This Couple's Backyard Summer Wedding Was Inspired by a Meal They Shared in Italy

Shelby and Kyle first met back in middle school in 2003, but when their friends started dating in 2010, the pair grew closer. In May 2010, they began a relationship, and spent the first four years together apart, while at separate colleges (Kyle was in Arizona, while Shelby stayed in California). "We knew from the start that our relationship was something special to work for," Shelby says.

When Kyle decided to pop the question, he planned a romantic beach getaway in March 2020, which was subsequently cancelled in light of the pandemic. Instead, on a Saturday morning in April, he asked Shelby to go on a hike. He proposed to her as they traversed a trail with her mother's engagement ring. They switching quickly into planning gear after they decided to have their wedding on their 11-year dating anniversary—July 2, 2021—which gave them just five months to plan the big day. The couple hired Hovik of Harutyunyan Events, who had already worked with Kyle's brother and sister on their own weddings, to pull off an Italy-inspired celebration at the groom's childhood home. "There were a lot of locations discussed for our wedding, but there was something so special about using Kyle's family's house," Shelby shares.

Though the duo had always planned for a small, intimate wedding to keep everyone safe, they acknowledge the stress that came along with narrowing down the guest list; to include as many loved ones as possible, they decided to stream their ceremony on Zoom. Just 16 of the couple's closest loved ones attended the reception, where they enjoyed an Italian feast inspired by the best meal the couple has ever had at a restaurant in Positano.

The pair sent an electronic deckled-edge invitation from Paperless Post to their in-person guests (the design spoke to the day-of paper goods). Those who were invited to the Zoom service physical notes covered in a design by Stephanie Fishwick that captured the event's vibrant color palette. "When Shelby and Kyle told me they wanted an Italy-inspired wedding, I aimed to create a color story that captured the essence of the country's rich cultures and varied regions," says their planner Hovik of Harutyunyan Events. "Overgrown bougainvillea bushes, citrus fruits, Italian stonework and architecture, the stunning beaches and coastlines, summer blooms, and Deruta ceramics all influenced the palette."

Shelby went wedding-dress shopping with her two best friends and took a ton of pictures which she sent to her mom. "When I look back at them, I loved them all, but the one I chose just felt like I was looking at my wedding dress," she says of her silk one-shoulder Amsale gown. "It felt like the perfect option."

The dress paired perfectly with her sister Kyle's Ines Di Santo veil.

Shelby held a vibrant bouquet of sage, zinnias, dahlias, poppies, oat grass, and grevelia, composed by Of the Flowers.

Shelby finished her big-day look with earrings from Anthropologie and white lace-up shoes with a block heel from Lulu's.

Kyle donned a tan linen suit from Men's Wearhouse, which he accented with a white shirt. He decided to skip the tie for a more casual feel.

His boutonnière featured sage, tiger lilies, and oat grass. Though the duo didn't have a wedding party, their mothers wore corsages that matched Kyle's lapel adornment.

Before their first look, Shelby and Kyle were nervous. "Kyle kept getting moved to different rooms so I could be moved to different parts of the house and yard for pictures," Shelby says. "We were both so antsy to see how the other looked!" They finally got a glimpse in the front yard and took comfort in spending time together before the service began.

Their ceremony took place in the front yard of the groom's family home, where the landscaping featured lush flowers and hedges. The yard has a curved stone path leading to a white gazebo, creating the perfect aisle and altar. "We really wanted to play up the beauty of the yard, while still bringing in touches of Italian aesthetics," notes Hovik.

"We lined the entrance of the aisle and sides of the gazebo with an eclectic mix of potted flowers, reminiscent of the potted flowers you'd find in Tuscan villas or hanging from Venetian balconies," adds Hovik, noting that they adorned the pergola-turned-altar with a swag of vibrant blooms.

Instead of Champagne, the couple served Aperol spritzes ahead of the service for an Italian twist.

Shelby walked down the aisle with both of her parents as Fleetwood Mac's "Albatross" resounded in the background. "We thought we would be walking down to the recorded version playing on a speaker," Shelby says, "However, our moms surprised us with a Spanish guitarist who had learned how to play the song just for our wedding!" Shelby's church pastor led the couple's religious vow exchange; they incorporated a special blessing that was part of both of Kyle's sibling's weddings, along with a bible verse that was shared at Shelby's parents' nuptials.

Kyle and Shelby had an open bar—a mixologist from Wolfgang Puck made Italian-inspired cocktails all night long—which began at the cocktail hour. They also served a variety of passed appetizers, including spicy tuna tartare in a sesame miso cone, smoked salmon pizza with dill crème fraîche and caviar, and duck potstickers with ponzu sauce. "Our whole meal could have just been the appetizers, they were so fantastic!" Shelby says.

The reception took place in the backyard, where the pair gave guest's an Italian-inspired al fresco dining experience and played their favorite music over a bluetooth speaker. Decorations featured refined wood tables and chairs reminiscent of those found at outdoor villas. "To tie in with the theme of the Italian feast, we incorporated tomato vines; olive branches (with actual olives blooming on them!); vases filled with parsley, cilantro, and basil; and a mix of lemons, oranges and grapefruits," says Hovik. Eclectic potted plants surrounded the station and bistro lights were hung overhead.

Centerpieces featured seasonal florals in rich reds, pinks, yellows, and oranges. Citrus fruits, including lemons, oranges, and grapefruits, were cut in half and scattered throughout the tabletop. Each dinner course was served on a different dinnerware collection, each featuring shades of yellow and blue.

The couple incorporated Shelby's parents' wedding china during the main course. Each menu was crafted on handmade deckled-edge paper and featured calligraphy in a chocolate brown ink.

The catering element was incredibly important to both Shelby and Kyle, who were thrilled to hire Wolfgang Puck. "We wanted the whole thing to feel like a very special feast," Shelby says. "We went to Italy in 2012 and visited a restaurant in Positano that felt like we had gone to someone's grandmother's house for the best meal we had ever had. This was our attempt to recreate that occasion." The meal began with a burrata salad with toy box heirloom tomatoes, pickled red onions, lemon oil, and basil green goddess dressing. The second course was a four cheese ravioli served in a tomato sauce with wild oregano.

Guests made their entrée selection table-side, and chose between a roasted bass dish with roasted squash, roasted potato coins, and a lemon garlic vinaigrette, or a chargrilled prime New York steak served with a corn purée, zucchini chips, and tomato pistou. The dessert course was a strawberry lime tart with fresh strawberries, strawberry compote, basil infused lime curd, and whipped cream.

Guests were served a palette cleanser of lemon basil sorbet, which tied in with the herbs and citrus elements seen throughout the tablescape.

Shelby and Kyle shared their first dance to Sturgil Simpson's "All Around You." "We have been to a few of his concerts, and from the beginning, we knew that his songs were special and needed to be a part of the day. We have been calling this our wedding song long before we were engaged," Shelby says.

A stone fireplace in the backyard—embellished with pillar candles and vibrant flowers in shades of red, yellow, and orange—served as the pair's cake display.

They chose a simple white wedding cake to highlight the topper, which was used during Shelby's parents' wedding in 1986—but dessert held another surprise. Shelby presented Kyle with a groom's cake made to look like a can of Monster (and their planner surprised them with cans of the stuff to toast with!).

Guests left Shelby and Kyle's event with bottles of olive oil as wedding favors. To couples currently planning their big days, Shelby says, "Don't feel like you have to stick to traditions. Trust those with planning experience (hello, Hovik and my mother-in-law!) and start your thank-you cards as soon as possible!"

Photography, This Modern Romance
Videography, Light Up Video
Wedding Planning and Event Design, Harutyunyan Events
Flowers, Of the Flowers
Invitations, Paperless Post
Dinner and Bar Menus, Truly Madly Ink
Bride's Gown, Amsale; BHLDN
Bride's Veil, Ines Di Santo
Bride's Jewelry, Anthropologie
Bride's Shoes, Lulu's
Bride's Hair and Makeup, Kelly Zhang Studio
Groom's Attire, Men's Wearhouse
Music, Aaron Copenhaguen
Catering, Wolfgang Puck Catering
Cake, Porto's Bakery
Groom's Cake, Hers Bakery
Favors, Gelsingers
Rentals, MTB Event Rentals