Surrounded by Umbria’s olive hills, Ally and Matt gathered their favorite people for a relaxed summer weekend marked by warmth and intention. The celebration unfolded over three days, beginning with a relaxed poolside pizza and pasta night, followed by an outdoor ceremony, a dinner under string lights, and an after-party that ended with laughter in the pool. IDEAVISUAL captured every moment from the first look to the instant Matt’s Cartier ring was found at the bottom of the water!
Location: Umbria, Italy
Style: Intimate, Relaxed, Natural
Time of planning: 1 year
Number of guests: 37
Setting: Borgo
Season: Summer
Ally and Matt describe their relationship as easy and full of laughter. Their engagement took place in Paris on a quiet winter morning, and they wanted their wedding to reflect that same intimacy: beautiful but relaxed, elegant without being formal.
Both come from families that value togetherness, and their main priority was to give their guests time to connect. “We didn’t want it to feel like a schedule,” Ally shared. “We wanted everyone to slow down and actually enjoy being there.” The result was a destination weekend that balanced design and emotion in equal parts.
Welcome Dinner
The weekend opened with a relaxed poolside gathering, a true Italian welcome evening that set the tone for everything ahead. Long tables were arranged by the water, surrounded by candlelight and music as the sun set over Umbria’s hills. Guests arrived in breezy summer looks, linen dresses, and open shirts, matching the warm palette of stone and olive green around them.
Dinner was casual but beautifully styled: pizza fresh from the oven, bowls of handmade pasta, pesto, bruschetta, and local antipasti, served family-style in the open air. The atmosphere felt halfway between a home dinner and a summer aperitivo; conversations drifted between laughter and clinking glasses of prosecco.
Celeste and Edgardo of IDEAVISUAL captured the scene exactly as it was: spontaneous, bright, and unposed. As the night went on, friends gathered around the pool for speeches and music, ending the evening with laughter. It was the perfect beginning to a weekend that promised nothing staged and everything genuine.
Bride's Morning & Fashion
The morning began in one of the borgo’s stone suites, with soft light and quiet movement. Ally kept the preparation simple with minimal details and meaningful accents.
Makeup and hair were done by Cassidy Watt Artistry, who created a dewy, sunlit finish with bronzed skin, glossy lips, and soft waves that moved naturally in the warm Umbrian air. Bridesmaids wore beige and champagne dresses in light fabrics, adding depth to the neutral palette and a visual link to the surrounding landscape.
Her gown, from the Watters Wtoo collection, featured a clean silhouette with structured bodice and soft, flowing skirt. The bouquet of ivory roses tied the fashion story together, echoing the ceremony florals in both palette and texture.
Groom’s Fashion
The groom and his groomsmen dressed within one palette, keeping the visuals cohesive. The group photos captured the balance between formality and ease. The decision to go for lighter tailoring over classic black aligned perfectly with menswear trends that favor tone-on-tone neutrals, breathable fabrics, and a softer silhouette.
First look
The first look took place on the terrace overlooking the Umbrian hills. It was a moment defined by natural light and quiet anticipation. The setting, framed by stone and open sky, gave the moment the cinematic quality of real life rather than performance.
Ceremony
Right after the first look, Ally changed into her second dress. It was a decision that became one of the most talked-about details of the day. The switch added a sense of movement and energy to the timeline, marking a clear visual transition between the morning’s calm and the ceremony’s emotion.
The ceremony took place in the garden overlooking the valley: a calm, open-air setting framed by white roses, baby’s breath, and delphiniums by Girls in the Flowers. The design followed an understated luxury approach: low symmetrical arrangements that complemented the architecture rather than competing with it.
A single chair held a white rose and a small sign honoring Ally’s late mother, a quiet tribute that became the emotional anchor of the day. This gesture, paired with the soft palette and the sound of the summer wind, turned the ceremony into something intimate yet deeply grounded.
Guests were seated on white chairs aligned in perfect symmetry, facing the historic faсade of the borgo. The couple exchanged vows under the afternoon light, surrounded by olive trees and gentle music that blended with the natural ambience.
It was a ceremony built on meaning, not display, where every visual choice, from the placement of flowers to the space between chairs, echoed the couple’s preference for calm beauty over grandeur.
Moments Together
Before joining their guests for cocktails, Ally and Matt took a quiet walk through the borgo. The light softened over the stone walls, giving their portraits that signature Umbrian glow. The images captured the kind of closeness that doesn’t need direction.
Group portraits unfolded organically with laughter, spontaneous gestures, a mix of sophistication and ease. These scenes bridged the ceremony’s emotion and the evening’s celebration, keeping the tone light and genuine. It was the visual equivalent of the couple’s philosophy for the weekend: elegance that feels lived in.
Cocktail Hour
As the afternoon turned golden, guests gathered around the pool and courtyard for a laid-back cocktail hour that could have been lifted straight from an Italian summer film. A live saxophonist set the rhythm while glasses of prosecco and local wine made their way through the crowd.
Food was served in generous, family-style displays: wooden boards of prosciutto and pecorino, fresh bruschetta, local olive oil tastings, and handmade pasta served from terracotta bowls. The catering team styled the setup with baskets of bread, linen cloths, and small wheat arrangements, a nod to Umbrian harvest traditions and the couple’s love for simplicity done well.
Reception
The dinner setting transformed the courtyard into an open-air dining room. A single long table ran through the space, dressed in crisp white linen, glassware, and candles that echoed the soft architecture of the borgo. The florals were used in low centerpieces, blending naturally with the evening light and giving the decor an effortless sense of continuity.
As twilight settled over Umbria, Ally and Matt shared their first dance on the stone terrace framed by the view of the valley. Surrounded by their guests, they moved to the sound of gentle music and distant applause. The moment felt cinematic yet intimate.
Dinner followed, served in a traditional Italian sequence: handmade pasta with truffle, wild boar rags, ravioli with ricotta and pistachio, and local wines chosen from Umbrian vineyards. Every dish reflected the couple’s appreciation for regional flavors and a relaxed, family-style dining rhythm.
Later, the couple cut a small heart-shaped cake with the words Just Married, a playful contrast to the otherwise classic setting. This tradition brought a mix of nostalgia and celebration that perfectly matched the tone of the evening.
The champagne tower marked the transition into the night. Ally and Matt poured the first bottles together as sparklers lit the sky above the courtyard, signaling the start of the party. Music grew louder, shoes came off, and guests danced under the string lights until the early hours, with a few ending up in the pool, the way every true summer wedding should.
Somewhere between laughter and the splash of water, Matt’s ring slipped off and disappeared into the pool, only to be found later, a perfect metaphor for the weekend itself: beautiful, unpredictable, and full of heart.
Pool Party
The next morning, the celebration continued by the pool: sunlit, and completely relaxed. Guests arrived in swimsuits and linen cover-ups, ready to trade last night’s champagne for morning calm. The terrace turned into an effortless after-scene of the wedding, framed by fans, towels, and the same golden light that had followed the couple all weekend.
The mood was unfiltered: no schedule, no formality, just genuine joy. Music played softly in the background as everyone cooled off, prolonging the sense of togetherness that had defined the entire celebration.
Advice from the couple:
• Choose vendors you trust and truly connect with, it makes all the difference.
• Don’t compromise on photography and videography: the images and video are what remain, and they are priceless.
• And take little pauses just the two of you, those will be the clearest, most precious memories.
PHOTOGRAPHER & VIDEOGRAPHER IDEAVISUAL | VENUE Spao Borgo San Pietro Aquaertus | FLORAL DESIGN Girls in the Flowers | MUAH Cassidy Watt Artistry | BRIDAL GOWN Watters Wtoo Collection | DJ Stefano Montomoli
