Grant and Celidh: A Florentine Affair
Sometimes all it takes is one look. A catch of the eye, you might even feel a spark. For Grant and Ceilidh, the moment they met was just like a scene from a movie. “There was an instant attraction, sweaty palms, blushing cheeks, lingering looks,” says Ceilidh, who vividly recalls the emotions she felt as she gazed upon her soon-to-be fiancé for the first time upon being introduced by a mutual friend for work.
Ceilidh and Grant’s first date was as spontaneous as their first meeting. Merely a day after they met, Grant left the country on a work trip to America, leaving love-struck Ceilidh behind. The two spoke for hours each day while Grant was away but their newfound connection made Ceilidh impatient. “We decided that we couldn’t wait until his return for our first date so I jumped on a plane to New York.”
After a year of more spontaneous dates, Ceilidh fell pregnant and just two weeks later, Grant popped the question. “He booked a table at our favourite restaurant. I was pregnant, very nauseous and impatient as we waited to be seated. I had to keep leaving the table to go to the bathroom and it must have been so hard for him to find the right moment, but he did,” says Ceilidh.
Her ring was custom-made and based on a redesign of her favourite vintage Boucheron design. And if that wasn’t extravagant enough, Grant gave the ring to her in a classic black Chanel bag.
Ceilidh’s gown was nothing short of extravagant, either. Her dream dress was an elaborate Oscar de la Renta piece that she had seen on a French model in Vogue, delicately covered in layered hand-stitched flowers. Desperate to get a hold of the gown, Ceilidh tracked down the last sample in the world and revived it for her special day. “Through sheer determination, we managed to source the one sample left in the world,” she says. “When I found it, it was damaged in places and had to be repaired and brought back to life but this made it more special. I loved that I had to go to the ends of the earth to find it.”
Following a year of meticulous planning, Grant and Ceilidh flew to their favourite holiday destination for their glamorous Italian wedding. “The city of Florence is so beautiful and so enchantingly historic. Whenever we go, we feel so happy,” says Ceilidh. The couple also named their daughter after the beautiful Italian city.
Following a traditional ceremony in a Florentine church, the reception took place in the luxurious Villa Cora Mirror Room. “I felt like it was a dream,” says the bride. “I would have never imagined finding someone so perfect and having a wedding this beautiful.”
BRIDE’S GOWN Oscar de La Renta
BRIDE’S SHOES Prada
GROOM’S SUIT Armani
FLOWER GIRL’S DRESS Dolce & Gabbana
PHOTOGRAPHY White Fashion Photographer
VIDEOGRAPHY Waterfall Visuals
WEDDING PLANNER Mirna, Weddings Italy
STATIONARY Tuckers Advertising
CELEBRANT Claudio Bocca
HAIR Courtney Cross Hair Design
MAKEUP Monika, White Fashion Photographer
CAKE Live Cake Show
ENTERTAINMENT Alessandro Bartolozzi (organist) and Simona Bertini (ceremony), Gianluca Baroncelli (cocktail), Maurizio Tomberlli (pianist) (dinner), Simone Alinari (DJ)
HONEYMOON Tuscan Hills