My husband and I got married in the magical hills of Tuscany at the lovely Castello di Meleto. We knew as soon as we toured the venue that it was our spot. I fell in love with the romantic gardens, the two infinity pools, and the unforgettable views.

As many of our friends and family were traveling from the States, we needed somewhere where we could all stay together, and the castle was perfect for this and a true highlight. I hear from so many brides that their wedding day becomes a blur trying to say hi to all their guests while still trying to be present in the moment at hand.

Our ceremony was held in a hill top garden overlooking the castle and grounds. My dad, an artist in Bologna and my husband's mom, a landscape architect in Cambridge, surprised us by designing a special flower arch of white roses and peonies for the ceremony.

We wanted to make full use of the grounds and held our reception in the rose gardens, serving peach Bellinis and Aperol Spritz cocktails with a local buffet of Italian specialities.

As a designer and a shoe lover, I thought about designing my shoes before I even had a dress in mind! I'm 5'10 and wanted a mid-height heel with an elegant and timeless stiletto shape. I envisioned the shoe with a beautiful V-cleavage to elongate my foot, covered with gathered French lace. To ensure comfort and stability, I added a thin ankle strap.

I also loved designing my own dress. Knowing full well the heat of the hot Tuscan summers, I created a light mesh corset on top covered with hand stitched lace. I am a big romantic and always dreamed of a flowy big skirt. I made it with a combination of 10 tulle and organza layers that gave it both lightness and volume.

I wanted my bridesmaids to feel beautiful in their dresses, so I decided to design a different style for each one of them. It doubled up as a great gift for them all.

It was intimidating to plan a destination wedding from afar, but my husband's perfect producer skills made it easy. I always encourage brides to hire a local planner that knows the territory and can guide you through choosing all the vendors. Katia Mastrandrea, our wedding planner, also helped me find the best photographer ever, David Bastianoni. He did an amazing job capturing all the wedding highlights.