Content creators Vicky Justiz and Johnny Urra met by chance. Vicky had signed up for an Italian study abroad program, of which Johnny was on the waitlist. As fate would have it, a participant dropped out just before the class was set to begin, and come summertime Johnny boarded a plane to Italy.
“They say you don’t really know your relationship until you travel together, well we got a crash course,” Vicky laughs. “It was technically forbidden to date someone who was part of the same class, so as our romance blossomed, there was sneaky hand-holding, secret kisses, late-night conversations, and lots and lots of laughter. I am pretty sure the whole class knew what was going on anyway!” Shortly after the two returned to the States, they moved in together and have been inseparable ever since.
Nearly four years later, Vicky and Johnny got engaged where their love story started, in Tuscany. “Johnny rented a Vespa and we drove through the beautiful countryside, just the two of us. We often create content when traveling, so I did not think anything strange when we stopped at the side of the road and set up a camera to take some photos. However, I was oblivious to the fact that Johnny was sweating profusely and constantly touching his pocket to make sure the ring was still there,” she laughs. “And finally, as the last rays of the sun dipped over the vineyards on the horizon, Johnny got on one knee.”
There was never another option other than to host their June wedding weekend in Italy. “As soon as we saw Terre Di Nano, we knew it was the one,” Vicky says of their venue. “Our main criteria for the venue was views and Terre Di Nano delivered on that front, with a different view everywhere you look.” Julia Kaptelova Photography lensed the location beautifully.
Initially, Vicky idealized a rustic, traditional wedding aesthetic but as the date grew closer she found herself reconsidering the allure of strong pops of color. “I felt like the juxtaposition of the earth and neutral environment together with grandiose decor and pops of color would be really beautiful, and it was,” she explains. Rossana of The Knot In Italy brought her vision to life, and I Fiori Di Nadia‘s florals enhanced the space.
While in Athens on vacation in 2021, Vicky visited Primalicia and eventually said, “Yes,” to the first wedding dress she ever tried on. “I was not even allowed to take photos of the dress when I tried it on because they keep their designs top secret. The fact that it was so unique and not a worldwide known brand made me want it even more,” she notes. As for accessories, she chose to stay true to her everyday look. As the bride-to-be rarely wears jewelry she went without accents on the day of—further highlighting the strapless corseted look.
The June 17, 2023, ceremony took place before the vineyard and reflected the couple’s personality to the letter. Johnny entered to “Seven Nation Army,” and the bride graced the aisle while Elvis’s “Unchained Melody” rang out. “Walking in to my song, I felt empowered, excited, and unstoppable,” Vicky recalls. “We already did a first look beforehand, so we didn’t have that nervousness of us seeing each other for the first time.” A close friend officiated the ceremony. And when the time came, Vicky and Johnny exchanged vows and danced their way back up the aisle as newlyweds.
“As expected, we did things a bit differently,” the bride says of the reception. Cocktail hour actually lasted three, as the newlyweds and their guests ended up dancing through the sunset. For the alfresco dinner, the party moved to one long table with chandeliers overhead. “As soon as I saw my table, my jaw dropped. I had this vision of one long rectangular table for all my guests,” Vicky shares. “The spot in the venue where I wanted it was actually a spot no one had ever done the dinner before. Naturally, that made me want it more and it all came together beautifully.” Everyone dined on a delicious Michelin-starred Enoteca La Torre meal.
The newlyweds cut their Italian millefoglie cake, and guests sipped espresso martinis before spending the rest of the night dancing to the musical renditions of Alma Project 247 and Wedding Music & Lights. The next morning, guests bid arrivederci to Vicky and Johnny as the newlyweds headed straight to Puglia to spend a week honeymooning by the sea.
