Wedding | Erin & Dan

Tell us a little about yourselves!

We actually met in high school (in the backyard at a party) and dated for a brief moment back then! We have always moved in similar friendship circles, but rekindled after our university years. Dan’s younger sister actually mentioned this during her speech at the wedding - it was apparently a moment at a New Years festival where she knew it was meant to be for us. That was 9 years ago and we have been happily doing life together ever since.

Dan is a landscaper and I work as a business partner in the public sector. We also own a business together where we build and run bespoke accommodation for vineyards in the Canberra District Wine region. We started with a single glamping tent almost seven years ago and slowly grew, including recently completing two architecturally designed tiny homes for a boutique vineyard. 

A wedding wasn’t on our priority list at the time, but Dan surprised me with his Nonna's ring on a weekend away in the Hawkesbury River in 2023 and we jumped into planning a big holiday and an Italian wedding.

Why did you decide to get married where you did?

Dan's family is from Italy, and it's one of our favourite places to visit. We decided very early on that we wanted a smaller overseas wedding and time to travel on either side of it. We wanted the focus to be on quality time rather than just a one-day celebration, and we feel very lucky to have shared such meaningful moments with our family and friends over there.

We’ve travelled to Italy a few times and fell in love with Puglia on a trip in 2019. It’s such a unique region, blending everything we love about traditional Italy with a very cool undercurrent of art, food, and wine, all wrapped in a mix of countryside and sea. We wanted our friends and family to experience the region too, so we organised a welcome event at Burro Cafe in Ostuni a few days before the wedding rather than the day before. It created such an incredible feeling—strolling down the street and running into so many familiar faces. We also spent a few days in Otranto as a “buddymoon” with friends after the wedding.

We booked Masseria Angiulli Piccolo, an 18th-century restored villa. We were drawn to it for its organic understated, yet design-forward feel. We also loved the idea of a private villa rather than a large wedding venue. We wanted the day to feel less like a formal wedding and more like a relaxed, organic outdoor dinner party with incredible food and wine.

How many guests did you have?

70 - it was a great number, cosy yet buzzing at the same time. We actually invited around 100 because we wanted all our loved ones to feel included. We knew not everyone could realistically travel overseas, and we never assumed or expected anyone would, but it felt important that they were still invited.

What was your budget? 

We approached it knowing we wanted an overseas wedding and holiday, so we focused on creating an experience that felt special for our loved ones rather than aiming for a one-day celebration in Australia. In many ways, we ended up spending a similar amount to what we might have for a larger wedding at home, but we got to spread it out over several days, making it a truly unforgettable experience for everyone.

Tell us about your outfits.

Dan’s suit was custom made by Mawson Ossa in Sydney. He went for a classic double-breasted suit with a relaxed, modern twist. He chose a Japanese wool blend that was super light and breathable for the Italian summer, giving the suit that effortless, laid-back feel. He paired it with a custom bow tie and Italian loafers. The whole experience, from the space to the expert guidance and fittings, was incredible.

Erin - I always had a vision of a minimalist, 90s-esque slip dress. After trying on countless dresses, I discovered Aston Bridal. Miranda saw the vision immediately and created a beautiful custom slip for me, we even used her “getting ready” slip as the inspiration piece when I first visited her studio. I also wore a neck scarf by Kyha Studios instead of a veil,  which was a very last-minute addition that only just made it in time for my mum to bring it over to Italy.

After designing the slip with Aston Bridal, I happened to stumble upon an opening to try on a Kate Willa piece. I had always loved the Roj gown but hadn’t been able to make it to Byron Bay during the search. The stars aligned when her designs were available at a Sydney boutique the same weekend I was visiting girlfriends. I tried the Roj gown on, and my friend and I both agreed it was time to add a second dress. It was delicate and intricate and completely different from anything I had tried on. I think the sheer, vintage-inspired gown ended up being the perfect complement to the minimalist slip. 

I sourced my D’Accori heels second-hand from Vestiaire Collective, and Dan wore a pair of Italian leather loafers.

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

The food and drinks! This was probably the most important aspect for both of us right from the start. Puglia has an incredible food and wine scene, and we wanted to capture that for our guests on the day. We found Rotondo Catering before we had even booked a venue and actually based a few of our decisions on their availability and the venues they could work at. The food on the day was phenomenal. We didn’t do a tasting and just put all our trust in the team—and it was perfect.

We ordered wines to Australia to taste and selected some of our favourites, which were also a hit on the day. We were so appreciative of our friends and family travelling so far and really wanted them to feel spoilt and well looked after. The team at Joe Bar Catering kept negronis flowing from the moment everyone arrived before the ceremony until very late in the evening.

The other important consideration was striking the right balance between a black-tie wedding and a more laid-back, true “garden party” atmosphere. Although we planned all the timings, we chose to avoid having a formal MC (although, Erin’s brother-in-law did get thrown into a more casual version of the role a few days beforehand). We also skipped classic formalities like bridal party entrances and first dances. The result was a beautifully styled venue setup with a warm, relaxed gathering energy.

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

We designed custom Scopa cards and gave a pack to every guest, housed in a box that resembled a sardine can. Scopa is a traditional Italian card game that we play frequently at home - Dan’s family taught me how to play, and you’ll always find us with a deck of cards and a coffee after dinner. We included instructions in the box so our guests learnt to play on their holiday, which was so much fun.

My talented sister hand sketched and designed the cards, featuring stripes and a moka pot on the back and a modern, playful twist on the original suits in the colour palette of our wedding.

Any tips for couples getting married?

Take your time researching trusted and experienced vendors. Always have a chat with them to get a feel for whether your vision and values align—you’ll know when you’ve found your people. And then just put all your trust in them.

Our other tip is that it’s probably going to feel stressful no matter what, especially if you’re planning an overseas wedding. It might be cliché, but nothing beats the feeling of having your loved ones together on the day, and it truly is all worth it.

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

We ended up with such a wonderful mix of Italian and Australian vendors, and we couldn’t speak highly enough about all of them! Our photographer, Alice André, was absolutely divine to work with. She made us feel completely at ease, and it honestly felt like we were working with a friend. We loved chatting with her in the lead-up to the wedding, and the photos she captured were perfect. We wanted a relaxed, documentary-style feel that captured all the candid moments of the day, and we couldn’t be happier. Our friends and family were raving about her too!

Rachael and her team from Form Floral Design (in Tasmania) were equally incredible—their creativity, vision, and professionalism made them an absolute dream to work with. We remember watching them work on the outdoor arrangements in scorching heat and thinking, wow, what a team. They nailed the brief perfectly, complementing the organic, minimalist feel of the venue and the wild countryside surroundings.

We’ve already raved about Rotondo Catering and JoeBar earlier, but we truly can’t recommend them highly enough for anyone getting married in Puglia. We booked all our music through Sisto Events, which included a beautiful guitarist and singer at the start of cocktail hour, which then transitioned to a DJ and electric violinist for the second half. We gave them a playlist with a relaxed “Euro-summer” vibe, and the violinist was a show stopper! They created the most incredible laid back but vibey atmosphere while everyone mingled with cocktails in the garden and on the rooftop during golden hour.

And finally, not a vendor, but Preditt was the most wonderful host during our stay at Masseria Angiulli Piccolo. He was incredibly helpful, warm, and kind in every aspect - from helping Dan’s dad adjust the festoon lights on the rooftop, to mowing the lawns on the wedding morning, and cooking the most delicious breakfasts and dinners for our families each day. Masseria Angiulli Piccolo is already a beautiful venue, and he brought an extra level of care and magic to our time there.

Photographer: Alice André Photography @aliceandrephoto | Planning & Styling: Love and Forever Weddings @loveandforeverweddings | Flora: Form Floral Design @form_floraldesign | Videographer: Super 8 by Dan's sister | Ceremony & Reception Location: Masseria Angiulli Piccolo @masseriaangiulli | Celebrant: Friend of the couple | Rentals: Itinera Events @itinera_events | HMUA: Holly Fraser Makeup

@hollyfrasermakeup | Catering: Rotondo Catering @rotondocatering | Beverages: JoeBar Catering

@joebarcatering | Stationery: El Sol @elsol_collectives | DJ: Sisto Events @alexsisto | Band: Prodigal Duo

 @theprodigalduo | Lighting: Gio Lighting @giolighting | Ceremony Dress: Aston Bridal @astonbridal | Reception Dress: Kate Willa @kate_willa | Suit: Mawson Ossa @mawsonossa | Neck scarf: Kyha Studio

@kyhastudios | Engagement Ring: Laher @laherdesign | Wedding Rings: Kieroy @kieroy | Shoes: 

D’Accori @daccori