Flora Theden, associate director of consumer communications & PR at Yelp, and Bill Roegge, an associate at law firm Cooley, LLP, met at a Fourth of July house party in the Hamptons. The two spent the whole day hanging out and had an instant connection. “Back in the city, he asked me out on a date, but it wasn’t great timing for me, so I actually blew him off!” Flora recalls. Months later, she reached out, asking him to dinner at The Meatball Shop in the Lower East Side. They sealed their first city date with a kiss in the freezing cold outside her apartment. “I immediately knew I had stumbled on someone really special.”
After seven years together, Bill proposed on the beach in Amelia Island, where Flora has been vacationing with her family since she was born. The next day, they took the ferry to Cumberland Island, where Carolyn Bessette married John F. Kennedy Jr., to soak up the excitement of their engagement in one of their favorite places.
The couple designed the engagement ring with Caitlin Mociun of Mociun. “Since the ring is such a unique shape, we felt that a wedding band actually took away from the beauty and simplicity of it, so when it came time to choose a wedding band, we designed one with diamonds and emeralds for my middle finger on my right hand,” Flora explains. Lemontree Paper Co. even copied the shape of the bride’s engagement ring for their custom crest that was printed on the wedding invitations.
Several years prior to their engagement, the pair had spent a few magical nights at Caesar Augustus and dreamed of getting married there in Capri. Although the destination was a bit far for guests, the uncertainty caused by the pandemic pushed them to follow their instincts and plan for an Italian wedding on September 5, 2021. With Erin Lindeman of Lindeman Weddings, the couple organized four days of events, including a welcome party at Capri Rooftop, a boat trip to Nerano for a lively lunch at Il Cantuccio, and a recovery day at beach club Da Luigi ai Faraglioni.
Over The Moon head stylist Anny Choi helped the bride find looks for pre-wedding events and the after-party and stepped in to expertly source accessories to complement Flora’s wedding dress. The bride wore a custom Markarian dress for an intimate family dinner before guests arrived, and to float on the sea with friends, Flora wore a yellow floral Agua by Agua Bendita bikini set. At the rehearsal dinner, she looked beautiful in a custom blue and white Johanna Ortiz look. And after the first dance, she changed into a Galvan London satin minidress.
At Kelly’s Closet in Atlanta, Flora found the perfect Alexandra Grecco gown, which felt as if it was custom-made for her. On the day-of, she got ready with Beauty Livery, and once her wedding dress was on, she paired it with vintage Dior earrings from Tradesy, Jimmy Choo sandals, her mother’s wedding veil from 1984, and a bouquet by Floragarden Positano.
Bill custom-made his welcome party ensemble and blue wedding suit with the West-Village boutique J. Mueser, recommended by his close friends. “It was my first time designing custom suits, and I loved everything about the process, from choosing all the fabrics and selecting the finishings—I particularly loved the white buttons on my welcome party blazer—to perfecting the fit of each suit through multiple fittings,” he shares. “All of J. Mueser’s suits are made in Naples, Italy, which literally overlooks Capri, so that felt like a good omen.”
The groom also wanted brown suede tassel shoes and found a great pair from Manolo Blahnik. “I didn’t actually know they made men’s shoes,” he reveals. “But I thought it was quite appropriate, since Flora and I have watched a lot of Sex and the City together over the years and Carrie would have approved.
“When I woke up the day of the wedding, Bill was sitting out on the balcony with coffee, writing his vows, and he looked so happy and calm,” Flora recalls. “I immediately knew it would be a really relaxed and fun day.”
“Bill and I were both raised by single moms, so his mom walked down the aisle with him, and my mom walked down the aisle with me, which was very special,” the bride explains. One of Flora’s mother’s best friends, Dr. Rhonda Milner, officiated the outdoor ceremony with beautiful blessings and sage advice. Bill adds, “Flora looked so beautiful, and the setting was so incredible; it made for a surreal and magical experience.”
Once announced as husband and wife, the newlyweds took a private boat to the reception at Il Riccio. “It was a bit stressful, when I realized I needed to step from the heavily rocking boat onto this small ladder leading up to the restaurant,” Flora remembers. “Let’s just say my dry cleaner was not happy with the state of my wedding dress!”
Overlooking the Blue Grotto, guests enjoyed delicious Italian fare—the crowd favorite was the ravioli alla caprese—while a Caprese roaming band provided entertainment. “At one point, both of our mothers got up and started dancing in the middle of dinner,” Flora recalls. “It was just such a fun vibe and energy.” Then everyone was treated to the “temptation room,” filled with delectable desserts. Once guests had their fill of sweets, the party moved upstairs to the dance floor, where disco balls cast their light over the sea and surrounding hills.
The new mister and missus started their first dance to “Lovin’ You, Baby” by Charles Bradley, who they had seen perform at the Apollo in Harlem near the start of their relationship. “The song is really meaningful to us because we listened to it a lot when we were first falling in love,” Flora says. Since that song has a slower tempo, halfway through it, Rihanna’s “We Found Love” was remixed in and brought things home. “We took dance lessons at Fred Astaire Dance Studios in Tribeca—thanks Artem. When we got to the dip, I felt so relieved that all the bride duties were done, and it was time to boogie!”
One of Flora’s favorite parts of the reception was when fireworks lit up the sky and “New York, New York” started playing, after their first dance. “I looked around and saw all my friends and family and it was truly magical,” she remembers.
The reception was supposed to end at 1:00 a.m., but luckily, they party was able to continue for an extra hour with Toni on Sax. Then the new mister and missus and a couple of close friends headed back to Caesar Augustus for late night banter on the terrace, before heading to bed at 4:00 a.m.
The next day was spent recovering at Da Luigi ai Faraglioni. Flora, Bill, and their remaining guests refreshed themselves in the crisp water and soaked in the last bit of their Italian wedding weekend.
