“We ate, drank and laughed well past midnight telling stories about our past and dreaming about the future.”
The couple: Jill Annette Damery and Kian Rafia
Length of engagement: 6 months | Wedding date: 29th May 2013
Wedding location: Tuscany, Private Villa
Photographer: Domenico Costabile – www.domenicocostabile.com
Wedding planner: Infinity Weddings
We met… through a mutual friend in Santa Monica, CA in January 2011. We quickly became friends due to our love of common things, like running along the beach in Santa Monica, wine and food, exploring new places, and seeing concerts at the Hollywood Bowl. After many months of friendship, Kian decided to tell me that he wanted more than friendship at a 2011 Halloween party. It took a few months of convincing but eventually I expressed my mutual feelings to Kian. Our first date was on Saturday, November 26 2011 – it lasted for 72 hours!
Our proposal… Kian proposed during a hike near the ocean in Los Angeles (Temescal Canyon trails) in November 2012. Although LA normally has beautiful weather, that day was overcast and slightly rainy. When Kian woke up with such excitement about hiking under such conditions, I suspected something was up but never would have guessed a proposal was in the works. About halfway through the hike at a beautiful overlook spot, Kian suggested hiking down an off road path, which I reluctantly agreed to. After the normally very articulate Kian asked me a series of very random questions, he offered some very sweet words about what the relationship and I meant to him and finally got down on one knee to ask for my hand in marriage. (Of course, I said yes!)
My dress… My dress was from Romona Keveza’s Legends collection. It was natural white and made of silk shantung/taffeta. The design was strapless with a sweetheart neckline, dropped waist and was floor length with a short train. My veil was white and mid-length with the edges lined in beautiful crystals/gems. My bridal attire was purchased at Panache Bridal in Beverly Hills. Desiree Hartsock, star of Bachelorette (US reality TV show), assisted me with the purchase. I also wore ivory satin kitten heels by Kate Spade. I borrowed a beautiful diamond pendant necklace from my mom, and I bought my teardrop faux diamond earrings from the ABS boutique in Santa Monica, CA.
Our ceremony… We wanted a simple ceremony that spoke from the heart. We also wanted to involve as many of our family in the ceremony as possible. I outlined the ceremony script, which was officiated by Dr. Kasra Rafia, Kian’s brother. My dad Rodney walked me down the aisle, which was overlooking the beautiful Tuscan countryside. My brother Ryan read a verse from Corinthians 13:4-8 and Kian’s sister Lida read several beautiful love poems by Hafez, a classical persian mid-century poet. My mom sang “From this moment” by Shania Twain and was accompanied by the duo on guitar and violin from the Infinity Band. Kian’s mother Homa presented and explained the meaning of the “sofreh,” the traditional Persian wedding setting. The ringbearer, Armin, is Kian’s four year old nephew and our flower girl Clara is my 18 month old niece.
We chose our photographer because… Although we looked at several other photographers that Sara suggested, we loved Domenico’s style of photography in his portfolio. We were looking for a mix of modern and traditional usage of photography, someone who had extensive experience, and had a sense of humour. Domenico was great! We also decided to hire a videographer last minute, and are so glad that we did. He did an amazing job creating a beautiful video that we love showing to our family.
We chose our venue because… We decided to get married in Tuscany as I had travelled there a few times and loved the beauty of the region, the food and wine. Kian similarly had spent time in Italy, and loved the idea of a small outdoor wedding in the countryside, accentuating those elements. After searching online and talking with our coordinator, we narrowed down a few possible options. The Private Villa we chose had a beautiful setting, was perfectly charming, and just the right size for our intimate wedding event. We wanted everyone to be able to stay at the same location to really get to spend quality time together and for ease of coordination for our three day event. We also were able to have our desired outdoor ceremony at the villa/farmhouse, which allowed for the entire wedding day to take place onsite. When we finally saw the location and wedding site with our own eyes (four days before the wedding!), I was overwhelmed with emotion and Kian likewise knew we had made the right choice! Once all of the guests arrived to the site, we knew it was just the perfect place for our ceremony. On the day of the wedding, we decided to move our dinner party and reception/dancing with the DJ inside the villa due to the cool weather, and were able to accommodate it beautifully. It is a gorgeous, serene property, and we look forward to visiting again for our anniversaries!
We chose our wedding coordinator because… We were a little nervous about coordinating everything overseas, and knew that we needed a fantastic wedding coordinator to pull things off. After interviewing a few coordinators, we chose Sara Mazzei from Infinity Weddings and Events®. Sara made our wedding such an amazing event, down to the smallest details. The first time we talked to Sara over Skype, we both felt comfortable and got excited about the possibilities she could help us create for our special day. Throughout the six months of planning, Sara always responded quickly, provided great research and options for us to consider, and reassured us that things would be fine… even despite the unseasonably cool spring weather that Italy was experiencing in 2013. Once we finally met Sara, four days before our wedding, she greeted us as if we were old friends, and we immediately felt the same way. She gave us the most detailed one day wedding prep tour all over Florence and the countryside and left us feeling again like we had made the right choice. She also showed us one of the best spots for pasta in the world (and we are still talking about how good it was!) Hands down we would chose Sara again and would recommend her and her company to anyone planning a wedding in Italy.
My favourite part of the wedding day… (Jill) My favourite part of the day was the moment when the sun finally came out, just moments before I left the bridal suite to walk down the aisle. I could already see Kian standing at the ceremony site and our families and friends assembling. Everything felt perfect and the beautiful Italian setting and dream wedding was just about to happen. My second favourite part (I really can’t choose just one!) was when all the wedding party guests crowded into the kitchen after the reception to toast again and eat more of the amazingly yummy wedding cake. Another favourite memory was closing out the night while dancing with Kian and listening to our favourite band Coldplay, after everyone else had called it a night.
Drink’s Reception
Traditional Italian Style Appetizers
Signature cocktail; Rossini
Dinner
Green mixed salad
Creamy Saffron risotto w/ mushrooms
Ravioli w/ ricotta, prawn and lobster sauce
Beef steak – florentine sauce
Wedding cake with fresh strawberry filling, adorned with Fuschia flowers
My favourite part of the wedding day… (Kian) My favourite part of the wedding (other than the wedding ceremony and watching my beautiful bride step down the aisle) was the first night that the entire family was together. Sara arranged a traditional Florentine BBQ dinner, family style. It was then when I realised how great it is to have all of our immediate family together and we still had three days to go. We ate, drank and laughed well past midnight telling stories about our past and dreaming about the future.
My piece of advice for other brides… During the planning process, remember to have alternate scenarios that you are comfortable with (e.g. a plan B), especially if you have a destination wedding and/or dream of an outdoor ceremony! This will alleviate much stress further down the road. Also, destination weddings are a beautiful way for friends and family to come together and spend more than just the wedding day getting to know each other. If you can manage the stress of planning from afar, it’s definitely worth it!! Have a post-wedding celebration for those who want to celebrate with you but cannot make the journey. On your wedding day, remember to reserve a few quiet moments for yourself, breathe and cherish every moment of the day. After months of planning, the day will quickly become a memory, so remember to set your intentions for what you want to happen and then LET GO, and enjoy the rest of the memories that will come. This is your time to relax, enjoy and have a beautiful time with your new spouse, family, and friends.
