Today I want to tell you about a very special wedding indeed. I am used to telling about the weddings I take part in with my pictures and videos, which are undoubtedly my most congenial tool, but this wedding in particular deserves to be told in every detail and in every medium because of the great fellowship between the bride and groom and the decidedly out-of-the-ordinary location.
Close your eyes and imagine for a second the ideal place where you would like to celebrate your wedding. Certainly a different image will be created in everyone’s mind, it goes without saying, yet I bet that the place I am about to tell you about will center – and in some cases far exceed – your imagination.
In the hills on the outskirts of the historic center of Florence, within a centuries-old park near the Boboli Gardens, stands Villa Cora: a princely villa built by a baron for his bride in the 19th century, at the time when Florence was the capital of Italy.
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Experience the Magic of Florence at Villa Cora
Villa Cora is a luxury wedding location, world-famous for its unparalleled elegance and pageantry, which for centuries has hosted important people every year, who choose it precisely because of its uniqueness and beauty. This place is located right on the outskirts of Florence, close enough to the historic center to be able to admire its wonders from a privileged position and to enjoy some breathtaking views, but at the same time far enough away from prying eyes and the hustle and bustle of tourists. It is this combination that makes it the perfect location for weddings of prominent people, who at least on their special day want as much privacy as possible and to be able to stay away from paparazzi lenses.
In short, there is more than one reason why Grace and Dean chose this very place for their big day. Dean, besides being a former NFL (National Football League) athlete, is best known by his ring name Mojo Rawley, with whom he was WWE 24/7 Champion 7 times. Their marriage was really special because they were able to convey to me not only their love and chemistry, which I had the opportunity to witness with my work as a videomaker, but also their great energy and liveliness. Mojo was a true superstar at his wedding as well, where he certainly did not shy away from entertaining his closest family and friends by showing his most sincere and playful side.
The wedding was a success, would you ever say that it was organized in just two months? The bride and groom had never even been to Italy before the wedding, so they had to put all their trust in the hands of the organizing staff and wedding planner, Elizabeth Brandon, who as a true expert in the field managed not only to please them but even to surprise them by exceeding their wildest expectations.
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The timeless beauty of Villa Cora: The story of an architectural jewel
The wonderful estate that today bears the name Villa Cora has an ancient and romantic history. It was built at the behest of Baron Gustaf Oppenheim in 1869 as a love nest with his new bride. He entrusted the design and construction to the prestigious architect and engineer Pietro Comparini, who played a key role in the urban enlargement plan decided upon to make Florence the capital of the newly formed Kingdom of Italy.
Obviously, the architect was inspired by the Florentine Renaissance tradition, contaminating it with elements taken from the great architectural schools of past centuries. Soon the villa was confirmed as a building of great architectural value and interest, so much so that the next occupant was Empress Eugenia of France, wife of Napoleon III. After her, many others were the prominent figures who took turns for those rooms, such as the great composers Tchaikovsky and Debussy.
After several changes of ownership, in 1960 Villa Cora was transformed into a luxury Grand Hotel, and in 2010 it reopened after a major renovation that lasted a full three years, carried out with the utmost care and respect for the history of Florence. In 2016, Villa Cora was entered into the prestigious international collection of The Leading Hotels of the World, which awards only the most luxurious and exclusive independent hotel destinations.
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All the wonders of Villa Cora
The renovation, however conservative, has added many features that have made the villa a timeless jewel but with all the comforts befitting a 5-star luxury relais. So it is that while strolling through the marvelous Italian-style gardens that seem to merge with the famous Boboli Park in which the estate is immersed, among the ancient marble statues one finds oneself in front of the outdoor swimming pool, complete with poolside bar, which in summer houses the villa’s restaurant Le Bistrot.
In winter, on the other hand, the restaurant moves inside to the splendid Maresca Hall, a salon with an oriental atmosphere that in the past has hosted important meetings and formal dinners. Among the villa’s other salons, all beautifully decorated with frescoes, Baroque friezes and period furniture, the Hall of Mirrors stands out, considered the most beautiful ballroom in all of Florence, which not surprisingly hosted Dean and Grace’s wedding dinner.
The marriage of innovation and tradition also continues in the Spa, located in the Eugenia Villa (clearly dedicated to the Empress) and offering, in addition to a gym, Turkish bath and sauna, massages and personalized treatments made in collaboration with the historic Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di S. Maria Novella, founded even well before the villa was built, in 1612!
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Florence: An open-air museum
Florence is the capital of Tuscany, and is one of the most important cities in Italy and among the richest in history. As early as the Middle Ages, Florence was an important cultural and economic center, but it reached its peak under the rule of the Medici dynasty. It is often referred to as “the cradle of the Renaissance” because it was here that the movement originated, which is why much of Italy’s artistic and cultural heritage can be found here today. It saw the birth and development of many prominent figures in art, science and literature, such as Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Galileo Galilei and Dante Alighieri.
The city has a long and fascinating history: the Romans founded Florentia on the ashes of the ancient Etruscan settlement they had conquered. After the fall of the Roman Empire it was besieged several times by the Goths and Byzantines, and in the Middle Ages it was the scene of several battles and experienced moments of great political and social turmoil. During the 14th century, the city reached its peak under the rule of the Medici family, which made it a leading cultural and artistic center, promoting art and literature and protecting artists such as Brunelleschi, Donatello and Masaccio.
During World War II, Florence suffered severe damage from bombing, but was later restored and restored, being declared a World Heritage Site in 1982. Today it is one of Italy’s top tourist destinations.
The city is characterized by unparalleled architectural beauty, with a myriad of churches, palaces and bridges that make it truly unique in the world. To walk through the streets of Florence is to walk through an open-air museum, where every corner features a work of art or historical monument.
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Dean and Grace’s wedding in a dream location: Villa Cora Luxury Hotel
The bride and groom prepared for their big day in the enchanting rooms of Villa Cora, decorated with antique Italian furniture and period artwork that created a fairytale atmosphere. Surrounded by marble statues, flowers with inebriant scents and lush plants, Dean and Grace exchanged their vows and said their “I do!” surrounded by their closest friends and families. Also present at the ceremony were Sasha Banks and Kalisto, Mojo’s friends and colleagues who have stood by him in the ring and in life.
Both Mojo and Grace looked very elegant, both dressed in white, perfect in the bright and refined setting of Villa Cora. Yes, you read that right! The groom was also dressed in white, not just the bride. Dean’s gown was embellished with 24-karat gold, while Grace really looked like a princess in her wedding dress with veil sleeves and tiara. Everything was taken care of down to the last detail, it really felt like being on the final page of a fairy tale book where finally the heroes, after a thousand adventures together, can finally fulfill their dream of love. This is how it was for Mojo and Grace, who had to face several challenges before they could finally get married, but these only strengthened their bond even more.
But if that were all it was, it would be just a beautiful but ordinary Tuscan wedding, instead the surprises did not end! As a true star, Mojo did not hesitate to surprise and entertain his guests even on his wedding day. Dean told TMZ that one of the highlights of the day was the bride and groom’s first dance, who performed a real choreography prepared by Pasha Pashkov, dancer and choreographer of the show Dancing with the Stars (in which, of course, Mojo could not help but include a little wrestling catch!). Both had a great time, and with them so did all those present who watched in amazement.
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Wedding organization: How to transform a dream into reality
It was a fabulous wedding: both the bride and groom and their guests had an unforgettable day that, thanks to my videos and the work of photographer Adam Kent, they will be able to relive whenever they want. The most incredible thing, which you might not even believe, is that this wedding was organized really in a very short time and across the ocean, without the bride and groom being able to first visit the place where they would celebrate their wedding!
Dean and Grace in an interview with TMZ thanked for this fantastic organization WINK! Weddings, a company run by the fantastic wedding planner Elizabeth Brandon, whom I had the pleasure of meeting at their very own wedding. The result was so far beyond their expectations that it left Mojo speechless, and it is certainly not easy to leave a guy like him speechless!
I am aware of the importance of my work as a videographer and wedding video for a newlywed couple: having a memory that is both testimony and memory is something of utmost importance. In order to be able to give Dean and Grace such a special day, the teamwork between myself, the wedding planner, the photographer, and all the staff at Villa Cora was crucial.
It was really great for me to be able to work with industry experts of the caliber of Elizabeth and Adam: two wonderful people both as professionals and as human beings. I am also grateful to have had such a special, energetic, and above all, loving couple as clients. I shared with them the moments of the preparations, the ceremony, the dinner and their fantastic dance at the end of the night, and I really thank them very much for putting their trust in me and my videos. It will be a wedding I will never forget.
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