Wedding | Evie & Max

Tell us a little about yourselves!

We met via a dating app six and a half years ago. Our first meeting was in the pouring rain in November 2018 in Embankment, where we proceeded to do a local pub crawl. To cut a long story short, we spent the whole weekend together, and the rest is history.

After living together for a few years, we bought our first home in Southeast London in November 2023. Max proposed just two weeks later, on our five-year anniversary at the wonderful Boys Hall in Kent.

Our pipe dream is to live in Italy for a short while before having children, and to one day purchase an old property there that we can restore back to life.

Why did you decide to get married where you did?

Evie is half Italian, so Italy had always been on the cards. Fortunately, Max shares her love for the country - together, we’ve spent many holidays there and created countless happy memories. It felt like a natural and meaningful place to begin the next chapter of our lives.

When we got engaged and began searching for venues, we quickly realised that simply typing “wedding venues in Tuscany” into Google wasn’t leading us to the right fit. So, we shifted our approach and started exploring beautiful holiday rental properties instead. Eventually, we narrowed it down to six very different venues and, in January 2024, we flew to Italy to see them all in person. We based ourselves at Evie’s Nonna’s apartment in Viterbo, which made for the perfect home during our whirlwind weekend of viewings.

Borgo Lucignanello was actually a bit of a wildcard. It was further afield than we’d initially planned, and the online information was minimal - but something about it intrigued us. The moment we arrived, it took less than a second to know it was the one. We instantly fell in love with the Borgo; the charming cobbled streets, timeworn walls, thoughtful interiors, and of course, the breathtaking views. It felt like a place frozen in time, and we knew we’d found somewhere truly special.

How many guests did you have?

In the end we had 85 adults, 2 children and 4 babies! It felt like the perfect size.

Tell us about your outfits.

Max was fortunate to have a custom suit made by Cad and The Dandy on Savile Row. He chose a lightweight, open-weave wool in a rich plum-brown shade - an elegant alternative to linen that avoided the risk of creasing on the day (a tip we’d highly recommend to any groom considering linen!). The suit featured a double-breasted jacket with wide-leg double pleat trousers with turn-up. Finished off with a vintage Gucci tie.

Evie had always known she would design her own wedding dress. Having spent over a decade sourcing fabric for luxury fashion houses, it felt like the perfect opportunity to create something personal and meaningful. The first step was finding the right seamstress, and luckily, she didn’t have to look far. Pip, a former colleague from her time at Burberry, was the perfect collaborator. With an extraordinary ability to bring even the most unconventional ideas to life, Pip helped transform Evie’s vision into reality.

The inspiration for the dress began with a fabric Evie discovered, along with a deep dive into The Art of Manipulating Fabric by Colette Wolff. From there, the design process unfolded—centred on finding a modern, elegant way to showcase the fabric.

While many variations of the bodice were explored, the skirt design remained largely unchanged throughout. The final gown featured a structured silk duchesse bodice, with pleated silk tulle detailing on the bust that echoed the movement and texture of the skirt.

To let the skirt shine, Evie opted for an elbow-length veil with an embroidered lace trim. It was the perfect finishing touch - striking a balance between contemporary design and a timeless, traditional Italian-Catholic aesthetic.

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

The most important aspect was to ensure we created a weekend that really reflected us. Every decision made and detail added was considered... at times a lengthy process but one we’re so pleased we took the time on. We wanted to provide a relaxed, welcoming, fun environment for our guests, with the best vibes and lots of good food & wine, which we think we succeeded with!

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

Acknowledging Evie’s Italian heritage was a priority for us and played a big part in our decision-making. Going back to the point of ensuring the day reflected us, the ceremony was of course a key part. We wanted it personal and intimate, and having a close family member as our celebrant did just that.

A good DJ and dance floor setup; we are often the first – and always the last – on the dance floor at any party, so it was a must!

The second day – a pool party was always something we wanted to try and incorporate as it's the perfect opportunity to keep the vibes going and to debrief on the day before.

Any tips for couples getting married?

Everyone says it, but it's true – try not to get too stressed during the planning process. The planning is so fun most of the time, but can also be very admin heavy and time consuming. So do make sure you divide and conquer. It’s a lot of work for one day or weekend and it is all over in a flash, so try to take every little step of the planning along the way.

And, of course, remember to not let the butterflies overcome you; so much effort goes into making the day special, for you. Take small moments to yourselves, absorb as much as you can, and enjoy every moment.

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

All our vendors were incredible over the weekend; we were so lucky that there were no major hiccups and that's entirely down to the team on the day and all the vendors involved.

A special mention to Gina Upton who worked tirelessly on delivering our vision of using paper doilies as the place names – she did a fantastic job!

Photographer: Sarah Joy Landon @sarahjoylandon | Planning: The Couplers @thecouplers | Flora: Silvia Mattera @silviamatteraflowerdesigner | Videographer: John Kurt @mrjohnkurt | Ceremony & Reception Location: Borgo Lucignanello, Montalcino @borgolucignanello | Celebrant: Groom’s Auntie Sue | HMUA: Brigida Ferracini @brigidamakeupartist | Cake, Catering & Beverages: Royal Catering Siena @royalcateringsiena | Stationery: Designed by Bride with illustrations by artist Ellie Evelyn Orrell. Placenames by calligrapher Gina Upton | Entertainment: (Band) Old Florence Jazz Band @oldflorencejazzband, (DJ) Harris Lovatt | Dress & Veil: Designed by Bride & made by Philippa Long | Suit:  Cad and The Dandy @cadandthedandy | Other Outfit Details: (Tie) Gucci @gucci | Engagement Ring: Delaval Knight @delavalknight | Wedding Rings: Bride’s Grandmother’s | Shoes: (Bride) Gucci @gucci & (Groom) Church's @churchs | Bracelet: Monica Vinader @monicavinader | Earrings: Julia Mariella @ariellajewellery | Wedding Party Attire: (Bridesmaids') Cris Serra @crisserrastudio , Reformation @reformation & Cos, (Ushers)  (Suits) Percival @percival_menswear & (Ties & Pocket squares) John Henric @johnhenric