Francesca and Michael tied the knot on April 10, 2025 at the Estate at Florentine Gardens.

Their Story

The couple met through a mutual friend at 46 Lounge in Totowa in 2016.

“It was right before I was doing a semester in DC so I wasn’t looking for a relationship at the time,” says Francesca. “When I came back a few months later, I messaged him and we went on a date and we’ve been together ever since.”

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The Proposal

“Michael woke me up on September 17, 2022, and said we’re going on a surprise weekend trip,” explains Francesca. “He drove me down to DC, which is my happy place, and said we were going for a really nice breakfast.”

It turns out, the breakfast was actually a proposal at the Lincoln Memorial during sunrise. There were two photographers that he hired hiding behind the pillars of the memorial, and the couple had a whole photo shoot after.

Choosing the Venue

“For us, it was Florentine Gardens or eloping,” says Francesca. “No other venue throughout the tristate area could really compare, from the beauty of the venue, amazing food, and incredible staff who helped guide us throughout the whole planning process.

They wanted a classy and timeless look so they stuck with black and white as their color scheme. They had a black tie dress code. The bridesmaids were dressed in black gowns from Birdie Grey.

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Favorite Moment

“My favorite moment was getting to celebrate both of our cultures during the reception,” says Francesca. “I am Italian-American and my husband is Trinidadian, so we wanted both our backgrounds to be highlighted and play cultural music for each.”

Detail They Couldn’t Live Without

Hiring a wedding content creator! “We decided not to hire a videographer, so we hired two content creators instead,” says Francesca.

“I actually started my own wedding content creation business this year, because I think it’s so important to be able to relive the moments right after your wedding, instead of waiting weeks for professional photos or videos to come back.”

Advice For Other Couples

“Make sure that you find vendors and a venue that you vibe well with, as you will be spending a lot of time with them and they will ultimately be responsible for how your wedding day will go,” says the bride.

Honeymoon

The newlyweds are cruising to Europe with Virgin Voyages this summer!

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