Text by Melanie Saxton Photos by Theo Graphics

Growing up in The Woodlands with the same name as the Italian city, Milan Zamora no way of knowing that she would eventually live in her namesake city and be married to an Italian husband. But that’s exactly what happened after The Woodlands High School graduate head­ed off to college and the wheels of amore started turning.

Milan met Matteo Callegari by chance at the University of Texas during a visit with friends while he was taking courses there through a study abroad program with the Universita of Torino. Milan had visited Italy just four months prior and was intrigued with Italian culture — and the handsome Italian on campus. Their meeting led to a wedding celebration of two cultures on August 12, 2017 at St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church in The Woodlands, followed by a breathtaking reception at Chateau Cocomar in Houston.

Milan completed her degree in mass communication-public relations at Arizona State University. Matteo earned a degree with honors in business administration at Quintino Sella Institute, Universita of Torino. He is currently pursuing a master’s degree at SDA Bocconi in Milan and is a lobbyist at the political and economic institute, Fondazione ResPublica, while Milan awaits her “pink card” work visa for employment in Italy.

 

First Date And Courtship

The pair met at a restaurant and talked about life in Italy and how their cultures would mesh together. Neither could keep their eyes off the other, and they were eager for a follow-up date the next weekend. By the time the semester wound down, Milan and Matteo were in love.

Matteo, however, would be in the United States for only one more month, and they had to figure out how to make their relationship work. Thanks to technology, the couple was able to talk for hours every day from thousands of miles away.

“My mother once asked Matteo what he thought about my name being Milan and him being from Milan,” says Milan. “Matteo responded that he knew that I was his destiny and his future and his forever love. I think we both knew that ‘Texas Milan’ would one day become ‘Italy Milan.’ ”

 

Proposal

The two-part proposal began with a romantic trip to Paris, France, where Matteo proposed without a ring, followed by a trip to Milan’s birthplace of Kingsville, Texas during the holidays — with the ring. Family and tradition are important to the couple, and just as Milan’s father had proposed to her mother at Christmastime, Matteo got on one knee with Milan’s family surrounding them on Christmas Eve 2016.

 

Engagement

The couple planned their wedding over the next eight months. Since Italians take their vacation during August, a date was set for August 12 so Matteo’s family and friends could attend. Milan spent the entire month in Texas — a bittersweet period while she awaited Matteo’s arrival. The timing also worked well for her mother, Dr. Martha Salazar-Zamora, superintendent of schools for Tomball ISD, as classes had not yet started. Therefore, she was able to support Milan every step of the way during the last-minute preparations.

 

The Wedding

The bride envisioned a classic and elegant ceremony. The soaring ceilings and hanging lights in the St. Anthony’s sanctuary set the tone for the storybook wedding of her dreams.

Bridal Party: Deacon Tom Vicknair and Priest Michael Love officiated, with parents of the bride Emilio Zamora and Dr. Martha Salazar-Zamora, and parents of the groom Oriana Raggi and Maurizio Callegari, in attendance. Helen Poulsen and sister of the bride Matisse Marsel Zamora served as maids of honor. Sarah Sheasby, Kathleen Zur, Samantha Louise Rodriguez, Saundarya Dwivedi, Taylor Luckett, Janelle Miller, Cortney Wilganowski and Miriam Callegari served as bridesmaids. Adahlia Phoenix Reyes served as the flower girl.

Best man Marco Pedrazzo stood with groomsmen Paolo Furina, Austin Archuleta, Anh Mai, Mico Zur, Justin Rei, Xavier Fidel Lair, Joseph Okoh and Scott Phetsalod. Joaquin Garcia served as the ring bearer.

Attire: The bride wore a fit-and-flare gown by Monique Lhuillier with a sweetheart neckline, beading and crystals covering the entire gown. Swarovski crystals adorned the cathedral length veil attached to a tiara. Chandelier earrings and a bracelet by Givenchy, and diamond beaded open-toe strappy heels by designer Giuseppe Zanotti completed the ensemble.

Bridesmaids wore Bill Lev­koff sweetheart blush strapless formal-length chiffon gowns, matching tear drop rose gold earrings, peep toe nude strappy heels and natural nails. One maid of honor (the sister of the bride) wore a Bill Levkoff heart blush chiffon gown with a crisscross bodice pattern.

The groom wore a classic black Calvin Klein three-piece tuxedo with a bow tie and blush rose boutonniere, cummerbund, handkerchief and classic tuxedo shoes for the ceremony, and suspenders for the reception. All groomsmen wore the same tuxedo with matching bow tie, suspenders and shoes.

Top Wedding Moments: Before her parents walked her down the aisle, the bride’s father hugged her, kissed her cheek and whispered words of advice. She later presented him with a glass frame inscribed with “My first love” and displaying a photo of their daddy-daughter dance. The bride became emotional when she locked eyes on her groom, and their vows and first kiss before God during the Catholic Mass were magical.

 

The Reception

The castle setting at Chateau Cocomar seemed like a wonderland, from the fountain located in front of the red carpeted steps to the beautiful second floor, where guests were entertained by a string quartet, a cocktail hour and hors d’oeuvres. A premium open bar served drinks all night, and the dance floor was filled with guests who let loose to a playlist from both the U.S. and Italy. The couple’s first dance to The Ground Up by Dan and Shay was another special moment as they shared kisses, smiles and tears of joy at finally being a family after their long-distance romance. Father and daughter danced to My Little Girl by Tim McGraw. Mother and son danced to Unforgettable by Nat King Cole.

Floral and Décor: As the evening began, spotlights shone on the huge centerpiece flower arrangements tightly filled with white hydrangeas, white peonies, white ranunculus, white lisianthus and pale pink Bianca roses that complemented the bride’s bouquet. Crystals dangled from glass vases and adorned the guest and bridal party tables. Silk champagne napkins, champagne and classic ivory linens, champagne chargers, gold plates, gold candles and gold guest chairs added to the ambiance. Gold signs announcing “Bride” and “Groom” draped the couple’s chairs.

A large mirror and a bridal portrait was stationed at the entrance of the chateau. A sign-in book and two huge flower arrangements greeted guests. Photos of the couple’s European vacations and country-hopping adventures were displayed throughout.

The Cakes: The bride’s talented aunt Beatrice Zamora handmade the traditional three-tiered wedding cake adorned with glitter and over 300 various-sized white edible sugar roses. The groom’s cake was themed in a soccer logo and ball to reflect the his love of the sport and Juventus, his team from Turin, Italy.

Top Reception Moments: The limousine rides to the church and chateau, the bouquet and garter toss, and dancing with friends and family were highlights of the evening, along with cutting the cake and sipping champagne as the couple fed each other a bite.

The Exit: The couple shared a kiss to fireworks as guests waved sparklers.

 

The Honeymoon

Milan and Matteo traveled to the beautiful Andronikos Hotel in Santorini, Greece and enjoyed a private jacuzzi, sightseeing excursions, club hopping with locals and vacationers, and breakfast in bed.

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The handsome groom prepares for the big moment.