Chanel & Andy

Whenever weddings from James Frost arrive in our submissions platform, we all gather round the computer and wait with baited breath, as his work is always BEAUTIFUL. Chanel & Andy clearly love him as much as we do, as they pretty much knew they wanted James to capture their wedding day from the get-go. As expected, Chanel and Andy's wedding day is also magical, taking place at the haunting San Galgano Abbey in Tuscany, a roofless ruined Abbey from the 13th century. Chanel looks incredible in a bespoke gown by Madame Paulette, and the images of her and Andy's first look will have you weak at the knees - it's such a beautiful moment. There are infinite dreamy photographs to pour over from this destination wedding, so I suggest getting comfortable and savouring each and every one! And if you need a wedding photographer, James is your guy, you'll be forever thankful that you booked him.

Our Wedding

Andy and I love to travel, and after getting engaged in Amsterdam, we knew we wanted a destination wedding. We chose Tuscany after discovering San Galgano Abbey. The roofless ruin from the 13th century was the perfect backdrop for our nuptials. We rented a villa for the week of our wedding so our families could relax and enjoy the countryside. It also acted as our reception space. Our goal was to have a relaxed vibe that would allow us to spend quality time with each of our 47 guests. We didn't have bridesmaids or groomsmen, no speeches, and opted for a gelato cart instead of cake - which was a huge hit with everyone! Part of the reason we chose to get married in Tuscany is that it’s already so beautiful that it requires very little décor. We wanted the celebration to be al fresco so we kept things simple. Modest flower arrangements, romantic lighting, and lots of greenery. Diana, our wedding coordinator from Villa Podernovo, did an amazing job of tastefully bringing our vision to life! We booked everything site unseen and hoped for the best and we got so incredibly lucky. Everything exceeded our expectations. We kept whispering to each other “this is all for us? This is our wedding?” We still can’t believe it.

The Bride

I did not enjoy shopping for a wedding dress. I had a very clear picture in my mind of what I wanted and I couldn’t find it anywhere. So I decided to have my dress custom made. Madame Paulette in Manhattan did an amazing job executing my vision and I’m so overjoyed with how my dress came out. My wedding dress was exactly what I wanted – simple, timeless, and romantic. My sisters and mother helped me get ready for the day. They did my hair and makeup and painted my nails. I really relied on them and they really came through for me!

The Photography

The photographs are the only thing you have from the day that lasts, so it’s worth investing in a great photographer. I’ve been a huge fan of James Frost for a long time and I knew I wanted him to document our wedding. He was absolutely the best decision we made! He scouted out a nice spot to take us for portraits during sunset and those are our favourite photos from our wedding day!

Favourite Moments

Andy's favourite memory from the day: when Chanel walked down the aisle to M83's "Wait" during the ceremony surrounded by the ancient walls. Chanel’s favourite memory from the day: Seeing Andy’s reaction as I walked down the aisle. He is not an emotional guy so you can imagine my shock at seeing him cry! Musical choices: Processional - M83 "Wait" Recessional - Youth Group "Forever Young" First Dance - Florence and the Machine "Stand By Me"

Advice

Don't try too hard to please everyone because this is the one time in your life you get to do things your way. For guest list – keep it intimate. Your attendees will be grateful to have had more than just 5 seconds with you. If you have a destination wedding - plan little events to give everyone a chance to break the ice. Since we had guests coming from all over the country, we had a pizza party the day before to give everyone the opportunity to meet each other. It gave us so much joy to see how well everyone got along. Some even continued to travel together following the wedding.