It took a working holiday on the other side of the world for english pair olivia gilmore and charles blight to cross paths and fall in love. the couple felt that sydney was a long way for relatives to travel for a wedding, and so italy became the perfect ‘halfway’ point.
"Living in Australia, we obviously don't get to spend much time with our family and friends from back home, so being in Italy for a few days with them all was such a precious time," Olivia said.
Rising dramatically above the Portofino coastline, the 13th century ‘La Cervara' San Girolamo Abbey was a spectacular venue for the couple's romantic ceremony on a terrace overlooking the sparkling blue ocean. The ancient monastery bells chimed as Olivia made her entrance in a breathtaking ‘mermaid-style' Vera Wang gown embellished with a hand-beaded jewelled belt.
After the ceremony, guests moved around the picturesque terraces for canapés and dinner before assembling in a cloister illuminated by hundreds of soft candles to watch the newlyweds cut their cake by the fountain below.
"The effect was truly spectacular; it was all so magical and made for lifelong memories," Olivia said.
