While Savannah Sellers and Alex Yaraghi first met at a bar called The Spaniard in New York City, their wedding, exactly five years later, was distinctly Italian.
On Sept. 16, the NBC News correspondent and Yaraghi, an investment analyst at Citadel Global Equities, swapped vows in a stunning ceremony held at Villa Corsini in Mezzomonte, Italy.
"Alex and I wanted to give everyone the experience of a lifetime," Sellers said of their destination wedding. "We were so grateful people traveled so far, and we wanted to make it incredibly special! We didn’t tell anyone the exact location of the wedding beforehand — just where to be and when to get picked up. It gave things a fun element of surprise!"
And the event was everything the bride hoped it would be.
"We got married in a Tuscan garden with a truly breathtaking view," Sellers explained. "We wrote our own vows, and hearing Alex’s in that setting, with our friends and family laughing and crying with us, was indescribable. As soon as we kissed, Prosecco was sabered and the party began!"
Sellers wore a white mermaid gown that featured a sweeping train trailing behind her and a dramatic flourish on the back.
She paired the timeless dress with elegant emerald studs and her sparkling engagement ring, which included a sweetly sentimental stone.
The pear-cut emerald, positioned alongside a diamond, holds a special significance to the couple. Years ago, on the weekend the pair first exchanged “I love yous,” Yaraghi gave her a different emerald ring. It was the first piece of jewelry he’d ever given her.
For Sellers, one of the highlights of their celebration was the feast, which included oysters, espresso martinis and, of course, pasta.
“One of my favorite parts of the day, and now one of my most cherished memories, was our candlelit dinner,” she shared. “We made dinner very intentional and separate from the dancing portion of the evening. We served three courses of what everyone wants when they’re in Italy: pasta!"
It was a meal to remember.
"My favorite food is cacio e pepe and this was one of the best I’ve ever had," she said. "The thousands of candles under the 17th century frescoed ceiling made the meal feel like a once in a lifetime event. I will live in this dinner party in my dreams forever!"
Sellers shared that it's a “total coincidence” that their special day happened to match up with their anniversary.
And she's certain it was an auspicious one, too.
“We met on Sept. 16, 2017 at a bar in the West Village of Manhattan,” she said. “And we got married on Sept. 16, 2022 in the Tuscan hills. It was meant to be!”