1. Real Weddings

Cheryl and Fred: A Destination Wedding in Tuscany, Italy

Cheryl and Fred traveled from one kind of paradise to another for their wedding, bringing 30 friends and family members (some of whom had never left t

Cheryl and Fred traveled from one kind of paradise to another for their wedding, bringing 30 friends and family members (some of whom had never left the Hawaiian Islands before) across the globe for a romantic Italian adventure. The Bride Cheryl Hibbs, 32, restaurant owner The Groom Fred DeAngelo, 37, chef The Date May 5 Most people think of Hawaii as the perfect wedding location, but Cheryl and Fred “wanted to do things a little differently,” as Fred puts it. So they planned a 30-person expedition to Florence, Italy, for their great wedding adventure. “We’re not jet-setters, really. I’m just a simple girl from Nanakuli -- with big dreams!” Cheryl laughs.

The Escort Cards
The Reception Decor
The Accessories
The Favors
The Cake
One moving highlight of the intimate chapel ceremony came as a surprise to Fred’s best man, his 10 year-old son Dylan. Cheryl and Fred asked Dylan to join them at the altar, and presented him with a small ring on a chain, a symbol of their commitment to him as well as to each other. When Cheryl took her new stepson’s hand and told him, “You are the joy of my life,” there wasn’t a dry eye in the room. “I never expected them to do that,” Dylan said afterward. “This is supposed to be their special time.”
Guests blew bubbles as Cheryl and Fred exited the ceremony -- with cheers and blown kisses from a crowd of Italian schoolchildren. Everyone then traveled to an informal reception at a rooftop garden, followed by an intimate dinner inside a historic castle. Guests were seated at a large U-shaped table lined with tons of peonies and dozens of flickering tea lights.
On arriving in Italy, the couple settled in with relatives at the beautiful Villa Poggio ai Merli, where they relaxed, played poolside with the kids, and wrote their own vows. A few days were set aside for day trips to Rome and Pisa -- with family entourage in tow.
A trio of Italian gentlemen played traditional tunes on accordion, violin, and tambourine at the courtyard party. They later serenaded the reception dinner from a window overlooking the main hall of the castle.
The Accessories
Since this is a second marriage for both the bride and groom, Cheryl wasn’t originally sure she wanted to wear white. But in the end, she chose a simple ivory satin gown with long sheer sleeves and a chapel-length train. The two bridesmaids wore classic satin gowns in a shade of rose to match the groomsmen’s neckties, and carried bouquets of lush ivory peonies.
The Bride
The Couple
In the days leading up to the wedding, the women of Cheryl’s family worked to surprise her with gorgeous handmade leis of ivory orchids surrounded by lush greenery. “I haven’t made a lei in years,” Cheryl says. “They’re so time-consuming to make, in Hawaii you usually just buy them.” The bride wore a haku lei -- a wreath that sits like a crown on the head -- on her wedding day.
The Reception