Sasha was born in Belarus, Robert is from Sweden and the couple currently lives in Switzerland. Their family and friends are spread throughout the world, so when it came to planning a wedding, a destination wedding only made sense.

With the whole world a potential option, they narrowed down their options based on personal preferences. With Robert being a collector of wine, a vineyard seemed like a perfect option. When they saw their Tuscany venue, the rest was history.

“We fell in love with our venue at first sight. We were able to have all the events at the same venue, but different locations,” Sasha says.

From there, Sasha and Robert made the planning look effortless. They were able to escape to Italy twice on romantic getaways under the guise of wedding preparation. While they worked out the wedding plans, they enjoyed the process of figuring out the details and turned a weekend wedding into a whole year of excitement.

Leading up to the wedding, Sasha says she worked individually with every guest to get their travel info and to set up transportation from the airport to the venue. With the big day approaching, everything worked out stress-free.

When the weekend finally arrived, everything went smoothly. In tribute to their home countries, they included a Dala horse from Sweden and a Matreshka doll from Belarus by the signature drinks: the “Minsk Mule” and a “Vargtass” made with lingonberry syrup from Sweden.

Throughout the weekend, Sasha and Robert were able to connect with every guest whether it was at breakfast, playing tennis, by the pool or at one of the wedding events. Having their family and friends in one location made the event extra special. 

“We had an amazing group of 120 people, and we were together for three nights alone in the hotel in Tuscany,” Sasha says.

Sasha advises couples who are preparing to tie the knot to have a great wedding planner to make sure everything runs efficiently and is organized — taking the stress off the bride!

She also says that hiring a photographer and videographer ensures that the event lives on for more than just a weekend, the memories will last forever. She also says to work on the details along the way and organize with your guests. “When the wedding day comes, all you have to do is relax and enjoy the best celebration!”

Vendors: Wedding Location: Borgo Scopeto Relais, Tuscany, Italy, Photographer: Rochelle Cheever, Wedding Planner: Brenda Babcock at Italia Celebrations, Ceremony/Reception Site: Borgo Scopeto Relais, Tuscany, Italy, Stationery: East Six Design, Gown Designer: Essense of Australia, Groom’s Clothing Designer: Paul Smith, Bridesmaids/Groomsmen’s Designer: Hugo Boss pants, Appletrees shirts for Groomsmen, Jenny Yoo for Bridesmaids