Regina and Jack’s Dream Destination Wedding in Tuscany

By Becky Mickel
February 04, 2015
Lindsay Madden Photography

She’s Swiss, he’s English. They met Down Under and got hitched in a breathtakingly beautiful ceremony nestled within the Italian countryside.

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The Couple

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While some may consider Friday the 13th a day cloaked in suspicion and bad luck, Jack Young, a financial accountant, tested his chances. He chose the date—September 13, 2013—to propose to his then-girlfriend Regina Sauter, an event manager, while they were vacationing in Vienna. The hotel manager was to deliver a chilled bottle of Champagne to their suite at 7 p.m. (sharp), at which point Jack would drop to one knee, and so on. At least, that was his grand plan. The surprise unraveled when, at 7:30, with no bubbly popped, glasses clinked, nor question asked, a perturbed Jack phoned the lobby to set the wheels in motion. Insistent on besting the age-old myth, the groom-to-be proposed (successfully) but not without one more hiccup: He opened the ring box upside down. For Regina, the weekend was still “truly romantic.” And in the “City of Dreams,” the Switzerland residents began conceiving their European nuptials. 

The two are no strangers to travel and first met in a Sydney, Australia, hostel in 2008. Not wanting to choose between England (Jack’s home country) and Switzerland (Regina’s) for their event’s setting, the couple instead threw a destination wedding in Tuscany. On Saturday, September 13, 2014, exactly one year after the proposal, the two celebrated with their 52 guests on a beautiful, sunshine-filled day.

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Locale Love

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The pair’s shared fondness for Italy and love-at-first-sight reaction to Conti di San Bonifacio led them to select the wine resort in Tuscany for the wedding venue. 

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Serene Stationery

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The duo embossed their custom logo on the invite’s exterior and stamped it on the outer envelope. The olive-colored invitations held sprigs from the fruit that guests found upon opening. 

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The Fashions

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The groom wore a custom Alferano shirt and suit, and borrowed cuff links from his bride-to-be’s father. 

“Once I put on my dress and saw the look on my mum’s and sister’s faces, I knew it was the one,” the bride says of her Jesús Peiró gown. Christian Louboutin heels finished the look. 

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Bridal Style

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Regina completed her updo with a Hermione Harbutt headpiece, and the sparkling earrings, lent from her mother, became the bride’s “something borrowed.”

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The Bride’s Bouquet

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Regina clutched a mix of tulips, seeded eucalyptus, roses, wax flower, hypericum berries, and brunia. Not visible: The heirloom gold-and-ruby necklace tied to the bunch. This “something old” from Jack’s side has been passed down for generations. 

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Dancing Shoes

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Jack donned his own “something blue” for the big day. These Hugo Boss kicks arrived with colored laces. 

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The Boutonnieres

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A pin of wax flowers, seeded eucalyptus, and olive leaves accessorized the groomsmen’s lapels.  

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Tie One On

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Jack’s guys sported Italo Ferretti bow ties, which are made and produced in Italy, to boot.

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Puppy Love

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The couple’s young pup, a French bulldog named Muki, joined in on the fun.

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The Bridal Party

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The couple’s tight-knit group of attendants included Regina’s sister, Viktoria, as maid of honor, and Jack’s two pals, Edward and James, as best men.

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Sister, Sister

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Viktoria wore a vintage gown and accessorized her ensemble with Hermione Harbutt hairpins.

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Aisle Bound

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Inspired by the area’s olive groves, the couple decorated ceremony seats with bundles of leaves from the trees.

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Nature-Made

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The pair made their marriage official under a hanging flower installation that mimicked a hanging arch and moved beautifully (and effortlessly) in the wind. 

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The Ceremony

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After Regina’s father walked her down the aisle to Alphaville’s acoustic version of “Forever Young,” the bride joined Jack for the officiant’s welcome and the guitarist’s unplugged version of Natalie Cole’s “L.O.V.E.”

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The Readings

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Also on the program: Regina’s brother Florian read Bob Marley’s “He’s Not Perfect,” and Jack’s brother Will recited “Marriage Is Madness,” by an unknown author that concludes with the stanza: “And for you two today it’s about to begin / And for all that the two of you had to put in / Some days filled with joy, and some days with sadness / Too late you’ll discover that marriage is madness!”

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With This Ring

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One of Jack’s best men, Edward, presented the moss-lined glass box to the officiant when the time came, rather than assigning the task to a ring bearer.

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You May Now ...

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“My favorite moment was the ceremony because it was so personal and heartfelt,” says Regina.

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The Recessional

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Guests found olive leaves and rose petals in logo-stamped bags that they tossed onto the new Mr. and Mrs. Young as they walked up the aisle to Michael Bublé’s “Everything.” 

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The Newlyweds

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After the ceremony, the newlyweds headed to the nearby olive grove to snap portraits and then joined loved ones for fun and festivities.

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No Need for Directions

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The floral company La Rosa Canina created the wooden sign bearing the couple’s logo that marked the festivities. It now hangs in the pair’s bedroom. 

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Time for Cheersing

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Invitees headed to the villa’s poolside for cocktails and live music from the band Lady Dillinger. Both newlyweds coined a signature drink for the occasion that played on Jack’s last name, Young: Regina’s “Young Love” included vodka, soda, and fresh lime, while Jack’s “Young at Heart” mixed Southern Comfort with lemonade. 

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Pass the Apps

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In keeping with the theme of “countryside elegance,” the couple served dainty portions of Italian antipasti from a wooden slab. 

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Meat Market

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Salumi or “Italian cold cuts,” ranging from prosciutto to speck, whetted appetites. 

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Love Games

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Lawn activities, like croquet, helped guests pass the time and gave them a chance to admire the breathtaking surroundings.

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Escort Cards

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Guests found their seat assignments calligraphed on cards attached to lace hanging from branches.

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A Tuscan Tableau

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The couple chose a color palette to meld with the existing shades of the Tuscan countryside, styling with French gray, cream, butter, sage, and green, rather than bold bursts. As for the mixed chairs? That happened purely by accident, explains Regina, who said the venue’s stock of wooden ones fell short. 

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The Centerpieces

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Soft candlelight flickered from glass votives, both low and high, with some perched on stone candlesticks. Rustic wood table numbers were nestled between antique chests and small potted arrangements for an informal but intentional effect.

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Places, Please!

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An olive sprig tagged with guests’ names topped white linens. The accompanying silver flatware helped to evoke the color scheme of a natural olive tree. 

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