The Clear Cut Founders' Rustic Italian Wedding in Tuscany

Where else would two jewelers and diamond experts fall in love than at the Gemological Institute of America in New York City? Back in 2013, Olivia Landau and Kyle Simon, co-founders of jewelry company the Clear Cut, were both students at G.I.A., getting graduate gemologist and diamonds degrees (yes, those are real degrees you can actually get!!!). Olivia is a fourth-generation jeweler with roots tracing back to Belgium’s renowned diamond cutters, while Kyle had started a fair-trade diamond mine in Sierra Leone. “We were in different classes, but I spotted him at lunch period and finally worked up the courage to talk to him,” says Olivia. “He headed to the subway before I could say anything—so I followed him!” Olivia finally made her way to Kyle and offered to tutor him for his diamond grading class, and the rest is history.

Of course, a bride with a family history in the diamond biz needs an appropriately special engagement ring. The good news? When Kyle was ready to propose in June of 2018, he didn’t have to look far. “When I was eight years old, I’d spotted an Art Deco asscher cut engagement ring in my mother’s antique jewelry inventory, and begged her to save it for me for my future engagement ring,” says Olivia. “Twenty years later, that’s what Kyle proposed with!” The top of the ring maintains its original design, while the band was redesigned for a more modern fit. “It’s the most special piece I own," she says. "It couldn’t have any more sentimental value!”

And the couple’s wedding was equally sentimental, starting with the venue. “Kyle grew up spending every summer in a small town right outside of Lucca in Tuscany. His family has gone for three months every year for 30 years!” says Olivia. “They’re so close to the family that owns the farm, so we had our rehearsal dinner there and our wedding at their private villa next door. The private villa and estate have been in the family since the 1600s, and Kyle and I were so honored to get to share it with our loved ones, too.”

On June 30, 2019, Kyle and Olivia made it official in the Tuscan countryside, marking their wedding with a weekend full of wood-fired pizza, Aperol spritzes, and even a vintage Fiat 500-turned-bar. And the jewelry wasn’t the only stunning part of this Italian wedding! Keep reading to see all the photos by Carla Penoncelli, below!

The weekend kicked off with a rehearsal dinner at the farm where Kyle grew up spending his summers. “On summer nights, it’s customary for families at the farm to dine together under the stars with the farmers, so that’s what we did,” says Olivia. They’d rented the entire farm to host their closest friends in the collection of cottages, so they spent the day in the pool and then the evening drinking local wine, Aperol spritzes, and pizzas made-to-order by a local chef. “The vintage Fiat bar was a huge hit, and one of those details we’re so glad we splurged on," says the bride. "People are still talking about them!"

Olivia wore a ba&sh dress with an open back, which she paired with an antique moonstone necklace from her mother’s collection and a wavy marquise diamond band on her pointer finger. “We actually added the band to our Clear Cut collection!” she says.

Let’s get a closer look at those rings! In addition to her Art Deco engagement ring, Olivia wore an emerald cut eternity band that she designed for herself for her wedding day (another new addition to the Clear Cut collection!), while Kyle’s band is simple brushed gold.

Olivia knew she wanted an off-the-shoulder dress, but it wasn’t until she tried on this large-scale lace dress from Lovers Society that she finally felt comfortable. “It was the only dress both of my parents loved, and was perfect for our Italian setting,” says Olivia. A barely-there nude tulle at the neck kept the neckline and sleeves in place – form and function!

Kyle wore a navy blue Bonobos suit, while his groomsmen donned light gray. They all wore blue yarmulkes, a perfect match for Tuscany’s vibrant summer sky. Olivia's bridesmaids wore dresses from Reformation. “I wanted my bridesmaids to be coordinated instead of matching, and to have a really summery vibe,” she says. “I chose a blush color and a floral print, and they each chose a style they loved.”The women’s locally-inspired flowers combined peonies, dahlias, and lisianthus in white, blush, and burgundy with eucalyptus, olive branches, and draping leaves.

The ceremony took place in front of a 400-year-old sculpted stone fountain that was covered in white roses. In front of the fountain, a simple chuppah was draped in white fabric and topped with even more olive branches. Kyle and Olivia had a traditional Jewish wedding, inviting their families to stand under the chuppah with them while their bridesmaids and groomsmen sat in the front row.

“We both wrote our own vows,” says Olivia. “We have been together for six years and have been through many ups and downs. The vows were extremely heartfelt and we both couldn’t stop crying when reading them! There wasn’t a dry eye in the whole wedding.”

Following the ceremony, the newlyweds signed their ketubah and took a stroll around the venue during golden hour (prime time for photos!).

Meanwhile, guests showered the couple with olive leaves before enjoying local charcuterie and Italian bites while sipping locally-produced wines. “We had a white Vespa right in the center of cocktail hour, and everyone loved taking pictures with it!” says the bride.

As the sun began to set, guests were seated around an elongated U-shaped table on the lawn. String lights hung overhead, while taper candles in silver candlesticks were tucked around the garland of olive branches. “As favors, we gave everyone little pots of honey produced by the family that owns the farm,” says Olivia.

The dinner menu included caprese salad, bresaola and arugula salad, roasted vegetables, gnocchi in a fresh tomato sauce, mushroom risotto, branzino, and steak—all served family-style.

“Our cake came from the local bakery where Kyle had been going for breakfast every morning on his trips to Tuscany since he was a little boy,” says Olivia. Towering layers of vanilla cake were filled with whipped cream and covered in fresh local berries.

The couple kicked dancing off with the hora, Olivia’s favorite part of a Jewish wedding. “Kyle fell out of his chair, and I nearly came down on top of him,” the bride laughs. “He recovered quickly, though, and it led to an amazing and energetic dance party that lasted until 4:30 a.m. when the carabinieri (the military police!) came and shut it down.”

For all of that dancing, Olivia changed out of her wedding dress and into a two-piece Moda Zeta set with a bow crop top and trousers.

“It was hard not to be able to see or taste things in real life before the week of our wedding, but our planner from Super Tuscan Wedding Planners was incredible to work with and really helped us execute our vision,” says Olivia. “She made it all happen and chose details that showcased our personality. Those were the details our guests really loved!”