Protected: A Three-Day Destination Wedding in Italy: The Love Story of Mitchell & Elliott at SPAO Borgo San Pietro Aquaeortus
Published on: 16 March 2026
When couples imagine a destination wedding in Italy, Tuscany is often the first region that comes to mind. But many international couples are now discovering Umbria, often called the “green heart of Italy.”
Umbria offers something rare:
In this landscape lies SPAO Borgo San Pietro Aquaeortus, a restored stone borgo that has been carefully transformed over more than twenty years into a unique destination wedding venue.
Its architecture, terraces, courtyards and gardens create a setting where weddings feel less like events and more like stories unfolding through space.
For Mitchell and Elliott, the choice became clear as soon as they visited.
As Elliott recalls:
“From the moment I travelled from London to Italy and met The Team, I knew SPAO was the perfect place for us.”
For many international couples searching for a destination wedding in Italy, Umbria represents one of the most authentic and elegant alternatives to Tuscany.
Its historic villages, olive groves, and panoramic landscapes create the perfect setting for couples looking for a luxury borgo wedding in Italy — intimate, atmospheric and deeply connected to Italian culture.
SPAO Borgo San Pietro Aquaeortus is one of the few venues in the region where couples can host an entire wedding weekend inside a historic borgo, offering guests a truly immersive Italian experience.
The aesthetic direction of the wedding was deeply influenced by Elliott Green’s professional background.
Elliott is both an interior designer and architect, and founder of molecule.designs, a design studio known for its sophisticated approach to contemporary interiors.
The philosophy behind his work is captured in the studio’s description:
“Timeless elegant spaces defined by quiet luxury & refined detail.”
This sensibility shaped the entire visual language of the wedding.
Rather than dramatic excess, the couple chose a style defined by:
Every element — from the ceremony setting to the table styling — was carefully harmonized with the terracotta textures, olive trees, fresh fruits and vegetables, seasonal flowers and architectural lines of the borgo. A perfect union of classic and contemporary styles, beautifully framed by the atmosphere of SPAO Borgo San Pietro.
The result was a wedding aesthetic that felt both modern and timeless.
One of the defining elements of this wedding was the close collaboration between the couple and the SPAO staff.
Destination weddings require a strict and close coordination across many elements:
At SPAO, the team works closely with couples to shape these details together.
Mitchell and Elliott worked with the borgo team for months before the wedding, aligning every aspect of the celebration with their design vision.
As Mitchell wrote:
“Special thanks to the team for their impeccable organisation and warm hospitality. Every detail was taken care of, making our special day stress-free and perfect.”
This collaboration allowed the couple’s refined aesthetic to be translated into a seamless experience for guests.
The design of the wedding reflected the architectural sensibility of the couple and the craftsmanship of the SPAO team.
If you observe the photographs from the celebration, several details reveal how carefully the atmosphere was constructed.
Look closely at the photos and notice:
Minimalist linens, refined glassware, and organic floral arrangements created a composition that felt both luxurious and natural, perfectly in line with the Borgo philosophy and aesthetics.
The styling respected the stone architecture of the borgo, allowing the materials and light to remain the protagonists.
Soft greens, whites, and subtle seasonal textures blended seamlessly with the Umbrian landscape.
Rather than overpowering the space, the flowers enhanced the feeling that the wedding belonged naturally within the environment.
The outdoor ceremony was designed to integrate the surrounding landscape, using the geometry of the borgo’s terraces and gardens to create a sense of visual harmony.
From the candlelit dinner to the champagne tower celebration, the event moved fluidly between curated design and joyful celebration.
These details reveal something important:
the wedding was not simply decorated — it was designed as an atmosphere.
The first evening began with a relaxed welcome gathering.
Guests arrived at the borgo and were welcomed with an Italian pizza party and Campari cocktails in the gardens.
The atmosphere was informal, joyful, and deeply Italian.
This welcome evening served an important purpose.
It allowed guests from different countries and social circles to:
By the time the evening ended, the entire group already felt like a community.
The second day was the emotional center of the celebration.
The ceremony took place outdoors, surrounded by the natural landscape of the Umbrian hills.
Under the open sky, the couple exchanged their vows in front of their friends and family.
Following the ceremony, guests moved through a sequence of experiences that reflected the essence of an Italian wedding celebration:
The culinary experience was created by Chef Leonardo, whose cuisine became one of the highlights of the wedding.
Mitchell later wrote:
“Each dish was a culinary masterpiece.”
As the evening progressed, the celebration turned into a vibrant party beneath the lights of the borgo.
Unlike traditional weddings that end abruptly the next morning, SPAO weddings continue with a final day together.
For Mitchell and Elliott, this took the form of a pool party farewell.
Guests gathered around the pool, enjoying the Umbrian sun, sharing stories from the previous night, and slowly transitioning back to everyday life.
This final day is one of the most appreciated elements of a three-day destination wedding in Italy.
It allows couples and guests to:
For international couples, this format is particularly valuable.
Traveling across countries and continents to attend a wedding becomes worthwhile when the celebration unfolds over several days.
Even today, two years after the celebration, the memory of this wedding remains particularly vivid.
Guests still speak about the experience with affection, remembering the warmth of the atmosphere and the joyful energy shared by everyone present.
The entire group of guests was remarkably friendly, open and celebratory, creating an environment where laughter, conversations and spontaneous moments unfolded naturally throughout the three days.
It is also a wedding that the SPAO team remembers with great joy and enthusiasm.
Events like this leave a lasting impression not only on the couple and their guests, but also on the people who helped bring the celebration to life.
What made this wedding truly unforgettable was not only the ceremony itself, but the sequence of experiences shared by guests across the three days.
Each moment added a new layer to the atmosphere of the wedding weekend.
Among the most memorable moments were:
Together, these moments transformed the wedding into a shared journey — a celebration that unfolded naturally across three unforgettable days.
For couples traveling from abroad, a traditional single-day wedding often feels too compressed.
Guests arrive exhausted from travel and leave the next morning.
The three-day wedding format changes this entirely.
At SPAO Borgo San Pietro, it allows couples and guests to:
Slow down
Guests arrive, settle into their rooms, explore the borgo, and ease into the celebration.
Build relationships
Friends from different parts of the world have time to meet, talk, and create new connections.
Celebrate without stress
The ceremony itself becomes a joyful moment rather than a logistical marathon.
Relax after the wedding
The pool party or farewell brunch allows everyone to process the emotional intensity of the wedding day.
As Elliott described:
“The three days we spent at Spao for our wedding weekend were nothing short of magical.”
Behind the beauty of SPAO Borgo San Pietro lies a long story of dedication.
The borgo itself is the result of more than twenty years of restoration and vision, guided by its owners, who transformed the historic village into a place where hospitality and architecture coexist in harmony.
Mitchell captured this beautifully in his review:
“The venue itself is stunning, a true testament to the love and dedication that have shaped this place over the past 20 years.”
But the true magic of SPAO lies not only in its architecture. It lies in the people who bring it to life. The team works closely with every couple, accompanying them from the first visit through the final moments of the wedding weekend.
Many couples leave with something unexpected: not just memories, but new friendships.
As Elliott wrote:
“We left with not only the best memories of our wedding but also with new friends”.
Mitchell and Elliott’s wedding also represents something important for many international couples.
Italy has become one of the most sought-after destinations for LGBTQ+ weddings, thanks to its beauty, culture, and growing openness.
At SPAO Borgo San Pietro, couples are welcomed with the same warmth and dedication regardless of background or orientation. Life is Love.
Every wedding is treated as a personal story — a celebration of love, individuality, and shared joy.
Some weddings remain in the memories of the couple. Others remain in the memories of everyone who was there.
Even today, two years after the celebration, Mitchell and Elliott’s wedding continues to be remembered with affection — not only by the couple and their guests, but also by the entire SPAO team.
The group of guests was particularly joyful, open and friendly, creating an atmosphere that felt more like a gathering of old friends than a formal event.
Laughter echoed through the borgo’s stone courtyards, long conversations continued late into the night, and every shared moment strengthened the sense of community among everyone present. Weddings like this leave something behind. A memory that returns when guests look at photographs. A feeling that resurfaces when someone mentions the place again.
And sometimes, a quiet thought shared by many who were there:
that for three days, in a small borgo surrounded by the green hills of Umbria, life felt especially beautiful.
For couples dreaming of a luxury destination wedding in Italy, SPAO Borgo San Pietro Aquaeortus offers something rare. It is more than a venue.
It is a place where architecture, nature, cuisine and hospitality come together to create a complete wedding experience.
A place where a wedding becomes:
And sometimes, as Mitchell and Elliott discovered, a story that stays with everyone who was there.
For couples dreaming of a destination wedding in Italy — especially those looking for an immersive wedding weekend in a historic Italian borgo, SPAO Borgo San Pietro Aquaeortus offers a setting that combines architecture, landscape, hospitality and celebration in a truly unique way.
Contact the SPAO team to begin planning your wedding
Many couples now choose to celebrate their wedding over two or three days, allowing guests to fully enjoy the experience.
A typical program may include a welcome dinner, the wedding ceremony and reception, and a final pool party or farewell brunch.
Historic Italian borghi offer a unique atmosphere where guests can stay together in one place.
This creates an immersive experience where the wedding becomes a shared journey rather than a single-day event.
Umbria offers the same landscapes and charm as Tuscany but with a more intimate and authentic atmosphere.
Its historic architecture, vineyards, and rolling hills make it one of the most beautiful regions for a destination wedding in Italy.
