La Dolce Vita at Tree Church: Italian Wedding Inspiration in Martinborough

May 15, 2026

This styled shoot began the first time I saw Tree Church in Martinborough and felt something unexpectedly familiar. It was not Italy, of course. It was unmistakably New Zealand, with its open sky, generous landscape and quiet countryside beauty. And yet, there was something in the vines, in the warm autumn light, in the softness of the hills and in the rhythm of that place that brought me back to a feeling I know so well.

It reminded me of Italy.

Not in an obvious or literal way, but in the way a place can awaken memory. In the way light falls on a table. In the way nature frames a moment. In the way beauty can feel effortless, ancient and alive at the same time.

For this editorial, I wanted Italy to be present. Not as a copy, not as a theatrical reconstruction, but as something deeply alive within the story. My connection with Italy is inseparable from the way I see beauty, design and celebration. It is part of my eye, my instinct, my language. So when Tree Church reminded me of home in such a quiet and unexpected way, I knew that the project had to carry that feeling with honesty.

I wanted Italy and New Zealand to meet.

My Italian heritage, with its love for craftsmanship, ritual, food, beauty and atmosphere, and the natural poetry of the Wairarapa landscape. Two worlds that are different, but able to speak to each other through light, texture, nature and emotion.

The idea of la dolce vita became the thread that held everything together. Not as a cliché, but as a way of feeling. The pleasure of gathering slowly. The elegance of simple things done well. The warmth of golden light on a table. The beauty of handmade details. A bride walking beneath the vines. A glass of bubbles poured in the late afternoon. A place that feels intimate, generous and alive.

When I design a wedding or an editorial, I always begin with atmosphere. Before choosing objects, flowers or colours, I ask myself what the story should feel like. What should remain in the heart of someone who sees it? What kind of memory should the images carry?

For Tree Church, the answer came naturally.

It needed to feel warm, romantic, textural and deeply connected to the season. I wanted the design to have a sense of quiet abundance, but never excess. Something refined, but still human. Elegant, but not untouchable. Italian in spirit, but rooted in the New Zealand landscape.

Autumn became an essential part of the language of the shoot. The colours, the softness of the light and the way the landscape seemed to glow rather than shine gave the whole project its emotional direction. There is a particular beauty in autumn weddings. They carry a little nostalgia, a little depth, a little maturity. The tones are richer, the atmosphere is slower, and everything feels as though it has been touched by time.

The pergola at Tree Church became the heart of the editorial. Covered in vines and surrounded by nature, it felt like the kind of place where a story could unfold without needing too much decoration. I wanted to respect that. The styling had to feel as though it belonged there, rather than being placed on top of it.

That is one of the most important parts of my work as a wedding planner and stylist. I do not want to impose a concept onto a venue. I want to listen to the venue first. To understand its character, its rhythm, its quiet strength. Only then can I create something that enhances what is already present.

The ceremony space was designed with softness and intention. The florals brought movement, romance and shape, while still allowing the natural structure of Tree Church to remain visible. Nothing needed to feel overdone. The beauty was in the balance, in the way each element could breathe.

The tablescape was perhaps the most personal part of the design for me.

In Italian culture, the table is never just a table. It is where people meet, speak, laugh, remember, celebrate and belong. It is where stories are shared, where wine is poured, where time slows down. A wedding table carries so much meaning because it is not only about how it looks. It is about what it invites people to feel.

For this reason, I wanted the table to feel intimate and full of soul. The ceramics, the glassware, the linens, the flowers, the wine and the small details all contributed to a sense of gathering. I imagined guests sitting there at golden hour, surrounded by vines and autumn tones, feeling as though they had stepped into a moment that was both elegant and familiar.

The ceramics by Oggi Domani brought a beautiful connection to my own Italian roots. Handmade objects always carry something more than their function. They carry the hand of the maker, the history of a craft, the imperfection that makes them alive. For me, this is one of the most meaningful expressions of Made in Italy. It is not about luxury as a label. It is about culture, patience, artistry and care.

That idea was at the centre of the whole shoot.

I wanted every detail to feel considered, but not cold. Curated, but not stiff. There is a kind of Italian elegance that comes from ease, from confidence, from knowing when to stop. It is not about adding more. It is about choosing well. Letting the materials speak. Letting the light do its work. Letting beauty feel natural.

The bridal look followed the same direction. I wanted her to feel romantic, graceful and timeless, as though she belonged to the landscape rather than simply standing inside it. There was a painterly quality to the way she moved through the space, especially in the late afternoon light. Those moments felt very close to the vision I had in mind from the beginning: a bride immersed in beauty, but still real, still soft, still herself.

The groom’s look brought a classic balance to the editorial. Together, the couple gave warmth to the images. They allowed the story to become more than a composition of beautiful elements. Their presence brought tenderness, stillness and life.

A styled shoot is often seen as a collection of final images, but behind those images there is always a much deeper process. There are conversations, decisions, adjustments, small uncertainties, practical limitations and creative instincts. There are also unexpected moments, the kind that cannot be planned, but that often become the most beautiful part of the story.

This project was built through collaboration, trust and the willingness of each person involved to bring their own talent into a shared vision. As the planner, stylist and creative director, my role was to hold the thread of the story. To make sure the atmosphere, colours, details and emotions all belonged to the same world.

But the beauty of a project like this is that it becomes richer because of the people who take part in it. The photographer’s eye, the florist’s hands, the softness of hair and makeup, the craftsmanship of the ceramics, the presence of the models, the generosity of the venue and suppliers. Every contribution becomes part of the final feeling.

And when I look at the images now, I see more than a styled shoot.

I see a piece of my own story.

I see my Italian background meeting my new life in New Zealand. I see the desire to bring something meaningful, refined and deeply personal into the wedding industry here. I see the reason I care so much about design that has soul, about beauty that is not empty, about weddings that feel connected to place, culture and emotion.

Tree Church gave this vision a home.

Its vines, autumn light, quiet corners and open air allowed the story to unfold naturally. It became the perfect setting for the meeting I had imagined from the beginning: Italy and New Zealand, not placed next to each other, but woven together.

Italy was there because I carry it with me. It was there in the way I looked at the table, in the value I gave to handmade details, in the importance of gathering, in the warmth of the colours, in the desire for beauty to feel effortless but meaningful.