For their May wedding day, highschool sweethearts Lorenzo and Erica wanted to celebrate their love in nature, surrounded by their closest friends and family. “In Italy, there really isn’t much outside of the norm for weddings,” Erica told us. “Even if they’re not religious, most people get married in a church for traditions’ sake, which didn’t suit us at all.”

Their wedding theme was very much inspired by Celtic traditions instead of religious ones. From celebrating everything in nature to hand fasting, jumping the broom and drinking hydromel from a shared chalice, the couple based their choices on keeping everything as simple as possible, but with an eye to celebrating the beautiful, too. They paired blue, bordeaux and blush for an ethereal colour palette and used apples as a symbol throughout – writing Norse Gods’ names on them for table names and choosing crockery with apple motifs. 

With a budget of €7,000, they saved money with their outfits coming from online retailers and made them their own. Erica added a big coloured ribbon to her dress, inspired by the Japanese yukata ribbon, to add interest and tie in with their colour scheme. They DIY’d run wishes for their guests to read to them, which also served as mementos from the day. 

The ceremony was prepared by a close friend of the couple. Everything was set up in a little woodland clearing, with an arch of fabric and foliage as a backdrop. They chose Celtic songs to make the atmosphere romantic and relaxing. During th celebration, they shared a cup of hydromel, shared their promises to one another and at the end jumped the broom, walking through the guests showering them in rose petals instead of the classic rice. 

“My favourite part of the day was the walk to altar, seeing everyone there for us and my husband moved to see me walking towards me,” Erica concluded. “Lorenzo loved every part of the ceremony, and researching the Celtic traditions beforehand to really craft something that represented us as a couple.”

“My advice for future couples would be to choose professionals to let them help you, if you are able. Our wedding planner saved the day a month before the date when we had to change location. She helped us realise a wedding that was much more beautiful than it would have been otherwise. Trust the professionals, their expertise will save you time and fatigue.”