Royal bride channels Lady Gabriella Windsor in puff-sleeve gown for Roman palace wedding
Princess Lavinia Ludovisi Boncompagni defied expectations with her bridal outfit as she married Prince Raimondo Alliata di Villafranca in Rome.
Prince Francesco Maria Boncompagni Ludovisi and Marchioness Violante Guerrieri Gonzaga's daughter turned to Milanese designer Luisa Beccaria for her wedding dress – much like Lady Gabriella Windsor five years ago.
Lavinia looked ethereal walking down the aisle in a custom white lace bridal gown with a sweetheart neckline and puff sleeves, which she wore alongside a lace-trimmed veil carried by her bridesmaids. Her dress was designed to follow the Sicilian theme of the wedding, according to her mother, who loaned her bridal tiara to Lavinia.
Back in 2019, Lady Gabriella wore a lace gown by the same designer when she married the late Thomas Kingston at St George's Chapel. It featured a rounded neckline and sheer long sleeves, but the delicate embroidery and embellishments are reminiscent of Lavinia's gown.
Luisa Beccaria previously told HELLO!: "We designed the dress with a purity and elegance and Ella [Lady Gabriella] was the perfect interpretation of that."
Wedding reception
Lavinia and Sicilian Prince Raimondo gathered friends and family at the Church of San Salvatore in Lauro, before travelling to Palazzo Taverna for her post-ceremony reception.
Owned by the bride's mother's family, the impressive venue offered multiple locations for wedding celebrations. Vio's Cooking founder Marchioness Violante took to social media to offer peeks inside each part of the wedding, from her daughter walking down the aisle to the drinks reception and regal dinner inside the palace.
"When fairy tales come true….the wedding of my daughter @laviniabl & @rai.alliata, at home in Palazzo Taverna. So emotional moments in life, and this is definitely the one!! I loved and enjoyed creating magic around this beautiful couple, celebrating LOVE!" she captioned the video of her daughter walking through the cobbled streets and down the flower-lined aisle for the ceremony.
A round orange grove with a drinks table waited for the 550 guests in the courtyard of the reception. They could mill around eating snacks prepared by Violante's aunt Stefanina Aldobrandini in striped marquees and listening to music by The Phly Boyz before heading inside for the wedding breakfast.
Violante explained next to an Instagram video that the tables were set with a wreath of leaves, orange kumquats, white flowers and hand-painted plates designed by herself.
"And a linen hand-embroidered napkin with the initials of the spouses as the placemat, matching with the menu card and many more details, around the table. The embroidered tablecloth gave a Sicilian touch and the rooms were all lit by candles creating a very [magical] atmosphere," she wrote, adding that they cut the cake before enjoying the sweets room and cocktail bar room.
