Hotel de Russie · Rome, Italy

Joanne & Salvatore

Chapter / Behind the shutters

A few things to put right.

Sunlit ochre buildings and open windows above a street in Rome.
White shutters stand open against a red Roman façade.
A pedestrian crosses a band of sunlight between tall doors in Rome.
A passer-by leans towards a stone drinking fountain beneath a white wall.
Hard afternoon light draws a patterned shadow across a hotel wall.
Two wedding rings rest on a printed portrait, one framing an eye.
Salvatore's pale suit hangs against a quiet white wall.
Blue suede shoes rest on an ornate patterned rug.
A boy in a white shirt looks up as the room prepares for the wedding.
A boy straightens his cuffs beside a mirror while another sits wrapped in a towel.
A man adjusts a boy's collar as the boy looks back at him.
A boy in a pale suit and hat straightens his dark tie.
Salvatore adjusts his tie beside an open window overlooking Rome.
Salvatore's face and hat repeat at the bottom of a tall mirror in a pale room.
Salvatore and two young guests smile together over drinks beside the pool.
White wedding flowers rest on a ledge against a pink Roman wall.
Joanne's dress hangs in a tall window beneath a softly lit ceiling.
A woman sits beside the open window as preparations continue in the hotel room.
Women in white robes and sunglasses share a quiet moment before dressing.
A toddler sits beside Joanne while she has her hair prepared.
A makeup brush touches Joanne's eyelid in a close black-and-white portrait.
Joanne looks towards the light while a friend fastens her wedding dress.
Joanne laughs in her lace wedding dress against a pale wall.
Joanne in her veil, framed by the quiet light and shadows of the hotel room.

Chapter / The garden

Somewhere behind the traffic.

Hotel de Russie's terraced garden sits between warm pink façades.
A tortoise pauses beside stone steps and clipped garden hedges.
Fine green leaves catch dappled sunlight against the dark garden.
White chairs and flowers wait beneath the trees for the garden ceremony.
Salvatore raises a phone in front of his face beside a young guest.
Salvatore laughs with a young guest as they wait in the garden.
Joanne approaches along a narrow garden path between tall green hedges.
Salvatore smiles towards Joanne as she reaches the ceremony.
Wedding guests gather beneath the trees in the terraced garden.
A striped cat rests on a garden ledge beneath green leaves.
Joanne smiles towards Salvatore during the garden ceremony.
Salvatore kisses a boy's forehead beneath the trees.
Salvatore embraces another young guest and kisses his forehead.
A boy reads to the gathered guests beside Joanne and Salvatore.
Joanne cups a boy's face and kisses his forehead during the ceremony.
Salvatore closes his eyes for a quiet moment during the ceremony.
A guest raises a hand to her face while listening beneath the trees.
Joanne listens to Salvatore with a small smile.
Hands meet as a wedding ring is placed on a finger.
Joanne and Salvatore embrace beneath the flowering tree.
Joanne and Salvatore walk through their applauding guests after the ceremony.
Joanne embraces a guest among the wedding congratulations.

Chapter / A walk, more or less

Everyone else was here already.

Joanne, Salvatore and their companions walk out into the Roman afternoon.
Joanne's long veil stretches across the sunlit cobblestones of Piazza del Popolo.
The hem of Joanne's dress moves through a shaded pedestrian crossing.
Joanne and Salvatore stand beneath a tall lavender door while a passer-by rests nearby.
Salvatore laughs towards Joanne beneath the pale doorway.
A cyclist passes Joanne and Salvatore on the steps of a Roman church.
Joanne and Salvatore appear in silhouette around an obelisk and the low sun.
Joanne and Salvatore kiss in the middle of a busy Roman street.
Pedestrians cross in front of Joanne and Salvatore against an old church façade.
Joanne's veil catches the light as the couple climb the Spanish Steps.
Joanne stands in a narrow strip of sunlight beneath an inscribed stone wall.
Joanne smiles beside the carved lettering and shadow of a Roman wall.
Joanne's veil floats across Salvatore's face at the top of the steps.
A passer-by fills the foreground as Joanne and Salvatore embrace on the steps.
Joanne and Salvatore touch foreheads above the sunlit city.
Joanne laughs beside Salvatore on a terrace above the Spanish Steps.
Salvatore leads Joanne down the stone steps in the afternoon light.
Joanne looks back over her shoulder while walking with Salvatore through the crowd.
The curved awning of Caffè Greco above its doorway on Via dei Condotti.
Salvatore raises an espresso cup towards the camera at the café counter.
Joanne walks towards the camera among the afternoon crowds in Rome.
The wedding party returns through a sunlit piazza in black and white.

Chapter / Until the lights go out

We asked for a table.

The tables are set in Hotel de Russie's garden beneath its pink façades.
Colourful patterned stationery rests on a white wedding table.
Branches arch over the long wedding dinner table in the garden.
A guest carries her glass beneath the broad terrace umbrellas.
Joanne and Salvatore arrive back on the hotel terrace beneath its broad umbrellas.
Joanne leans towards guests at a dinner table in the garden.
Guests sit beneath an arch of trees at the long garden dinner table.
A guest in a bow tie speaks to the wedding table.
Joanne and Salvatore raise their glasses during a toast.
The hotel windows glow against the deep blue evening sky.
Candlelight falls across white plates and flowers on the wedding table.
Guests share a conversation beneath the garden lights after dark.
A guest embraces Salvatore while Joanne applauds beside the candlelit table.
A young guest stands to speak beside the wedding dinner table.
A woman addresses the guests beneath the arching garden branches.
Joanne smiles behind Salvatore as he holds his hands together during a speech.
A guest holds Joanne close during the evening speeches.
Hotel de Russie's garden terraces glow with lights after dark.
Joanne raises an arm as she and Salvatore cut their wedding cake.
Wedding guests gather beneath the garden lights after dark.
A young guest sleeps with his head resting on the dinner table.
Joanne and Salvatore pause beneath a glowing Ottica sign as a pedestrian passes.
Joanne and Salvatore stand small beneath a monumental church portico illuminated at night.

A LITTLE MORE STRANGE.