JustTheDaisies Goes to Italy!!!

Jan 10

May 17th, 2022. The day I got the dm to top all dm’s. It was Dani, and she was asking if I was available to shoot her wedding in ITALY. I immediately busted the door to Trav’s home office down to share the news: that we were definitely planning a trip to Italy even though absolutely nothing was confirmed and I knew no details yet. Luckily, this is a story with a good ending, and in July 2023 we were boarding a plane to Europe.

On July 2nd, the night before their wedding, Dani and Kieran held a welcome party for all of their guests staying with them. Dress code: all white (if you didn’t notice). The vibes were VIBING. As soon as Trav and I walked through the gate to Villa Ravano, we just looked at each other in disbelief. Every room we walked through had so much character, it felt like a movie set. Getting to tour the space before the wedding was HUGE. Not only were we able to capture some moments from the welcome party, but it also allowed us to get comfortable, and start brainstorming some of the potential shots for the next day. One thing I was sure of, I NEEDED to get a photo of them framed up in one of the windows (spoiler - I did, keep scrolling to see).

July 3, 2023. Wedding day!!! You would never guess from the photos, but it was a seriously HOT day. Like, 30+ degrees hot, with no air conditioning in the villa. I don’t say this to complain, but rather to credit Dani & Kieran for getting through all of the photos in a full suit and wedding gown with zero fuss. Also, somehow they managed to look absolutely stunning the entire time????? While I was sweating and dying??????? Wild.

I think one of my favourite parts of smaller weddings/elopements is how laid back portraits become. There is no cocktail hour to worry about missing. No reception to rush to. No strict timeline that inevitably falls behind, squeezing portraits into a 15 minute block to stay on track. Just us, and a few hours until the ceremony. It allowed us to take breaks, slow down, and utilize a ton of the spaces in the villa.

However, I’d say the most substantial difference it made was the space it gave me to be creative. Each room we went to, I could actually take it in. I could spend some time imagining and playing around with ideas. The pressure was gone, and it felt like we were there to make art.

When inquiries come in and reference some of my work that they love, it is ALWAYS the weddings where I was able to take my time with the portraits.

Can you achieve beautiful portraits in 15-20 minutes? If you hired a good photographer, sure. BUT, in my opinion, for all of the reasons listed above, the photos will only get significantly better with time. So, if you are like Dani and Kieran and wedding portraits are high on your priority list, plz plz plz consider that when crafting your itinerary. Not sure what constitutes as “enough time” for photos? Reach out anytime!! Happy to discuss.

After making some magic with the portraits, it was time to do the damn thing!!! Dani and Kieran’s ceremony was short and sweet and perfect. The custom sandalwood fans for each guest was a great touch.

I think an important detail to add is that Dani and I first met when she was in another wedding I was capturing, Patricia & Seb. Not only was she in the wedding, Dani and Patricia are true BFF energy. So, naturally, Patricia was standing beside Dani on her day, too. Patricia!!!!! Are you the real one to thank for everything??? Haha.

Like I’ve mentioned at least three times already (sorry not sorry, I’m a Villa Ravano fangirl), there was no shortage of spots for photos. I truly could have just flicked my wrist randomly and the photos would still be 10/10. With the sun starting to set behind this fairytale looking gate, it created a dreamy spot for wedding party photos.

Though it was a super hot day, the evening hit and suddenly, the temperature (and the lighting) was perfect. Before I left Dani & Kieran alone to be with their guests for good, I had one last request. Rooftop photos while we still had that glowy sunlight.

After a cocktail hour in the garden, everyone was seated at one table under dreamy string lights, and D&K shared their first dance at sunset.

With that, our coverage came to an end. Following the wedding, Trav and I made the trek up to South Tyrol, a province in Northern Italy surrounded by mountains. It was unbelievable. But, that’s a story for another blog post.

I still can’t get over that this whole thing started with a dm. Getting to capture Dani & Kieran’s day felt like a huge milestone in my career as a wedding photographer, and I’ll be forever grateful for the opportunity.