One Couple’s Italian-Inspired Rehearsal Dinner Filled With Color—and Lemons—at Liberatore's Timonium in Baltimore, Maryland
Wedding days have turned into wedding weekends for many modern couples. The itinerary for the wedding party could include two to three days of activities—both fun and logistical. It’s tradition—and etiquette—for the marrying couple or a family member to host the wedding party after participating in the wedding rehearsal for a meal: this can be as simple as ordering pizza to grab as you leave the venue or as grand as a separate, decorated event and anywhere in between.
Lucia Mangione and Paul Giulio wanted to represent their Italian heritage the evening before their June wedding. After practicing the ceremony, close family and the wedding party gathered at Liberatore’s Timonium for a gorgeous rehearsal dinner inspired by the Amalfi Coast. “Lemon and Lime Event Design made the event with excellent attention to detail, from the small bottles of olive oil as place cards to gelato for dessert,” the groom’s mother tells. “Soft yellows and lemony toned plus varying shades of blues, accented with coral, made everything seem very Italian coastal or even Sicilian.”
The bride and groom were all dolled up for the first event of their wedding weekend. Paul donned a smart, light-blue plaid jacket accented by a tie and slacks in shades of blue. Lucia chose a floor-length white dress with 3D flower details, a fitted silhouette, and a thin ribbon belt.
Lemons bedecked the pair’s rehearsal decor, including invitations, bar menu and even the napkin rings. “Paul and I were amazed at how the event space was truly transformed into the feeling of dining “al fresco” on the Italian coastline,” reveals the bride. Ample bunches of greenery with lemons dotted throughout were suspended over the bar, holding bohemian rattan chandeliers for a bit of a rustic touch. Tables displayed soft blue linens and intricately designed blue-and-white chargers flanked by gold flatware and low centerpieces filled with yellow, white, blush and coral blooms.
A cellist played Italian classics to set the tone for the evening as loved ones wined, dined and toasted the almost-newlyweds. For dessert, attendees enjoyed their choice of sweet gelato (Italian ice cream) flavors, including chocolate and pistachio, and a litany of refreshing sorbet selections. “Every detail was impeccable, and we enjoyed the time outside having cocktails and aperitivi with our loved ones before sitting down to a beautiful dinner to hear some very touching and memorable remarks from our closest family and friends,” Lucia explains. “The most special moments were enjoying dinner and hearing the lovely toasts from our family and friends, reminding us how blessed we feel to be surrounded by so much love!”
After their main event, Lucia and Paul gathered some words of wisdom for couples planning their nuptials. “For wedding planning advice, I would say to try your best to enjoy the process and plan out the details that are important to you and fun for you to think about and plan. The day of, you will be filled with more joy than you’ve ever experienced and you will not be looking back afterward and wishing you had done more planning or added more elements. You will only look back with the utmost joy and appreciation for the people you celebrated with and the elements you did choose to include.”
