Amanda + Sean's Wedding in Abruzzo, Italy
Amanda and Sean’s Italian wedding was one of the most memorable and emotional weddings I’ve attended. Although I was attending as a guest, I had agreed to photograph their civil ceremony, which took place a few hours before the wedding itself, and as a result had the opportunity to grab a couple of snaps during the main event afterwards - with the bride and groom’s permission, of course!
Sean and Amanda said their vows in a small village called Montefino that is set amidst the mountains and valleys. As it was such a small village, the locals had come out in force with their iPads and phones to record the “big American wedding” taking place in the centre! The couple exchanged vows they’d written themselves, with family members officiating and a guitarist strumming along in the background to add to the already magical atmosphere.
Their reception was at the beautiful Agriturismo Cignale, a hotel and restaurant where all the food is grown onsite. Because of the emphasis on food, Amanda and Sean opted for a five course meal (four courses of which were pasta), punctuated by emotional and intimate speeches from their nearest and dearest between each course. Afterwards, we headed outside for the cake cutting, first dance, father-daughter dance and mother-son dance. Although it began pouring during the first dances, we stayed outside and danced until 3am in the Mediterranean rain! It truly was spectacular.
This was my favourite wedding of 2019, not just because of my close friendship with the happy couple but also due to the personal and emotional nature of the day. As you can see in the gallery below, however, it wasn’t just a one-day event - we arrived in Italy a couple of days prior to the wedding itself, and enjoyed a welcome party and rehearsal dinner in the days preceding. As mentioned before, I wasn’t the official photographer for Amanda and Sean, but I hope this little gallery can give you an idea of how special their celebration was - and maybe give you inspiration for your own destination wedding!
