Katy & Gregory — a wedding at Masseria Lilei

Masseria Lilei, Lizzanello (Lecce) — Puglia

Katy and Gregory walking hand in hand under a pergola at Masseria Lilei, arms raised

We usually start a wedding story with the venue. This time we're starting with them — because Katy and Gregory handed us their story already written, with an opening line that says it all: "A very serious love story." The tone is anything but serious, and that's exactly what made it one of the best introductions we've ever read.

"It all began on August 1, 2023, when Greg met Katy at Cafe Paulette in Fort Greene, Brooklyn. That day, he instantly knew his life would never be the same. [...] After 18 months of laughter, social adventures, and general fun, Greg knew Katy would be his eternal love. It was then, on a cold and rainy January 31st in Seaport, New York, that Greg knelt on the crusty floor of Jeremy's Ale House, at great risk to his health, to propose to his soulmate."

— from the introduction, definitely written by Greg

That same spirit — warm, self-deprecating, never too serious — carried through the entire wedding day at Masseria Lilei, between Lecce and the Salento countryside. An ancient fortified masseria, with its grand stone archways and small 16th-century chapel at the entrance, set the stage for a celebration that was anything but solemn: over a hundred guests flown in and gathered together in under five months of planning, for what Greg himself had promised would be "a somewhat boring, but likely very enjoyable, experience."

Getting ready and portraits in the Salento countryside

Getting ready took place among the masseria's stone archways, Katy ready within the ancient walls and Gregory surrounded by his groomsmen. Before the ceremony, a moment apart: Katy's father walking her, a quiet second that says more than words could.

The ceremony, and a party that went on till late

The ceremony took place outdoors, among the estate's olive trees, and closed with guests cheering and waving white flags. As evening fell, the masseria's grand stone archway lit up with string lights for the reception: cake, a champagne tower, and a dance floor that stayed lively well into the night, guests in colourful outfits dancing without a care.