On the first night of a trip to Mallorca, Sergio DaCosta arranged for an elegant dinner in a treehouse—something reminiscent of Grimms’ Rapunzel tale—for him and his girlfriend, Brie Zabierek. He asked the hotel to decorate the space resplendently with petals and candles. Their waitress even helped bring out the Brazilian emerald engagement ring and Champagne. Brie had no idea this would be the night he would propose and was shocked when he got down on one knee.
For their first decision in the wedding planning process, Brie and Sergio immediately agreed on one thing: they wanted to bring their loved ones together to their favorite Mallorcan town for an intimate destination celebration. As the owner behind the vintage boutique Very Breezy, Brie continuously turns to the past for inspiration. “Victorian designs have informed my aesthetic choices for most of my life, and our wedding was no exception—from the velvet ribbon place settings to the brass candlesticks and the floral garlands,” she shares. “I referenced The Secret Garden for that juxtaposition between the wildness of nature and the elegance of the decor.”
Additionally, Brie looked to the religious art and iconography of the ancient monastery where she would wed. She continues, noting, “Especially because of the rich, centuries-old history of the property, we wanted everything to make sense in the context of the place and feel like an extension of the surroundings. I knew I wanted a very warm-toned floral palette that reflected our sun-drenched surroundings.” Ultimately, she and Sergio refrained from any decorating that might compete with the spectacular Mediterranean Sea view.
Brie had a very distinct vision for her bridal look. “Before opening my vintage shop Very Breezy, I spent my career working in fashion, including as a market assistant at Vogue, so I’m no stranger to devoting everything to finding the perfect look,” she explains. For the seaside welcome lunch at Ca’s Patró March, she slipped into a vintage Emilio Pucci bias-cut chiffon dress after flipping through Slim Aarons photographs of poolside Acapulco parties. Stylist Rebecca Spendlove complemented the psychedelic print with a jeweled braid crown inlaid with Jennifer Behr pins. Brie also wore a gold bracelet from her late father to honor his memory.
For the paella rehearsal dinner, Brie sought an ensemble that toted the line between old Hollywood glamour and the traditional Spanish style. She donned a vintage 1930s halter-neck lace gown from the Very Breezy collection and kept her hair in a low chignon with a Jennifer Behr silk ruffle barrette as an homage to mantilla combs.
Brie’s dear friend, New York-based designer Joy Cioci, collaborated with the bride to design the wedding dress of her dreams. “I drew inspiration from late Victorian basque-bodice silhouettes, 1950s Merry Widow corsetry, and even Monica Bellucci’s iconic style and the unabashedly feminine ’90s supermodels of my youth,” Brie tells. “We used vintage French picot edge grosgrain ribbon to create movement, one of my favorite elements. Getting married in a Catholic church in Spain, wearing a mantilla veil felt basically non-negotiable, especially because I’ve always loved the romantic, traditional look of a mantilla.”
Brie accessorized with Very Breezy antique Victorian Etruscan-revival gold earrings from 1880. A few days earlier, friends gifted her a vintage tanzanite ring that she would wear as her “something blue.” She slid into Tabitha Simmons Covie sandals, which let her truly dance the night away without worrying about aching soles. Shari Kramer flew from Germany to apply Brie’s romantic and soft makeup. “She is an absolute angel and was a huge source of calmness the days surrounding my wedding,” Brie gushes. The bride wore her hair down, pulling smaller strands back with Jennifer Behr pearl hairpins.
The groom sported a custom Martin Greenfield tuxedo that he and Brie designed and velvet slippers from Del Toro. The finishing touch was the emerald-set gold cufflinks Brie presented to him for his 40th birthday. These were engraved with their original wedding date. Brie adds, “Of course we had no idea that it would be the first of three wedding dates due to pandemic-related delays, but we left them inscribed as a reminder that obstacles are easier to overcome together.”
On September 30, 2021, Brie arrived late to the Catholic ceremony that took place at Parròquia Sant Joan Baptista, on the highest point in the town of Deià. To the tune of an acoustic version of the Beach Boys’ “God Only Knows,” her brother escorted her down the aisle, straight to the altar where Sergio and their hilarious priest waited for her. The groom remembers seeing Brie in her gown as the most magical moment in his life. Brie laughs about their officiant, “I don’t think there has ever been a funnier Catholic marriage ceremony, which felt very us: steeped in tradition, yet whimsical.”
Guests ventured to a converted 13th-century monastery for the reception. “From the incredibly rich history to the sheep and goats that roam the property freely, it was like walking into a fairytale,” she describes of the venue situated atop a hillside in the Serra de Tramuntana. There was a traditional Iberian jamón carver during the cocktail hour, and the most amazing band, Tinons and the Mopis, performed Bossa Nova as a nod to Sergio’s Brazilian roots.
The sit-down dinner featured a menu of local family-style Mediterranean cuisine by Tot A Punt. A Champagne tower flowed as the toasts began.
“In my hometown of Pittsburgh, ‘Cookie Tables’ are a huge deal at weddings and pretty much any gathering,” Brie divulges. “I was very persistent in my pursuit of making this Cookie Table happen in Mallorca, which proved to be no small feat.” She even conducted her own thorough research and taste testing of local bakeries before the wedding.
As per Spanish tradition, the festivities continued into the early hours, fueled by drinks, dancing, and cigars. “Honestly, I don’t think our amazing photographer or videographer teams were ready for how spirited things got,” Brie confesses. “They both stayed way past the agreed time to capture more of the late-night dancing and revelry.”
