Today we have this beautiful elopement destination wedding in Capri, Italy. Just two people in love looking like they’re on a holiday but getting married at the same time. Beautiful!!
What inspired you to choose to do a destination Elopement?
We have always dreamed of having an intimate wedding in Italy. I studied abroad in Florence and absolutely fell in love with Capri when visiting for only one day, so I knew that’s where I would want our destination elopement to be. Ruffin is a huge fan of The Godfather and we both love all things Italian: food, wine, seafood, architecture, the ocean, etc. which inspired us to build our destination Elopement around our shared love for all of these things.
In what ways did you personalize your wedding day?
We wanted to incorporate things throughout the day that were meaningful to us both. We started the day with an early jog down to the beach club and a dip in the pool at Hotel Syrene before getting ready. We love architecture and wanted to capture the beautiful essence of Capri in our wedding photos, so we chose Villa Lysis as the location of our ceremony in addition to a sunset boat ride around the Faraglioni Rocks. Although English is our primary language, we did part of our vows in Italian to incorporate the culture in addition to our own personal vows.
What were your favorite wedding day details?
Custom bridal sleeves were made using the same lace and illusion mesh from my wedding gown by designer Ines Di Santo. Alexia Gavela Bridal in Austin, TX did all alterations on the dress and created the sleeves using the additional fabric.
Inspiration/theme behind your elopement?
Classic elements with a modern twist.
Did you have any DIY (do it yourself) details? If so please, explain below.
Ruffin’s wedding band was passed down from his father. The ring also has his parents’ wedding date, our wedding date, and our initials engraved on the inside.
Becca’s Pre-Ceremony dress was custom made and purchased from a vendor on Etsy, based in the Ukraine (HaveDressStore). She did a fabulous job and I loved being able to support a small business.
Tell us a little bit about how you chose your invitations, flowers, venue, and dress:
I found my dress before the venue, planner, or anything else was solidified. The dress I chose was actually the second dress I tried on! Was not expecting to fall in love so quickly but it brought my mom to tears and we immediately knew it was the one. Our venue was a little harder to pick. We didn’t think it would be possible to get married at Villa Lysis due to previous restrictions and considering it’s very difficult to get to (especially in heels). The other venues in Capri were beautiful, but not what we envisioned for our ceremony. We wanted to incorporate the beautiful architecture, tile, doorways and more that Villa Lysis offered. Not to mention, the view is breathtaking. Once we were able to figure out logistics and our date was available, we were all in. I wanted my bouquet to be muted in color but vibrant in texture while incorporating local flowers. Dominico at Capri Flor did just that.
Overall, do you have any special advice you would like to share with other brides to help prepare them for their destination elopement?
Definitely pursue a wedding planner that aligns with your vision for your special day. Everything was made easier for us by working with Rochelle Cheever and collaborating on all the big decisions. We planned everything in 6 months time, and all worked out perfectly and went smoothly on our elopement day. However, looking back, I wouldn’t have minded a little more time to plan. Prepare to have an abundance of luggage, we do not recommend frequent travels on the honeymoon.
We would love to hear how you met? Or, How did you get engaged?
We actually met through mutual friends who dated in college. Becca graduated from NC State and Ruffin graduated from Sewanee in TN. We both lived in Atlanta, GA at the time and briefly met at an Oyster festival. Our friends encouraged us both to continue a friendship, but it quickly turned into something more. After our first friend “date” at a local Tex-Mex restaurant, the rest was history. 5 years later, we moved to Austin, TX for Ruffin’s new job and got engaged shortly after in Big Sur, California. The trip was amazing and it was a joy to experience that area of the country for the first time together. Big Sur is known for its beautiful weather and scenery year round. Ironically, the day Ruffin was hoping to pop the question, it was very cold and rainy so the hiking trail we planned to go on was closed. Regardless, he managed to “run back to the car for his jacket” and got down on one knee at the overlook of McWay Canyon at Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, next to the beautiful waterfall. That night, we went to dinner to celebrate and everyone in Carmel-By-The-Sea kept talking about how crazy we were for going out in such “bad weather.” The love we share for the scenic coast of California is now also mirrored in our love for Capri.
Is there anything else you would like to share from your big day?
Although the day was rapidly paced, we were able to incorporate all of our favorite details in one day to make each aspect special and surreal. We made sure to find little moments of appreciation for each other along the way. It was absolutely magical and sacred to each of us. I highly recommend a destination elopement to anyone considering.
Wedding Planner & Designer: Rochelle Cheever of The Elopement Experience
Photography: Rochelle Cheever
Gown Designer: Ines Di Santo
Bridal Boutique: Alexia’s Bridal
Bride’s Shoes: Lulus
Florist: Capri Flor di Domenico Ruggiero
Tux: Samuelsohn
Groom Shoes: Gucci
Catering/Restaurant: Hotel Caesar Augustus
Bride Rings: Heidi Gibson
Bride Earrings: Olive + Piper
Hair and Makeup Artist: @Gabriellaihair via Beauty Livery
Publisher at The White Wren and Bajan Wed, Award Winning Photography + Videographer at Live View Studios, Dad, 80s music lover, crunchy health advocate
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