A Timeless Italian Romance: Haley & Sean's Wedding at Villa Corsini a Mezzomonte

Author: Natali Grace Levine
Wedding date: 06/14/2025
City: Florence

Love Story

Haley and Sean met through friends in downtown Chicago, though it took a little persistence to get things started. "We met through friends in downtown Chicago. After a few months of (Haley) being very interested in Sean, he finally asked me on a date - we've been pretty much inseparable ever since," Haley shares. By the time they married, they'd been together for 9.5 years.

That first date happened on a freezing January day at Millennium Park. They'd planned to go ice skating, but fate had other plans. "We had gone to Millennium Park in Chicago in January with the intention to go ice skating. When we arrived, the line was so long that we decided to sit and drink wine on a bench instead. We ended up spending the entire day together," Haley remembers. Nine years later, Sean brought her back to that exact spot. The bench where they'd chosen each other over ice skating became the place where Sean asked her to choose him forever.

About Your Wedding

After a year of planning with Olivia Sodi and her team, their dream became reality. "Our wedding planner Olivia Sodi & her team absolutely brought our vision to life. The day couldn't have been more perfect," they tell us. Seventy guests traveled to Florence for their June 14, 2025 wedding at Villa Corsini a Mezzomonte.

Morning Details

The morning details set the tone for everything that would follow - elegant, intentional, and deeply romantic. Every element was thoughtfully chosen to complement the Florentine setting and the couple's sophisticated aesthetic. From the invitation suite to the accessories, each detail whispered of the beauty about to unfold at Villa Corsini.

Bride Getting Ready

The morning unfolded like a dream at the Grand Hotel Cavour in Florence. "We stayed in the most gorgeous suite at the Grand Hotel Cavour in Florence. We decided to keep the morning-of very intimate with just the people closest to us," Haley says. "I got ready in our Suite with my mom, my sister, my new sister-in-law, and my 2 best friends. The morning was slow, calm, and allowed me to relax before the craziness of the day."

Her dress has the most wonderful story. "My first dress was Vivienne Westwood. When I first saw the gown at a bridal boutique in Chicago, I had no interest in trying it on as it was nothing like what I thought I wanted," Haley admits. "My best friend convinced me to try it, and I was genuinely shocked by how much I loved it. It was so much simpler than all the other dresses I had tried on prior (~30 dresses), but it felt most like me!"

She found it at "a beautiful bridal store in Chicago called Belle Atelier" and completed her look with Stuart Weitzman shoes and "my veil was from the designer Olivia Oceana." Irina Kostenko worked her magic on hair and makeup, ensuring Haley looked radiant yet authentically herself.

Her bouquet was the perfect finishing touch. "The florist was La Rosa Canina in Florence. I knew I wanted green and white florals, so I showed a few photos of what I envisioned and they brought it to life," Haley shares.

Groom Getting Ready

While Haley prepared with her closest women, Sean gathered with his people down the hall. "I got ready in my father's suite down the hall. My father, father-in-law, and 5 best friends. We popped champagne and relaxed in the air conditioning!" he says. The morning was filled with easy laughter and quiet anticipation.

First Look

The first look happened on one of Florence's most romantic bridges. "We had our first look on the Ponte Santa Trinita overlooking the Ponte Vecchio and the Arno," they tell us. With golden light washing over ancient stone and the river flowing below, Haley and Sean saw each other for the first time as bride and groom. The moment was intimate, emotional, and achingly beautiful.

Photoshoot Before The Ceremony

Before heading to the villa, they wandered through Florence itself. "We did many photos in the streets of downtown Florence before heading to our venue in the hills. We both love the city and wanted to capture our time there," they share.

Ceremony

At Villa Corsini a Mezzomonte, surrounded by legendary gardens and their 70 favorite people, Haley and Sean got married. Haley's niece Harper served as flower girl, and her nephew Brady was ring bearer, adding sweet family moments to the celebration.

But the processional created the moment Sean will never forget. "Haley walking down the aisle. She surprised me by having our Violinists play a strings rendition of Blink-182's song First Date (our favorite band). It made the moment so much more special," he says. Personal, unexpected, and devastatingly romantic.

Photoshoot After The Ceremony

After the ceremony, they explored every magnificent corner of their venue. "We took photos throughout the villa - every inch of the space is magnificent, so we were excited to capture moments throughout the grounds," they tell us.

Wedding Venue & Decor

Villa Corsini a Mezzomonte is spectacular - vibrant frescoes, manicured gardens, sweeping views of the Florentine countryside. The venue selection process was straightforward once they saw it. "We worked with our wedding planners to pull together a list based on our preferences and then scheduled a trip to Florence for site visits," they share. "It was the first one we saw and couldn't stop thinking about it during the other visits through the weekend."

When it came to the design, Haley understood that in a place this beautiful, restraint speaks volumes. "We didn't need to use a lot of color because the venue itself is filled with color - between the gardens outside, the frescoes and walls inside, I wanted to keep the florals and decor simple with just green and white," she explains.

Reception

As golden hour melted into evening, guests gathered for a dinner that held a secret. Haley's favorite moment was pure magic: "Surprising our guests with the Opera Performance during dinner. It was such a gorgeous moment that no one knew about. During one of the faster paced songs, all the guests lifted their napkins and twirled them in the air to the beat of the music." Picture it - seventy people, napkins aloft, swept up in spontaneous joy under the Tuscan stars. It's the kind of moment you can't plan, the kind of magic that only happens when love and music and Italy collide.

For their first dance, they swayed to "Moon River by Henry Mancini" - a timeless classic that felt perfect against the Renaissance backdrop. All in all, their celebration was a perfect blend of historic elegance and deeply personal touches. "We had the most incredible experience with all of our vendors," the couple tells us, and every image proves it.