Bride Of The Week : Charlotte Ricard-Quesada

#GLbride

Written By Pia Bildirici

Introducing today's GL Bride Of The Week, Charlotte. This is her story...

The Story of How We Met...
Our paths first crossed nearly a decade ago, although it’s hard to pinpoint the exact moment. We were both attending the same University at the time – Stefan was wrapping up his Law degree while I was in my final semester of undergrad. Our class schedules were similar, leading to us often passing each other in the hallways. We definitely noticed each other, but neither of us made a move.

Did fate try to nudge us together back then? Possibly. But it took a modern twist to finally bring us together – swiping right on Bumble led us to our first date a few months later. And as they say, the rest is history!

"Instead of following trends or adhering to a specific theme, we examined every element of the day and decided what felt right for us, what told our story."

Charlotte

How I Found My GL Dream Gown...
I first laid eyes on it at a Galia Lahav trunk show, and I instantly knew it would be a top contender. From the moment I put it on, I was hooked. I remember saying to my Mom (who accompanied me to the appointment) that I “think this is going to be it!” even before I had seen myself in the mirror.

The gown was originally designed with stunning, ultra-feminine tuile sleeves, which looked incredibly angelic, but didn’t resonate with my personality and personal style. Throughout my life, I’ve always leaned more towards bold, less traditionally feminine styles. For my wedding, I wanted to add a touch of edginess to my look. The sheer illusion of the gown, coupled with the custom-designed pointed sleeves (inspired by the sleeves on another Galia Lahav gown that I had tried on earlier that day and fallen in love with) that were created in lieu of the tuile sleeves, struck the perfect balance between unexpected edginess and the soft romanticism you’d expect from a Tuscan garden wedding.

Special details on the wedding day:
We had a cozy gathering of 66 people, including ourselves. We aimed to create an intimate atmosphere that allowed us to truly connect with our nearest and dearest, and keeping the guest list small was instrumental in achieving that.

Stefan and I were intent on creating a unique experience for our guests. We sought a venue where everyone could stay together, within a two-hour drive from an international airport, and ideally, a historical venue with a story that started long before ours began. La Foce, steeped in rich history and unparalleled beauty, met all these criteria. At the heart of our relationship, Stefan and I share a profound love for history, a deep admiration for prolific European architecture, and an appreciation for stunning natural landscapes. La Foce and the Val D’Orcia region encapsulate all of this and more with their incredibly rich heritage. It felt truly special to intertwine our story with such a historic site, creating memories that we’ll cherish forever.

"We skipped the traditional wedding cake—a moment we never really connected with—and instead opted for a champagne tower and toast to kick off the dancing."

Charlotte

Our families entered with us during the ceremony, and our closest friends stood by our sides. Our officiant, who also happens to be a dear family friend, kicked off the proceedings with a multilingual welcome, catering to the diverse linguistic palette of our guests. He then narrated the tale of our relationship, cleverly weaving in anecdotes from various friends and family groups. And then came the vows – deeply personal promises we penned ourselves, reflecting on our past, present, and future together.

Our beloved dog, Stark, who is the center of our universe, couldn't make the trip to Italy but was very much present in spirit. He was featured in our officiant's speech, our vows, and even inspired our cocktail hour. We traded the conventional his-and-her cocktails for playful variations based on his personality, dubbing them "Stark the Good Boy" and "Stark the Sassy Boy" cocktails.

By focusing on our intentions rather than themes or traditions, we were able to shape the day into a beautiful blend of all the things that define us—our backgrounds, values, and favorite things. This included honoring Stefan's Serbian roots with traditional sprigs of rosemary for our guests and selecting a vendor team primarily composed of women-owned and led small businesses from parts of the world that hold significance to us or our heritage. A prime example of this was our stationery, designed and made in Scotland, where my father's family hails from.

The music throughout the day was a mix of our individual and shared favorite songs. One particularly special aspect of our wedding music was the live performances - my cousin, who's more like a brother to me, is a professional cellist based in Florence. He collaborated with his friends and colleagues to create an unforgettable musical experience for our wedding. He generously devoted his time and energy to personally arrange some of our favorite songs for the string quartet. After playing in the ceremony, he handed off his spot in the quartet to another musician so he could join the celebration. His personal touch on the music added a special layer of meaning, not just because he is family, but also because it allowed us to incorporate unique musical elements into our day.

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