Rebecca and Danny: A Real-Life Fairytale

By Megan Honan

A wedding set against the backdrop of Guardia Sanframondi, Italy with a gown fit for a princess and a groom who is so clearly in love. How could this not be a scene from a book of fairytales?

In reality, this is the real-life wedding of Rebecca and Danny, who also happen to be high-school sweethearts. When Rebecca was just 13 years old, she agreed to a date with Danny. They met up to watch a local junior hockey game and as they say, the rest is history. They spent their formative years side-by-side and grew together as a couple. After 15 years together, Rebecca awoke on Christmas morning to an engagement ring in her stocking.

After she gave a big, emphatic “yes,” the first thing they both agreed on was that they wanted a destination wedding – and they knew it had to be in Italy. The decision was easy: The pair are the proud owners of a home in Guardia Sanframondi, Italy – so it only made sense that their dream getaway destination would serve as the backdrop for their wedding.

But planning a wedding in a tiny Italian town with no official accommodation proved to be a problem. That’s when Rebecca turned to a DestinationVows specialist.

“I would never have taken this on by myself. If we didn’t have an expert piecing everything together, it would not have been something we would have done,” Rebecca laughs. “She went above and beyond to find the venue, and literally contacted everybody and anybody in town to see if they would be willing to let us rent their homes during the wedding. Somehow, it all worked out!”

And as over 80 guests far and wide began to arrive at the small and charming town of Guardia Sanframondi, they were welcomed into the authentic Italian lifestyle. The guests quickly fell in love with the town and the graciousness of the locals. Rebecca and Danny wanted to ensure the authenticity of their guests’ experience, so they arranged a full tour of Italy alongside the wedding. They whisked everyone off to Rome, where they toured the Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps and Vatican before heading off to Minori on the Amalfi Coast, and of course, to Pompeii.

Back in Guardia Sanframondi, Rebecca and Danny set about preparing for their big day. The boys visited the local barber for a haircut and enjoyed a few beers. After grabbing coffee at Rebecca’s favourite local shop, she gathered her closest girlfriends for a hair and makeup session before enjoying a long, leisurely antipasto lunch. She slipped on her princess-style dress – sparkling in the sun from the antique-style beading – and made her way to the local medieval castle. She and Danny would be the first couple to marry in the ancient structure in more than 1,000 years.

“As I walked down the aisle I just remember breathing a sigh of relief,” says Rebecca. “People had come all this way and I was just hoping it would all come together. It was so surreal.”

Afterwards, the newlyweds joined their friends and family in a courtyard glowing with twinkle lights strung from olive trees, while hundreds of white candles lit up the Italian landscape.

“My favourite part of the evening was our first dance. It just kind of kicked off the party and we danced to an Italian band and then a DJ for about eight hours,” Rebecca recalls.

The bride’s second favourite part?

“We ordered too many bottles of champagne, so we ended up spraying about 80 per cent of them at our guests,” she laughs. “It was crazy.”

Rebecca smiles. “But if I could, I’d go back and do it all over again.”