Set in the heart of Sicily, Blake and Jason’s celebration was a wedding shaped by intention, artistry, and deeply personal details. Inspired by classical Italian architecture, frescoed interiors, and the effortless romance of Palermo, every element felt both elevated and deeply connected to place. Brought to life by the talented planning team at Itailove Wedding, who intuitively understood the couple’s vision from the very beginning, the celebration unfolded with a sense of ease, beauty, and thoughtful storytelling.
Location: Palermo, Sicily, Italy
Style: Romantic and natural garden vibes
Time of planning: 1 year
Number of guests: 30
Setting: Villa
Season: Summer
Blake and Jason first met in 2012 in Pittsburgh, introduced by mutual friends while she was training with the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre and he had just launched his own company after completing his PhD. What began as a chance meeting grew into something lasting, shaped by shared ambition and timing.
Their proposal story came with a twist. “Jason actually had to propose to me five times before I finally said yes,” Blake shares. From a missed fireworks moment in California to attempts in Monterey, Chicago, and Shanghai, nothing felt quite right, until a quiet evening in Switzerland. Under the stars overlooking Lake Thun, he asked once more. “I told him, ‘kneel,’” she recalls. This time, she said yes.
Inspiration & Planning
“I’ve always had a deep appreciation for classical Italian architecture and frescoes,” Blake shares. After several trips to Italy, the idea of getting married there felt natural. She first connected with her planner, Itailove Wedding, back in 2019, but plans were put on pause during the pandemic. It wasn’t until 2024, after spotting her dream Italian villa on The White Lotus 2, that everything clicked, and the wedding planning began again.
The planning process felt completely seamless from start to finish. “I was truly worry-free,” Blake shares, with her planner Qian understanding her vision so intuitively. With full trust in her team, every detail came together even more beautifully than she had imagined. Decisions were made quickly and effortlessly, “it took me no more than five minutes each time,” she adds, something she attributes to her background as a fashion brand founder. Used to choosing between hundreds of textiles daily, selecting florals, linens, and colors felt not only easy but genuinely enjoyable.
“We envisioned a distinctly Sicilian color palette for the wedding, one that would harmonize seamlessly with the natural landscape,” Blake shares. Inspired by soft citrus tones, warm terracottas, layered greens, and delicate florals, every detail felt deeply connected to the island itself. Beautifully captured by Chymo & More Photography and brought to life on film by The Wedding Valley, the celebration was documented with a sense of honesty, movement, and emotion, preserving not just how the day looked, but exactly how it felt.
Bride's Fashion
Blake wore the Danielle gown by Savannah Miller, a design that perfectly captured the understated elegance she had always envisioned. The silhouette felt refined and effortless, with thoughtful details, a low-cut back finished with a delicate pearl-drop zipper, and an internal corset that sculpted the bodice seamlessly. The full skirt moved beautifully, its soft ivory sheen catching the light in a way that felt classic, feminine, and timeless.
As a former ballerina, she chose a timeless dancer’s bun, styled into a graceful high knot. Her makeup remained soft and natural, echoing the effortless look she gravitates toward in her everyday life.
Ceremony
Blake had always pictured the ceremony set in front of the villa, though the open gate leading to a public park felt less private. “My planner came up with the perfect solution,” she shares, designing custom drapery to soften and conceal the entrance. Sourced in Milan and tailored specifically for the space, the fabric transformed the setting into something intimate and elegant, quickly becoming one of her favorite design details.
The ceremony itself was framed by the villa’s pool and main façade, creating a naturally cinematic backdrop. Floral arrangements were kept at a considered height, forming a soft, immersive setting that made the couple feel gently surrounded by blooms.
The couple chose to write their own vows, adding a personal and playful tone to the moment. “Jason kept joking his vows would be 17 minutes long and full of obscure quotes,” Blake recalls. In the end, both vows were lighthearted and filled with personal stories, making the ceremony feel deeply intimate. Having already been married for five years, their words reflected not only promises for the future, but a true understanding of each other and the life they had already built together.
Cocktail Hour
Villa Tasca offered a setting that felt both timeless and immersive, from frescoed walls and centuries-old banyan trees to a serene lake where swans drifted quietly. The cocktail hour took place on the villa’s terrace, overlooking the gardens, where guests were welcomed with a gelato cart, Sicilian street food delicacies, and refreshing Spritz cocktails.
Inspired by Palermo’s streets lined with orange trees, the couple introduced citrus towers filled with lemons and oranges, a detail that added both color and a sense of place to the evening.
“On a trip to Sicily with my planner, we stumbled upon a street artist playing the mandolin,” Blake shares. “I was completely captivated.” That moment became part of the celebration, with a live mandolinist bringing a soft, whimsical soundtrack to the cocktail hour, adding a layer of charm guests would remember long after the night ended.
Special Touches
The design was layered with thoughtful, personal details throughout. “We incorporated so many meaningful elements,” Blake shares. Villa Tasca was illustrated in the stationery, with its swans symbolizing the couple, while a custom J&J logo featured lemons and bougainvillea blossoms. Blake even included her two beloved dogs in the dress code section, and the envelope liners reflected the villa’s interior frescoes.
On the day itself, drink cards were adorned with patterns inspired by traditional Sicilian ceramics, and dinner menus were designed as intricate puzzles, “adding a bit of fun and surprise for our guests.” Italian motifs of moons, stars, suns, and hearts are intertwined with florals carried through the design. Guests were welcomed with custom woven Sicilian tote bags, Nesti Dante soaps in local scents, Leone orange candies, Blake’s silk eye masks and scarves, and handmade Ceramica Pinto lemon dishes, all details that felt both personal and deeply connected to the setting.
The Second Look
Blake’s second look held a deeply personal meaning, designed by her own brand, Gentle Fabrics. “From the start, I knew I didn’t want to spend the day changing in and out of multiple gowns,” she shares. “I wanted to be present with my loved ones.” Together with her business partner, she created a two-in-one silk ensemble that felt both versatile and ethereal.
The foundation was a fluid silk slip dress, worn on its own as a soft, minimal morning look. For the reception, she transformed it by layering a detachable chiffon overlay, delicately secured with tiny pearl pins. “The way the fabric caught the light felt like moonlight on water,” she recalls, a detail that brought movement, softness, and a quiet sense of drama.
Minimal yet expressive, intimate yet elevated, the look reflected exactly what she had envisioned, something effortless, personal, and deeply connected to the moment.
Reception Design
After watching The White Lotus 2, filmed in Sicily, Blake found herself drawn to the estate featured in Harper and Daphne’s poolside scenes. “It instantly became one of my dream venues,” she shares. Visiting it in 2024 with her planner only confirmed the feeling, “it was even more beautiful than I had imagined.”
“Fresh, romantic, and natural were our key words,” Blake explains, with a vision rooted in classical elegance that still felt relaxed and effortless. For the dinner reception, they wanted the tables to feel like a living garden, choosing curved layouts and layering the centerpieces with moss, clematis, and trumpet vine, creating something soft, whimsical, and full of movement.
Reception
The reception dinner became, “without a doubt, the most cherished part of the day.” It was the first moment the couple could truly slow down and connect with every guest. “There’s something profoundly moving about gathering all the people you love—from different chapters of your life—into one place, far from home,” Blake shares. Watching everyone laugh, mingle, and form new connections under a candlelit sky felt surreal and unforgettable, “a rare and magical feeling to be surrounded by so much love, all at once.”
Equally meaningful was how the photos captured not just the setting, but the emotion of the day. “There’s an honesty to the images that goes beyond the styling,” she says. From golden-hour light filtering through the trees to spontaneous applause and quiet in-between moments, each frame feels alive. “They hold exactly how it felt,” Blake adds, “and that, to me, is the greatest gift.”
