Briony + Matt’s once-in-a-lifetime Prosecco hills wedding
Photo: Nalia Wedding
Australian couple Matt and Briony combined their outstanding Italian wedding in the Valdobbiadene Prosecco hills with an extended trip round Europe and came in just under budget. Thanks to an insider’s knowledge of THE best Italian vineyards, the couple hosted their wedding (and the first one ever) at the Borgoluce estate, between Venice and the Dolomites. Opting for a venue which had never hosted a wedding before did come with some challenges, but this calm and collected couple trusted in their suppliers to deliver an unforgettable June celebration for them and their 30 guests.
“We didn’t really have a hard and fast budget as the wedding and our honeymoon (3 weeks travelling Europe) kind of blended in together, and it was a once in a lifetime experience (as all weddings are) so we probably were a bit more relaxed with some things as we wanted to enjoy the whole trip as much as possible as we never know when we will be able to get back again. We probably had a figure of about $60,000 in our head for the wedding and trip, which is what we (me, Briony had other extravagant figures) estimated a wedding in Australia would have cost for the one day, which we came in under that so being able to have the most amazing wedding in Italy as well as the travel was a great decision.”
SUPPLIER TEAM
Venue: Tenuta Borgoluce | Celebrant: Conference Wedding Interpreter | Photographer: Nalia Wedding | Musician: Joey Oscar | Hair & Makeup: Raisa Koryakina | Videography: Simona Tortolano | Bridal Fashion: Essense of Australia | Groom & Groomsmen Suits: Eddy Elias Menswear
The Dating
“We first met in high school, although against the trend no we were not high school sweethearts! It wasn’t until a few years out of school that we started dating.”
“My uncle is a wine distributor who frequently travels to Italy so the venue decision was essentially left up to him. I spoke on the phone and he immediately said he had the perfect venue for us, which is how we come across Borgoluce. He was on the money the venue was perfect! ”
Matt, groom
The Engagement
“We went down along the coast of the Great Ocean Road and I proposed at a lookout over the ocean. I was cool, calm and collected until I went to go down on one knee and my heart rate peaked at about 240 bpm. To always be able to remember the date that we got engaged, I proposed on my birthday, which was really overshadowed in the end as Briony forgot for the rest of the day that it was my birthday”
“As the sun dipped below the rolling hills, casting a warm glow over the ancient landscape, Borgoluce witnessed its FIRST-EVER wedding celebration. With a thousand years of history echoing through its grounds, the estate served as a timeless witness to the beginning of Matt and Briony's journey together. Their union marked a new chapter in Borgoluce's storied past, embracing circularity as a compass for the future, where love and tradition intertwined under the Italian sky.”
Shardey Olynyk, Na Lia Weddings
Why Italy?
“Italy was really a spur of the moment thing, we hadn’t really discussed wedding plans, although talking to friends and family we realised that a lot of people were going to be travelling around June/July 2023 and we had always talked about wanting to travel to Europe, although a wedding in Australia and a European holiday as well wouldn’t have been in our budget. One day I said to Briony ‘why don’t we get married in Europe’, not thinking the response would be a yes although straight away it was a yes and we went from there.”
The Standout Moment?
“It’s hard to pin point one moment of the day that stood out from the rest, although looking back on the day I think the overall surrealness of getting married in such a beautiful location in Italy around 30+ of our closest family and friends is a real pinch yourself moment. ”
“My top piece of advice: an Italy-based wedding planner is essential!”
Shardey Olynyk, Na Lia Weddings
Did anything go wrong?
“I wouldn’t say that anything went wrong, although the planning was extremely difficult from the other side of the world. Trying to find/organise suppliers, food, accommodation, drinks etc was a lot of back and forward that we really didn’t know how it would turn out until the day before the wedding when we saw the venue for the first time. Thankfully everything worked out although that doesn’t mean there weren’t some stressful times, more so from Briony.”
Stand out Supplier
“Our photographer, Shardey from Na Lia Weddings was the best supplier we had comfortably. Not to say that the other suppliers weren’t amazing because everyone was, there wasn’t anything we could fault from anyone although from the first time we met with her over Zoom she reeled off about 15 things that we hadn’t even thought of, and probably wouldn’t have thought of. It did also help that she was planning her wedding in Italy as well for a couple of months after ours so she had already done the research on videographers, musicians etc that we piggy backed off. Even on the day, I don’t think it would have gone so smoothly and stress free if it wasn’t for her!”
Top piece of advice
“Plan early, and don’t stress. It is often hard to get in contact with suppliers due to the time difference and general disruptions of life, although if you can find the right people they will do everything they can to make your wedding special, just as our suppliers did. Borgoluce for example had never held weddings at the venue before, although Chiara with the wedding itself, Gianstefano with the accommodation and everyone else involved went above and beyond to accommodate for us and make sure that the day was amazing, which to their credit did an amazing job.”
SUPPLIER TEAM
Venue: Tenuta Borgoluce | Celebrant: Conference Wedding Interpreter |Photography: Nalia Wedding | Musician: Joey Oscar | Hair & Makeup: Raisa Koryakina | Videography: Simona Tortolano | Bridal Fashion: Essense of Australia | Groom & Groomsmen Suits: Eddy Elias Menswear
Travel into Italy is changing and we have the latest ETIAS information for you. This is a must read for couples planning their weddings from mid-2025; it would be slightly dramatic if you weren’t permitted into the country for your wedding!
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