A Love Written in the Stars (and the Mud): Rebecca & Francesco’s Wedding
In December 2020, amidst the quiet hush of winter and the echoes of a year that transformed the world, two people stood in their home and promised forever. Rebecca & Francesco’s wedding was not only a union of two hearts, but a celebration of resilience, alignment, and soulful connection—a reminder that even in chaos, love writes the most powerful stories.
A Friendship Rooted in the Events Industry
Rebecca and I first crossed paths years ago, both of us working in the event world—she a talented photographer, and I a planner. Through countless weddings and shared moments behind the scenes and dinners over oysters and champs, we grew from industry colleagues to close friends. And when Rebecca chose to pause and realign her life through an immersive creative retreat in Italy in early 2020, none of us could have predicted the cosmic turn her story was about to take.
A Serendipitous Meeting in Certaldo, Italy
As fate—or the Universe—would have it, Rebecca met Francesco shortly after arriving in Italy, just as the world was about to close down. From that very first moment when Francesco picked her up at the Certaldo rail station, something shifted. What began as finding excuses to talk while throwing clay, quickly turned into late-night stargazing and a first kiss, then a date, a reunion in Aruba during the pandemic, and, eventually, a home and life shared together. Eleven months from that chance encounter, they stood side-by-side, ready to turn the page together.
A Relationship Built on Wholeness
Rebecca once shared a “novel” with me about her relationship with Francesco—one filled with introspection, growth, and truth. She described feeling like she could be wholly and completely herself with him. No adjustments. No dimming of light. Just truth, presence, and mutual support.
They come from opposite sides of the world, but their shared values, curiosity, and deep understanding of one another quickly revealed just how aligned they truly are. Rebecca found in Francesco what she once only saw in the couples she photographed—someone who cares deeply, shows up consistently, and allows love to be a source of nourishment, not compromise.
Francesco, in turn, described being first struck by her beauty, but more profoundly, her maturity, optimism, passion, and even her charming clumsiness. He spoke of a love that grew naturally and deeply—of a woman who feels like home.
A Ceremony of Soul and Intention
Their ceremony was as intentional as their love story. Pottery brought them together and they wanted to include their work in their aisle decor. In addition to exchanging heartfelt vows in both English and Italian, Rebecca & Francesco chose two profound readings that reflected the soul of their union.
The first, from Massimo Recalcati, emphasized the poetry of our lives:
We are not the authors of the book, but we are the book… Every book, like every existence, is made not only from the pages already written and read, but from the pages that are yet to come.
It was a powerful metaphor—Rebecca & Francesco are two individual poems, meeting on the same page and choosing to write a shared future, word by word.
Their second reading, a shared recitation of Nazim Hikmet, spoke of anticipation, hope, and beauty yet to be realized:
Our most beautiful days we haven’t seen yet. And the most beautiful words I wanted to tell you I haven’t said yet…
Anyone else get goosebumps?!?
A Love That Transcends Borders and Time
From the hills of Italy to the heart of their home, Rebecca & Francesco’s wedding ceremony was a testament to listening to your soul, trusting your path, and embracing love when it arrives—unexpected and undeniable. Congratulations, my friends, on 4.5 years of marriage – writing your story with the same passion, authenticity, and joy that brought you together.
EVENT TEAM
Photographer: Kent Drake Photography
Videographer: Poetic Productions
Venue: Private Home
Officiant: Zen Events
