two brides & a queer wedding in italy

Alba & Elena – April 27th, 2024

Two brides & a queer wedding in Italy 

On the other side of the camera for my own wedding – late April, black and white, the masterpieces of Vicenza.. And two brides, of course.

Elena and I met in 2018 through mutual friends, and by the time the 2020 lockdown hit, we were moving in together – a total lesbian cliché, we know, but it was the foundation of everything we are today. We are different in all the right ways, and our strength lies in how we support each other’s growth. We love to travel, but for our wedding, we realized our hearts were right in our hometown.

Originally, we imagined a tiny destination wedding for 30 guests. But we are Italians, and- admittedly – a bit of people-pleasers! We realized that celebrating our love meant celebrating with the people who shared the journey with us, so we pivoted to a “traditional” guest count of 60.

I knew I didn’t want to split the ceremonies and have the civil ceremony first, and the symbolic one later. I wanted to have a single, civil ceremony for everyone to be a part of. We chose the Basilica Palladiana for its breathtaking architectural soul and that unmistakable city vibe. It was perfect. After the ceremony, we headed right downstairs to Bar Borsa for a classic Italian aperitivo – Aperol Spritz, good wine, and pure joy under the arches.

When it came to our look, both of us knew dresses weren’t for us. We wanted something elegant, timeless, and – crucially – something we could wear again. We leaned into a monochrome theme with Max Mara suits: a total white look for me and a sharp black one for Elena. There is something so powerful about the simplicity of black and white, especially when it’s “Made in Italy.”

The design of the day was a tribute to our city. Together with our florists, Il Nido Verde, we sourced pieces of broken marble and Vicenza stone to anchor our tables. We wanted a twist for the florals, so we chose dramatic black flowers for the ceremony that transitioned into a luminous white palette for the reception.

Food and drink were non-negotiable for us. We wanted to give our guests a true culinary experience, so we chose La Favellina. Offering a Michelin-star dinner was our way of saying thank you to everyone who has been part of our journey.