a soft beige kurta.

Family and friends joined Jaskaren and Saman for the traditional Haldi rituals, applying turmeric paste to the couple before the festivities continued with music and dancing. 

An Ivory Anand Karaj Beneath a Floral Mandap

For their Sikh ceremony, Jaskaren and Saman chose an ivory color palette with delicate florals and flowing drapery. A floral mandap stood at the end of the oceanfront ceremony space, surrounded by white seating and arrangements of ivory and pale blush flowers.

Jaskaren had dreamed of wearing pearls on her wedding day since childhood. Designer Seema Gujral created a custom ivory lehenga with hand-beaded pearls and subtle gold embroidery. She paired it with an ivory chooda instead of traditional red bangles and jewelry designed by her mother.

Saman wore a light beige sherwani with layered pearl malas, embroidered juttis, and an ivory turban adorned with a pearl and feather kalgi.

During the Anand Karaj, the couple provided English translations of the Four Laavaan, the four hymns associated with the Sikh marriage ceremony. Their Granthi also explained each hymn in both Punjabi and English so guests unfamiliar with the tradition could understand its significance.

Another emotional moment for Jaskaren came during the Choora ceremony, particularly when her parents placed the veil over her. Following the Anand Karaj, guests gathered for a wedding lunch.

Featured Vendor:
CABO Studio
Grand Velas Los Cabos

Two Wedding Ceremonies Honoring Their Sikh and Bahá’í Faiths

Along with the Anand Karaj, the couple held a separate Bahá’í ceremony to honor Saman’s faith. Including both religious ceremonies was especially important to them, as they wanted their families to participate in traditions from each other’s backgrounds.

For the Bahá’í ceremony, Jaskaren changed into a corseted lace gown with a cathedral-length veil, while Saman wore a bespoke midnight navy Italian silk tuxedo.

Seeing their families embrace each other’s traditions was one of the highlights of the wedding week for Jaskaren and Saman. They also prioritized photography and videography, wanting to preserve the ceremonies, their families’ reactions, and the candid moments throughout the celebrations.

A Red-Draped Reception With Chandeliers and Dancing

The reception featured deep red velvet drapery across the walls and ceiling, crystal chandeliers, red floral arrangements featuring amaranthus and eucalyptus, and red uplighting throughout the space. A tiered white wedding cake decorated with red roses completed the setting.

For the evening, Jaskaren wore a crystal- and pearl-embellished Kalki couture gown with a Swarovski statement choker. The celebration included dinner, speeches, music, and dancing, with guests filling the dance floor.

Their Advice: Make Time for What Matters Most During Your Wedding Celebrations

Looking back on their Grand Velas Los Cabos wedding, Jaskaren and Saman encourage couples to spend less time worrying about every detail and more time enjoying the people who have gathered to celebrate with them.

“It’s easy to become overwhelmed by the endless decisions, expectations, and details that come with planning a wedding,” they shared. “But years from now, what you’ll remember most won’t necessarily be the flowers, the table settings, or whether everything went exactly according to plan.”

They also recommend choosing traditions that matter to you and working with vendors who understand your plans.

“Most importantly, give yourselves permission to be present.”

The Wedding Team:

Photography + Videography – Cabo Studio
Event Planning – Valeria del Olmo
Ceremony Venue – Grand Velas Los Cabos
DJ – DJ Vik
Makeup Artist – Magnifique
Hair Styling – Mara Lizarraga
Wedding Dress – Nadine Merabi
Bridal Accessories – Vibha Amitt
Rentals – Yaya Rentals

 

Sponsors
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This Refined Museo Casa de la Bola Wedding Was a Masterclass In Letting A Venue Take The Lead

November 1, 2026 | justine

A garden ceremony around a fountain, a vintage Monique Lhuillier gown, and a reception where guests enjoyed family-style Mexican food before dancing late into the night. For Chloe and Patrick, the appeal of getting married at Museo Casa de la Bola was that the historic estate already had so much of what they loved about Mexico City: lush gardens, classical architecture, and a secluded setting in the middle of a busy city.

The couple, who first met in high school and reconnected a decade later, chose Mexico City for their destination wedding after considering Portugal and Italy. It was already one of their favorite places to visit, Patrick has Mexican roots, and the location was convenient for guests traveling from Southern California and Dallas. With help from Junebug vendor Ganesha Wedding, they planned a celebration that made the most of the venue while putting much of their budget toward food, drinks, and music.

What We Love About This Museo Casa de la Bola Wedding

  • A circular garden ceremony where guests passed the couple’s wedding rings around to offer blessings
  • A vintage 1999 Monique Lhuillier gown that Chloe tracked down after the original sold
  • An aisle that allowed both of Chloe’s fathers to accompany her during separate parts of the processional
  • Talavera tile seating favors, restaurant-inspired table names, and cocktails named after the couple and their cats
  • A family-style Mexican dinner with Filipino touches, including calamansi curd for dessert
  • DIY illuminated calla lily wands that Chloe’s aunt and cousin assembled the night before the wedding

Featured Vendor:
Ganesha Wedding

A Historic Garden Venue Worth Planning a Wedding Around

Chloe discovered Museo Casa de la Bola while researching outdoor wedding venues in Mexico City. The estate immediately reminded her of The Secret Garden, one of her favorite childhood movies. With its secluded gardens and historic architecture, it had the atmosphere she and Patrick had been looking for.

It was the first thing they booked. Once they had a venue and date, they began working with Ganesha Wedding. Their planners had previously coordinated weddings at the property, which was reassuring for a couple organizing everything from abroad.

The venue also influenced how they approached their budget, allowing them to invest more heavily in food, beverages, and entertainment. Their color palette incorporated cobalt blue and hunter green, although settling on those colors proved surprisingly difficult. After disagreeing over the shades, they eventually worked things out during an afternoon in the paint swatch aisle of a hardware store.

A Wedding Morning Together, With the First Look Saved for the Aisle

Patrick was determined to see Chloe in her wedding dress for the first time as she walked down the aisle. But that didn’t stop them from spending the night before their wedding together at the Sofitel. They woke up, ordered room service, and exchanged private vows that morning before heading off to get ready separately.

Patrick spent the morning with his two sisters and two cousins, who each helped him with part of his outfit. Chloe got ready with her mother while a younger cousin documented the preparations on a camcorder, interviewing both her and Patrick.

After hair and makeup, Chloe jumped on the hotel bed to shake off some nervous energy, which also made for some memorable photographs. Once she was dressed, she asked for a few minutes alone before leaving for the ceremony.

A Circular Ceremony, Blessed Wedding Rings, and Two Walks Down the Aisle

The garden ceremony took place around a fountain, with guests seated in a circle. Chloe’s cousin Twyla officiated, having spent time with the couple beforehand to learn more about their relationship. During the service, she shared a story about a farmer and an astronaut that described their different personalities.

Before exchanging vows, Chloe and Patrick passed their wedding rings among their guests, asking everyone to offer a blessing or prayer. One guest later observed that the rings traveling around the circular seating arrangement resembled the Earth orbiting, an unexpected connection to Twyla’s story.

Chloe was adopted by her biological father’s older sister after her parents divorced, and she’d long struggled with how to handle the tradition of being given away. At one point, she even considered eloping to avoid having to choose between her two fathers.

The garden’s layout offered a solution. Her biological father accompanied her along the first section of the aisle, then handed her over to her adoptive father at a ramp crossing the planter. Her adoptive father walked her the rest of the way to Patrick. “It was very healing for me to accept and honor both parts of my identity and have my husband waiting at the end of it,” Chloe shared.

The Search for a Vintage Monique Lhuillier Gown

Chloe had her heart set on wearing a vintage wedding dress, preferably something she wouldn’t see on another bride. She’d long admired Monique Lhuillier, whose Filipino heritage was an added connection for Chloe, who is also half Filipino.

While browsing vintage bridal accounts, she spotted a 1999 Valerie Monique Lhuillier couture gown on Saturn Bridal’s Instagram. Unfortunately, someone had already bought it. She visited the shop anyway, tried on other dresses, and eventually found a gown at another salon that she liked well enough. But she kept searching for the original.

With seven months left before the wedding, she was starting to worry. Then Saturn Bridal posted another Valerie gown, this time in ivory rather than blush. Chloe immediately arranged an appointment and rushed over with her parents. The dress fit almost perfectly, including the hem, as long as she didn’t wear heels that were too high.

The silk satin gown featured a pleated bodice, delicate straps, a full tiered ball skirt, and tiny silk bows down the back. Chloe paired it with pearl-detailed Jimmy Choo kitten heels and a custom tulle neck scarf that her tailor, Tashina, dyed to match the dress. Patrick gifted her garnet studs, and she commissioned baroque pearl earrings from her friend Mary’s jewelry company, Drippy Gems.

She completed the look with a sleek twisted bun and fresh, understated makeup. Patrick wore a black suit with stingray boots and a bolo tie, along with vintage Christian Dior malachite cufflinks Chloe had given him.

A Fallen Tree Branch and a Few Last-Minute Wedding Day Surprises

There were a few complications behind the scenes. Chloe and Patrick got caught in Mexico City’s Friday afternoon traffic and arrived later than planned. Their officiant also accidentally ordered an Uber to the wrong address, although she caught the mistake midway through the trip.

More seriously, a large tree branch fell over the ceremony area before guests were seated. The couple only learned about it afterward. They later wondered whether their delay in traffic had actually been fortunate, since guests might otherwise have been in the area when the branch fell.

Ganesha Wedding handled the situation, along with the other last-minute issues, without involving Chloe and Patrick in the details. The couple were able to enjoy the ceremony and reception without knowing much of what had happened behind the scenes.

Restaurant-Inspired Tables and a Family-Style Mexican Feast

Food was one of Chloe and Patrick’s biggest priorities. They love trying restaurants together, ordering different dishes, and sharing everything, so they wanted their guests to enjoy dinner the same way.

The reception featured a family-style Mexican menu with a few Filipino additions, including chayote salad and a dessert with calamansi curd. Large platters circulated among the tables, and the servings kept coming until everyone was full.

Chloe compared the service to Harry Potter, where food seems to reappear as soon as it starts running low. Servers also circulated with drinks, remembered guests’ orders, and offered refills before anyone needed to ask.

The table details were equally specific to the couple. Each table was named after a restaurant associated with one of their favorite dates. Cocktails were named after Chloe, Patrick, and their two cats, while blue-and-cream Mexican Talavera tiles served as both seating guides and guest favors. The menus and table signage borrowed from the street signs around Mexico City.

Their flowers included white narcissus in Chloe’s bouquet for Patrick’s December birth flower and carnations in his boutonniere for her January birthday. An ofrenda honored loved ones who had passed away, and a black-and-white photo slideshow in the foyer featured at least one photograph with every guest.

DIY Calla Lily Wands and a Dance Floor That Filled Up Fast

Music was another major investment. Chloe and Patrick helped select songs for the pre-ceremony gathering, dinner, and reception, drawing heavily from music they’d listened to throughout their relationship.

After the ceremony and family portraits, they entered the reception to cheers and a crowd waving illuminated calla lily wands. Chloe had found the DIY idea online and purchased the supplies, but ran out of time to assemble them before leaving for Mexico. Her aunt and cousin stepped in and finished them the night before the wedding. Guests loved the wands, with several asking whether the flowers were real. Many took them home afterward.

The couple shared their first dance to “Stella by Starlight” followed by speeches from Patrick’s two sisters and Chloe’s two cousins. When the dance floor opened, it quickly filled up, and the party continued into the early hours.

A Welcome Party at Broka and a Post-Wedding Trip to Xochimilco

Chloe and Patrick kicked off the wedding festivities with a welcome party at Broka, complete with plenty of food and custom papel picado decorations. They later framed the decorative paper banner and brought it home as a keepsake. The day after the wedding, they organized a trip to Xochimilco, where everyone could ride the colorful boats along the canals and spend more time together before heading home.

If there’s one thing Chloe and Patrick would recommend to anyone getting married abroad, it’s hiring a local planner. Between finding the right vendors, working through language barriers, and handling a few unexpected wedding-day surprises, the Ganesha Wedding team took care of the details so the couple could enjoy the day without worrying about what was happening behind the scenes.

The Wedding Team:

Photography – Alfonso Flores
Event Planning – Ganesha Wedding
Venue – Museo Casa de la Bola
Floral Design – The Flower Project
Catering – Atipico
Officiant – Twyla Evano
DJ – Cos DJ
Videography – TJ Murao
Makeup Artist – Jimena Angulo
Hair Styling – Emelia Angulo
Wedding Dress – Saturn Bridal
Bridal Accessories – Drippy Gems
Rings – Twist

 

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