Wedding | Louise & Andy

The Anti-Bride
6 minutes ago
8 min read

Tell us a little about yourselves!

We’re Louise and Andy, together for eight years and based in London. With careers at premium retailers COS and Aesop, brands defined by timeless design and refined detail, we tried to bring the same philosophy of elegant aesthetic and attention to detail to our wedding celebration.

We met in our early twenties through a mutual friend and spent many years building a strong friendship before things developed romantically. Those years were filled with a lot of laughter, late nights, festivals and group holidays with our shared friends.

We share a love of the outdoors, movement, music and travel. Andy proposed on the Isle of Skye (Scotland) after we’d climbed one of the Munro mountains, I was exhausted, elated and completely taken by surprise (whilst thankful I had made it back down in one piece).

We are happiest when entertaining or dancing with friends, out hiking in the countryside or travelling and exploring new places.

Why did you decide to get married where you did?

A traditional English wedding was never really on the cards for us and being able to have the ceremony outdoors in nature was an important aspect of the day. So with the unpredictability of British weather, a destination wedding felt right.

We’ve always shared a love of travel and discovery, and wanted our wedding to offer a sense of escapism from the daily grind, bringing our closest friends and family together for something that felt more like an experience than a formality. We have had so many holidays in Italy with great food, wine, scenery, and the Dolce Vita philosophy was something that really resonated with us.

After visiting Sicily we fell in love: its charm, diverse history, beautiful coastline and 300+ days of sunshine there each year, were all deciding factors. The venues there felt unique, full of character and the perfect backdrop for what we wanted to create.

How many guests did you have?

92 of our closest friends and family.

What was your budget?

We went over ….. and don't regret it for a second, it was worth every penny!

Tell us about your outfits.

Andy, the groomsmen and our fathers were dressed in black- tie on the wedding day. Andy had a tailor-made tuxedo by P Johnson, paired with Jacques Solvaire buckle loafers, which added a contemporary edge.

He had his grandpa’s pocket square, which meant there was a piece of him there with us on the wedding day.

Louise wore a Julie Vino wedding dress, with a Harriette Gordon veil. It was important for me to find a dress which was striking and totally out of the ordinary. I wanted it to feel like the type of dress I would only wear once in my life, whilst being suitable for the heat. I loved the fluid nature of the tulle, and how it was slightly transparent so you could see my silhouette. Also the train which I thought added some drama. The veil complimented it well whilst adding interest with the ruffle trim.

For the dancing I changed into a floor length sequin Rat and Boa dress which was a lot of fun to wear and allowed me to bust some moves and inevitably ending up on guests shoulders at the end of the night.

The bridesmaids chose their own dresses aligned with the colour scheme. I didn’t want traditional looks for the bridal party, wanting them to all feel comfortable, in a dress that suited them and they could wear again. I was also against uniformity, wanting the dresses to be complimentary colours but designs to be distinct. The girls looked absolutely beautiful and their looks were finished off amazingly by the bouquets which were all statement, contemporary and individual.

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

We both enjoy hosting, bringing people together and putting on a bloody good party! We wanted the 3 day event to encapsulate us and everything that we love. We also wanted it to feel like a holiday for our guests, so they could get to see different parts of what the island has to offer.

The day before, we hosted a welcome drinks in Ortigia at sunset, on a terrace overlooking the sea. This was the main base for most of the guests that weren’t staying on site and allowed everyone to mingle and get to know each other.

We wanted our wedding to feel truly personal so we had our best friend Megan marry us which meant that the ceremony felt really intimate and special. We also had Andy’s godfather as our MC which meant there were endless laughs all throughout the day. Our friend Tom designed the wedding stationary and menus with Andy’s mum hand writing the place names.

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

Louise had always imagined marrying in a garden setting, and that idea became central to the theme for the day. When we walked around the amazing gardens at Commenda di San Calogero we just knew this is where we wanted to host our wedding.

The venue at Commenda di San Calogero had so many distinctly beautiful outdoor spaces to make use of, and it meant we could take our guests through an explorative journey of the venue throughout the different stages of the day. From the ceremony in the Italian gardens, to aperitivo at the front of the house with the bougainvillea climbing up the walls. We were able to guide guests around the estate, passing views of Etna on one side and the sea on the other. Guests were led to the olive grove for the dinner, just in time for sunset which transformed the area at golden hour and was truly spectacular. We had an arrangement of long tables in the middle of the olive trees lit up by fairy lights and candles which created a special ambiance after dark.

As two self proclaimed foodies, this was an incredibly important part of our day. We love Italian cuisine and it would be a travesty if we didn’t lean into this so we had an entirely Sicilian menu. We chose Squiseating after eating at their restaurant (Coria) in Catania on Louise’s birthday the year before when we were visiting Sicily. When we visited we had the most special tasting menu experience with just the two of us in the restaurant for lunch and were blown away by the food and service. They really delivered on the day and everyone was delighted with the antipasti which alone could have fed all the guests comfortably without the 4 course dinner. Their tiramisu is still the best I've ever tasted!!!!

We never like to cut the night short and wanted to ensure that everyone’s energy levels were replenished after copious amounts of food post dinner. We had a curated set list together with our Dj, and an extensive range of cocktails which meant the dancefloor was full all night and it truly was the best party of our lives.

On the day two we had a pizza/pool party which was a fitting end to the day event and allowed for some hair of the dog.

Any tips for couples getting married?

Wedding planning can be overwhelming at times, but try not to let the stress take over. Trust your vendors, you’ve chosen them for a reason and have confidence in all the hard work, preparation and organisation that’s gone in before hand - to then be able to truly enjoy your day. The run up to our wedding was a whirlwind but on the day we felt better for the hours we had spent before fine tuning things with our planner. It left us feeling relaxed on the day and that everything was under control.

We had a welcome event the night before and this helped settle the nerves and get used to all of the attention being on you. We ensured we spoke to every one of our guests and this took the pressure off trying to get round everyone on the wedding day.

Don’t get caught up in the tiny details, the imperfections often become the memories you cherish most. Focus on the feeling and being surrounded by your favourite people.

On the day, take a step back and breathe it all in. It goes by in a flash, so make sure to pause, be present, and enjoy every moment. Take time together, even if it’s just a few quiet minutes away from the celebration, to connect and truly absorb what’s happening.

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

Alessia from My Sicilian Wedding, our wedding planner, was simply incredible, a true professional and an absolute joy to work with! Without her unwavering support, meticulous organisation, and creative flair, our wedding would not have been possible. From the very first trip we made to Sicily to start viewing venues, she went above and beyond in every way, anticipating our needs before we even voiced them. Alessia completely understood our vision and turned it into reality with such care and attention to detail. She curated the perfect selection of vendors, truly the best of the best, who delivered in every way. Nothing was ever too much trouble, and her calm, confident presence made the entire experience stress-free and enjoyable. We feel so lucky to have had her by our side and couldn’t imagine our wedding without her.

Francesca from Intrecci Di Fiori E D’arte, our florist, is a true visionary and a master of her art. We wanted the flowers to make a statement, feel contemporary, reflect our personalities, while being sympathetic to the surroundings and our Italian garden theme. She nailed the brief, every arrangement was stunning and my bouquet was truly one of a kind, making a statement whilst tying my whole bridal look together. It couldn’t have been more perfect.

We chose to prioritise our budget around photography, deciding to invest more in capturing still images and forgo a videographer. It was absolutely the right decision, the photographs are timeless, unique and have captured the day perfectly. Each image feels alive with emotion and detail, and we can’t wait to display them throughout our home as reminders of such a special moment in our lives.

Tommy and Laura of LATO (our photographers) are a true creative force. We were immediately drawn to their work and their distinctive artistic perspective, their images feel alive, full of emotion and understated beauty. From our very first call, their warmth and professionalism put me completely at ease, and I instantly felt we shared a natural rapport. We also loved the fact they were a couple and brought a great dynamic, being able to be in two different places capturing different angles and shots. We love the mix of digital and film images. They understood our vision intuitively, taking our brief and inspiration and transforming them into something extraordinary.

On the day, their calm presence and effortless direction made everything feel organic and unforced. The result is a collection of photographs that surpass anything we could have imagined.

Photographer: LATO @latophotography | Planning & Styling: My Sicilian Wedding @my_sicilian_

wedding | Flora: Intrecci Di fiori e d’arte @intrecci_difioriedarte | Ceremony & Reception Location: Commenda di San Calogero @commendadisancalogero | HMUA: Tannaz Beauty Bar @tannaz_ beautybar | Cake, Catering & Beverages: Squiseating @squiseating | Stationery: East and West Creative