After three years together, Gregory David Piechota proposed to Jessica De La Cruz while in Tulum for their friend Chelsea’s 30th birthday. “It was a Saturday night, getting ready for our last night out,” Jessica begins. “Our friends suggested we take some photos overlooking the water, and before I knew it, Greg was down on one knee proposing. I couldn’t have been more shocked and excited to be his fiancé!”
Once engaged, the couple knew they wanted to do a destination wedding. Jessica found her exact venue, Villa Balbiano, on her Instagram Explore Page and booked it for their spring nuptials. To help bring everything together, the two brought on SAMKOMA as their planner. Charla Storey and Light Cannon Films captured every unforgettable moment from the weekend. And Cartalia Stationery Studio set the tone with a beautiful invitation suite.
Jessica found her dream lace dress at Monique Lhuillier on Melrose Place. “The second I tried on my dress, I immediately started to cry and knew it was the one; I did not want to take it off,” she gushes. “Fun Fact: I actually decided on my dress prior to finding our wedding venue, so once we decided on Italy, the dress made even more sense!” On the day-of, she got ready with makeup artist Andrada Rusu and hair stylist Sierra Kener, who gave her an elegant beauty look with a sleek bun.
The wedding weekend kicked off with a boat cruise around the lake. Jessica wore a hi-low Zimmermann dress for the occasion, and everyone matched her and Gregory in white. Dancers welcomed guests before boarding and sailing around Lake Como with entertainment from Élan Artists.
On May 30, 2023, the bride and her father walked down the lakeside aisle, lined with florals from Max Owens. The sweet ceremony was officiated by Judah Smith. “I could not have felt more at peace, more grateful, and over the moon in my life,” Jessica recalls. “I gave myself a pep talk before the ceremony to remember to be so present in the moment and I did exactly that. I remember taking it all in and thinking this is better than any dream, fairytale, or movie.”
Post-ceremony, Jessica went inside with two of her bridesmaids to bustle her dress, but an unexpected guest arrived outside. A severe hailstorm rolled in and destroyed the glass marquee from Privitera, where the beautiful reception had been set up by Blunotte Eventi. “It was so terrifying!” the bride exclaims. Hail had also hit Florence earlier that month and continued to arrive in Northern Italy throughout the summer—some pieces as big as tennis balls.
Not ones to let anything derail their wedding day, the bride and groom were still ready to ring in their marriage with the biggest smiles on their faces. “I think just the overall fact that all our guests were soaking wet, in their very best outfits and dresses, hair dripping water, makeup ruined, and barefoot and yet still ready to party and celebrate regardless of what just happened made us so thankful for the people God has blessed to surround us with,” Jessica reflects.
Later in the night, the bride changed into a white Staud minidress, and she and Gregory cut their tiered wedding cake by Classeventi. “We had the BEST NIGHT EVER!” the bride reiterates. Deejay and friend of the couple Josh Mehl kept the tunes going, as everyone danced in the villa and enjoyed late-night pizza. “Nothing could bring us down—nothing could take away the fact that I finally got to Marry my best friend, Gregory Piechota, and that we were in Lake Como with all of our favorite people!”
