Dreamy Wedding Inspiration with Epic Views of Florence’s Duomo
Oh, Florence, you have our hearts! This charming, historic, stunning, romantic (we could go on and on...) place holds such dear memories for us. The Duomo is easily one of the most incredible cathedrals in the entire world and today's feature is a sight to see: no tourists to be seen anywhere! What? Beloved Fine Art Curation member Erika Parker Photography dreamt of a nostalgic love story taking place in a city that she loves so much, and a country that she travels to often for beautiful destination weddings. We love the sweet BHLDN gown paired with a loosely composed updo by Virginia Guidotti for a regal, yet effortless bridal look. As if the magic of the Duomo wasn't enough, this beautiful couple and a daydream of a long-lost love simply adds to that magic...
From Erika Parker Photography: "I have been to Florence more times than I can count. The Duomo is one of my favorite cathedrals in the world. I think one of my happiest ways to spend an evening is sitting on a bench in the shadow of the Duomo eating a gelato watching the sun go down over the plaza, listening to the church bells. The entire building lights up with a pink glow that doesn’t seem real. A building can do that?
I think of all the history that has happened here. If only the walls could talk. I see Italians walking arm in arm through the square, and men in suits biking through on their way home from work. There are even taxis in the perimeter picking up people to drop at their destinations. It fascinates me because of its age, it has been standing since before America was even a concept. That’s incredible!
Last summer I was in the Florence region to shoot a wedding, and at that time it was kind of a dreamy idea to shoot an editorial by the Duomo. Then I booked another wedding there for this summer, and I knew it had to happen. I wanted an editorial to reflect the romance of the city. Florence is a city like no other, there are poems, and stories written about it. I wanted an editorial to capture images that reflected timelessness. This could be a love story in 1820, 1920, 2020. These walls have seen it all.
We shot this editorial at six in the morning. On a more practical note, I think this is so key to having beautiful pictures in a place like Florence. Florence, in June? By 9 am, you’re bumping elbows with about a hundred other people jostling for a good shot of the Dome, by the afternoon, you can’t turn left or right without saying excuse me. But the summer time is a popular time of year for weddings, so what can you do? For me this editorial is both lovely, but also practical. Clients want images that feature them! That is difficult to do when there are a minimum of 50 people walking in and out of your shot. It is so much easier to show them an image from early in the morning, versus a shot from two in the afternoon. It helps my clients understand that timing is everything, and that even though their wedding is in June, they can have beautiful images, but coordinating is really important."
Vendor Details
Photographer: Erika Parker Photography | Film Lab: Richard Photo Lab | Dress Designer: BHLDN | Venue: Florence, Italy Hair & Make-up Artist: Virginia Guidotti | Calligraphy and Paper Products: Pigment and Parchment | Ring: Susie Saltzman | Styling Board: Emma Natter | Models: Daphne Morelli & Samuele Chiovoloni
