This blog will be an attempt at describing the experience that was Michaela and Fabian’s South Tyrol countryside wedding. I will attempt to do it justice, but if I am being honest, it lives rent free in my mind to this day and it has been almost 6 months since their wedding day. I feel like I am still processing most of it myself.
Michaela and Fabian’s wedding day started, as most wedding days do, with each side of the party getting ready. The lead photographer stayed with the bride and her girlfriends and I traveled to the bride and groom’s flat, where the groom and his mates were getting ready. This group was not one for the traditional posed group shots which I was all for. There’s no reason to take yourself too seriously, let alone take yourself too serious on your wedding day.
From their flat, we traveled to the Art Natur where Fabian worked as a chef. We paused for a quick smoke and toast to the groom and then we headed onto the chapel.
The excitement in the air around Chiesa di San Costantino was palpable. Friends, family and locals gathered on the hillside and eventually wandered their way up the winding path to the church’s doorstep.
Michaela soon arrived escorted by her grandfather and girlfriends. She was a glowing vision in an almost sheer corset and gossamer skirt. Her girls formed a makeshift wall between her and Fabian’s gaze, who was waiting at the top of the hill near the church’s door. She anxiously tried peeking around her friends to catch a glimpse of her future husband.
Eventually the crowd hushed, and Michaela, her grandfather, and her parade of friends began their pilgrimage to the hilltop.
It was like a scene out of a movie. A gorgeous Italian bride, her beautiful Italian friends and her handsome Italian fiancé awaiting her arrival. Michaela was all smiles and giggles as she followed the path to her groom.
After exchanging greetings and exclamations of excitement, we slowly made our way into the stunning, tiny church. It felt nostalgic, almost like we had been there before. We were certainly all meant to be there, celebrating love. It felt like the moment. We were all so genuinely excited to get them married. The sun painted the already stunning walls of the church at just the right time, accenting the gold detail in the artwork. It was one of those pinch me moments.
After the ceremony, we made our way back outside to the lawn in front of the church where we prepared trays of food blind-folded, enjoyed an aperitivo complete with beer, wine, & a local soup out of teacups. The guitarist played familiar tunes and we sang and danced until our feet were sore. But the day had just begun.
