“Right in the middle of the first time we spoke, I cut him off and ran to catch the bus my friend was getting on,” wedding photographer Rebecca Ickes remembers about her first encounter with her future husband, Kevin Berg. Fortunately, they kept in contact and started dating. As their love blossomed, Kevin made plans to propose during a family vacation in the romantic city of Paris. He got down on one knee while a violinist performed "A Slow Dance" by Explosions in the Sky – the song that would later play during their first dance at their nuptials.

Out of all the locales across the globe, the lovebirds decided to host their destination wedding at an 8th-century abbey in Umbria, Italy. “We knew we wanted somewhere that would still have personal meaning rather than a random spot on the map,” the bride explains. “My father’s side of the family is Sicilian, so Italy became a personal nod to that side of my heritage.” The couple commenced their celebration at an on-site chapel for the ceremony, which was officiated by their longtime priest. “Both of our families are Catholic, so having a full Catholic mass for the ceremony was important,” explains Rebecca. The service also featured a personalized selection of tunes that have special meaning to the couple.

To enhance the beauty of the venue, the pair trusted the Jackson Durham Events team to create an unforgettable floral design for the fête. “While I spent my time planning ways to surprise my guests, Jackson Durham was busy planning a way to absolutely stun me,” Rebecca recalls. “We discussed a general color theme, concerns I had about the space, and general preferences for floral, but what they created was better than anything I could have suggested. Every time I smell a lilac, I am transported back to my wedding day.” Throughout the celebration, loved ones enjoyed delicious handmade pasta for dinner and danced the night away. “With only 36 people, we had told our DJ that if everyone danced for two solid hours, that would be impressive. Four hours later, my mom pointed out that we really had to stop!” she smiles.

Reflecting on her special day, Rebecca is extremely happy with her choices: “As a wedding professional myself, I wanted to show everyone how enjoyable and different a wedding experience could be compared to the ‘traditional’ approach.”