Kelly's Wedding

On our way to Pistoia, I called Kelly from the Florence train station. It was so great to hear her voice and I started to get very excited about seeing her. It has been almost three months since Kelly moved to Italy and what has been hard for me was that we used to do something together almost everyday. Kelly was my neighbor, colleague, carpool buddy, drinking buddy, and one of my best friends. After she left Sacramento to be with the love of her life in Italy, I have been missing her. As I watched the perfectly color coordinated Tuscany shutters and homes fly by our train, I reminisced about the years that I have known Kelly and our time that we spent together in Sacramento. It was approximately 40 minutes from Florence station that we arrived at the Pistoia termini.

Carl picked up Jim, the Jacobsens’ and I at the Pistoia train station while Kelly was getting her nails done for the wedding the next day. When we arrived, Kelly and I hugged each other and started crying. I was so happy to see her and I really missed her… There was a lot of emotion running through me. - I was happy for her but sad to see her leave Sacramento. I was ecstatic for her that she has found Ciro but concerned about her happiness without her parents or friends. Kelly is like my sister from a different part of the world and I am glad that we came to Italy to attend their wedding.

Jim and I were moved into one of the Bisori villas and the view from our room was out of this world. It was Tuscany at its best, the hilly landscape, the trees, fields, cities, the sun, and the breeze. I cannot believe how beautiful the view from the farm and villas looked, it was amazing and shocking. How can a girl like Kelly not fall in love with an attentive farmer like Ciro surrounded by the Tuscan landscape and under the Tuscan sun?

Kelly and Ciro’s wedding was absolutely stunning! Kelly was in beautiful pure white dress with corsette in the back that made her look like a bride featured in one of those bridal magazines. And Ciro was in a black suit that made him look anything but an olive farmer. The wedding was administered by a Catholic priest at this church up the hills of Pistoia and witnessed by approximately 90 guests. The church was located on top of the hills and the view from the church was in perfect Tuscany colors, green, yellow, and orange. When the church bell started ringing to celebrate the wedding, the guests started to arrive. The ceremony was a blend between the American and Italian wedding traditions. Chris walked Kelly’s mom, I walked down the aisle before the bride, and Kelly was walked down the aisle by a perfectly happy dad. The sermon was delivered in some English but mostly Italian, so most of the English speakers got to respond to the sermon guessing the Italian pronunciation. Towards the end of the ceremony, Ciro’s two groomsmen, Chris, and I were asked to be the witness of the marriage and we had to go up to the podium to sign four different sets of documents. It was very interesting, but I am not quite sure what the documents said… When the Bisori’s exited the church, they were greeted with rice thrown at them. It wasn’t a toss, it was a lot of rice thrown at the newly weds! It was fun for the guests but the bride and groom ended up with rice all over their hair and their beautiful clothes! Kelly was trying to shake it out of her hair even after the reception!

Needless to say, the food, drinks, and music at the reception were excellent! (The food was amazing! Kelly has to watch out if this is how they feed people in Italy!) The reception took place at the Ciro and Kelly’s new place; the first floor of their house is a wedding hall that backs into a beautiful terrace with a great view of Tuscany cities. The guests ate, drank, and danced, the evening was just magical. I am not sure how to better describe the wedding and reception but a fairytale that had come true!

It was hard to say goodbye to Kelly but I am not so worried about her anymore. I can see that she belongs here in the farm up in Pistoia with Ciro, the farmer, and that her life in Italy is so much more fulfilling with the love of her life by her side. Kelly always wanted to be in Europe and this is her dream come true, so what is there for me to worry about? I am very happy that Jim and I attended the wedding and saw how happy Kelly is. However, this great trip has to come to an end and we must part ways here in Italy. I love Kelly and want only the best for her. We will be physically apart but our friendship will remain. Every time when I have the not so authentic olive oil away from Pistoia, I will think about the beautiful landscape in Tuscany and my American sister that had her fairytale come true in Italy. I will miss you Kelly Bisori, congratulations!