Tuscan Summer at Villa Bellezza

Our inspiration for this editorial was to embrace the warmth and welcome of Italian tradition here in the Midwest.

With the world beginning to open up again, couples may still face challenges convincing family and friends to travel for their wedding. With that in mind, we sought to create a European-inspired wedding just a few hours drive from the Twin Cities.

In stunning Pepin Wisconsin, we celebrated the warmth of the Tuscan tradition with local food, wine, and flowers.

Villa Bellezza is a fully operational winery located in Pepin Wisconsin. The traditional Italian architecture is a rarity here in the Midwest and provided a beautiful backdrop for this editorial.

Real-life couple Idris and Pearla served as our couple. Pearla wore her grandmother’s pave diamond ring, along with vintage earrings from Saint Signora.

For a traditional approach to bridal fashion, we selected the Maeve gown and bolero by Monique Lhullier. It is dramatic, yet romantic. Opulent, without being ostentatious. Idris wore a classic tuxedo and bow tie from The Black Tux.

Pearla’s striking beauty was enhanced with hair and makeup by Kevin Kohler. To highlight Pearla’s natural bone structure, we opted for hair reminiscent of vintage Hollywood glamour, paired with soft lips and a bright, yet sultry eye.

As with all our designs, we prioritized local flowers in her designs, and these flowers are no different! Local and American grown flowers were the highlight for the floral design. The arch itself is made completely of locally grown flowers and foliage’s. We wanted the arch to be highly textural, reminiscent of the textures of the Italian countryside. To complete the look, we added autumn olive branches to the piazza fountain for an added touch of texture. Flower varieties include garden roses, sweet pea, zinnia, hollyhock, and olive.

Pearla’s bouquet is made of garden roses from Rose Story Farm in California, along with Dutch sweet peas, and finished with ribbon from Silk and Willow for an added element of romance.

To bring a sense of old world charm, we opted for antique cane chairs to pair with our opulent tablescape, complete with antipasti, bread, cheese, and wine from the vineyard. Villa Bellezza provided the wine for our table, a delightfully crisp white wine, Cotes Du Pepin, with notes of citrus and flora, a perfect pairing for our table overflowing with floral.

The paperie featured several unique elements. Firstly, the invitation was written in the form of a letter. Beautifully hand-calligraphed by Shasta Bell Calligraphy. It was then sealed with a wax seal featuring the couple’s coat of arms in gold. This heirloom piece was made into wrapping paper for the favor boxes that adorned the table.