Shelli and Christopher
Photo: W. Scott Chester Photography
The Georgia-based, travel-loving couple of Shelli and Christopher, met in high school, yet it took a road trip ten years later, for Cupid's arrow to finally hit. After reading an essay by John Steinbeck about Positano, Italy, they chose it for their intimate June 1, 2011, destination wedding, that combined their worldly style with nostalgic flair and DIY details.
The couple incorporated traditional Positano elements and bright colors in their stationery suite. Jay Hornsby of the Belligerent Monkey did the illustrations and design, and Thomas Printers letterpressed the finished product. Blue-and-white baker's twine bound all the pieces together.
Shelli and Christopher's DIY decor was inspired by the colors of a 1958 Rand McNally atlas. The bride made it a garland that combined aqua, teal, red, and yellow hues and retro gingham, and conveyed the vintage travel theme perfectly.
The bride donned a French-tulle J.Crew dress and vintage 1950s jewelry that belonged to her great aunt. Christopher sported a J.Crew suit, Kenneth Cole shoes, and a gingham shirt.
Even a torrential downpour couldn't dampen the couple's special day. Though the ceremony was moved indoors, the weather cleared just in time for the newlyweds to pose for photos with the photographers of W. Scott Chester Photography. Shelli believes in rain on your wedding day being lucky. Nine months to the day of the wedding, her daughter, Lumen, was born.
Christopher had two neckties made out of vintage Liberty of London fabrics by This Humble Abode. For a sentimental touch, Shelli had them embroidered with their wedding date and initials. He wore one for the ceremony, then changed into a different shirt and the second tie for the reception. The bride’s costume change came later in the evening, when she swapped her gown for a tea-length BHLDN dress.
Shelli carried a colorful arrangement of peonies, which are her favorite flower.
The casual ceremony, held in a town hall, was presided over by the mayor of Positano. It was performed in Italian, and then translated for guests. In the days leading up to the wedding, the couple and a few of their friends drove to the U.S. consulate in Naples to complete their marriage documents. Of course, they also stopped for Margherita pizza (the best ever, according to the couple).
With the weather iffy, the outdoor reception picnic, complete with vintage quilts and playful melamine pieces, was moved inside. All of the fun details, like the gingham-wrapped silverware made the indoor party even cheerier.
The meal, catered by Ristorante Saraceno d'Oro, included ravioli ricotta with spinach and mushroom sauce, pasta with shellfish, and grilled chicken, swordfish, and eggplant.
Flowers such as Sweet William and peonies were purchased from a local florist and arranged by friends and family. Blooms picked on the villa's grounds were also added.
Bottles of Limoncello, made specifically for the wedding were given as favors. To create their paper tags, the couple punched letterpressed tags, embellished them with vintage stamps from a kit Shelli bought in Scotland, and strung them with baker's twine.
The pair chose a traditional lemon-and-vanilla cake baked by Gambardella Pasticceria, a local bakery in nearby Minori. To crown the sweet treat, the couple had Goose Grease create an original topper fashioned in their likeness.
Photography: W. Scott Chester Photography
Event planning: La Calla
Catering: Ristorante Saraceno d'Oro
Cake and limoncello: Gambardella Pasticceria
Engagement ring: Melanie Bilenker
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