Taylor and Jesse did a full wedding: black tie, structured corset gown, cathedral-length veil, vows, rituals, proper ceremony, the whole thing. The only edit was no audience. And that’s exactly where the luxury sits. Just two people choosing to celebrate their happiness with the only person it actually belongs to, each other.
Shot by Serena Morandi, the day unfolded in Montalcino, with Val d’Orcia doing its oil-painting thing in the background. Rolling hills, stone walls, vineyards stretching out like a Victorian set with sprinkles of “Wuthering Heights” drama.
Location: Montalcino, Tuscany, Italy
Style: Black-tie, Modern, Intimate
Time of planning: 6 months
Number of guests: 2
Setting: Private Vineyard
Season: Summer
The couple met in college and quietly built a 12-year relationship. The proposal was cinematic. On a snowboarding trip to Banff, Jesse led Taylor out onto the frozen Vermilion Lakes in February, supposedly to catch the northern lights. She didn’t even notice the photographer until she turned around and saw him on one knee. Dinner at the top of the mountain followed, reached by gondola, because he had planned the whole thing down to the last detail.
Their engagement was long, mostly because neither of them felt urgency around a traditional wedding. As self-proclaimed type B personalities, big decisions weren’t rushed, and a large guest list was never the dream. After more than a decade together, they didn’t need a crowd. Eloping in Tuscany felt intentional, intimate, and exactly right.
Bride's Morning & Fashion
Taylor did her own hair and makeup, which instantly gave the whole day that unfakeable ease. She wore Sam Edelman heels, carried a bouquet of white calla lilies picked up from a local flower shop, and finished it all with Kayali perfume, a brand whose name translates to “my imagination.” Known for its layering philosophy and signature-scent approach, it felt perfectly aligned with a wedding that was built the same way.
The dress by Anthropologie itself was pure corset-forward bridal. Structured with visible boning that made the construction part of the design. It hinted at lingerie, but in a modern, architectural way, not seductive, just sharp. The clean lines of the bodice balanced against the softness of the skirt, and the delicate neck scarf added that subtle fashion-forward touch.
Groom’s Fashion
Jesse kept it classic with sharp black tuxedo, clean lines, exactly the kind of black-tie energy that holds its own against centuries-old Tuscan stone. The goal was matching the effortless luxury of Tuscany. And then there were the details. Magnanni velvet loafers, worn on bare feet. That tiny, almost invisible move is what made the whole look feel personal.
Location
Argiano Dimore isn’t just a beautiful Tuscan address. It sits on land first documented as early as 813 AD, when the estate belonged to the church and was connected to the Abbey of Sant’Antimo. By the Renaissance, the noble Pecci family built Villa Bell’Aria, shaping the estate into what was already considered one of the most refined countryside residences in the Sienese state.
Today, the 16th-century villa and its surrounding structures form the heart of Argiano Dimore, a restored historic wine estate surrounded by vineyards, gardens, and panoramic views over Montalcino. The property lies within Val d’Orcia, a UNESCO World Heritage landscape recognized for its cultural significance and carefully preserved agricultural terrain.
Ceremony
The ceremony took place within the arches of Argiano‘s courtyard, where the architecture itself became the aisle. There were no floral installations, just stone, sky, and the symmetry of the cloister framing everything. “It felt so intimate and romantic,” Taylor shared. “The property still felt big and had so much culture and character. We kept it simple and let the natural beauty of Tuscany shine through.”
Because it was just the two of them, there was no pressure to start on cue. “We were never rushed to begin. We took our time walking down the aisle. We laughed and cried and it was just for us,” she said. Their vows were entirely personal, written from the heart. “The day was perfect and we felt so euphoric and drunk in love. I felt like I was floating the entire night.”
During the ceremony, they incorporated a wine blending ritual: each pouring from separate glasses into one shared glass, symbolizing two lives becoming one. It’s a modern take on a unity ceremony, and in a vineyard setting, it couldn’t have made more sense.
Dinner followed on the property, with a surprise from their family: a bottle of champagne and a bottle of wine waiting for them. “Some of the best food we had in Italy was at Argiano,” Taylor said. The soundtrack for the evening stayed personal and understated: Stargazing by Myles Smith, an acoustic version of All of Me by John Legend, Ordinary by Alex Warren, and Best Day of My Life by American Authors, a playlist that felt less like a production and more like their shared history on shuffle.
Moments Together
The rest of the day unfolded as something quieter and far more cinematic. It became a study in space, light, and timing, led entirely by Serena Morandi. Taylor had wanted the images to feel editorial while still relying on the natural beauty of Tuscany and the architecture, and Serena delivered exactly that balance.
Warm plaster walls, aged brick, stone, ivy on the arches, that soft ochre undertone in the architecture — it all creates what can only be described as Italian patina luxury. Old surfaces that look more expensive than anything newly built.
The light stayed diffused and slightly overcast, which stripped away any bridal gloss and gave everything that matte, almost campaign-level finish. There are frames where Taylor and Jesse appear small within the courtyard or against the vineyard horizon, a technique pulled straight from cinema and architectural photography. The message is clear: the place is a character too.
Black-and-white frames turn the arches into a graphic motif. Architecture-led storytelling, where the space does half the directing. And then there are moments of movement: a laugh, a slow walk across gravel, the veil catching air. Just time, texture, and two people fully present inside it.
Advice from the couple:
• Don’t overthink the small things and do what you want. It is a day for you and no one else.
PHOTOGRAPHER Serena Morandi | VENUE Argiano Dimore | CELEBRANT Gemma Blessings | BRIDE’S DRESS Watters | FLOWER BOUQUET Centro Fiori Sinalunga
