Danielle and George Tyler met in 2017 while working for rival house builders in Derby, UK with sales offices across the car park from one another. It wasn’t long before George inquired about the “leggy brunette,” and he ended up moving jobs and working with her.
“Danielle was tasked with showing me around the office on my first day, and later with helping me out onsite… something I took full advantage of by bossing her around,” George quips.
“Before meeting each other, in our own ways, we’d had a tough time with people we loved and held close to us. I’d lost my mum aged 13 to cancer; and in the not-so-distant past to Danielle and I’s coupling, she had lost her grandmother, also to cancer. I wrote a poem for Danielle in our first couple of years together where I refer to us as, ‘A lost yet undeniably gorgeous girl, somehow had fallen for an equally lost boy – in an emotional whirl.’”
“We partied right up until the local laws allowed us to, each guest dancing the night away.”
When George decided it was time to plan a proposal, Covid struck. He bought a heart-shaped diamond engagement ring designed by Laura Veschetti, which he planned on presenting to Danielle for a destination engagement as soon as they could get away. After several rescheduled flights and plans, he eventually managed to whisk her away to one of their favourite places – The One & Only Royal Mirage, Dubai.
“One of our shared loves is being on the water in a sail or motorboat,” George explains. “So, I’d hired a yacht to take us on a sunset cruise from Dubai marina, around the palm, and finally – to Danielle’s surprise – docking at The One and Only’s private jetty. We walked down the beach (with an incognito photographer following us in the bushes) to Eauzone, an Asian restaurant where I had organised a private dinner on the beach. As we walked nearer to the private beach cabana, Danielle said, ‘Oh look, someone’s having a private dinner on the beach.’ Just before she could make out the ‘Will you marry me’ written in the sand with candles and rose petals, I was down on one knee and the rest is history! In our typical militant, organised, but fun-loving fashion, no sooner than the next morning in the pool were we putting together our guest list and watching videos of dream weddings. As it turned out, the first wedding inspo picture that Danielle screenshotted that morning, turned out to be the crypt at Villa Cimbrone!”
From the get-go, the couple was set on hosting a destination wedding in Italy. With their love of the country and Italian culture, it would be the perfect location for their big day.
“We were struck by Infinity Wedding’s epic videos and their focus on creating a sensory experience for guests,” says George. “So, on our return to the UK, we had instructed the delightful, magical creator and owner of Infinity Weddings, Sara Mazzei. Our experience, much like those getting engaged and/or married in the same period of Covid, was unconventional with lots of Zoom calls and virtual venue tours. It was when we were shown the Crypt at Villa Cimbrone in beautiful Ravello that we fell in love and very much signed on the dotted line.”
A year before the wedding date, in September 2021, Danielle and George welcomed their daughter Valentina to the world. They had always wanted children, and George was especially thrilled to have a little girl. It was even more special knowing that “Valle” would be attending their wedding in Ravello.
The wedding day turned out to be everything the couple hoped it would be. An intimate group of 80 wedding guests gathered together for the wedding ceremony, which took place in the Tea Room at Villa Cimbrone. The couple’s florist, Malafronte, draped the façade with cascading orchids, creating a beautifully ethereal ambiance.
“I walked down the aisle carrying Valle, who was wearing an identical designed dress as Danielle,” says the groom. “We’d written our own vows, which was extremely special. We’d decided between us to do two serious vows and two funny vows each but had no idea on what the other would write. As it turned out, we’d written about almost identical themes which provided our guests and each other with a few laughs. We then moved to have a cocktail reception on the famous and otherworldly Belvedere terrace with views that simply take your breath away.”
A family-style Italian dinner and speeches were held in the Villa Cimbrone Crypt, where Malafronte had filled the arched ceilings with cherry blossoms – a flower that reminded George of his mother, and a memory tree was set in the corner. As the day turned to night, guests were invited out to the gardens. At the end of a candlelit pathway, a stage and dance floor awaited in the style of an open-air nightclub. The couple had designed each bespoke detail, as they wanted their guests to experience “a party like no other.” Neon hearts hung above a bronze circular bar; there was a projected light stage; and fairy light walls lined the perimeter. The Gatsby Band, consisting of 15 members who had flown in from the UK, did a phenomenal job interacting with the audience and keeping the energy high throughout the evening.
“We partied right up until the local laws allowed us to, each guest dancing the night away,” George recalls. “My uncle fell asleep on the dance floor, friends’ husbands were found starfish snoozing in the surrounding grassland, and Danielle was passed out in the bridal suite despite having announced one hour previous on the microphone: ‘Everyone is coming back to the bridal suite for an after party.’”
The next morning, everyone celebrated Valle’s 1st birthday party which paired as a farewell brunch. It was the perfect send off. Infinity Weddings designed the décor in the style of an Amalfi brunch with painted tables, colourful chairs, and an authentic band.
From there, the newlyweds took a private charter across to Capri, where they stayed at Capri Palace – Valle in tow – for a perfect family moon. Thanks to a babysitter, Danielle and George also had an opportunity to indulge in the spa, beach clubs, designer shopping, and a private boat that stopped by the infamous Blue Grotto.
WEDDING TALENT
Location: Villa Cimbrone, Ravello, Italy; Planner: Infinity Weddings, Italy; Floral Design: Malafronte, Ravello, Italy; Dress: Victoria Lou, Northamptonshire, UK; Groom’s Attire: Tom Ford; Engagement Ring: Veschetti Gioielli, Forte Dei Marmi, Italy; Cinematography: Matteo Castelluccia, Italy; Photography: Gianni di Natale, Italy