A Romantic Tuscan Wedding Fit for a Fairytale

It was important for Kelsi and Joachim, a Norwegian couple who were residing in Paris at the time, to create a weekend during which their friends from all over the world could eat, drink and be merry. “Our vision was to have it be small and intimate. We invited 25 of our family members down for the week and spent it at the Lazy Olive in Tuscany leading up to the big wedding day. Then we had 25 close friends fly down a day before to celebrate the wedding weekend with us all. It was the perfect lead up to the big day and really set the tone, we wanted it to be familiar, relaxed and fun,” says the bride.

The day-of, before Kelsi slipped into her Rosa Clara gown, all of the women in the family hosted a breakfast for her by the pool. “I loved getting ready in the morning, and my sister made sure to play all my favorite songs while we got ready so that I was calm and laughing the whole time!” She paired her fitted dress with a handmade headpiece by a French designer, earrings from her great-great-grandmother, and the garter that her mother wore down the aisle.

For the design, the couple was inspired by the venue's natural setting, romantically overrun with herbs and greenery. Their altar design blended seamlessly with the gorgeous surroundings as they exchanged handwritten vows, and did a hand-fasting ceremony conducted by both of their mothers. Once pronounced, guests tossed dried flowers that Kelsi had been saving for several months. “I loved this! It was a fun project to do before the wedding and to take my time with,” she adds.

Their reception looked out over the rolling Tuscan hills and the group ate, drank and laughed until the sun set over the horizon.