Deep Red Drama: A Moody + Beautiful Burgundy Wedding in Italy

When two wedding vendors fall in love, you know you’re in for a wedding for the ages.

Bride Marilena – the genius behind Marilena Zambelli – has been a planner for fifteen years. Groom Riccardo founded Linar, an audio and lighting service. And yes, their love story began at someone else’s wedding

“We met while working together,” the Florence, Italy-based pair recalls, “and every project we shared led us here — to create something that truly spoke of us.”

Marilena + Riccardo both had entire careers worth of weddings to draw from when they started dreaming up their own “I do’s.” Together they built an unforgettably immersive wedding day their friends + loved ones could get lost in. The color of the day was a rich + moody red, and fellow vendors packed the guest list.

“We dreamed of a space that could transform — that could absorb our taste and energy,” the couple remembers of the criteria they used when searching for the right venue. “We didn’t want a traditional wedding, but an experience: a blend of art, color, and music, something unconventional, with a rock soul. That’s how we fell in love with Paradis Agricole, a place of perfect eclecticism — a greenhouse nestled in greenery, surrounded by statues and light, balancing the natural and the theatrical.”

Both Erik Winter and Erica + Manu were snapping stunning wedding photos throughout the day, so you’ll get to see plenty of this beautiful burgundy celebration. The cascading drapery is an absolute dream. The monochromatic red color world is the definition of drama. And Marilena’s two piece wedding gown is off-the-charts gorgeous. And it only gets better when she adds a chic bridal blazer. 

“We chose to get married at the end of the season, imagining a grand party to celebrate our love and, together with all our friends and fellow vendors,” says the industry-minded couple of why they chose their late Autumn wedding date. “It marked the close of a beautiful season lived side by side.”

Vendors are the beating heart of the wedding world ❤️ Here at GWS we see a lot of weddings, and we’re constantly marveling at the magic that wedding creatives make together, wedding after wedding. It’s beyond beautiful to see these two get their own happy ending.

“The best part was seeing florist guests arrive early to help the florists working on the setup, or photographer guests supporting the photographers on duty. Some musician friends even brought their instruments and started improvising together with the DJ,” the couple shares. “It felt like one big family, with all barriers down. The only thing that mattered was that everyone felt good and enjoyed being together.”

“Finding my wedding dress was quite a journey,” Marilena shares of her journey to this two-piece wedding gown by Alessandro Angelozzi Couture. “I knew I didn’t want something “too bridal.” as beautiful as traditional gowns are, to me they feel like work.”

“I wanted something that felt ‘a little less bride, a little more me.’ No one expected me to choose white.”

SO into the pop of burgundy Marilena added to the look with those funky, geometric wedding heels from The Attico.

Rich Red Romance

This wine red wonderland takes our breath away. The swirling layers of drapery. The sunlight peeking in through the greenhouse’s glass roof. And the deep + moody arrangements by Monfleur!

Rich reds are definitely one of our fave trending wedding colors of the moment, so we cannot get enough of this day’s hyper-saturated burgundy palette.

Our Favorite Memory
The most memorable moment for me was the ceremony. After 15 years as a planner, seeing him standing there, waiting for me, was overwhelmingly emotional. We wanted the whole thing to feel like an intimate affair between the two of us, so there were no other entrances, he waited for me at the altar, and I walked in alone. Our celebrant was my best friend and maid of honor, which made everything even more personal.

When dress shopping with a trusted wedding collaborator, Marilena knew she wanted to stop at Le Spose di Mori: “Without telling my collaborator what I had in mind, I asked her, ‘Do you mind if we stop by an atelier?’ She had no idea that would be the moment. I had already sent a brief to the atelier… and the dress I chose was the very first one I tried on. My collaborator couldn’t believe we found it in ten minutes, and we kept the secret.”

“The jacket made it feel more personal, less bridal,” Marilena remembers. “It was the one.”

“Before my entrance, a recording of my voice was played, something he didn’t expect,” Marilena shares of how this beautiful ceremony officiated by Elena Martelli got started. “I simply told him that although I’ve experienced many happy milestones in my life, the joy I felt that day was the greatest of all.”

“Riccardo was supposed to sing and play my processional song on the guitar, a song he chose, one I didn’t know until that moment,” Marilena says. “But just minutes before, he was too overwhelmed to do it. Honestly, the fact that he was so emotional made it perfect as it was. The choir, Vocal Blue Trains, sang it instead: “Il cielo in una stanza” by Gino Paoli.”

(BTW, we’ve got a killer roundup of the best bridal jackets for you to look through if Marilena’s bridal blazer idea has stolen your heart.)

Riccardo looked impossibly sharp in this all-black fit by Sartoria Messori and Armani.

Janna Burzacovschi is responsible for Marilena’s stunning Old Hollywood inspired wedding hair and rich red lip bridal makeup look.

A Crimson Celebration

“We don’t love being the center of attention,” Marilena says, “which is why we removed every reference to ourselves, turning the event into a Museum After Dark: an immersive journey where every moment was a room to experience, every detail a work of art to discover.”

“At the entrance a fragment of Michelangelo’s David statue welcomed guests into a red + pink world, where even the food by Ristorante Tonino from Cortona echoed the tones of the table linens, creating a monochromatic and sensory dialogue between dishes, colors, and textures.”

Those cascading hydrangeas! Waterfall arrangements like these are one of the current floral trends we’re obsessed with!

The low, winding tables! The pink velvet + gold stools! Creative furniture from Preludio Noleggio totally reinvented the traditional wedding reception.

We’ve got a whole breakdown of the most unique reception table setups ideas that you need to see, because — while we love a classic banquet table or ballroom full of rounds — there’s no reason not to think outside of the box when building your dream reception like Marilena + Riccardo did.

“The dinner menu was meant to be a moment of true togetherness — a touch of comfort food that could make everyone feel at home, just like a dinner among friends. Like tortellini in broth, made from my mom’s recipe, and meatballs, the same ones Riccardo cooks on our favorite nights,” the couple says of the evening’s fare of catering from Ristorante Tonino and drinks from Mercury Events.

All the romantic reds have us remembering this quirky + moody wedding (the couple said “I do” on top of a giant wedding cake!).

OH! And if you’re an art lover vibing on all of the sculptures and museum-inspired decor that Marilena + Riccardo included, you NEED to check out this sculpture museum wedding, this Brooklyn Museum wedding, this dark academia museum wedding, and this immersive DTLA wedding!

“Raw travertine chargers, black accents on the table, one-meter-tall candles, and burgundy florals by Monfleur shaped an atmosphere that was intense and theatrical,” Marilena remembers.

“The embroidered menu, designed by Laura Mazzetti – The Wedding Letters depicted the profile of David, adding an artistic and poetic touch.”

Incorporating Michaelangelo’s David was extra-special for the couple, btw, because the famous statue resides at the Galleria dell’Accademia in the city of Florence, where the couple lives.

Marilena made special note of the way that the draping by Linar (Riccardo’s company!) and Monfleur “played with texture, volume, and light.”

The “Gincident”

“Like every story, ours began with a special night — sipping gin & tonics, in what we still call our gincident,” the bride shares of the inspiration behind this cheeky photobooth by Dedem.

“We met in 2021 through work, I was the planner, and he was the audio and lighting service. The beautiful part is that every time we worked together, everything felt lighter. We had fun, we laughed, and he was so professional that he made me feel reassured in every possible way. Then, in 2022, during a mid-season break in August, we went out for an aperitivo… and a few gin + tonics helped us finally see what had been right in front of us. That’s why we call ourselves a true gincident.”

I Do, Tiramisu 🤎

“What we loved most was the energy that unfolded that day,” Marilena remembers. “We didn’t want to be the center of attention, which is why for the cake we created a 7-meter tiramisù.”

“Since three-quarters of our guests were vendors, everyone looked at us confused, asking, ‘What do we do now?’ And we said: ‘If you want cake, you’ll have to cut it yourselves!’ It turned into a shared experience and memory for everyone.”

Cue the Lights

Our Musical Choices
Processional
"Il cielo in una stanza" by Gino Paoli, sung by a choir
Recessional
"It Takes a Fool to Remain Sane" by The Ark, sung by a choir
First Dance
"The Book of Love" by Peter Gabriel

LOVING the edgy vibes of this “rock-inspired outfit change for the party”!! Not to mention those chic bridal sunnies 😎

Anybody recognize officiant Elena Martelli?? Here she is absolutely stunning in a strapless black lace dress.

We’ve got lots of looks you need to see in our black tie wedding guest attire style guide if you want to get your next wedding-ready fit on Elena’s level.

Marilena called the wedding day’s party “the moment everyone was waiting for.”

“A black marble dance floor, lighting and setup by Linar, and the groom behind the decks. Music, energy, and art — the perfect way to end the season: together.”

Bitband and DJ Stefano Nannicini were there all night to fill the air with music.

Our Advice
My biggest advice for anyone planning their wedding: have fun with it. Enjoy the details, but don’t chase perfection, perfection doesn’t exist in real life. What matters are the emotions, the shades and nuances of those emotions, because that’s what makes the day truly unique. All the carefully planned details simply add a touch of magic.

Marilena + Riccardo, your “Museum After Dark” wedding in Italy was a rich red fantasy we’ll never forget. We’re so happy for you both! Auguri from GWS!