I’m excited to show you the wedding of the lovely Ashley, as shot by the talented Paul Von Rieter. He emailed me their lovely story and his stunning images after we met on twitter and discussed the site a bit. Ashley is a singer and actress, and she truly looked like a movie star, radiant on her wedding day.

Paul had romantic words to correlate with his imagery:

Some of you might recognize Ashley from the pictures below… She is quite the successful Actress/Singer. Just some of Ashley’s credits include being an American Idol and having a re-occurring role on “the OC”. She just recently released a CD and is the face of CBS mobile. Her newest project is a new MTV series called “Kiss and Tell; the dos and don’t s of dating”.

The Ceremony was at St. Catherine of Sienna chapel in Laguna Beach. The reception site, Maison des Oliviers is a private estate in the hills of San Juan Capistrano. It offered Ashley and Franco exactly what they were looking for: Tuscan Italy (the place they truly fell in love) with a touch of the south of France, without the travel. Working with Gianna of Chic-Celebrations the planning went off with out a hitch. Ashley wanted to celebrate her new Italian Family’s culture by incorporating it not only into the menu, but also the décor. All Table Names, Favor Signs etc. were written in Italian. Italian beer, wine, cheese and meats were laid out in a buffet that Ashley designed herself. Bags of fresh ground Italian coffee were sent home with guests as favors. Because it was so hot this summer, guests were offered parasols and sandals at the reception.  Long feasting tables, covered with fresh potted herbs, thyme infused candles, vintage books and cherubs were perfect for the old world romance feel Franco and Ashley wanted. Centerpieces were made of Hydrangea, grape leaves, Spanish moss, olive branches and curly willow. Rich cream linens were accented with table runners, and gold chargers. A sprig of fresh rosemary was placed on each place setting to signify love and loyalty. Pictures of their parents and grandparents were set out on the guest book table as guests entered. Through the night the lounge style nook, made for the perfect dance area. Ashley still wanted to make sure guests felt at home so side tables were put out with pillar candles for dim lighting and set with white cushions so guests could be comfortable when they weren’t dancing. While they wanted the wedding to be luxurious, they still wanted to stay within a reasonable budget. Patti, the Mother of the Groom, even did the centerpieces herself that morning. Guest Seating chart , invitations and signage was made by the grooms sister . Franco’s grandmother even made 200 cream puffs for dessert because what’s an Italian wedding without cream puffs?

Franco and Ashley’s wedding was a small and intimate affair that was so full of love that I couldn’t help but feel like I was part of that big Italian family that day… I walked around with a huge smile on my face though out the whole thing. It was exactly what every bride hopes for; a wedding that people are still talking about months later.

Dress: Melissa Swee
Bridesmaids: Davids Brida
Suit: John Varvatos
Reception: Maison des Oliviers, Private Estate, San Juan Captistrano
Coordination/Design: Chic Celebrations