Handmade Pasta and an Italian Band Set the Mood for This Stunning Portofino Wedding

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"It happened the old-fashioned way—through a friend who we didn't even think was trying to set us up," model Paige Harper shares as she recalls the summer day in Los Angeles when she met her now husband Riley Harper, a professional stuntman and photographer. "Our first date was at the dog park, and from that point on, we and our dogs were inseparable. When you are both at a point in your life when you know what you're looking for and have the confidence to communicate that, you get to skip all the annoying nuances of early dating. We wanted the same things out of life, we enjoyed the same hobbies, and we could picture our future together. It was just a breath of fresh air to be in a relationship that felt effortless from the start."

Though they couldn't have known it when they first met, they were introduced at just the right moment. "Paige and I met each other at an interesting time. Our timing was perfect in so many ways," explains Riley as he reflects on when they met in 2020. "In the beginning of a global pandemic, most people would think that it would tear apart a new relationship, but for us, it only enhanced it. We spent day after day cooking and being together, and it really sped up our relationship in so many ways. Once we could travel together after being stuck in L.A. for over a year, we went full steam ahead and visited so many amazing countries and really experienced life together."

After two and a half years of dating, the couple was engaged. "Riley popped the question in the most uniquely him way," says Paige. "We drove the '74 Porsche Targa through Topanga Canyon—no street lights, no cell service—when Riley faked the car breaking down." He then popped the hood and asked for Paige's help, using it an opportunity to take her by surprise. When she came around the corner of the car with a flashlight in hand, Riley was on one knee holding a custom ring he had been designing for months. "I could not have dreamt of a more full-circle proposal. Spontaneous, just the two of us on a random weekday in the same canyon we took on our first dinner date," Paige shares. "I was dreaming of marrying Riley, but he still took me by surprise. It was perfect, fun, and effortless—like everything has been our whole relationship."

Once engaged, the couple started to bounce ideas around for a destination and quickly settled on Portofino along the Italian coast and decided on the iconic Belmond Splendido, a hotel nestled into a hillside overlooking the glittering bay. "Portofino is just our special place," Riley explains. "It's one of the first places I took Paige when we could first travel in 2021. We have come back multiple times per year and have made so many great friends in the area, and it really just feels like a second home for us." The wedding, which was held on a sun-drenched weekend in September 2023, was intimate and lively. Details include a four-piece Italian jazz band and a robust menu with specialties from the region. One of the most memorable moments of the night happened when a favorite chef arrived at the wedding dinner as a surprise to make handmade pasta with Paige and Riley for all of their guests, but this is just one of the special moments that punctuated the beautiful wedding weekend.

"As we started wedding planning and considering possible destinations, we always came back to Portofino as our dream location. It was the destination of our first romantic trip together when we started dating. At the time, it was still COVID with limited international travel, so the magic that is Portofino felt like a fairytale. We hosted our Friday-night welcome dinner in the beautifully quaint Piazzetta of Portofino." — Paige

The couple in the days leading up to their wedding.

For the wedding week, Riley and Paige rented a hillside villa across the street from the venue that functioned as home base and a meeting spot for family and guests.

"None of our guests had ever been to Portofino and many not to Italy, so we really wanted our wedding to feel like a big vacation for everyone. The celebrating started with aperitivo in the courtyard of Splendido Mare. The toasting menu included our favorite—La Vela, which is a special take on the Negroni created by our friend Paolo, Splendido's mixologist. For appetizers, we served homemade focaccia with fresh pesto and mini ham-and-cheese paninis. As the sun set on the sea, we made our way along the port to our favorite restaurant, Da I Gemelli. Overlooking the boats buoyed in the harbor, we enjoyed a family-style Ligurian meal starting with caprese skewers, then trofie pesto, baked sea bass with olives and potatoes, and a classic tiramisu for dessert." — Paige

"The morning of the wedding we spent the same as every other day. Swimming, eating, and relaxing in the sun. Paige didn't require much time to get ready before the ceremony, which was amazing because we got to spend valuable time together reflecting. Getting ready at the villa was really special. It was just our dads, my brothers, and my good friend Zack, who was our celebrant. We all shared a couple of Negronis on the deck before the ceremony. It was really a special moment." — Riley

"After years of work in the fashion world, I consider myself pretty low-maintenance. I knew I wanted to prioritize being present and having fun rather than spending hours prepping for my walk down the aisle. The end result is usually the same. Luckily, one of my best friends is the very talented makeup artist Tori McConkey, who could probably do my makeup perfectly with her eyes closed by now. I wanted to feel and look [like] myself, so we did natural, glowy makeup, and I did my own hair with just soft brushed curls. Moments before walking down the aisle when putting on my veil, I actually teased my hair with a fork." — Paige

"I remember as a little girl admiring a gorgeous pair of teardrop diamond earrings in my mother's jewelry box. She told me I would get to wear them on my wedding day. It felt so special and a full-circle moment when my mom helped me put the earrings on before the wedding." — Paige

"The dress I chose was actually one of the first I tried on. I just knew. It then became more of trying on other style dresses to just confirm my choice. Nadia at NWLA was such a dream to work with, and her team altered the dress to fit like a glove." — Paige

As a surprise, Paige gave Riley a Cartier watch with a special engraving on the back to wear for the wedding day.

The groom wore a custom Brunello Cucinelli tuxedo for the wedding day.

"I couldn't have asked for a better tux. I had a fitting in Milan at the Brunello Cucinelli space with my friend Alessio Piastrelli. He really took such amazing care of us and made it special. He set aside a few options he thought I would like, and I ended up going with their classic black tux, which is just as timeless as our setting in Portofino." — Riley

"Belmond Splendido was a dream location that we never thought would even be an option, but our dear friends at Belmond really helped us make it happen on short notice. We ended up finding a tiny little corner of the walking path in the secluded part of the property as the perfect spot for our ceremony. The space was just large enough for two chairs on each side of the aisle. It was so intimate and beautiful." — Riley

Paige wore a Berta Privée gown from NWLA bridal boutique paired with heirloom diamond earrings from her great-grandmother.

WWW Weddings tip: "The whole thing happens so fast. Really prioritize intimate moments with your new husband or wife. I think it's easy to lose yourself in hosting rather than really enjoying what everyone came for—your love for each other. Take time during the events to really connect with your partner and take in the experience. None of your guests are expecting anything more from you." — Paige

"We exchanged our personal vows during the ceremony, and there wasn't a dry eye in sight. The whole ceremony was just pumping with love and happiness." — Paige

"I don't know that I have even been more confident and at ease in a moment before. Walking down the aisle, I felt like I was floating, just soaking up the love for our guests, and enjoying the moment I got to marry my best friend." — Paige

Paige walked down the aisle to Florence and the Machine's cover of "Stand by Me."

"We chose the Secret Garden as the location on property to have the ceremony. It is the path on the far end of the hillside that has beautiful views but is also removed from any other guests. The aisle was flanked with two chairs on each side, making the gathering feel extra intimate. Wanting the location to speak for itself, we kept décor at a minimum with just a large flower arch and arrangements at the back of the aisle." — Paige

"I just cried so much. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw Paige walking down the aisle, as it was the first time I saw her in her wedding dress. I wrote my vows the morning of the wedding and really didn't think I was going to make it through them in front of her. Somehow, I pulled it off, and her vows were just as amazing as I would have imagined." — Riley

"For the reception, we did overgrown centerpieces that complemented the décor of the open-air restaurant. One of the main colors of Portofino is a rich dark green that we kept as a theme with our florals, table settings, and décor. Most important to us was making sure the overall design and mood for our wedding was Italian Riviera dolce vita, which just happened naturally given the venue." — Paige

WWW Weddings tip: "Pick the décor that is most important early in the planning process. This helps you budget which are worth the splurge and which you can cut cost on. For us, food was priority, so we were happy with simple tablescape décor." — Paige

"Picking a destination as picturesque as Portofino allowed us to really take advantage of the natural beauty and vibe of the scenery. Both the town of Portofino and Hotel Splendido are so iconic and rich in color, culture, and landscape. We wanted to make sure we leaned into that.

"There was a chef hand-making fresh pesto with basil leaves from the garden while servers passed around olive focaccia and fried rice balls. There was also an abundance of Negronis and spritz. After the sun crested the mountains, guests made their way down to a lower deck for dinner. There was a long family-style table set in the La Terrazza, an open-air deck with Italian Riviera flair. The coursed menu included pesto and pine nut pizza made in the open wood fireplace, followed by marinated langoustines and caprese salad, then the pasta course, and Da Vittorio's paccheri made tableside by chef Davide from DaV Mare. The main courses included lamb chops and sea bass, and the meal concluded with a traditional Italian crostata with wild strawberries and fresh gelato." — Paige

"We plan to return to Portofino multiple times every year, to our home away from home. The Belmond Splendido is iconic for obvious reasons. It truly encompasses la dolce vita. Tucked into the hillside overlooking the bay of Portofino, it is a view unlike anywhere else." — Paige

"Probably my favorite Italian dish of all time is the Michelin Star Da Vittorio paccheri. Chef Davide of DaV Mare, the sister restaurant in Portofino, has become a dear friend of ours. When we were in town earlier that summer, he made a huge bowl of the paccheri, and we about fell over. I, half joking, said I would give anything for him to make this pasta at our wedding for our guests. As a surprise, he and Michelin chef Enrico Cerea unexpectedly showed up at at our wedding dinner, wheeling out all the fixings, and [invited] us to help them make the pasta for all of our guests. It was one of the most memorable moments of the night." — Paige

"Riley and I are both foodies. Food is always a central part of our travel, so the menu for every part of the wedding weekend was the most important. We wanted our guests to really taste the Italian classics and Liguria cuisine." — Paige

"Everyone danced. We passed around Italian cigars and espresso martinis. The night was just filled with so much laughter and love." — Paige

WWW Weddings tip: "Focus on the couple things that are most important to you the day of the wedding. It's inevitable that there will be things that don't go exactly to plan, but micromanaging every detail will ruin the enjoyment and being present. One of the best things I did was give up control on the things I knew weren't going to make or break the day so that I could really give all my energy to Riley, our guests, and the moments that mattered most to me." — Paige

After dinner, Paige changed into an Alex Perry minidress and added a stack of Dorsey sapphire necklaces.

"I wanted to have something to close the night in that was really comfortable and sexy. I scoured the internet for the right one. When I found it, I removed the straps and sleeves to make it exactly my vision." — Paige

"We wanted the wedding reception to be intimate and upbeat. We had an amazing band perform called The Uppertones, which just gave such a fun, classic feel to the reception. [Making] our own pasta with our amazing friends from DaV [Mare] for our guests was definitely the hit of the evening." — Riley

Photographer: Benjamin Wheeler

Hairdresser and Colorist: Andrea Henty at Bomane Salon

Makeup Artist: Tori McConkey

Florist: Sogno Floreale

Musicians: The Uppertones

Venues: Langosteria Paraggi, Splendido Mare, Bagni Fiore, Da I Gemelli, and Hotel Spendido

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