Italian weddings are known for a certain romance, different from any other region of the world. This Italian Gothic wedding inspiration, while darker than your traditional wedding in Italy, still has that sophistication, culture, and alluring sensibility one would expect. Villa Di Maiano in Florence provided a warm backdrop for this inspiration shoot, styled exuberantly with shades of red, deep blue, and gold. The bride wears an embellished Anna Fucá crochet lace gown with fingers full of large stone rings, long dark curls cascading past her shoulders. By candlelight, she is met by her groom, where the two of them bask in the glow of flickering gold flames against the darkness.
A very special thanks to Stefano Santucci for sharing this Italian Gothic wedding inspiration with Junebug! For more of his stunning photography, be sure to check out Federica and Andrea’s intimate Tuscan wedding at La Vallata.
We have such a special treat for you today, and it includes an aerial entrance, ginormo balloons with colorful tassels, and a sprinkle cake adorned with shooting sparklers. If you hadn’t guessed yet, Stephanie and Shane’s Aria wedding in Minneapolis was inspired by their love of the carnival. The pair enlisted an incredible team of professionals to bring their carnival wedding dreams to life, and wedding planner Ambiente Group truly went above and beyond in ensuring that every detail was exactly right. Cadence and Eli Photography captured the many incredible moments, from the romantic first look to Stephanie’s grand entrance from above, to the illuminating cake cutting.
The inspiration for our wedding décor was romantic with a hint of carnival. Aria was the perfect venue to pull this off. We based our color scheme off of a picture of a colorful cake we found online. We chose base colors of black, white, and silver so that the color wasn’t overwhelming.
The theme was inspired by our love of all things carnival. We take every opportunity to ride carousels and Ferris Wheels and to have cotton candy and corn dogs. The Minnesota State Fair is always a must and is where we took our engagement photos — which featured cotton candy, carousels, and Ferris Wheels of course!
One of the biggest carnival elements of our day was my entrance into the ceremony. I had gone to a youth circus camp in high school and decided that I would like to be lowered in on a Lyra (aka hoop). So we found a rigger willing to help and I was lowered 40 feet down from the catwalk!
The Moments:
Some highlights were our first look photos, my entrance into the ceremony, and the cake cutting. If we have to choose a favorite, it would be right after the ceremony when we signed our marriage license. We went into the back with our immediate families and our amazing officiant, who was my favorite geography professor. The caterers brought back the hors d’oeuvres that were being served for cocktail hour so we actually had a chance to have some cotton candy, corndogs, and soft pretzels! It was so nice to have a chance to take a deep breath and celebrate with those closest to us while we signed the license.
The Couple Recommends:
Jim Dominick of Xelias Aril Arts, who rigged the Lyra I was lowered down in, was simply amazing. We did trial runs the week of the wedding and he was able to figure out the speed, rotation, and where the hoop should be raised back up to after I was safely off. Without Jim, my dream entrance would not have happened!
Cadence and Eli, our photographers, and their two assistants did such a great job capturing our day! Their photojournalistic style was just what we were looking for and our photos are absolutely stunning. The best thing about Cadence and Eli is that they are so in love with what they do and their enthusiasm is contagious. It was a bonus that there are two of them (plus assistants) capturing the day so nothing was missed!
Aria’s team, specifically Kastina, was a dream to work with. They were so organized and professional but it felt like we were working with good friends. Aria was so supportive of my ceremony entrance and helped to ensure everything was safe. I think most of the staff, even if they had the day off, showed up to watch me get lowered down!
Kastina and the rest of Aria’s team, along with Cadence and Eli, really stepped up when the unthinkable happened — our wedding planner fell ill and had to go to the hospital the morning of the wedding! They took on her job without a second thought. They cued for the ceremony, made sure the flowers got put on the correct tables, ensured things stayed on schedule as much as possible, and so much more so that we could enjoy our day to the fullest. We cannot thank them enough
The only thing Liz and Anthony love as much as each other is music, so it’s no wonder the couple were married in what they call a “psychedelic bohemian” wedding reminiscent of 1970s hippie rock and roll. Held on Storybook Farm, the couple enlisted the help of Events by Ellen to see their wedding vision come to fruition, complete with DIY dream catchers, colored glass goblets, and natural elements inspired by the Pacific Northwest. With so many intricate details, Julia Kuinnen Photography had a lot to work with when capturing the festive and romantic celebration, and every capture is filled with Liz and Anthony’s one-of-a-kind personality.
Anthony is a musician and we’re huge music fans. Though I knew our wedding would be rustic and country, based on the idyllic barn/vineyard setting and Anthony‘s family farming roots, we definitely wanted to put our own hippie rock spin on it all. We called it psychedelic bohemian.
The Moments:
It’s a toss up between our ceremony and our family speeches. All were off beat and incredibly powerful, funny and so moving. All were heartfelt moments we will hold with us for the rest of our lives.
The Couple Recommends:
Having just moved to Seattle when we began wedding planning we knew no one. After finding Julia Kinnunen on Thumbtack we knew we had struck gold! She is an extreme talent and her jovial and laid back bedside manner was perfect for the vibe we were hoping our photographer would have!
Beth McGeachie, out of LA, stunned our guests with her 60’s psychedelic rock save the dates and invitations. Personally designed and described by many as, “The coolest wedding invitation ever!”
Also, special shout out to The Pretty Shady String Band who set the perfect tone for our festival wedding. Go check them out busking at Pike Place Market!
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