A picturesque little wedding on the Amalfi Coast

When Keith Lindsey Jr. met his co-worker Rosa in the summer of 2009, little did he know he’d get on one knee and propose to her a decade later. Although the two were just friends during their joint time at GM, they went on their first date in 2013, when Rosa was in law school. They wandered around the Detroit Institute of Art, had lunch in Corktown Detroit, and the rest, they say, was history.

The couple developed a shared passion for travel, so when it came time to propose to Keith in 2019, he planned a romantic gesture during a trip to the Bahamas. Unfortunately, Mother Nature had other plans. “Our flight was canceled at the last minute due to Hurricane Maria and we were redirected to New Orleans,” Rosa explains. “Keith made a proposal in New Orleans outside of Airbnb.”

Although Rosa and Keith have had to postpone their marriage due to the pandemic, nothing can stop the couple from having their dream wedding. “Our goal was to choose a location that forces people to disconnect from their world and be in the moment. In today’s world where we are always connected to a demanding screen and functionality, we really wanted to choose a part of the world that was so beautiful that it forced people to disconnect and live in the moment.”

In the end, the couple chose Villa San Giacomo along the Amalfi Coast for their “dream landscape”. The couple add, “We loved the fact that the venue was able to accommodate our family and our wedding party, and we came with a chef and housekeeper so everyone could really enjoy their vacation.” “From a wedding perspective, our ceremony and reception could take place and of course provide us with the iconic fairytale scenery of Positano.”

On September 30, 2021, the couple finally became husband and wife in the presence of 40 of their favorite people. Read on for an intimate look at Rosa and Keith’s romantic, jet-set wedding, planned for Weddings in Italy and photographed by Aberrazioni Cromatiche Studio.

Throughout their three-day celebration, the couple paired a lush Positano wallpaper with a bold, jewel-toned color palette. Rosa and Keith subtly set the scene with a custom handmade kit from Isabella Invitations, a Nigerian creative based in Houston, Texas. “On the day of the welcome party, we presented [our guests with] Custom blue and rose gold welcome bags with personalized waste collections,” Rosa shares.

The festivities began with a welcome party at a nearby restaurant called La Tagliata. “The restaurant surprised us and offered us a guitarist and several bottles of wine,” the couple add. “Later, all the wedding guests and our families were outside the seats, dancing and singing.”

On her wedding day, Rosa got her glam together with her two servants of honor.

The bride stunned in a custom-made dress co-created with Impression Bridal and Yumi Katsura. “I knew it was the one I fell in love with when I fell in love with the lace and beading details,” she said. “I loved the inverted neckline, the high cleavage, and the detachable train, which gave me the look [for the ceremony] And a welcome look.”

Rosa completed her look with thoughtful accessories that honored her family roots. “I wore a feather-shaped hair piece to incorporate and represent my Navajo Diné roots,” the bride shares. “I wrapped my grandmother’s pearls around my bouquet to make sure I had her with me at all times.” Once she slipped on Jimmy Choo’s shoes, she was ready to walk down the aisle.

Meanwhile, the groom looked elegant in a custom Festari tuxedo, which was made of Italian silk and accessorized with a shawl-fold.

Keith’s pre-party rituals included completing his skincare routine—which included black-owned brands like Scotch-Porter, Nature Boy, and Bevel—as well as toasting a toast with his close-up.

“We chose to honor our Native American and African American roots and incorporated the symbolism of the circle,” the couple share. “Our seating arrangement was circular, and we used a Native American wedding vase, as well as a custom broom to honor our African American ancestors when hopping on the broom at the end of the wedding.”

Gilded benches and an assortment of pink and white florals—provided by FloraGarden—compliment the look to provide plenty of flair without making it look sassy.

Rosa and Keith opted for a funky wedding – and wanted close family and friends to share their wedding day. The ceremony was full of personal touches, from their best friends as ring bearers to the godmother Rosa walking with her down the aisle to the groomsmen holding a sign down the aisle.

For Rosa, seeing Keith at the end of the driveway was one of the highlights of the day. “[I wanted] To tell him all about my experience of “getting ready” and “silence me” as he smiles and tells me we have to be calm and focused because we are getting married,” Rosa shares. “This moment made my heart smile, because I am the defiant person in the relationship who is serious and balanced.”

In addition to reciting traditional Christian vows, Rosa and Keith wrote personal letters to each other, which were read by the bride’s sister.

“Rosa and I love watching movies and always laugh when rom-coms exaggerate the movie’s much-anticipated—but imaginative—kiss,” says the groom. “During the party, I told Rosa that I was going to do a movie kiss for her. She laughed and didn’t believe me, but I did!”

Once the couple slipped on their wedding rings from Ekletic Jewelry, they relaxed down the aisle to the “Signed, Stamped, Delivery (I’m Yours) by Stevie Wonder.”

After the ceremony, the couple snuck away to take some solo photos with photographer Aberrazioni Cromatiche Studio.

Meanwhile, the guests headed to the villa balcony for the reception. To create an intimate, romantic atmosphere, the couple covered the outdoor space with overhead lighting, candles of various sizes, and flowers reimagined in bright hues, violets, and pinks.

Rosa and Keith teamed up with a personal chef to create a mouthwatering Italian menu, from miniature eggplant Parmesan bites to creamy Frutti di Mare. “We also have personalized nameplates for each guest with hand-painted Italian menu and dinnerware,” adds the bride. Guests also had a Rosa Espresso Martini or a Keith Bear made with cognac and ginger ale.

The saxophonist and percussionist sped up the crowd as the newlyweds entered the reception.

The lively dinner party was filled with touching speeches from the couple’s closest and dearest. For Rosa and Keith, the 40-person guest list made it possible to spend some quality time with everyone. “We loved the fact that we were able to really interact with our family and friends and create lifelong memories that brought us so much joy,” they say.

After dinner, Lorenzo Zanobetti took to work with a live track list, including Rosa and Keith’s first dance for “You and I” by singer Ingrid Michaelson.

For dessert, guests enjoyed a traditional Italian wedding cake made with Italian custard, puff pastry, and a layer of fresh berries. Of course, the celebrations did not stop there. Since Rosa and Keith got married on Thursday, they spent the day after hanging out by the pool with their guests.

Although the newlyweds were supposed to spend part of their honeymoon in France, they decided to spend more than three weeks in Italy, making it a special place in their love story. “It was so wonderful that we spent our days embracing all that Italy has to offer,” said the newlyweds. “We can’t wait to go back!”