Through mutual friends, Alexandra and Peyton met and fell in love across state lines. While Alexandra attended dental school in Ohio and Peyton worked toward a law degree, the two connected over FaceTime calls and flirty text exchanges. After two months of this, Peyton hopped in the car to make the eight-hour drive north and finally meet Alexandra in person. 

“We have been inseparable ever since,” the couple says. So when it came time to plan their wedding, ordinary just wouldn’t do their extraordinary love story justice.

Why Italy? Why Ravello?

“Since our friends and family are from all over Canada and the USA, we wanted to pick somewhere special to bring our loved ones together,” Alexandra explains. “We always wanted a more intimate celebration, and had both fallen in love with Italy from previous travels there.”

Italy was the easy answer. Where in Italy was the harder question. That is, until their wedding planner, Federica of The Italian Wedding Event, stepped in. A true expert in translating a couple’s vision into a specific place, Federica listened carefully to what Alexandra and Peyton were after and pointed them toward Ravello, a hilltop gem perched above the Amalfi Coast. 

“We quickly learned why she knew it was the perfect destination for us; by the sea, beautiful views, slightly more secluded, and easily walkable,” the couple recalls. “We were so thankful for her role in this important decision.”

Picture-Perfect Setting: Villa Eva

Choosing the venue was, once again, a moment where Federica’s expertise proved invaluable. From a curated shortlist of Ravello properties, one stood out above the rest: Villa Eva, a historic estate draped in bougainvillea, with sweeping views of both the sea and the surrounding mountains.

“What stood out about Villa Eva is that we would have exclusive use of the property for the day, and that each portion of the wedding could take place in a different space of the property,” the bride says. 

The ceremony could take place beneath a pergola overlooking the sea. After, guests could drift into the garden for cocktail hour, move under a marquee for dinner, and finally gather inside the villa itself for dancing and celebration. 

“All of these areas were just a couple of steps away from each other,” the couple notes. “ So, guests did not need to walk the span of a large property to get from point A to B. We could not have been happier with our decision and have no regrets.”

Nitty Gritty of Planning

Destination weddings carry a particular planning challenge: how do you coordinate a major life event in a country you don’t live in? For Alexandra and Peyton, the answer was equal parts trusted vendor and proactive preparation. Part of that prep was a pre-wedding site visit, something they now highly recommend for others. 

“It gave us the opportunity to meet Federica in person, tour the venue, and really start to envision how the wedding weekend would come together,” Alexandra says. 

They were even able to squeeze in a food tasting during the visit, which helped finalize the menu and turned what could have been a logistical obligation into a genuine highlight. 

Something the couple discovered on this trip helped them avoid a logistical nightmare in waiting: the nearest major airport, Naples, is over an hour away from the venue. Rather than let this become a stressor, Alexandra and Peyton took it in stride, assembling a comprehensive travel guide for guests to make the journey as seamless as possible. 

The Details & Decor

In a world of Etsy shops and template downloads, Alexandra took a different path to her Italy destination wedding design.

“With a love for creativity and design, she saw this as the perfect opportunity to add a personal and meaningful touch to the celebration,” Peyton says. “From carefully selecting fonts and layouts to ensuring every detail matched the overall aesthetic of the weekend, she poured a great deal of time and thought into each piece.” 

The Culmination of it All

When the week of the wedding arrived, every element fell into place. Officiated by Francy of Francy Says, the ceremony beneath the pergola was anything but generic. Francy got to know the couple, weaving in the story of how they met, how their relationship grew, and the road that brought them to this hillside in Italy into a touching speech.

“Hearing our story told in such a heartfelt way made the ceremony feel incredibly meaningful and intimate,” Alexandra says. The exchange of vows and rings was framed by moments of reflection and what the couple describes as “a beautiful balance of meaningful tradition and modern personalization.” It was, by their own account, the perfect opening act for the grand celebration that followed.

As night fell over the Amalfi Coast, the group moved inside the villa itself, where lighting by Antares transformed the space and entertainment by Helen Tesfazghi kept the energy high and the dance floor full well into the evening. The couple even cut into a cake crafted by Villa Eva itself, a fitting final touch from a venue that handled nearly every detail with elegance. It was the kind of reception where no one wanted the night to end.

Their Best Advice

For those inspired by Peyton and Alexdra’s Italy wedding adventure, the couple has this advice to share: “Trust your vendors, and try to enjoy the process as much as possible. The time goes by quickly, and when the day arrives, the most important thing is simply being present and celebrating with your family and friends.”

If Alexandra and Peyton’s weekend in Ravello proved anything, it’s that when you get the big things right, everything else falls beautifully into place.

Vendors: Photography: ManiSol Wedding and Valeria Dangelo; Videography: Alba and Elena from ManiSol Wedding; Welcome Party Venue: Mimì Ravello; Wedding Venue: Villa Eva, Ravello; Planning & Design: Italian Wedding Event; Flower Design: Malafronte; HMUA: Alessandro Mancino Studios; Bride’s Dress: Eva Lendel; Groom’s Suit: Ted Baker; Officiant: Francy Says; Music: Helen Tesfazghi; Light Design: Antares Events