An Intimate Vow Renewal in Assisi, Italy
There are days in a photographer’s journey that feel like destiny—quiet confirmations that we are exactly where we were meant to be.
August 28th, 2025 was one of those days.
After three transformative days of learning under Sam Sacramento during the IWE Experience, we woke up with that familiar flutter in the chest—the kind of anticipation that only a wedding day brings. Except this time, we would be photographing a vow renewal. A celebration of ten years of marriage, lived, felt and cherished by Dustin and Kelly.
And yet… it felt as grand, emotional and sacred as any wedding we’ve ever witnessed.
The Beginning of a Sacred Day
We left our hotel in Assisi early in the morning and stepped into the serene world of Nun Assisi Relais & Spa Museum, a sanctuary of stone, silence and soft Italian light.
Our first moments were with Dustin—alone in a quiet room, handwriting his vows.
Surrounded by gentle light from a tall window, he paused, smiled, breathed.
It was as if time slowed down just enough for him to relive a decade of love.
Rather than traditional “getting ready” photos, we focused on intention—the watch he chose, the texture of his elegant suit, the stillness before the emotion.
The kind of editorial preparation that tells a story without haste.
A Bride The Light Loved
Upstairs, Kelly was surrounded by the soft elegance that only Italy can give.
A suite with textured walls, golden light and a garden outside whispering the beginning of a new chapter.
Her gown, an exquisite bespoke creation by Atelieria, carried the grace and craftsmanship that Brazilian brides adore—lace that looked alive, movement that felt effortless.
Her jewelry from Riches Jewelry, directly from Orlando, added a delicate luminosity to the scene.
And her beauty team, Giovane Pan and Eliane Zetula, made her glow in a way that appeared almost ethereal.
Despite the room filled with photographers—each learning, absorbing and creating—Kelly remained patient, kind and fully present.
In her eyes we could see it: the quiet emotion of someone about to say yes again..
A Ceremony Painted by Nature
By mid-afternoon, the garden at Nun Relais felt like a hidden chapter taken from an old Italian novel.
Olive trees surrounded the space like guardians.
In Italian tradition, olive leaves symbolize prosperity and enduring love—a perfect blessing for the moment they were about to live.
The talented designers Luisa Gervasi and Mila Teixeira elevated the scenery with gentle touches of blue, pink and lilac, always in soft pastel tones.
Enough to bring beauty—never to overpower it.
Dustin entered first, standing beneath the vast Umbrian sky, waiting for Kelly as if he were seeing her for the first time.
And then the music began.
Kelly walked alone through the olive grove, carrying a cascading bouquet that seemed to float with her steps.
When their eyes met, the world quieted.
Tears came—his, hers, and ours too.
Under a single tree, shaped like an arch sculpted by the wind, they exchanged their vows again.
Promises once more spoken.
Love once more chosen..
Portraits Bathed in Italian Sunlight
After the ceremony, we wandered through the gardens with them.
Every corner glowed; every direction held beauty.
The sun slowly dipped behind Assisi, turning everything golden—their skin, the trees, the stones, the air.
We photographed their elegance, their laughter, their gratitude for life.
Moments that felt both editorial and deeply intimate.
Then came the bridal party—directed in a modern, Vogue-inspired style that brought contrast, artistry and attitude to the softness of the day.
The Dreamlike Dinner Setting
As day turned to evening, the dinner table stood in the center of the garden like something from a dream.
Florals, candles, delicate tableware—everything conversing harmoniously.
When Dustin and Kelly arrived to see it for the first time, they received a surprise:
a vintage red Alfa Romeo convertible parked among the olive trees, waiting for them.
It was striking, cinematic, and entirely perfect.
And from that very spot we captured one of the most iconic images of the day—
the car, the couple, and the Basilica of Assisi rising in the background like a blessing.
A Day We Will Carry Forever
Being in Assisi that day was more than work.
It was confirmation.
A reminder that the talents God placed in us were meant to be shared, felt and celebrated.
What once felt impossible became real.
And this is only the beginning.
We left Assisi with full hearts, inspired by beauty, faith and the certainty that extraordinary weddings and meaningful family stories are what we were created to tell.
Dustin & Kelly — thank you for letting us witness a love that grows with time.
It was an honor to be part of your tenth anniversary, your quiet joy, your devotion, your poetry.
May the next decades be even more luminous than this golden day in Umbria.
