A fun,vibrant and contemporary engagement photo session in Rome.
Michela Bandini from Italian boutique wedding planning agency 3-D Events and award wining photographer David Bastianoni created the following playful engagement session in Rome for Kelly and Alex. I love the idea of an engagement photo session…and I have to say, I also love Kelly’s dress…can’t wait to see what she chooses for her wedding day!
The British couple who are getting married in the Tuscan Maremma countryside next month, met through an internet dating site. ‘On our first date’- tells Alex – ‘I got there really early and was really excited; Kelly was delayed after being distracted by some shopping! Luckily we both clicked straight away and immediately realised that we had a shared love of travel, and some of our best times together have been on our adventures abroad’.
Travelling is their passion and leitmotif of their love story: they got engaged in New York’s Central Park after a guided tour of the city by helicopter! ‘We both knew that we wanted to get married abroad, and my happiest childhood memories are from when I lived in Italy as a boy – says Alex – so getting married in Italy was a natural choice’.
For their engagement session they chose a different setting compared to their wedding location, a sort of contrast environment to Tuscan countryside: the city of Rome. As a roman native, Michela proposed to take a different approach to this city: experiencing Rome as the locals do, skipping the tourist traps and exploring both the up-and coming cool places and the ancient sites. David Bastianoni , awarded (1st in the WPPI awards of excellence album competition single photographer 2015 & grand Award) and famous Tuscan photographer, with his unique creativity has depicted in a unconventional way some of the historical places and views of the Eternal City, matching the classy essence of this awesome couple.
The session started at the modern contemporary Palazzo Montemartini Hotel , where hi-tech elegance is in perfect harmony with marbles, stuccoes and the classic style of a 19th century building. Big white stones combined with classics of modern designers are the perfect background for the first shots of this fancy and cosmopolitan couple.
The next scene took place in Villa Borghese Lake Garden, a wonderful expanse of water with the Temple of Aesculapius , a lovely spot and destination for lovers looking for romance. Walking between the avenues of this green oasis, we captured their love at Terraces of Pincio: a less-known side view was preferred letting Rome’s traditional skyline being a delicate frame. Kelly and Alex had such a positive attitude and truly enjoyed the shooting time.
From there we headed towards Via della Conciliazione, the vast colonnaded street connecting Saint Peter’s Square to the Castle Sant’Angelo and we took a stroll through the bike path along the Tiber River. This is the most popular greenway in the city centre, reign of graffitis and contemporary art revealing Rome’s modern profile.
We finished off the session in Saint Peters’s Square: the beautiful and distinguishable Colonnade designed by Bernini is the background of the last shots. The white marble and the stunning light of late afternoon bring out the deepest core of this places. Also, the perfect balance of highlights and shadows frame the iconic moment of this Roman and contemporary engagement shooting.
We wish Kelly and Alex a lifetime of happiness and would like to thank them and 3-D Events for sharing their engagement session with us.
Find out more about having a destination wedding in Italy.
The Perfect Partners
Planning, Concept & Production: 3-D Events // Photography: David Bastianoni // Location: Palazzo Montemartini Hotel // Dress: Karen Millen // Make up: Eleonora Juglair // Hair: Fulvia Tellone
