A Vintage, Garden Wedding At Borgo Stomennano in Siena, Italy

While attending BI Norwegian Business School, Elisabeth Ross and Torer Kjus met at a party at the beginning of Elisabeth’s first year. Neither of them were looking for a relationship at that point, but they eventually started dating and fell in love before Christmas came around.

Six years later, in the fall of 2013, the couple traveled to Bali and was staying at the W Hotel in Seminyak–a stunningly romantic place with gorgeous sunsets. Prior to the trip, Torer had planned on proposing to Elisabeth, knowing she had always wanted an engagement ring from Tiffany. Since there wasn’t a Tiffany store in Norway, and the Bali location didn’t have the exact ring he wanted, he purchased a silver ring at a local market with a large pink stone.

The surprise proposal took place during a walk along the beach, right as the sun was setting, and the couple celebrated with champagne at the sunset bar. Not one to be swayed from the original Tiffany plan, they stopped in Bangkok on their way home, where Torer was able to buy Elisabeth’s “official” engagement ring. 

Shortly after their engagement, they set the wedding date for the following summer. “We have always wanted to have an intimate and romantic wedding that lasted for several days,” Elisabeth explains. “Both of us love Italy; and with all the beautiful locations to choose from, it seemed like the perfect place.”

With their destination wedding in the works, Elisabeth and Torer enlisted the help of Florence-based wedding planner, Sara from SposiamoVi. Sara was able to take care of all the details, including helping the couple select Borgo Stomennano as their wedding location, which features a wonderful view and garden.

On the day of their wedding, two hairdressers and makeup artists were helping the bride and her bridal party get ready, while the best man was surfing YouTube to figure out how to tie the groom’s bowtie. Since their wedding was taking place outdoors, the florist designed a lovely floral arch and an aisle of flowers. The ambiance was romantic, relaxed, and not overly-formal, with the décor having a vintage touch.

After an emotional and joy-filled ceremony, a garden reception was held with cocktails, finger food, and live music. Dinner consisted of traditional Italian cuisine, along with an Italian wedding cake that was made in front of the guests. There was also background music playing during dinner in the backyard, along with speeches from the newlyweds, the parents, best man, and maid of honor.

The night ended at the pool area, where a bar was set up with a DJ and saxophonist, and guests went home with locally produced wedding favors. “We were both extremely grateful and happy at the end of the day,” says Elisabeth. “It felt like everything was perfect, and the day and night were filled with so much love.”

For their honeymoon, Elisabeth and Torer stayed in Italy, driving from Tuscany to the South and exploring the Amalfi Coast, Capri, and Sicily.