Enchantment in a Fortress: Serena and Massimiliano’s wedding story
“We were looking for a non-traditional and very emotional location. We found it by chance: we visited it and fell in love with it at first sight! The calm and the spirituality that embrace that place are amazing, as well as the nature around it”: our bride Serena tells us about her wedding story, and how she felt about the place where she celebrated her special day last August 7th, when she pronounced her “I do” to her beloved Massimiliano. The catholic ceremony was held in Saint Peter’s Church in Alba Fucens, in the heart of the abruzzese region: the church is an authentic jewel, placed on a hill and surrounded by peace since the Middle Ages. It was built in the same area were once stood an even more ancient pagan temple dedicated to the Greek god of arts, Apollo. The view is breathtaking from there: the hill is embraced by a stunning view on the valley and on the surrounding mountains.
The couple welcomed their guests in the Fortress of the Holy Spirit, an ancient monastery built in the Thirteenth century, now a cultural center and a wedding location. “Massimiliano proposed to me on the day in which we visited it”, reveals Serena, “whereas the preparations lasted for a whole year. We worked intensely at them weekend after weekend”.
The decorations were mostly in pastel colors: pale pink, ivory, a touch of amaranth that beautifully fitted with the frescos of both of the churches: the one where the couple pronounced their love vows, and the desecrated one where they had their mouthwatering and very elegant wedding lunch. Tiny, gracious bags in linen filled with wedding candied confetti were offered to each guest as wedding favors. “We took so much care to the choice of materials”, says Serena, “we used raw linen, lavender branches, cords and lots of other natural elements for all of our decorations”.
Talking about Serena’s wedding dress, “I wasn’t looking for a princess-ish style, I really wanted to express my personality genuinely”, confesses the bride. “I met Elisabetta Polignano thanks to the boutique White Wedding and a bit of online search. I chose a white dress with no straps. It has a godet skirt with made with baroque fabrics. The train is long and shiny! I added a veil too”. Serena’s hairdo was up in a chignon, and she chose thrush and pearl roses for her bouquet. “My best memories? Surely our wedding soundtrack: Paolo Conte’s songs make us sing whole heartedly and dream every time we listen to him”.
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(Photo credits: Andrea Calvano Wedding Photographer)