Alycia Martens and Mason Zupan first met while working at a special education school outside Oakland, California. What began as a professional friendship eventually turned into something more when the two reconnected years later during the pandemic. Alycia had moved back to Oakland, and after getting drinks with a mutual friend, she asked Mason for his number. They dated for three-and-a-half years before getting engaged.
By the time Mason proposed, the couple had been living in San Diego for a year. He asked Alycia to block off a summer weekend, woke her early on Saturday morning, and told her to pack a bag. At the airport, she learned they were flying to Oakland—the city where they first met. Once there, they checked into the historic Claremont Hotel. Before dinner, Mason led her onto a balcony and proposed. They celebrated with dinner at Snail Bar and drinks with friends and family at The Avenue Bar.
When it came time to plan their wedding, Italy felt like a natural choice. Mason’s parents had recently spent six months living there, and Alycia and Mason traveled through Puglia afterward, exploring the Salento Peninsula. “We fell in love with the warmth of the people, the delicious food, and the sea,” Alycia shares. They ultimately chose Masseria Calderisi for their wedding on May 24, 2025, marking the centerpiece of a four-day celebration in Puglia. Photography was captured by Sophie Berard, with videography by Dear Vincent.
Working alongside planner Andrea Munson, Alycia envisioned a design that built on the masseria’s organic, minimalist foundation. The palette drew from the surrounding landscape—burnt reds, greens, creams, and blues—layered with Moroccan-inspired textiles that referenced the property’s tented structures. Friday’s welcome dinner took the form of an Apulian street market–style feast, styled by Studio Mondine with hanging garlic braids, fresh herbs, and seven chef-led stations highlighting regional cuisine (And a performance by Franc Moody!).
Fashion played a central role throughout the weekend. Alycia worked with stylist Gabrielle Hurwitz and approached each look with intention. “From the start, I had a vision I jokingly called ‘sexy farmer’s daughter’—something cinematic yet deeply connected to the setting,” she explains. For the ceremony, she wore a linen-and-lace Danielle Frankel look—the first dress she tried on—altered with a softened scoop neckline. Later in the evening, she changed into a custom CINQ set with a basque-waist corseted top and lace-overlay skirt, followed by a vintage La Perla dress and, for the late-night after-party, a bold Ferragamo look inspired by the underground cave setting. “I wanted to weave in special, bespoke, and vintage moments throughout the weekend,” she says. Alycia worked with beauty artist Katie Nash for her looks, opting for natural variations that felt personal and effortless across each event.
The ceremony took place on the grounds of the masseria. Alycia walked down the aisle with both of her parents as her brother and sister performed an acoustic version of “Can’t Help Falling in Love.” A mutual friend officiated, and the couple exchanged personal vows. “We laughed, we cried, there were even fart jokes,” Alycia recalls. “It was perfectly imperfect.” They recessed to “Ooh La La” by The Faces as Zagor Street Band led guests into the olive grove for cocktail hour.
Reception festivities unfolded in the piazza at sunset. Guests were led in by the brass band, twirling napkins as Alycia and Mason entered through the masseria’s signature doors. Their first dance took place before dinner to Miley Cyrus’s Tiny Desk cover of “Fade Into You.” Tables featured custom ceramic plates and tile numbers by local artist Nicola Fasano, while menus illustrated with native flora were finished with calligraphy by Emily Snyder of Gemtones.
As the night continued, dancing moved beneath a Moroccan tent with a 10-piece band from Dart Collective. Later, guests descended into the property’s 1,000-year-old olive oil mill cave, where a DJ set kept the floor full until 3:30 a.m. A giant millefoglie was cut before the transition underground.
Following the wedding, Alycia and Mason honeymooned in Tokyo and Hakone before spending three weeks in Indonesia, including a week aboard a live-aboard dive boat—bringing the celebration full circle with a sense of exploration that mirrored the spirit of their wedding weekend.
