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Italy Destination Wedding - Heather & Matt

April 17, 2023 , Featured

Alright, y’all, Heather & Matt’s Italy destination wedding is finally here! If you missed the pre-wedding portrait session, you can find all that good stuff in part 1 here on the blog

Just two hours east of Rome is a tiny medieval town in Abruzzo, up in part of the Appenine mountains. In Santo Stefano di Sessanio, our home base was a scattered hotel, or “albergo difuso” called Sextantio. The village was restored rather than renovated, with hotel rooms and common areas all throughout the area. It was the perfect setting, and I couldn’t get over the ancient textures at every corner. 

We drove up into the Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga National Park for the wedding ceremony. Matt and Heather picked a spot overlooking mountain peaks in the national park. All throughout their emotional vows, you could hear the bells from passing sheep and cattle as they grazed on nearby hillsides. Although we were eyeing an incoming storm in the distance, the weather held out for us, and created the most gorgeous moody backdrop. 

After, we explored the hillside and the village for some of my all-time favorite portraits, then made our way over to a true Italian dinner feast. Guests ate antipasto of meats, cheeses, and local dishes. Inside, in an intimate stone dining room lit by candlelight, guests ate not one, but two pasta courses as part of our meal. Loved ones told stories and gave toasts to Heather & Matt. After cake and desserts, and dessert wine (of course!), we all paraded down to the “tisaneria” where the dance party disco unfolded. I’m told that guests danced until as late as 4am!

The magic of destination weddings

I’ve said it before, and I’m sure I’ll say it again, but destination weddings are just something special. People are excited to have a little extra adventure in their life. Being in such a beautiful, richly cultured place helps, but it’s more than that. With just 50 guests, we all got to know each other fairly well, and everyone is more generous with their emotions. Knowing Heather & Matt, you just can’t help but want to cheer them on. They’re some of the nicest people I’ve ever met. They made sure Ross and I both feel so included over the whole weekend and it was extra special to be a part of. Heather and Matt share a beautiful, rare kind of love, one that is feels so important and sacred to photograph. I can’t be more grateful for the opportunity to fly out and document their lives and celebrate in magical Abruzzo with them – it was a dream come true. 

Now, their Italy destination wedding day, from the top!

Santo Stefano di Sessanio, Abruzzo

Santo Stefano di Sessanio, Abruzzo

Sextantio Santo Stefano di Sessanio, Abruzzo

Sextantio Santo Stefano di Sessanio, Abruzzo

Sextantio Santo Stefano di Sessanio, Abruzzo

Groom getting ready

Groom getting ready Abruzzo wedding

Groom getting ready Abruzzo wedding

Groom and brother getting ready wedding

Groom and brother getting ready wedding

Wedding groom in Italy

Bride dress getting ready in Abruzzo

Bride getting ready in Abruzzo wedding

Bride getting ready in Abruzzo

Bride getting ready in Abruzzo

Bride getting ready in Abruzzo

Bride in Italy wedding dress

Italy bride in wedding gown

Sextantio Albergo Diffuso Italy

Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga

Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga wedding

Groom before wedding ceremony

Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga wedding

Wedding ceremony in Italy national park

Bride coming to wedding

Groom emotional reaction to bride

Father giving away bride

Italy wedding ceremony

Wedding ceremony on hillside

Wedding ceremony on mountainside with moody clouds

Wedding guests watching ceremony

Wedding guests watching ceremony

Wedding ceremony readings

Wedding ceremony readings

Wedding ceremony vows in Italy

Wedding ceremony vows in Italy

Wedding ceremony vows in Italy

Wedding ceremony vows in Italy

Wedding ceremony vows in Italy

Wedding ceremony vows

Wedding ceremony emotional guests

Wedding ceremony bride reading vows

Bride reading wedding vows

Wedding ceremony ring exchange

Wedding ceremony ring exchange

Wedding ceremony on mountainside

Wedding first kiss

Wedding ceremony celebration

Wedding ceremony celebration

Wedding ceremony celebration

Bride and groom celebrating ceremony

Bride and groom after outdoor ceremony

Bride and groom after outdoor ceremony

Bride and groom greeting guests

Bride and groom greeting guests

Bride and groom greeting guests

Bride and groom in Abruzzo mountains

Bride and groom in Abruzzo mountains

Bride and groom in Abruzzo mountains

Bride and groom in Abruzzo mountains

Bride and groom happy after ceremony

Wedding couple in Italy

Wedding couple in Italy

Wedding couple walking in Italy

Wedding couple walking in Italy

Wedding couple walking after ceremony

Abruzzo Italy landscape

Wedding in Santo Stefano di Sessanio

Wedding in Santo Stefano di Sessanio

Bride and groom in medieval Italian village

Bride and groom with wedding rings

Bride and groom in medieval Italian village

Bride and groom in medieval Italian village

Bride and groom with ivy wall

Bride and groom in medieval Italian village

Santo Stefano di Sessanio wedding

Santo Stefano di Sessanio wedding

Guests at Italian cocktail hour

Guests at Italian cocktail hour

Guests at Italian cocktail hour

Sunset in Santo Stefano di Sessanio

Sextantio wedding reception dinner

Sextantio wedding reception dinner

Wedding dinner candlelight details

Sextantio wedding reception dinner

Wedding reception greeting guests

Bride and groom at Italian wedding dinner

Guests toasting with wine

Wedding reception guest speech

Wedding reception guest speech

Bride and groom laughing

Wedding reception guest speech

Wedding reception guest speech

Wedding guests playing instruments
Wedding reception guest speech

Wedding reception guest speech

Wedding guests toasting to couple

Wedding desserts in Italy

Bride and groom cutting cake

Bride and groom cutting cake

Wedding guests parade down street

Bride and groom walking to reception

Wedding reception dance party

Wedding reception dance party

Wedding reception dance party

Wedding reception dance party

Wedding dancing at Sextantio

Wedding dancing at Sextantio

Wedding dancing at Sextantio

Wedding guests at reception dancing

Vendors:

Venue, Food, and Planning: Sextantio Albergo Diffuso, Santo Stefano di Sessanio

Hair & Makeup: La Truccheria L’Aquila

Bride’s attire: Gown: Alexandra Grecco / Headpiece: Untamed Petals / Boots: Custom, Modern Vice / Sunglasses: Lele Sadoughi / Jacket: Haute Hippie

Groom’s Attire: Suit: Suit Supply / Bolo Tie: Vintage Zuni Tribe / Boots: Frye

Rings: Anna Sheffield

Geode Place Settings: Scribe New York

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