Real Wedding | Lisa + Russell

Tell us a little about yourselves!

Russell and I are located in Los Angeles, CA. We met in New York City over 5 years ago through a mutual friend and hit it off quickly. We were official within two weeks of our first hangout, moved across the country after 2 years together and have been pretty much inseparable since. We love traveling, trying out new foods, and hanging out with furry animals.

Why did you decide to get married where you did?

We had been pushing back our wedding planning due to the pandemic, and Russell had plans to be working internationally, so we just wanted to seize the moment.

How many guests did you have?

Just our photographers Flora + Grace!

Due to the pandemic, we didn’t want to put any guests at risk or through any trouble. We also wanted to have the moment to ourselves and capture it to share with those we love. The plan is to have a small reception in a year or two (hopefully!).

Tell us about your outfits.

Since we planned only about a month or two out, I was limited to off the rack options. I went to a store called Glamour Closet here in LA and found the Lihi Hod Lola dress looking very unique hanging on a rack. I pretty much loved it as soon as I put it on. I loved the off-shoulder look, the little keyhole with a bow, the tiered skirt, and the fabric had the most gorgeous sheen to it. We went to Suit Supply and ordered a tux to fit perfectly for Russell. We had practically no time for alterations, and got the dress the day before our flight!

What was the most important aspect for you, in terms of planning your wedding?

The most important aspect for us while planning was not to stress. We had started wedding planning during the pandemic and it was stressful due to travel concerns, social distancing, and overall state of the world. So while we were in Positano, we wanted to really enjoy our time there, our time with each other, really relax, and also have a new shared experience.

Were there any elements that were important for you to incorporate?

We went into this with no real plan except to capture the moment to remember and share. I think choosing the right people for the job was an important decision (which we don’t regret!).

Any tips for couples getting married, particularly during the pandemic?

We eloped! It was much less stressful getting married this way and I could really lean into my dream wedding because there were less constraints.

Are there any vendors that you would like to tell us a little more about?

Flora + Grace were really the only vendor that we interacted with and it was the best decision we made! They helped us every step of the way, from accommodating our last minute request to perfect communication to helping us plan the perfect day and capturing it all. We saw the weather report predicting rain on the scheduled day of the shoot and they were super flexible and offered to shoot the day before. We had a great time getting to know them as people and artists as we explored Positano together. They made us feel really comfortable in our attire and in front of the camera. Their excitement for the shoot didn’t die down as the day went on, and we could tell they were truly passionate about what they do.

Photographer + Videographer : Flora + Grace @flora_and_grace | Ceremony Location : Empty parking spot w/ views of Positano | Reception Location : Positano, Italy | Planner : Lisa and Russell with help of Flora + Grace | Catering + Beverages : Wine on boat booked through hotel (Hotel Villa Franca) @villafrancapositano | Lisa's Dress : Lihi Hod Lola @lihihod | Russell's Suit : Suit Supply Tuxedo @suitsupply | Lisa's Wedding Ring : Cartier @cartier | Russell's Wedding Ring : Bulgari @bulgari | Lisa's Shoes : Stuart Weitzman @stuartweitzman | Groom's Shoes : SuitSupply @suitsupply | Earrings : Dior @dior | Other Rings : Mejuri @mejuri | Necklace : Monica Vinader @monicavinader