Roman Proposal - A Year Ago Today

Rose at the Spanish Steps near our Hotel

I can't believe it has been a year already!   So much has changed, I hardly feel like the same person.    I think that is a good thing.     

John and I had just arrived in Rome (a surprise trip for me!) and were wandering around jet lagged taking it all in.     It was a whirlwind weekend of a trip, highlighted by a very romantic proposal following dinner at my favorite restaurant.    A year ago today!

Thought I'd share a few images from our proposal weekend in Italy.   Brings back lots of wonderful memories.

Roman Forum

Man on the Steps

Pantheon Cafe

Etsy Wedding Love

I'm so happy.  Warmer weather is on the way, the sun is out.   Spring is finally here!   Plus, it's St. Patrick's day and who doesn't love a good holiday?

I thought I'd spread a little etsy love today and share some of my favorites that made their way into our wedding.   I would encourage you to check out these sellers.   They were all truly wonderful to work with and helped to make my wedding day special with each of their creative and unique touches.

Our ring bearer bowl, by Paloma's Nest.   I love that we were able to use this during our wedding and can continue to display it now at home.   I'm looking forward to hanging it on our Christmas tree next year.   The quote holds a special memory for me and was a subtle way of personalizing our day.

I love lace.   I especially love French lace.    The French Nest Company is filled to the brim with all kinds of sweet French touches.  I want to gather them all up and surround myself with them!   We used this lace in our favors.

These bags are fabulous!  I was looking for a unique Welcome Bag and stumbled across these beauties.     This Love Languages bag in natural and gold by The Bucktoothed Bunny shares love in all of the languages of the world.   These fit perfectly with our love of travel, our wedding colors, and were a very practical way to hold all of our welcome items for our out of town guests.

Our Italian Wedding Dinner Menu

Italian Baked Alaska.   Image by Visio Photography

So I know what you are thinking.   Italian wedding dinner with french inspired decor?   Really?

For us, it makes perfect sense.    We love to travel and having spent time together in Paris and Rome, John and I wanted to incorporate some of favorite travel memories into our wedding day.  

I knew from day one that the food had to be Italian.    We were engaged in Rome a year ago this month following a very memorable meal starting with my favorite carbonara.   Italy holds a special place in my heart for many reasons and I wanted my dinner to reflect this.  

And the thing about weddings is, it should really be all about the two of you and what you love.   It may not make sense to the outside world, but if it makes sense and feels special to you, then there's really no need to explain.  

Formal Italian Wedding Dinner.    Image by Visio Photography. 

Our wedding dinner was truly an experience.   White gloved, synchronized service by the team at the Biltmore.   The food, the setting, the entire night, was just the elegant and intimate evening I had always imagined.  

Italian wedding dinners are long drawn out affairs by their very nature.   Multiple courses, one followed by another.   We definitely warned our guests to arrive hungry!

Our Wedding Menu

First Course

Italian Wedding Soup with Biltmore Beef Meatballs, Kale, Pearl Pasta and Herbs

Second Course

Spinach, Red Onion, Pine Nut and Goat Cheese Salad with Warm Pancetta Vinaigrette

Focaccia

Third Course

Spaghetti Alla Carbonara with Cracked Black Pepper, Parmesan and Pancetta

Fourth Course

Veal Osso Bucco, Braised Veal Shanks, Gremolata, Creamy Polenta, Haricot Vert

Dessert

Italian Baked Alaska, Espresso Gelato, Marsala Ice Cream, Lady Finger Cake, Toasted Meringue, Raspberry and Chocolate Sauce

The dessert was a special dessert created for us by the Biltmore team.    They truly brought the concept of Italian and Baked Alaska to life.    I'm looking forward to trying to recreate some of the other dishes at home.     Been working on the Italian Wedding Soup and Carbonara recipes, but might need a little more experience before I tackle that Baked Alaska.  

When planning your wedding menu, did you incorporate any special dishes unique to you or your family?   Any favorites that you've been able to recreate at home?    I'd love for you to link up any recipes you have in the comments below!

Italian Wedding Soup

Fun Fact 1:  The Biltmore Estate in Asheville has a Farm to Table Program allowing their chefs to take advantage of the estates gardens and pastures while preparing the menus for each of the on site restaurants.

Fun Fact 2:   This program allowed us to have some really neat things, like Biltmore Beef meatballs in the Italian Wedding Soup we selected for our final menu.   Yes, the cows were actually 'grown' on site.   Cool.

Fun Fact 3:   We love Italian Wedding Soup.

A Little Taste

I'm sure I won't completely shock you by saying that planning our wedding menu was one of the tasks in our wedding checklist that I was most looking forward to.  The menu tasting fell neatly in line right after that.  

The Chef and catering team at the Biltmore did a phenomenal job working with me to understand what I was looking for, offering amazing suggestions and then executing it wonderfully.    John and I had so much fun at the tasting.   It was one of a series of marathon wedding tasks we were checking off the list on a very memorable weekend in Asheville.

Chocolate Raspberry Tart

File this one away under "Ridiculously Good".    I say this without the slightest bit of exaggeration.   My pet peeve for recipes that claim to be the best ever (ever. ever. ever.) keeps me cautious on my use of superlatives.

I am one of those strange women who never enjoyed chocolate until my thirties, when some massive hormonal shift took over and swayed my taste.    I didn't like ground beef either, but that's a different story and completely unappetizing in the context of chocolate.

The cravings started with those those little volcano chocolate cakes with the melting centers.  These did the job until they started appearing on menus everywhere and quality took a nosedive.    As a rule, I now only order "the volcano" when the menu requires a twenty minute lead time, otherwise, I don't bother.

Lately, I have been looking for a chocolate dessert that I can serve at home.   A dinner party staple.   Something easy, but, fabulous.   This is the recipe.    A layer of buttery chocolaty crust, topped with a truffle like (extremely rich) interior, brushed with a thin layer of fresh raspberry preserves and finished with a smooth dark chocolate glaze.    

Smooth, rich, creamy chocolate heaven.   Seriously.  The best dessert I've ever made.  

French Inspired Wedding Table and Decor

Walking into the Conservatory following cocktail hour was one of several moments in my wedding that took my breath away.   I literally shed a tear as I stood at the head of the table with John and scanned the length of the table filled with roses and twinkling with creamy candlelight.  

It was the moment when my vision for my wedding became real.  From the start of our planning, I wanted our wedding meal to be the highlight, an intimate and formal dinner party with French inspired decor filled with romance, fabulous food and our closest family.  

Image by Visio Photography

One of the reasons we chose the Conservatory at the Biltmore in Asheville as our wedding reception venue was the simple gorgeousness of the greenhouse.   The backdrop of the lush greenery provided just the right amount of natural elegance for our wedding dinner.

Image by Visio Photography

Our wedding colors were champagne, blush, ivory and gold.    Hundreds of roses in muted shades in square vases ran down the length of the central table draped with with champagne and ivory linens and set with gold rimmed place settings.  We chose simple ivory candles intermingled among the roses.  Menus and place cards in the same soft color scheme.   (If you are in North Carolina, both Salutations and Laura at Yellow House Calligraphy were a dream to work with.  All flowers by Blossoms at Biltmore Park.)

Everyone says that your wedding day goes by so fast.   They are right, of course.   So you try and take moments to breathe it all in and mentally capture images to carry with you after it is all over.     Looking around at my new husband and family laughing and having fun in this gorgeous setting is a memory I will have for a lifetime.  

Image by Visio Photography

I'd love to hear about your wedding and from those of you that may be in the midst of planning now.   What moments in your wedding took your breath away?    What was or is your vision of your wedding day?