Rome doesn’t do subtle. It overwhelms you with beauty before you’ve even had your morning espresso. So when Gizem and Samet chose the Eternal City for their wedding, they weren’t looking for a backdrop — they were looking for a match. And Rome, for once, met its equal.
What followed was anything but a typical wedding day. No grand florals, no rigid timeline, no performative moments for the crowd. Just two people, a city that’s been setting the scene for great love stories for millennia, and a vision refined enough to let all of it speak for itself. Julia & Gil shot the day on both digital and 35mm film, and the result looks less like a wedding album and more like something you’d find in a film archive.
Location: Rome, Italy
Style: Intimate, Romantic, Refined
Time of planning: 2 months
Season: Fall
Gizem and Samet’s story started the way so many modern love stories do — in the quiet scroll of a pandemic. Samet replied to one of Gizem’s Instagram stories. A simple reply turned into deep conversations, late nights, and the kind of connection you don’t expect to find when the world has come to a standstill. As Gizem herself puts it, they chose to weather the pandemic together. That choice turned into everything.
The proposal came later, at Mandarin Oriental on Lake Como — a sunset, an intimate dinner for two, and a moment that was, in their words, “simple, emotional, and unforgettable.” The Cartier Love bands they exchanged sealed the beginning of something even bigger.
Concept & Location
When it came to planning their wedding, Gizem and Samet had no interest in chasing trends. They wanted something timeless — shaped by the places themselves rather than imposed upon them. Rome and Tivoli, with their layers of history and their effortless beauty, became the natural reference points.
The vision was handled by the team at Vera Weddings.Together, they stripped the day back to its essentials. Just strong venues, honest emotion, and space for the day to breathe. The planning period was remarkably short, and yet the result felt as though it had been years in the making. With an intimate gathering of guests, every moment landed.
There was no “don’t see the bride before the ceremony” rule here. Gizem and Samet spent the morning together at the Grand Hotel Plaza — getting ready side by side, unhurried, in the kind of easy quiet that only comes when two people are genuinely comfortable with each other. It set the tone for everything that followed. No performance, no tradition for tradition’s sake. Just them, doing the day their way.
Bridal Fashion & Morning
Gizem’s dress was a statement — not in volume, but in clarity. Designed by Museum of Florale, the gown was strapless, draped in layers of tulle that caught light and movement in equal measure. The silhouette felt modern and quietly powerful, a reflection of her identity. A cathedral-length veil added sweep and drama. Hair pulled back in a sleek low bun, makeup kept intentionally minimal — everything in service of her calm, innate confidence.
She completed the look with Saint Laurent heels and Gucci sunglasses, bringing a fashion-forward edge to the elegance. The sunglasses, in particular, photographed beautifully against the ancient Roman streets — a nod to the cool, editorial energy that ran through the entire day.
Samet wore a bespoke black tuxedo by AWAVE Studio: clean lines, classic tailoring, nothing unnecessary. Tom Ford shoes and Oliver Peoples sunglasses rounded out a look that was sharp without trying too hard.
The getting-ready images, shot in black and white against the marble interiors of the Grand Hotel Plaza, feel almost editorial — a groom at rest, fully at ease with what’s coming.
Ceremony
The couple married at Tivoli’s 13th-century Town Hall — a building that has borne witness to over 700 years of history. It is the kind of place that makes ceremony feel earned. Local coordination ensured that every logistical detail was handled with precision, leaving Gizem and Samet free to simply be present.
The ceremony itself was intimate and sincere. Two lovers, surrounded by frescoed walls and the weight of centuries, exchanging rings and becoming something new.
The Walk, the Champagne & the City
The real magic came just after. Rice in the air, champagne uncorked on the cobblestones, confetti drifting across the piazza. Then the couple set off through Tivoli’s historic streets on foot — not rushed, not choreographed, just walking. Together. For the first time as husband and wife.
"Just after the ceremony, the sky shifted from soft pink and lilac tones to deep parliament blue. In that brief stillness, as the crowd faded away, the couple took their first steps through Tivoli’s historic streets as life partners — a moment they will never forget."
Not every photographer can work with restraint. When there’s no big floral installation to fall back on, no choreographed first dance, no confetti cannon — you need someone who finds the picture in the quiet moments. Julia & Gil never missed one.
Advice from the couple:
• Instead of chasing perfection, stay present. The most unforgettable moments are always the simplest and most spontaneous ones.
Enjoy — you’re not the host, you’re the guest of honor.
PHOTOGRAPHER Julia & Gil | PLANNING & STYLING Vera Weddings | LOCAL COORDINATION Wedding in Italy, Wedding in Rome | DRESS Museum of Florale | GETTING READY LOCATION Grand Hotel Plaza | COUPLE Gizem & Samet
