With so many incredible locations available for destination weddings in Italy, Liguria might not be the first that comes to mind. But wait until you see today’s photo shoot! Photographer, Demartini Weddings, and wedding planner, Cherelle Joseph, joined forces with a group of local vendors to produce an editorial shoot that represents the true beauty and al fresco charm of this region. Cherelle and the team shared the ideas behind the shoot with us.
Liguria is a charming arched strip of land that sits along the Mediterranean coastline between France and Tuscany. It is often overlooked when it comes to destination weddings in Italy. While on a wedding planners’ familiarisation trip to Liguria, I came across the breathtaking old monastery venue, Eremo della Maddalena. Set upon a hill overlooking the popular Cinque Terre Villages, this historical venue is well secluded. It is the perfect setting for a romantic, intimate destination wedding, hosting a few well-designed rooms in rustic style, a courtyard with kitchen and living room access, a swimming pool, and even its own olive groves, a little paradise where the wedding breakfast can be enjoyed.
I met our photographer, Marta, at a London networking event. It was a fabulous coincidence that she was from the area that I had recently fallen in love with. We spoke about creating a styled shoot for couples who wish to marry in a unique location in Italy. During the planning stage, we both agreed that we wanted to collaborate with a mix of selected international suppliers. This would replicate a real couple’s needs when planning their destination wedding in a relatively remote area of Italy. Most of us have also lived in London and we all love its cosmopolitan lifestyle and quirky trends, which helped us to shape an inspirational shoot that stands out for its blend of Italian and London style!
Our vision for this photo shoot was to create a romantic, colourful mood. We achieved this by combining the warm tones of Living Coral with dusty blue, which recalls the merging of sea and sky that one often sees in the region’s beautiful panoramas. Our floral designer locally sourced buttercups, peonies and garden roses to compose an abundant, irregularly shaped bouquet. The ceremony set-up added romance to the shoot.
Certainly, we couldn’t do a styled shoot in Italy without showcasing the rich Italian cuisine! MSTAFF Catering brought to life a grazing board representative of what you can typically expect from this area of Italy. For example, focaccia, pesto, olive oil, limoncello liqueur, mussels and local wine. We had two very different cakes. One was a naked version, decorated with the beautiful fresh flowers chosen for the photo shoot for a more rustic and romantic look. The second was a neat layered cake made keeping in mind the coral theme and the subtle elegant taste of our bride. We also had a gelato cart serving fresh strawberry and mango flavors to complement the beautiful flower arrangements.
Photographer: Demartini Weddings, Concept Creator and Planner: Cherelle Joseph, Venue: Eremo della Maddalena, Props and Styling: Lisa Barsotti Wedding Stylist, Catering, tableware and chairs: MSTAFF Catering, Florist: De Silvestri Floral Designer, Stationery: Ananya Cards, Table Linen: Silk & Purl, Dresses: Heart Aflutter, Hair: Stefano De Barbieri at FHS, Makeup: Sabrina Priano, Gelato Bike: Gelateria Golosone Monterosso, Cake: Giulia Cakes and Cookies
