Bostonians Amanda Gurdjian and Jon-Michael Pizzi always knew their whirlwind romance would eventually lead to a destination wedding on the glistening shoreline of an enchanting beach somewhere; but it wasn’t until Amanda discovered the beauty of Acqualina that she knew exactly where she would be saying “I do” to the love of her life.
The picturesque oceanfront setting, the renowned five-star service staff that exuded sophistication and savoir-faire, and the elegance of the Mediterranean-inspired property swept Amanda off her feet. Then, on May 6th, 2017 the couple wed as their friends and family watched on. The newlyweds loved the property so much, they even decided to have their honeymoon at Acqualina. “We absolutely adore Acqualina – we never want to leave!” said Amanda, as they bid farewell to the front desk team after their weeklong stay.
Fast forward one year later and imagine the joy Jessica Roldan, Acqualina’s catering manager, felt as she received a call from Amanda Pizzi, who was looking to plan her one-year anniversary at Acqualina. “I was so excited to hear from her,” she remarks. “So often, we plan these exceptional weddings and I become so close to the bride and groom; then once it’s over, life whisks them back to reality. I knew when she told me they were planning to spend their first anniversary with us that I had to make it as memorable as the wedding day itself.”
Jessica quickly went to work, reaching out to Ana Paz who created their wedding cake to have the top tier recreated for the anniversary dinner. She then planned an intimate beachfront dinner for the couple on Acqualina’s lush front lawn, steps from the sand and sea. The table was decked with the same linens used during their reception, and as a final touch, Jessica had the wedding florist create a mini replica of the centerpiece used at the wedding.
As Jessica walked the newlyweds to the table, which was surrounded by dozens of lanterns casting a magical glow around the couple, Mr. and Mrs. Pizzi were overwhelmed with emotion. Nothing brought them more happiness on their first wedding anniversary than being together witnessing the sea kiss the sand – the same view that mesmerized Amanda over a year ago.
To make the moment even more romantic, Jessica had the couple’s oceanfront suite sprinkled with rose petals and their wedding video playing, so that they could relive their special day together, one year later.
Floral Design: Roots and Roots
