I DO IN CAPRI

– THE CEREMONY –

Our wedding was two years ago, and while I’ve shared little moments here and there, I’ve never told the full story. After returning to Capri — the place where it all began — to celebrate our anniversary, it feels like the perfect time to finally take you behind the scenes.

I’m starting with the ceremony — the most emotional and meaningful part of the day — and I’m so excited to share it with you.

To say I was blown away by our wedding in Capri would be an understatement. Every moment, every detail we had planned, somehow surpassed even our highest hopes — overflowing with love, laughter, tears, and joy. There were times throughout the celebrations where I felt certain there couldn’t possibly be a happier girl in the world. In those moments, I grinned ear to ear and shed a few tears.

The night before the wedding, I stayed at our ceremony venue — the breathtaking Caesar Augustus Hotel — with my best friend and maid of honor, Devin. We could hardly fall asleep, too excited knowing we’d be waking up to my wedding day. That night, I had my final “wedding nightmare” — one of many I’d experienced in the lead-up to the big day. In this one, I dreamt I woke up to black clouds, thunder, and pouring rain. So when morning came and I ran to the window to find clear skies and sunshine, I was beyond relieved.

Devin and I had a quiet breakfast together and spent a peaceful moment by the pool, taking it all in before heading upstairs to start getting ready. From our room, we watched the ceremony come to life — chairs being placed one by one, flowers laid out with care, and the string quartet rehearsing below. It truly felt like a scene from a movie.

Perched on a 1,000-foot cliff overlooking the Italian coastline, the hotel is nothing short of magical — and waking up there on my wedding day was a moment I’ll never forget.

Devin and I got ready together, having our hair and makeup done before everyone else began to arrive. First came my little sister Sophia, followed by my bridesmaids, and then my mum. Lastly, my dad arrived for a first look at my dress before walking me down the aisle. There were definitely a few tears in the room — I did my best to hold mine back so I wouldn’t ruin the makeup we’d spent over an hour perfecting!

Meanwhile, Theo and the groomsmen got ready at our favorite hotel, Hotel Mamela, before making their way through the streets of Capri then up to Caesar Augustus.

We watched the guests arrive one by one, peeking through the sheer curtains so they wouldn’t see us. Our vantage point really did make the day even more exciting. The whole scene was like something straight out of a Slim Aarons photograph.

Finally, we saw Theo arrive. As everyone left the room, it was just Devin, my dad, and me. Suddenly, the mix of nerves and the heat caught up with me, and I started to hyperventilate a little. My dad pulled me into a big hug and gently told me to take three deep breaths. And just like that, I was ready to walk down the aisle.

Walking into the ceremony was one of the most surreal moments of my life. As I stepped down the aisle, arm in arm with my dad, and saw Theo’s teary face waiting for me at the end, it felt like I was having an out-of-body experience.

Our ceremony was led by Fabio, a wonderful Italian celebrant from Lake Como, who brought such warmth and grace to the moment. He read us an excerpt from one of our favorite films, Captain Corelli’s Mandolin:

“Love is a temporary madness, it erupts like volcanoes and then subsides. And when it subsides you have to make a decision. You have to work out whether your root was so entwined together that it is inconceivable that you should ever part. Because this is what love is.

Love is not breathlessness, it is not excitement, it is not the promulgation of promises of eternal passion. That is just being in love, which any fool can do. Love itself is what is left over when being in love has burned away, and this is both an art and a fortunate accident.

Those that truly love have roots that grow towards each other underground, and when all the pretty blossoms have fallen from their branches, they find that they are one tree and not two“

Theo and I locked eyes and held hands almost the entire ceremony, I’ll never forget how that felt. I already knew we would be together forever but now its truly official, we will be best friends and lovers for our eternity and I feel so lucky to have such a loyal, fun and deeply loving husband.

As if the day couldn’t get any better — and yet, our reception dinner was still to come…