Wedding | Aly & Lindy
Tell us a little about yourselves!
“She found me in the woods.” – Lindy. Translation: We met in college while volunteering at an environmental restoration day, and the last 10 years have flown by! We each have quite demanding careers and have supported each other through law school and medical school. We’ve been long-distance and have been through three cross-country moves at this point. We’ve been busy, busy bees, but we’ve finally had a chance to settle a little bit.
We’re definitely foodies. We love trying new places around Chicago, and whenever we’re traveling to a new city, we have a curated list of restaurants to try. Aly spends her free time taking art and fashion classes at the Art Institute of Chicago. Lindy always has a new obsessive hobby she’s working on, anything from climbing to chainmail.
Why did you decide to get married where you did?
We originally considered a local wedding but decided we wanted a chance to travel abroad—something we haven’t been able to do together since college. We felt that putting our money towards traveling and a lengthier celebration was more worthwhile.
We were looking for somewhere that would be relaxing with lots of good food, which naturally drew us to Italy. Getting married in Positano was surreal. The landscape itself is so beautiful that it made the wedding planning less stressful. We didn’t sweat the small stuff because even if everything went wrong, at the end of the day, we would be surrounded by friends and family overlooking the Amalfi Coast. Throughout the night we kept catching guests taking in the view; it was so worth it.
How many guests did you have?
This was an intimate wedding with 26 of our friends and family. It was the perfect size for us to be able to casually spend time with each person while still having a chance to relax, eat, drink, and fully enjoy the festivities.
Many of our guests had never left the country, so it was a real treat to travel with everyone and watch them experience another country’s culture and charm for the first time.
What was your budget?
We spent $78k USD on our wedding day-related expenses and attire. Our venue rental fee included a three-night stay with seven rooms, so we not only had the opportunity to stay at the villa but also host the majority of our friends.
Tell us about your outfits.
Aly: I had such a fun time trying on different dresses in Chicago and New York. Since we were traveling abroad, I was looking for something unfussy and easy to pack. The dress I decided on was the Spring Awakening dress by Di Petsa. It was so light and comfortable, absolutely stunning, and so unique. I really love high fashion and felt this dress showed that side of me. As a personal touch, I wore the diamond and pearl earrings my mom wore on her wedding day, which her mother had given her for her wedding day.
Lindy: My style is more masculine, so I definitely wanted to wear a suit. It’s hard to find the right balance sometimes; clothes designed for men don’t fit correctly on my body, but often women’s clothes are too feminine for my taste. I started with the cropped Stella McCartney blazer and built the rest of my outfit from there. My shirt matched the movement and flow of Aly’s dress, and I went with straight-leg trousers for a more masculine silhouette.
What was the most important aspect for you, in terms of planning your wedding?
Honestly, the most important aspect to us was that we enjoyed our wedding day. There are a lot of pressures and expectations that come along with having a wedding, and we aren’t particularly traditional. As a queer couple, we already don’t fit the mold. Anything that we weren’t excited about we just didn’t do. In the end, it’s our day and it should feel like us.
Were there any elements that were important for you to incorporate?
We wanted our parents to be involved in some way because we knew it would mean a lot to them, but we didn’t like the traditional roles of father/mother of the bride. This is why we decided to have a “first look” with our moms and for our dads to be responsible for bringing up the rings.
Any tips for couples getting married?
Take your time in planning and enjoy the process! We planned our wedding two years in advance, which was the perfect amount of time to have our first pick in venues and vendors, make travel plans without the inflated prices that come with last-minute booking, and save for our big day. It even left us with time to take a birthday trip to New York to try on dresses and wedding rings, and gather sources of inspiration.
Are there any vendors that you would like to tell us a little more about?
Our photographer, Maélys Izzo, is an amazing photographer and person! As soon as we saw her work on The Anti-Bride, we knew she was exactly what we were looking for and more. We love film and experimental photography, and had a blast giving her free artistic control. She was so diligent and hardworking and had so many ideas. We felt like we could just enjoy the day and she would do all the work of capturing those special moments. She also quickly blended in with our friend group and was so friendly and approachable. Having her and her team at our wedding was truly such a joy.
Photographer: Maélys Izzo @maelysizzo | Flora: Floragarden Positano @floragardenpositano | Ceremony & Reception Location: Villa Oliviero @villaoliviero | HMUA: Alessandro Mancino @ale
ssandromancinostudios | Aly's Dress: Di Petsa @dipetsa from Belle Atelier @bellebridalatelier | Lindy’s Suit: Stella McCartney @stellamccartney Jacket; Shushu/Tong @shushu__tong Pants; Norma Kamali @normakamali Top | Aly's Engagement Ring: Lindsay Lewis @lindsaylewis__ | Lindy's Wedding Ring: Tiffany & Co. @tiffanyandco | Shoes: Aeyde @aeyde (Aly); Toga Pulla @togaarchives (Lindy) | Lindy’s Earrings & Necklace: Vivienne Westwood @viviennewestwood
