Getting to Kiara and Bryn's wedding wasn't quite as straightforward as I'd planned.
I was due to fly out two days beforehand, giving myself plenty of time to arrive, settle in and get everything ready.
Then my flight was cancelled.
Thankfully I wasn't alone — plenty of their guests had exactly the same problem — and I eventually arrived the day before the wedding.
And pretty much immediately, any travel stress disappeared.
I arrived while everyone was having lunch and was welcomed straight in.
I ate with them, chatted with their friends and family and met the makeup artist, who'd been made to feel just as welcome.
That probably tells you everything you need to know about this group.
Masseria Fontana di Vite sits outside Matera among countryside, olive groves and fields, offering accommodation alongside spaces for weddings and events.
After lunch I headed to my room, unpacked, freshened up and then went straight back out with the cameras.
I wanted to get ahead.
Whenever I'm filming a destination wedding, I like capturing establishing footage before the wedding day itself.
It gives me time to explore without worrying about the schedule and allows the location to become part of the eventual film.
That evening everyone came together outside for pizza and wine.
Simple.
Italian.
Beautiful.
And very, very warm.
Wedding morning was brilliant.
Kiara and her bridesmaids had a lovely spacious room to get ready in, which from my perspective makes life considerably easier.
And there was plenty of music.
It turns out Kiara is obsessed with Olivia Dean.
Which worked perfectly for me because I am too. 😂
So there was a lot of Olivia playing while everyone got ready and the day started building around us.
The ceremony was set outside in front of the chapel-like building at the property.
It looked absolutely stunning.
And Kiara and Bryn didn't exactly make my job difficult either.
They looked ridiculous.
Proper 10/10 couple.
Beautiful bride, handsome groom and completely relaxed in front of the cameras.
Once the ceremony finished, taking them away for portraits was an absolute dream.
The Italian landscape, warm light and architecture gave us plenty to work with without needing to overcomplicate anything.
Dinner was served in the courtyard with what felt like an endless supply of Italian food.
Every time you think you've finished eating in Italy, apparently another course arrives.
I'm not complaining.
The courtyard setting looked beautiful and everyone was able to sit outside together as the day started turning into evening.
These are the moments I particularly love about destination weddings.
Nobody seems in a rush.
Everyone is there together.
And the entire day feels slightly slower.
The evening moved into an open-sided barn with its own bar, an amazing singer and DJ.
And once again I found myself at a wedding where I'd stopped feeling particularly much like a supplier.
Eventually I joined everyone for a couple of drinks and enjoyed the party too.
That's probably what I remember most about Kiara and Bryn's wedding.
From the moment I arrived late and slightly stressed after the cancelled flight, their friends and family made me feel completely welcome.
By the end, I felt like I'd been part of the wedding rather than simply there to film it.
And that's a pretty special feeling.
If you're planning your own destination wedding in Matera, southern Italy or elsewhere in the country, you can explore more of my work as an Italy wedding videographer.
Or take a look at more of my destination wedding films throughout Europe.
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