Beachside Engagement Session in Rome, Italy: Tavier + Fabrizio

Tavier Taylor and Fabrizio Mozzi are overjoyed for the day when they will say, “I do” in Rome, Italy on July 25, 2015. The couple took to the Kent Coastline of Botany Bay in Southeast England for their inventive multicultural engagement session after Tavier was proposed to in Fabrizio’s native tongue. 

Tell us about how you met and all about the proposal!

In June 2006, I was transferred to London, England with my company for a two year expatriate assignment. Fabrizio was working for the same company and transferred in April of the same year. According to Fabrizio, he noticed me right away but it took him almost a year to ask me out. He called me to say that a group of colleagues were going out for a drink after work and he asked me if I would like to come. It turns out that it was just the two of us going out for a drink. That drink led to me not returning home to the USA in 2008. We still live in England today.

We were in Rome, Italy visiting Fabrizio’s parents and helping with the planning for his brother’s wedding. After having dinner and waiting for Fabrizio’s mother to bring dessert, Fabrizio decided to propose a toast (in Italian) to his brother. I don’t speak Italian and I understand very little. I remember him going on and on about marriage and I totally tuned out until everyone started clapping and shouting. After everyone realized I didn’t understand what Fabrizio was saying, they told him to speak slowly. Although he was speaking slowly, I only understood that there was going to be a wedding but since his brother was getting married I was confused because I already knew they were engaged. After seeing the confusion on my face he takes out a small box and gives it to me. Then I understood that WE were the ones getting married.

 What did you do on your first date?

Our first date was technically our second date. After being tricked into going out for drinks, we spent our first date shopping and getting lost in conversation at a Starbucks. I told Fabrizio he had to come shopping with me at Selfridges, punishment for his deceit about drinking with colleagues. We went to Starbucks on Oxford Street, sat at a table, and  as we started talking began to find out that we had a lot of the same interests. After spending four hours talking, the staff at Starbucks came and told us that they had been closed for some time and asked us if we could please leave! We were so into our conversation, we unaware that everyone had left.

 The engagement session…

We chose Botany Bay because of the white cliffs and because it’s a beach that we visited when we first started dating. Fabrizio loves the sea and had his heart set on having our session taken there. Although it is always too cold to swim in the sea in the UK, when the sun is shining, the surroundings are beautiful.

We’ve known Konstantin, the photographer, since 2010 as he previously took photos of us for a different occasion. We trusted his artistic vision and knew that he would come up with something creative. We were not disappointed.

What’s your favorite thing to do as a couple?

We love to travel! We literally have been around the world. Seeing different places together is great because we both have different ways of seeing new sights. I make an itinerary of places to see and things to do and Fabrizio wants to relax without planning so we spend the first half of our trip being active and the other half relaxing.

 How has wedding planning been so far?

Planning a wedding in one country while living in another country for two different cultures is challenging. We are trying to plan an American style wedding in Italy while living in England! There is also the issue of different religions; although we are both Christians, Fabrizio is Roman Catholic and I am not and in Italy, our wedding is recognized as a religiously mixed marriage. The next big challenge is getting my family from America to Italy and most of them have never been outside of the USA.

I’ve managed to elevate some of the stress by hiring an Italian wedding planner in London who has a team of of people working for her in Rome. If you are planning a wedding in another country…especially when you don’t speak the language, a wedding planner with local knowledge is essential. I also contacted a travel agency to help with the travel arrangements for our out of town guests. As a bride, there will be plenty of things to stress out about. Having a support system or team of people who are subject matter experts where you lack knowledge is key so that you can put focus where it is needed most.

Tell us what you’re looking forward to most on the wedding day.

I am looking forward to starting the first day of the rest of my life with a man that I know in his heart that I am his everything and I know in my heart that he is my everything!

Vendors

Photography: Konstantin Suslov
E-Session Location: Botany Bay, Broadstairs Kent, United Kingdom

Congratulations, Tavier and Fabrizio on your engagement! Many blessings from across the pond!