About The Couple
How We Met
Vandana and Brendon met in 2016 in the NYU student section at a Yankee game in New York. Brendon sat a couple rows in front of Vandana and according to Vandana he kept turning back to look at her. However, Brendon claims that it was Vandana looking at him. Regardless, it didn't take long for them to connect and the two didn't stop talking on the way back to the city and by the end of the night they were inseparable.
The Proposal
Vandana and Brendon have always loved to travel and make the most of their free time by exploring new destinations and countries. This is why it was no surprise that they have decided to have their wedding in Italy.
Vandana had been eagerly anticipating the proposal for a while and would often find herself thinking, "This has to be it! This has to be the time he proposes." Before every vacation, she would prepare for an engagement that wasn't coming just yet, but this time on their trip to Italy it was different.
Months before Vandana said yes to the ring, they had already started wedding planning and were preparing for a trip to Italy in October of 2022 to check out potential wedding venues. Brendon told Vandana weeks before the trip that he wouldn't be able to propose in Italy because the engagement ring wasn't ready. However, he had a surprise up his sleeve.
Vandana, trusting Brendon, decided that this would be the one trip she wouldn't get "engagement ready" for. After a long 13-hour flight and a scenic drive, the couple arrived at their hotel on the Amalfi Coast and got ready for dinner. Unbeknownst to Vandana, Brendon had been working with the hotel and restaurant to prepare an intimate engagement surprise.
After dinner, the waiter was to move the couple to a private terrace that had been specially set up for the engagement. However, Vandana almost ruined the surprise. She noticed that the restaurant was starting to close and the staff was putting chairs on the tables, so she joked that they were taking too long and were going to get kicked out. Brendon, trying to remain calm, knew that they were going to move to the terrace soon but not for the reason Vandana thought. Just as he suspected, a couple of minutes later, the waiter arrived to move them to the surprise location. Vandana started laughing, thinking that she was right, but in reality, she had no idea what was about to happen.
The waiter informed them that they were going to move to another location for dessert. They walked through the lobby and Vandana saw other diners enjoying their desserts, so she started to veer off towards a couch for them to sit on. The waiter stopped her and gestured towards a stairwell decorated with rose petals, leading to a terrace.
As soon as Vandana saw the terrace, she knew what was coming. The couple walked down the stairs, with Vandana leading the way, following the rose petals that led to a table with candles and their desserts. Vandana froze right next to the table, looking out at the water, unsure of what to do. Brendon was wondering why she wasn't turning around to face him, so he finally called to her. When she turned to face him, Brendon got on one knee and proposed. After an emotional exchange, Vandana of course said yes, and the couple embraced each other, filled with love and excitement for the future.
The Big Day
After 4 years together, we can't wait to celebrate with all of you on August 10th, 2024!
The Wedding
Saturday, August 10, 2024
Please Join Us at 4:30 PM
Villa Cora
Viale Machiavelli, 18, 50125
Firenze, Italy
Dress Code: Formal - Jackets and Ties Required
Pre-ceremony Welcome
4:30 PM
Le Foyer at Villa Cora
The pre-ceremony welcome will be indoors
The Ceremony
5:00 PM
Sfingi Garden at Villa Cora
The ceremony will be outdoors weather permitting
The Apértif
5:30 PM
Back Terrace at Villa Cora
The apértif will be immediately following the ceremony and will be outdoors weather permitting
The Reception
7:00 PM
Mirror Ballroom at Villa Cora
The reception will be indoors
The Afterparty
10:00 PM
Il Salotto del Santa Speakeasy and Cigar Bar at Villa Cora
The afterparty will be indoors
Weekend Itinerary
Guests and their children are invited to all events. We hope to see you there!
Welcome Party
Thursday, August 8
7:00 PM
~ Villa Cora ~
Viale Machiavelli, 18, 50125
Firenze, Italy
Dress Code: Chic Casual (no athletic wear)
*The Welcome Party will be outdoors in the Sfingi Garden, weather permitting
*Dinner provided with soft drinks, wine, beer, and champagne
*Cash-only bar for cocktails
Winery Dinner
Friday, August 9
~ Castello di Monsanto ~
Via Monsanto, 8, 50028
Monsanto I Firenze, Italy
Dress Code: Chic Cocktail Attire (ties and jackets not required; pants and collared shirts or button-ups required)
*The Winery Dinner will be indoors
*Transportation will depart Villa Cora and Hotel Villa Carlotta at 4:15 PM. Guests not staying at either hotel will meet at Piazzale Michelangelo (Piazzale Michelangelo, 50125 Firenze FI, Italy) at 4:30 PM.
Travel and Accommodations
We are excited for everyone who is able to make it to Italy! Please read the following carefully, so that you are prepared for your international trip.
Before Traveling To Florence
Please see below some of the requirements for international travel to Italy:
1. Make sure that you have a passport that does not expire within 6 months of your return date. If you do not have a passport or if your passport expires before March of 2025, you will not be able to travel. Please check your passports and plan accordingly. Passport renewals are taking longer than usual so we encourage our guests to get a head start on the process.
2. Make sure that you have a passport for your children. We know many of our younger family members have not traveled abroad before so please start getting passports for them as well.
3. Make sure that you meet the requirements to travel to Italy based on your nationality. ***Please note that US citizens no longer need ETIAS visa to travel to Europe in 2024.
Please click the links below for more detailed information.
Getting To Florence
Guests will be responsible for getting to Florence on their own and we understand that everyone's travel may look different. Please see below some tips and information to keep in mind for your travel to Italy:
1. The closest airport to the wedding venue is the Amerigo Vespucci Florence Airport (FLR). However, depending on where you are flying from, it may be more economical to fly to the Leonardo da Vinci- Fiumicino Rome Airport (FCO), the Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP), r the Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE) and take a train to Florence.
2. We have reached out to every airline for discount codes to make everyones trip more affordable. Please see below our partner airlines and instructions to book:
Air France has provided our guests with a discount code to receive up to a 15% discount on all of their flights. To receive the discount, please use Event ID Code: 40168AF, when checking out.
The Lufthansa Group airlines bring people together – every day, all around the world. The global route network of Austrian Airlines, Lufthansa, SWISS, Brussels Airlines, and Eurowings offers optimal connection and combination options, so you will benefit from quick and direct flights to the wedding. The Lufthansa Group airlines has provided our guests with special rates on all of their flights.
To receive the special rates, please reach their event booking platform by visiting (https://www.lufthansa.com/de/en/meetings-and-events-delegates) or clicking on the link below and use Event Code: USAPPFD. The reduced fares are automatically displayed on the platform.
*Please be sure to enable pop-ups permanently in your browser while booking.
