How a Wedicity Planner Designed Her Own Italian Villa Wedding in California
By Tionna Van Gundy, CSEP | Owner, CEO & Founder, Wedicity
When you spend years planning other people's wedding days, you develop a clear sense of what works. Kristina has helped Wedicity clients navigate vendor decisions, design briefs, and day-of logistics across hundreds of details. She knows how a tablescape reads from across a room. She knows which flowers hold up in afternoon heat and which venues photograph better than they look in person.
Then she planned her own.
After nearly 14 years together, Kristina and John got married at Tivoli Italian Villa in Fallbrook, California. The day had the things she'd spent years perfecting for other couples: lush organic florals, candlelit tables, personalized stationery from her best friend and maid of honor, and a venue that looked like it belonged in the Italian countryside. It also got picked up by Inspired by This, one of the most recognized wedding editorial platforms around. We're sharing the story from our side.
Why Tivoli Italian Villa Works for an Italian Villa Wedding Aesthetic
Not every California venue can pull off an authentic Italian villa wedding look. Tivoli Italian Villa in Fallbrook does it because the setting earns it: rolling hills, manicured gardens, stone architecture, and an outdoor ceremony space where the scenery does much of the work.
Fallbrook sits in North San Diego County, about an hour from both San Diego and Orange County, which makes it a manageable destination for guests traveling from Southern California or flying into one of the region's airports. Guests stayed at The Seabird Resort and Club Wyndham Oceanside Pier Resort, both within reach of the venue.
The venue suits Italian villa wedding-style weddings specifically because it photographs like an estate rather than an event space. The gardens frame an outdoor ceremony naturally, and the reception areas hold candlelight well — two things that matter enormously once you've locked in a design built around warmth and intimacy.
The Design: Soft Pink, Organic Greenery, and a Lot of Candlelight
Kristina's design brief could be described as Italian countryside meets California light. The palette was soft pink and natural wood tones, which meant the florals could stay lush without reading heavy. Mai Floral Design, led by Leah, brought the organic greenery and full floral arrangements that grounded the whole look.
The tables were candlelit — not just a few votives, but enough to make the light feel like something the room was generating on its own. Custom menus at each place setting, a bar tapestry, and keepsake matchboxes added the personalized details that keep a wedding from feeling generic. These are the touches that Wedicity clients often overlook when budgeting and then wish they hadn't cut.
Lila Cake Shop produced a floral-adorned cake that fit the design rather than competing with it.
The Detail That Made It Personal: Stationery From Her Best Friend
Kristina's stationery was designed by XO Art & Design — who also happens to be her best friend and maid of honor from high school. Stationery is one of those elements that couples frequently treat as an afterthought, but it's often the first physical piece of the wedding a guest encounters. Having someone who knew Kristina design it meant the invitations and menus carried a level of intention that's hard to manufacture.
It's also a good example of what destination and personal weddings can do: pull the people who matter most into the process, and the day reflects it.
Planning Your Own Wedding When You're a Wedding Planner
"The hardest part wasn't the logistics — it was giving myself permission to just be the bride. I had all the knowledge, but the moment it's your wedding, you feel everything differently. I'm glad I had the team around me." — Kristina Valle, Wedding Planner, Wedicity
Planning your own wedding when you're a professional planner carries its own particular pressure. You know exactly how much every decision costs. You know what can go wrong and when. You also know what's worth the investment and what isn't — which, in Kristina's case, meant putting real money into the flowers, the entertainment, and the design details that guests would actually feel.
Entertainment at the reception came from Vox DJs alongside Jeremy Green on electric violin — a combination that gave the evening a live performance quality without requiring a full band setup. Windy City Wedding Dance handled dance lessons ahead of the big day, which made the first dance something they'd actually practiced rather than hoped for.
The Vendor Team Behind the Day
Italian villa weddings succeed or fail on vendor coordination. Kristina and John's team:
Photography: Berlez
Videography: Aspen Avenue Studios
Florals: Mai Floral Design (Leah)
Stationery: XO Art & Design
Cake & desserts: Lila Cake Shop
Entertainment: Vox DJs + Jeremy Green (electric violin)
Hair: Hair by Juan J
Makeup: Makeup by Adrianne
Dance lessons: Windy City Wedding Dance
Rentals & linens: Hostess Haven, BBJ La Tavola
Transportation: Stryder Transportation
Bridal gown: Martina Liana (sweetheart neckline, floral detailing) from Mira Couture; second dress Grace & Ivory
Menswear: Suit Shop
This vendor list gives you a starting point if you're building a similar California Italian-inspired wedding. Most of these vendors travel or have worked across Southern California venues.
As Seen In: Inspired by This and Chicago Style Weddings
Kristina and John's wedding has been featured in two national wedding publications. Inspired by This, a widely-read wedding editorial platform for couples in active planning, covered the day with a full gallery. And Chicago Style Weddings — the print and digital magazine serving couples across the Chicagoland area — featured it in their print edition, under the headline "Out of Office: A Planner's Own Destination Wedding." For a couple whose roots, careers, and community are all in Chicago, seeing their Southern California wedding land in that magazine felt like the two worlds finally meeting.
If you're planning a California destination wedding or a wedding with an Italian villa wedding aesthetic, browse our destination wedding planner services to see how Wedicity approaches multi-location events, or take a look at Italy wedding venues if you're considering the real thing.
Frequently Asked Questions About Italian Villa Weddings
What is an Italian villa wedding style?
An Italian villa wedding style draws from the aesthetic of classic Italian countryside estates: lush organic greenery, candlelit tablescapes, stone or garden settings, soft neutral or blush color palettes, and floral arrangements that feel abundant without being fussy. The look is timeless rather than trendy.
Do you need to travel to Italy to have an Italian villa wedding?
No. Several California venues capture the Italian countryside aesthetic without the international travel, including Tivoli Italian Villa in Fallbrook. If you do want the real thing, Wedicity plans destination weddings in Italy as well.
What flowers work best for an Italian villa wedding?
Italian villa weddings typically lean on lush, organic arrangements — garden roses, ranunculus, greenery like eucalyptus and Italian ruscus, and soft-toned blooms in blush, ivory, or mauve. Florals that feel abundant and slightly undone, rather than stiff or formal, suit the aesthetic best.
How far in advance should I book a venue for an Italian villa-style wedding?
Peak wedding season at popular California estates fills up quickly. Plan to book your venue 12 to 18 months out if you have a specific date in mind, especially for spring and fall weekends.
How much does an Italian villa wedding in California cost?
Wedicity works with each couple individually to build a plan around their guest count, venue, and vendor priorities. Because every wedding is different, pricing is shared during the inquiry process. Reach out to start the conversation.
About the Author
Tionna Van Gundy, CSEP, is the Founder and CEO of Wedicity, a Chicago-based wedding planning and design firm specializing in full-service events across Chicago, California, Italy, Mexico, and beyond. She has spent over a decade helping couples design weddings that feel genuinely personal — from intimate gatherings to multi-day destination celebrations.
Ready to start planning your own Italian villa wedding? Reach out to the Wedicity team — we'd love to hear about what you're imagining.
Photography: Berlez | Planning & Design: Wedicity | Venue: Tivoli Italian Villa, Fallbrook CA
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