Destination Wedding in Castello Branccacio — Rome, Italy

Some love stories start in one country and find their happy ending in another. That is exactly what happened with Aidan and Kelsey, a couple from Boston who first crossed my path in Porto, when Aidan asked Kelsey to marry him along the river, with the city’s golden light doing all the work a photographer dreams of. Months later, they invited me across the border to Italy, to photograph their wedding day at Castello Brancaccio, a tenth century castle set on a hilltop just outside Rome. What happened there was one of the most joyful, laughter filled, deeply emotional weddings I have had the privilege of capturing.

A Proposal in Porto, A Wedding in Rome

There is something special about photographing a couple’s proposal and later being trusted with their wedding day too. It means getting to see the full arc of a love story, from the nervous excitement of a surprise question to the calm, grounded joy of two people finally saying I do. When Aidan reached out again after their engagement session in Porto, asking if I would travel to Rome for the wedding, it felt like being invited back into their story for its most important chapter.

Castello Brancaccio: A Fairytale Hidden in the Roman Countryside

Castello Brancaccio sits inside a medieval hilltop village, its stone walls dating back centuries, with sweeping views that stretch across the valley toward Rome in the distance. Arriving there feels like stepping into another era entirely. The castle blends rustic, weathered stone with quiet, refined luxury: grand halls, sculptural staircases, gardens framed by ancient walls, and a rooftop terrace where the outline of Rome appears on the horizon like a promise.

For a couple who wanted their wedding to feel like a story rather than an event, this setting was perfect. Every corner of the castle offered a new backdrop, from soft, golden interiors lit by afternoon sun to the dramatic textures of centuries old stone under evening light.

Twelve Guests, All the Emotion

Aidan and Kelsey chose to keep their wedding small, just twelve guests, the people who matter most to them, gathered in one place for one unforgettable weekend. There is a particular kind of magic in an intimate wedding like this one. Without a long guest list to manage, every moment felt personal. Vows were read with trembling voices and full hearts. Speeches turned into shared memories that had the whole group laughing through tears. Dinner stretched late into the night, full of stories, wine, and the kind of closeness that only happens when the people around the table truly know and love the couple.

Photographing a wedding this size means capturing details that might otherwise get lost in a bigger celebration: the way Kelsey’s hand found Aidan’s during the ceremony, the quiet look between them before the first dance, the unfiltered laughter of twelve people who felt, for one weekend, like the only people in the world.

A Weekend to Remember

Between the ceremony in the castle garden, portraits on the terrace as the light turned golden, and a reception that carried on well past midnight, this wedding had everything: history, emotion, elegance, and joy. It is the kind of day that reminds me why I love what I do. Not just documenting a wedding, but preserving a feeling that a couple and their closest people will carry with them for the rest of their lives.

Aidan and Kelsey, thank you for trusting me with both chapters of your story, the proposal and the wedding. Rome was lucky to have you.