Johnny had taken Natalie out to dinner for her birthday. But the real plan? It was a proposal dinner. Johnny got down on one knee in the middle of this busy restaurant, everyone applauded, and off they went to Paris to celebrate. They spent the weekend away planning the wedding while walking through the Parisian streets – the ultimate romantic weekend away.

THE DAY (one, two and three!)

Their wedding was a three-day Italian getaway. Having fallen in love with Puglia the summer before, they knew it would be the perfect mix of Ibizan vibes, local and rustic Italian food and delicious wine.

The celebrations were held at Masseria Potenti, which Natalia describes as ‘a beautiful sanctuary and oasis that felt contemporary and cool as well as traditional.’

They kicked off the getaway with a surprise champagne reception on the roof at sunset, followed by a candlelit welcome dinner in the grounds.

The next day guests walked through cobbled Italian backstreets to get to the ceremony held at Chiese Madre church. Afterwards, the reception was held in the courtyard with an Italian ‘street feast’. Think; Peroni, Aperol Spritz, stalls of antipasti, a cold cuts corner and cheese stations—is your mouth watering too? To top it all off, there was also a live band playing in the afternoon sun.

And for the final day? The couple held a Club Tropicana-themed pool party, which had it all: inflatables, unlimited pizza and jugs of cocktails. Everyone took it in turns of being the DJ and partied well into the night!

DÉCOR

Johnny and Natalie explain, ‘we wanted the wedding to be rustic and relaxed and fun. It had to feel like a party rather than a wedding, so a lot of the traditions of a wedding went out the window.’

The dinner table was a standout, adorned with fragrant herbs and bright flowers hanging high above. The place names were created from tambourines, which hung above seat at the table – a great souvenir for guests!

Natalie tells us, ‘the dress code was summer brights and laidback linens. We wanted our guests to stand out against the white backdrop and blue skies! We also wanted our guests to be comfortable in the heat, so set a laidback dress code along with a relaxed and informal day. Everything from the venue to the food was rustic and relaxed.’

ADVICE

When it comes to wedding bookings the couple’s advice is to ‘book the big things first such as venue, photographer, videographer so you aren’t disappointed when the ones you want are already booked.’

Once you’ve got it all booked, it’s time to bring your vision to life! Natalie says ‘the hardest bit is ensuring other people organising the event fully understand what you see in your own head. I created a look book with references, images and ideas, which became my bible. It was also really great to share with the venue, as they clearly understood my vision and I used it to download all my ideas throughout the journey.’

Last but not least, when it comes to the actual day Natalie says creating a schedule for the day and sharing with everyone was really key. ‘The timings and flow of the event is so important. No one wants to be hanging around wondering what is going to be happening next or wondering when they are next going to be eating!’

Feeling inspired? Take a look at the pics from Johnny and Natalie’s rustic and relaxed celebration below.w06x526jF7QJwJ-JWedding in Puglia-Natalie & Johnny-3 Wedding in Puglia-Natalie & Johnny-8 7AGk9DLdWedding in Puglia-Natalie & Johnny-21 Wedding in Puglia-Natalie & Johnny-7Line-break LoPqTlfm Wedding in Puglia-Natalie & Johnny-27 Wedding in Puglia-Natalie & Johnny-28 mp31o2qj luoKCOmR q5tmBOVE Line-breakQ8f8r2aE z6BUsTIILine-break erD_GX4J MXRgbFBPLine-breakFcY9FxNc lbFwkwRMLine-break YLNr4REd gwBoFJgy 7J0Lp0dD 3DrU2R-u sFA0jEjI p39UeZEALine-breakcK8cpiH8 h2vK4GykLine-break WYKJYP3L iXfGRN5ULine-break0iI0plPo AKbUt8A8Line-break 0wrHdIbE pxZNmdpvLine-breakal2zZv0A hcL6pJ24
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Watch the video

CREDITS

Event location: Masseria Potenti, Puglia | Photography: Days Made Of Love | Videographer: Origami | Event Styling: Masseria Potenti | Decorations: Masseria Potenti | Floral Styling: Masseria Potenti | Venue: Masseria Potenti | Catering + Drinks: Masseria Potenti | Cake: Masseria Potenti | Stationery: We Are Smitten | Band: Spillenza | DJ: DJTP | Wedding Gown: Grace Loves Lace | Bridesmaid’s Dresses: BHLDN | Brides Shoes: Aquazurra | Suits: Richard James

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