A Quaint, Tuscany-Inspired Wedding At Il Borro Toscana in Arezzo, Italy

Sibille Elie and Roberto Acra had crossed paths many times, attending the same high school, continuing their collegiate studies in Boston, Massachusetts, and having a general awareness of each other. With Roberto being several years older, however, he didn’t official get to know Sibille until a New Year’s Eve beach party in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, their hometown.

Sibille was quite nervous as he approached her, as she had a small crush on him; but soon, she felt completely at ease. “By the end of the night, we both knew there was something there–something good and worth pursuing,” she says. “He called me the next day and we started seeing each other more often than not. Next thing I know, I’m off to New York celebrating his birthday two weeks later. It was the kind of romance that consumes you.”

The proposal took place on September 16, 2014. The couple was staying in Paris, on their way to a wedding in the South of France, when Roberto popped the question in the morning. They were still in bed, relaxing in a quaint boutique hotel in the 8eme Arrondissement, and Sibille couldn’t contain her excitement. Upon seeing the ring, she endearingly exclaimed “Yes! Yes! Yes!” before Roberto could even finish talking.

Having always wanted a destination wedding with a small group of family and friends, the couple began planning a wedding that would span three days. Once Sibille came across Il Borro, she knew it would be the perfect location. “The village provided the perfect setting for our guests,” she says. “It was both picturesque and quaint, with a certain flair. I knew our family and friends would truly appreciate a place like this.

Wedding planner, Louise from Made by Made, and her team were invaluable to the wedding planning process, striving for perfection and maintaining a high level of meticulousness. With such a wonderful roster of vendors, the wedding day was more relaxing than Sibille ever imagined it could be. She spent the morning having breakfast with her guests, hanging out around the property, and enjoying some time at the spa before it was time for hair and makeup. “At that point, I was in beautiful Tuscany, surrounded by 87 of my closest friends and family,” she explains. “The first two days of the wedding were superb and everyone was getting along. What more could I ask for?”

After the ceremony, a cozy cocktail hour was held in Il Borro’s manicured garden while a live band performed, cocktails flowed, and canapes were passed around. When it was time for dinner, guests ascended to the villa’s terrace, where a long table was set up to create an intimate and personal ambiance. The décor was inspired by Italy’s Tuscan region, as the bride wanted to bring a true feeling of Tuscany to her guests. With a purple color palette, the table was dressed with grapes, eggplants, dates, figs, sage, ranunculus, and peonies–all, set aglow by lit candles.

After dinner, the party was kicked off with fire dancers and fireworks, and continued in the amphitheater. There was also a mime on stilts and an aerial dancer gliding between the many chandeliers and candelabras. Carefully selected desserts were laid out for guests to choose from, and the festivities didn’t end until 4:30 in the morning. “It was the most memorable night of our existence,” says Sibille. “We felt blessed that so many people took the time to be there with us during this momentous occasion.”